5 Food-Based Solutions To Help With Sleep Disturbances During Perimenopause +

The perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal phase of life can come with many different changes and challenges for women. The most notable complaint in many women we work with in practice is poor sleep quality. Yes, hot flashes, mood issues, weight gain, mood, sexual dysfunction, and memory changes are also huge complaints, but many women don’t realize that so many of these other issues can be resolved and addressed by focusing on sleep hygiene! 

Why Sleep Becomes An Issue During This Phase Of Life

Sleep disturbances vary from woman to woman and have a few different causes as the body changes throughout perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. So what are these causes you ask?

Hormonal fluctuations and neurotransmitter imbalances. One study notes that higher follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were observed in women who woke several times during the night whereas lower estradiol (E2) levels were observed in women who had difficulty falling and staying asleep. This same study also states that women in the late perimenopause and postmenopausal phases of life had higher beta EEG (electroencephalogram aka the cap they put on the head to measure brain activity) activity than women in earlier perimenopause. This is noteworthy because these findings correlate with a term called cortical hyperarousal which is most often seen in insomnia and associated with sleep disturbances as well as increases in anxiety and depression. This hyperarousal is often related to elevated levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate which is the primary “excitatory neurotransmitter” in the brain.

Vasomotor symptoms. One of the other hallmark symptoms of menopause is the notorious hot flash. These sudden, intense waves of heat can strike at any time, including during the night for many of our clients. Night sweats, accompanied by overheating and discomfort, often wake women from their sleep causing disturbances in their sleep cycle. A specific research study explored that women with higher rates of hot flashes and night sweats experienced poorer sleep outcomes due to increased nighttime awakenings and disrupted REM sleep cycles.

Mood Imbalances and Changes. Estrogen gets a great deal of attention during menopause – and rightfully so. Estrogen directly impacts mood regulation in the brain through its effects on norepinephrine and serotonin which are responsible for exhibiting antidepressant effects. As estrogen levels decline throughout menopause, women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression which are highly correlated with insomnia and other sleep-related problems during this phase of life.

So now what? Let’s explore some of the real-life nutrition-related strategies you can incorporate into your daily routine to help combat these unwanted issues!

5 Food-Based Solutions To Help With Sleep Disturbances

1. Include tryptophan-rich foods in the diet regularly

There’s a reason why turkey makes you tired on Thanksgiving (and perhaps the overconsumption of all the delicious food!). Turkey is rich in an amino acid called tryptophan which is also found in many other animal-rich protein sources. Tryptophan gets converted into the neurotransmitter serotonin and from serotonin into melatonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter primarily produced in the gut that promotes relaxation and is responsible for regulating sleep quality. Melatonin, which many of you are probably familiar with, is the primary hormone associated with regulating our sleep-wake cycle. Without adequate amounts of these neurotransmitters, our body has a difficult time moving through a sufficient sleep cycle. It is very important to note (which we will explore shortly) that for tryptophan to be converted into these neurotransmitters, it requires certain cofactors (aka vitamins and minerals). This is why balanced meals are so crucial for the body. These are some foods rich in tryptophan:

• Turkey

• Lamb

• Beef

• Chicken

• Fish

• Dark chocolate

• Pumpkin seeds

• Sunflower seeds

2. Consume a diet with adequate amounts of phytoestrogens, especially isoflavones

When it comes to phytoestrogens, soy, and isoflavones, many women panic. Will these foods cause estrogen dominant cancers? Will they make me sick or overweight? Should I eat it or avoid it? For the purpose of this article and the role it plays in sleep quality in menopausal women, the research is highly in favor of regular, early consumption. Phytoestrogens, specifically soy isoflavones, had a statistically significant improvement in sleep-related problems. Soy isoflavones, most concentrated in soybeans like edamame, are rich in two types of isoflavones called daidzein and genistein. Both of these compounds have high estrogen-binding affinities causing them to exert mild estrogen-like effects on the body directly improving sleep outcomes in menopausal and postmenopausal women. 

Why do we want to bind things that mimic estrogen? Well, for starters, we know estrogen begins to decline throughout menopause. Second, how these compounds bind is actually protective against different types of estrogen-related cancers. Both daidzein and genistein bind more so to beta-estrogen receptors which are not as well expressed in the tissues more prone to estrogen-dominant cancers.

It is important to note that daidzein is converted into a compound called equol by the gut microbiome and varying amounts of phytoestrogen exhibit these beneficial sleep properties depending on the health of the gut microbiome (which is only about 30% in those following the Standard Westernized Diet). This is a reminder to always look at optimizing gut health not only for reaping the benefits of phytoestrogens but for overall metabolic and even mental health. Foods rich in phytoestrogens include:

• Organic Miso

• Organic Natto

• Organic Fermented Tempeh

• Fava beans

• Organic Tofu

• Organic Edamame

A few key points to keep in mind about soy is that most soy is full of GMO’s, rich in heavy metals, especially aluminum, and full of pesticides like glyphosate. If you’re thinking, “Great, now what do I eat?”, don’t worry, we've provided some great resources here. 

3. Ensure regular magnesium intake 

Magnesium has always been a mineral that takes the spotlight – and no wonder! Magnesium is responsible for over 300 different processes in the body, including sleep. Over the years as our food quality and soil quality have declined, it’s been more and more difficult for the body to get enough magnesium to support all of these processes hence further sleep issues. Magnesium helps support sleep during menopause through its direct influence on melatonin production. Magnesium also exhibits calming effects on the body allowing it to move into a more restful state of sleep and helping reduce the rates of insomnia. Magnesium is highly concentrated in: 

• Pumpkin Seeds

• Chia Seeds

• Spinach

• Yogurt

4. Consume a diet rich in Vitamin B6

We can’t begin to overstate the importance of this nutrient in the diet. Why? For starters, Vitamin B6 plays a key role in the production of neurotransmitters. The active form of Vitamin B6, also known as P5P, is necessary for the production of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. This study shows the importance of regular, adequate intake of Vitamin B6 from the diet in the form of animal protein to help promote more restful sleep in postmenopausal women. The neurotransmitter GABA is a calming neurotransmitter that enhances sleep quality. Without Vitamin B6, the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase cannot convert glutamate (the excitatory neurotransmitter that has the opposite effect on sleep) into GABA. Furthermore, adequate intake of Vitamin B6 also helps stabilize mood by supporting the production of dopamine and serotonin. Remember that vitamins and minerals do not work in isolation, but synergistically! Without enough Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 can be malabsorbed for example. A balanced diet is key to supporting the body functionally. Foods richest in Vitamin B6 include:

• Beef liver

• Chickpeas

• Tuna

• Salmon

• Chicken

5. Incorporate probiotic-rich foods into the diet daily

As estrogen levels decline throughout perimenopause and menopause, it can cause a host of issues outside of the typical hot flashes. As estrogen levels decline, the pH of the stomach and vagina can both increase causing a more hospitable environment for harmful bacteria or overgrowth. Probiotics rich in the lactobacilli family have been noted to decrease the pH of the vagina and the gut, reducing the overgrowth of these harmful bacteria that can disrupt sleep patterns through the way of the gut-brain connection (aka the vagus nerve). This is because the gut controls a significant portion of mental health and neurotransmitter production like serotonin which directly impacts sleep. Food sources richest in probiotics include:

• Kefir

• Sauerkraut

• Yogurt

• Kimchi

• Sourdough Bread (homemade)

• And one non-food source…. Klaire Labs has a great probiotic-rich in this strain called Ther-biotic Complete.

So if we haven’t convinced you yet that food really is medicine, give some of these above tips a try and let us know how they work for you!