How Hormones Orchestrate Your Sleep and Wellbeing

Ever wondered if your disturbed sleep was due to something more than stress? The answer might lie in your hormones – nature's chemical messengers that do far more than we give them credit for. In this article we’ll explore how these tiny molecules shape our nights and days.
The Estrogen Effect: More Than Just a Reproductive Hormone
Like most people, you may think estrogen only matters for reproduction and our monthly cycles. Of course, that role is extremely important (and the survival of humanity depends on it!), but this hormone plays a far bigger role in our health and wellbeing than many people realise. This powerful hormone shapes everything from our bone strength and cardiovascular health to our skin's collagen production and brain function. In fact, cells in almost every system in our body are affected by estrogen! Estrogen plays a role in our metabolism, helps maintain our body temperature, and even influences our emotional wellbeing and cognitive sharpness.
But perhaps one of the most overlooked roles estrogen plays is in our sleep, especially as we enter the menopausal transition. Estrogen helps regulate sleep by interacting with sleep-related hormones like melatonin and adenosine, which are key players in promoting the body's natural sleep-wake cycle. Healthy estrogen levels help us to sleep soundly. On the other hand, when estrogen levels drop, such as during perimenopause or menopause, many women report trouble sleeping or waking up frequently during the night. So, when estrogen and other sleep-related hormones all play together in harmony, the body can experience the soothing, restorative effects of sleep.
Your Body's Natural Chill Pill: The Progesterone Story
Like estrogen, progesterone isn’t just about reproductive health- it has many roles within our bodies. Acting as estrogen’s counterpart, it protects the lining of the womb (endometrium), provides an anti-inflammatory influence on the body, and acts as a mild diuretic to reduce the swelling effects of estrogen. It’s also a natural sedative for our brains, like a built-in relaxation switch. This calming hormone helps reduce anxiety and promotes a sense of peace, which is essential for allowing the brain to shift into sleep mode. Progesterone’s role in sleep is significant, but also often overlooked. It works alongside other sleep-promoting hormones to ensure we can wind down and enjoy a restful night. Progesterone also protects against sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnea, which is a problem in just over half of perimenopausal women. Unfortunately, when overall progesterone levels decline during certain life phases (hello, menopause!), those peaceful nights might become more elusive.
The Day-Night Dance: Cortisol and Melatonin's Duet
Picture your body running on a 24-hour clock, with cortisol (a stress hormone) and melatonin (a sleep hormone) as the minute and hour hands. When everything's in sync, cortisol peaks with the morning sun, getting you energised for the day, while melatonin rises as the stars come out, preparing you for rest.
But modern life can throw this natural rhythm into chaos:
- Scrolling through social media before bed? The blue light could be suppressing your melatonin
- That late-night ice cream? It might spike your sugar levels (blood glucose), insulin and therefore your cortisol levels when it should be winding down
- Stressing about tomorrow's meeting? Your cortisol might be keeping you awake for an unwanted all-nighter
Managing daytime stress and keeping cortisol low in the evening, with relaxation and daily meditation practice, and staying off screens and keeping the house lights dimmed, can all go a long way to help keep these hormones in balance. It takes some effort and discipline, but restorative sleep and more daytime energy will be your reward!
The Thyroid Factor: Finding the Sweet Spot
Your thyroid is like your body's thermostat and speed controller rolled into one. Too much, too fast (hyperthyroidism), and you might feel like you're trying to sleep with a cup of coffee in your system. Too little, too slow (hypothyroidism), and you could be battling fatigue while paradoxically struggling to get quality sleep.
Now, add estrogen to the mix, and things can get a little more interesting. Estrogen increases a protein called thyroid-binding globulin (TBG), which attaches to thyroid hormones in your bloodstream and keeps them inactive. When estrogen levels drop, such as during menopause, you might need to tweak any thyroid treatment you're on to keep things in balance. When estrogen levels rise—like during hormone therapy—it can make less free thyroid hormone available for your body to use. This could lead to low thyroid function symptoms like tiredness and weight gain. Estrogen and thyroid work together and keeping them in check is key to maintaining your body's energy balance.
Taking Control of Your Hormonal Harmony
During perimenopause, your hormones engage in what can feel like an improvisational jazz session – creative but sometimes chaotic. This phase brings unique challenges as multiple hormones shift their usual patterns:
- Estrogen levels fluctuate unpredictably – sometimes rising sharply, other times dipping, which can affect various body systems, including your sleep.
- Progesterone production often declines, affecting sleep quality.
- Stress hormones might become more sensitive to daily pressures.
- Thyroid function might need to adjust to changing estrogen levels.
These hormonal shifts can create a sense of imbalance, affecting your sleep, energy, mood, and overall wellbeing. However, understanding these changes can help you navigate this transition more smoothly and regain control over how you feel.
There are many reasons why sleep can be affected in peri and post menopause, and this article has just covered one aspect- your hormones. Stay tuned for more articles on other factors that affect sleep during this phase of life.
(Source for article: https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvad036)
Looking for help with your sleep?
Meeting with a women’s health specialist (E.g., GP, gynaecologist, endocrinologist, etc.) who focuses on peri and post-menopause is a great first step. They can offer personalised advice, including hormone replacement therapy (if suitable), and holistic strategies that support this phase of life. A sleep psychologist can also assist you with identifying the reasons for your sleep disturbance, and assist you with developing a range of psychological tools that you can use to overcome insomnia and sleep well.
Please check out our other articles and blogs on all things sleep, including our evidenced-based online sleep program A Mindful Way to Healthy Sleep.
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