Article from: https://larabriden.com/what-to-do-about-hormonal-sleep-problems/

Can’t sleep? It could be your hormones.

Sleep disturbance is common during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle and is usually the result of dropping progesterone or a histamine or mast cell reaction.

Sleep disturbance can also occur during perimenopause and menopause. 

Hormonal sleep problems

PMS or PMDD

Premenstrual sleep problems are caused by one or more of the following:

• the steep drop in progesterone at the end of the cycle,
• hypersensitivity to the ups and downs of progesterone or
• a premenstrual histamine or mast cell reaction.

Perimenopause

Perimenopausal sleep problems are caused by losing progesterone which results in a recalibration of the brain and stress response system. Perimenopause can also be a time of mast cell activation or high histamine, which further worsens sleep.

Menopause

Menopausal sleep problems are caused by losing both progesterone and estrogen which results in changes to the part of the brain that controls circadian rhythm. Losing estrogen can cause sleep maintenance insomnia, which means waking at 2 or 3 am. Fortunately, the brain can adapt to low estrogen and then sleep usually goes back to normal.

Sleep solutions

Start with the usual sleep-enhancing techniques of exercise, morning light, and sleeping in a dark room.

You may then want to try one or more of the nutritional supplements that calm GABA receptors in the brain. They include magnesium, taurine, vitamin B6, and the amino acid glycine.

👉 Taking 3 grams of glycine every night has personally done wonders for my sleep.

If you suffer headaches or other signs of mast cell activation or high histamine, lowering histamine could be the key to restoring healthy sleep.

Finally, consider hormone treatment. Body-identical progesterone capsules (Note: we do not sell these at CNF - must be discussed with your practitioner) work best for premenstrual or perimenopausal sleep problems but a combination of estrogen and progesterone may be needed for the 3 am awakening of menopause.

All information and tools presented and written within this article are for educational and Informational purposes only. Any nutrition, lifestyle and product recommendations are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Before starting any new supplements, diet and exercise program please check with your doctor or practitioner.