Counting Sheep

Posted by Liz on May 12, 2008 in hot flash | 0 comments

Seems like bills, the primaries, the environment, family, kids and work aren’t the only things that we’re losing sleep over. News from one of my favorite wire services suggests that severe sleep disruption, and not night sweats or irritability is one of most commonly-reported complaint among middle-aged women entering menopause. This is quite important as most of the evidence points to vasomotor symptoms like the sweats and flashes, as largely responsible for poor sleep.

I’ve heard from several of my gal pals that they are having difficulty sleeping. Equally troubling, however, is that if your go-to medical expert is a family doctor, well, he or she might not be completely clear on what to do about sleep distubances, especially when it comes to alternative therapies.

So, what works and what doesn’t when it comes to sleep issues?

In addition to the more obvious solutions, such as cutting back on caffeine and alcohol, beefing up intake of phytoestrogens (which are found in soy, flaxseed and tofu) or engaging in relaxation exercise and meditation right at bedtime, herbal extracts like valerian and passionflower might help.

Now mind you, there’s a lot of controversy over claims that valerian helps to decrease insomnia and reviews of the literature say that there’s not enough evidence to support its value. Personally, the valerian/passionflower combo has worked well for me, although I sometimes awaken with a “hangover” type feeling. There’s a relatively new black cohosh/valerian tablet on the market as well with some studies to support use in sleep disturbance. Note that while I’ve been advised to use black cohosh before bed, I personally prefer the product without the valerian component.

Another option is a supplement called 5-HTP. 5-HTP is an amino acid and natural precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is a major target for today’s antidepressants, and in addition to being involved in mood regulation, it also plays a role in modulating appetite and body temperature. An important note of caution when using 5-HTP is that if you are also using an SSRI or MAOI antidepressant, you need to speak to your doctor first before trying; too much serotonin in your system can be toxic or even fatal. 5-HTP can also interact with other agents so self-medicating without consulting a health professional is a big no-no.

Even with a little help, insomnia can persist through the perimenopause to menopause transition, especially right before your menstrual period. I believe that your practitioner can be great resource for steps that you can take to counter the sleep issues.