Insomnia during period. What you need to know!

Insomnia during period occurs because of the hormonal changes which result in changes of the body temperature. Progesterone increases body temperature, while estrogen lowers it.

As the body temperature tends to be 1 to 2 degrees lower during night and the quality of sleep depends on body temperature as well, the progesterone effect may disrupt your sleep cycle.

Level of melatonin during different period phases may be another factor causing fragmented sleep. Melatonin is an essential hormone in the regulation of circadian rhythm and regular sleep patterns and some studies suggest that its levels may be altered during the menstrual cycle (Ref 1).

Mood changes are another important consideration as they are frequently associated with altered sleep and circadian rhythms. Premenstrual symptoms (PMS) in women vary from mild to severe. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is considered a more severe and debilitating form, including more symptoms and significant changes to mood. Symptoms include anxiety, irritability, depressed mood, abdominal bloating, fatigue and altered appetite. They usually appear in the luteal phase and start remitting in the follicular phase. Some studies suggest that women who experience severe PMS or PMDD also have high nocturnal temperatures and episodes of chills and sweats, regardless of menstrual cycle phase.

Factors that impact the sleep quality include food intake before going to bed, light exposure, ambient temperature, physical activity, sleep posture and others.

PMS and hormonal changes may be regulated by a healthy diet. Although the name implies the menopause stage, we perform a hormonal test, that measures the cycle hormonal levels.

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