Balancing Your Hormones: Treatment Initiation According to the NHS, typical timelines for improvement are: Several weeks to feel the initial benefits of HRT. Up to three months before the effects are fully realized.
Research says yes. Many studies have consistently shown a benefit of HRT on sleep in women who have vasomotor symptoms, when the vasomotor symptoms are causing the sleep disturbance. The main part of HRT is estrogen, to treat symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency.
It usually takes a few weeks before you feel the benefits of HRT. It can take up to 3 months to feel the full effects.
One of the longest trials of HRT found that the treatment improves sleep and other quality of life measures. However, taking too much estrogen can make you feel tired. Therefore, it's important to adjust your levels carefully and under the supervision of a medical professional.
HRT has been found to decrease latency to sleep onset, nocturnal waking, and total sleep time in menopausal women. However, HRT is associated with numerous risks and side effects which often result in a failure to initiate, poor adherence to, or an abrupt discontinuation of treatment regimens.
Although rare, swings in estrogen levels can disrupt sleep for some women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). High levels of estrogen prior to menstruation can cause anxiety, mood swings, and insomnia.
Research shows that around 56% of women report ongoing insomnia in the lead-up to their final menstrual period (perimenopause). Disrupted sleep around the time of menopause makes sense. Many women experience hot flushes, night sweats, migraines, mood changes and other symptoms that can affect their daily lives.
Topical progesterone takes two to three months to reach the peak therapeutic effect. However, oral progesterone's effect on sleep is very quick, within 30 to 60 minutes. This helps us to determine the right dose for each individual woman. It is always best to start low and slow when it comes to hormone therapy.
You might feel a bit sick or nauseous, or experience breast tenderness, bloating or headaches, particularly in the first few days. You can see a full list of side effects of the different hormones in HRT here.
Immediate results are what we all want, but the benefits of HRT take a little time. While many people notice improvements in sleep or mood within weeks of starting HRT, changes like improved muscle mass or fat loss can take at least three to six months.
Many women actually find that they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal metabolic state. Progesterone can sometimes cause fluid retention which can mimic weight gain, but there are alterations that can be made to the regime to minimise this impact.
The primary aim of HRT is to treat symptoms caused by oestrogen deficiency. However, for sleep disturbance, the addition of progesterone may have an added benefit.
1) You are tired ALL the time.
This is often because the oestrogen used in HRT is the most active form of oestrogen and it's also a pretty big dose of it. This oestrogen is very stimulating. If we have already been dealing with quite a lot of stress, our nervous system can struggle to deal with this much stimulation.
Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature, not too hot or too cold, and as quiet as possible. Exercise at regular times each day but not close to bedtime. Avoid eating large meals close to bedtime. Stay away from caffeine (found in many coffees, teas, and chocolate) late in the day.
The main hormones that keep you awake at night at melatonin, cortisol, and insulin as mentioned in the previous section.
Progesterone and sleep
The sex hormone progesterone not only triggers ovulation but also promotes sleep. It does this by stimulating your brain to produce a neurotransmitter (a chemical that has an effect on your brain) called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The more progesterone you have, the more GABA you'll produce.
Not exactly. While some hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone can contribute to insomnia— especially in premenstrual women, pregnant women, and women in menopause— those problems are temporary and resolve once hormone levels return to normal.
The female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone are involved in a variety of processes that regulate sleep. Fluctuating levels during menstruation, pregnancy, and perimenopause can cause insomnia.
Cortisol may be best known as the body's stress hormone, but it also plays a pivotal role in managing our sleep “architecture.” Studies of circadian rhythm — your 24-hour body clock — have shown that cortisol levels naturally begin to increase between 2 and 3 a.m. If you're already stressed or anxious, and your ...
As your body adjusts to increased estrogen, your skin may start to feel more sensitive. For some people this is a minor annoyance, but for others it is a difficult adjustment. Increased sensitivity may make it more difficult to fall asleep, especially if you find that your sheets feel rougher than usual.