Women of all ages experience sleep changes in response to hormone fluctuations. Today let’s look at the sleep of women during their monthly menstrual cycle.
In 1998, the Sleep in America poll by the National Sleep Foundation was all about women’s sleep. Almost 50% of women reported that symptoms such as bloating, headaches, cramps, and breast tenderness interfere with their sleep 2-3 days each month.
Other women report being more sleepy just before their period. This is when progesterone levels are dropping rapidly. One woman shared with me that she needs to sleep an extra hour for the four nights before and during her period. This has been so consistent that she now puts the extra sleep time into her calendar so she can continue to function well on those days. She notices that when she does schedule extra sleep for that week she is less moody, irritable and emotional, has more energy, and can think more clearly.
If you struggle with PMS symptoms, see if getting more sleep helps you maintain a good quality of life during that time. Write to let me know what effect it has for you.
Learn More About PMS and Sleep