Unfortunately, sleep disturbances are a core symptom of menopause (1-3). Insomnia increases around the time of menopause onset and is the most observed sleep disorder associated with menopause (4).

One of the reasons why sleep is affected by menopause is that menopause alters our bodies circadian rhythm with is the fluctuations in physiological processes and hormones across the day (24 hour period) including effects on sleep (5,6) Sleep is furthered impacted by the fact that aging in itself causes changes in the timing of sleep (5) with older adults preferring an earlier bedtime and wake time and they are more sensitive to the mismatch between desire for an actual sleep (7) impairing sleep duration and quality.

A systematic review of nutritional interventions (8) showed both isoflavones and black cohosh have beneficial effects on sleep in menopausal women. Although exact mechanisms by which these nutrients might impact sleep is unknown. Isoflavone based foods such as soy are phytoestrogens and bind to estrogen receptors which could attenuate the effects of decreasing estrogen on sleep (9). Research investigating isoflavones or isoflavones in combination with other compounds have shown positive effects on subjective sleep (19). However, it should be noted that not all studies were positive, including 1 study that did not observe an effect upon sleepiness (19).The dosage may influence the degree of the therapeutic effect, as 1 study has found that a higher dose (25 mg daily) was more effective than a lower dose (12.5 mg) in the treatment of self-reported insomnia symptoms (20). A further, 3 studies indicated that soy or soybean could be beneficial in terms of subjective sleep. The benefits of soy products is likely due to their high isoflavone content. See isoflavone resource for more details on isoflavones.

Black Cohosh could affect neurotransmitters that modulate sleep/wake cycles. These neurotransmitters include serotonin (5-HT) and - γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) (10). The reseach has shown  black cohosh could improve subjective sleep problems (assessed on the basis of a menopausal symptom assessment) (24), and objective sleep, in terms of markers of nocturnal wake duration and objective sleep quality, relative to placebo, at six months follow-up (25).

Other factors that could help with sleep. Limit the total amount of alcohol and avoid it close to bed. Sleep after drinking alcohol is of poor quality. Objective measures of sleep show that alcohol consumption  suppresses REM sleep early in the night, but later it increases wakefulness (!2). Although some people belive alcohol improves their sleep possibly because they feel like they fall asleep quicker but the belief of improved sleep is a misconception (12).

Switch to decaffeinated drinks from noon, caffeine is a stimulant and known to decrease sleep duration and sleep latency (17). This doesn’t just refer to coffee but also fizzy drinks, energy drinks, tea and even chocolate contains caffeine. In fact try switching to a chamile tea. This is because chamomile preparations such as tea have traditionally been used to treat insomnia and to induce sedation (calming effects). Chamomile is widely regarded as a mild tranquillizer and sleep-inducer (18).

Many other compounds have been studied but the research is limited to only a single study. These compounds include pomegranate seed oil (26),pollen extracts (27),organic Maca (28),jujube seed capsule (29), and salvia extract (30),appear to benefit subjective sleep.

Meal timing in relation to bed time can impact sleep quality, don’t eat too close to bed. Plasma tryptophan levels peak 3–4 h after a meal (13,14). A crossover study found that having a meal 4 h before bedtime resulted in shorter sleep latency (the time from lights out to the first stage of sleep) than having a meal 1 h before bedtime (15). This study indicated that the time from dinner to bedtime affected sleep indices. A recent observational study showed that eating or drinking close to bedtime was associated with increased risks of reduced sleep duration, assessed based on a 24 h activity report (16). 

Finally, keep a food and symptoms journal to see if any particular foods or drinks really effect sleep.  Download the Fred Nutrition food and symptoms journal

This information is for educational purposes only. You should contact your healthcare professional before you make any dietary changes or use any supplements. Supplements may also be contaminated and care should be taken when using them.

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