Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Systemic HRT can improve sleep quality, making it easier to get off to sleep, with less night-time waking; it has also been shown to improve chronic pain, mood and genitourinary symptoms.
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.
Estrogen plays a role in the metabolism of serotonin and other neurotransmitters that affect our sleep-wake cycle. Estrogen also helps keep our body temperature low at night, and therefore more conducive to restful sleep.
HRT has been found to decrease latency to sleep onset, nocturnal waking, and total sleep time in menopausal women.
Many women take micronised progesterone (Utrogestan) as the progestogen part of their HRT. Utrogestan is a natural sedative and is usually taken at night time, so can cause drowsiness for some women – an added bonus if you're struggling to sleep.
The main part of HRT is estrogen, to treat symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency. However, for sleep disturbance, the addition of progesterone may have an added benefit and has been shown to be associated with increased non REM 3 sleep.
In very real ways, using HRT to address symptoms of hormonal change can help you feel younger. It can give you more energy, elevate mood, and increase sex drive. It can make sex more comfortable and improve sleep in both men and women.
The good news is that sleep issues during menopause are usually temporary and there are treatments available to help you get to sleep more quickly and stay asleep – yes, there is hope! Find out more about the stages of menopause.
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.
Low estrogen levels typically cause insomnia, because estrogen helps move magnesium into tissues, which is crucial for catalyzing the synthesis of important sleep neurotransmitters, including melatonin.
Estrogen acts everywhere in the body, including the parts of the brain that control emotion. Some of estrogen's effects include: Increasing serotonin, and the number of serotonin receptors in the brain. Modifying the production and the effects of endorphins, the "feel-good" chemicals in the brain.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.
WOULD HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) HELP? HRT is known to improve sleep, mood and hot flushes during menopause. While HRT is highly effective for many symptoms of menopause, current research about its effect on brain fog and other cognitive symptoms is mixed and seems to show little benefit.
A review approximately 3-4 months after starting or changing HRT is a good time to assess both satisfaction with the HRT prescription and its effectiveness in treating menopause symptoms. By this time most start-up symptoms (if any occurred) should be settling.
HRT with Estrogen May Lower Fear Response & Anxiety
They found that estrogen may have a calming effect on the fear response, including for women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, there is some evidence that increasing estrogen may reduce anxiety-like symptoms.
What hormone keeps me awake at night? The main hormones that keep you awake at night at melatonin, cortisol, and insulin as mentioned in the previous section.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Improves Body Composition
In fact, a recent study found that women who used HRT had one point lower on the BMI scale and also about three pounds less of body fat compared to women who didn't use hormone replacement therapy.
One study of older adults with insomnia found that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500 milligrams daily for eight weeks helped them fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased their levels of naturally circulating melatonin.
In addition, bazedoxifene (Duavee) has been shown to increase sleep quality. And two other drugs -- the anti-seizure drug gabapentin and the blood pressure medication clonidine -- also may be effective for menopausal symptoms.
The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopausal symptoms, such as: hot flushes. night sweats. mood swings.
WOULD HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) HELP? Yes. HRT is known to improve sleep, mood and hot flushes, all of which may disrupt your sleep and lead to tiredness.
Hormone therapy helps to feel and express those emotions and stop suppressing them as they did in the past. Some have even started to feel more positive emotions than before, feeling happier and more emotional.