That’s right; your menstrual cycle affects sleep. Hey, ladies! If you’re on your period, have you noticed that you have a hard time sleeping at night? And, three days before your ovulation, you never want to leave your bed?
And depending on your “red lady,” your sleep quality gets worse or better. But, your hormones and lifestyle can help balance your uneasiness during this monthly phase. Not all women have their menstruation affect their slumber – it can still make you wonky though. Here’s what you need to know.
How your menstrual cycle affects sleep
Do you know why? Here are five ways your menstrual cycle affects sleep. Some of these factors you might already guess. From hormonal imbalances to body aches, your menstruation lets you struggle to get that good shuteye!
Sleeping hot after ovulation
After ovulation, your body temperature rises which leads to night sweats and more sleep disturbances. The temperature will also become uneasy, thus disrupting your good night’s rest.
Menstrual cramps and pains cause you to wake
Painful cramps lead to endless tossing and turning at night while you’re on your period. It comes to no surprise that severe menstrual cramps will keep you awake. Dysmenorrhea, as it’s called, adds pain in the lower back, hips, and thighs. It can even induce vomiting at night and loose stools.
Decreased in melatonin levels
Studies show that pre-menstrual stages lower your hormone, melatonin, the one responsible for inducing you to sleep. Once your melatonin is low, you’ll have a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep.
Heavy flow is a nuisance
Will your flow seep into the mattress? Are you wearing heavy tampons or pads to combat the flow? These concerns will have you awake at night and alert. What’s more, heavy flow makes you tired and cranky at night, which further drives up your wakefulness. About one out of four Australian women experience heavy menstrual bleeding. In addition, 50 percent of these women suffer severe cramps while undergoing heavy flow.
Your mood affects your sleep
We all know that our periods make us go cray-cray, but anxiety and depression can affect sleep quality. In fact, it upsets sleep duration, making us wake up only a couple of hours. Moreover, if we do end up cranky in bed, we tend to be agitated and a little aggressive on the sides.
Tips to get that good sleep
Don’t let Lady Red get you on your nerves! Now we all know how menstrual cycle affects sleep. If it’s your time of the month, you can address sleep issues with these tips.
Get cooling pillow or mattresses. Cooling pillow and mattresses help bring your temperature down to induce sleep. If you’re suffering from hot flashes after ovulation, you need to get cool to trick your body in getting that good night’s rest.
Exercise if you can. Exercising when you’re PMS-ing might be daunting, but working up a sweat eases your pre-menstrual symptoms. What’s more, you get your energy levels high in the morning until your body makes it easier to fall asleep at night. Aim at least 20 minutes of fitness daily before or during your period. Even a simple walk or jog can already make a difference.
Use hot compress or pain killers. Using a hot compress may reduce the tension of your muscles and ease the pain. You can even keep pain medications to receive additional relief. Taking a warm bath will also lessen menstrual cramps and induce you to sleepiness.
Skip unhealthy snacks. Right now, you might be craving chocolate, strawberry cakes, and ice cream to ease your discomfort. But these sugary snacks can bring bloating, nausea, or upset stomach. A long period of sugar rush will keep you awake at night until it bogs down to hunger and more cravings.
Cooldown your room. Turn the AC or open the doors, you need to keep your room around 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit to induce sleepiness. People tend to be drowsier when the temperature drops.
