Can’t Sleep?
When I was a much younger doctor, my patients in their 40s would warn me about the impending insomnia.
“You just wait,” they’d say. I never thought it would happen to me—I’d always been a solid sleeper! And yet, at 44, I found myself wide awake between 2 and 4 a.m. most nights, staring at the ceiling and muttering, “Seriously?” Sleep struggles are one of the most common early symptoms of perimenopause—even before hot flashes make an appearance…These are ingredients I’ve used and recommended for over 20 years in integrative and functional medicine.
The Facts on Melatonin in Perimenopause
Melatonin is my absolute most favorite antioxidant! She is billions of years old (that’s billion with a “B”) and she’s also a major part of your sleep-wake cycle. Unfortunately, production declines with age, especially in women going through perimenopause. This is a problem because insomnia, which includes struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, seems to be a top symptom in women over 40. While there are many factors that affect your sleep, melatonin might be a key factor. I often say that melatonin is like the moon and cortisol is like the sun. You make melatonin in cells all over your body. However, the pineal gland in your brain makes…