January 30, 2025 | 3 minute read

Let’s talk about sleep! It is a new year and I think most can agree that our sleep is not the best it could be. In regards to menopause and andropause (male version of menopause), sleep is one of the first things I like to focus on when it comes to improving quality of life and reducing symptoms. If you aren’t sleeping well it is difficult to improve fatigue, irritability, memory, brain fog, weight loss, sex drive, etc. no matter how much testosterone, estrogen, or thyroid hormone you have floating around in your body.
So, how does your body know it is time for sleep? You have a tiny gland in your brain called the pineal gland. It is responsible for releasing melatonin in response to darkness as well as stopping the release of melatonin when our eyes are exposed to light.This feedback loop is known as our circadian rhythm. So, the takeaway here is to do what we can to keep our circadian rhythm regular. Here are a few tools to help our brains release that beautiful melatonin when we need it!

Many times, getting our circadian rhythms in check will improve your sleep greatly without you having to spend a dime!
The truth is: there are so many reasons that you could be sleeping poorly. In menopause, the top reasons for poor sleep include hot flashes, hormonal changes, mental health disorders, stress and anxiety, dysregulated cortisol release, etc. I always recommend getting your circadian rhythm back in check before starting any medications or supplements. It is also important to make sure you are speaking with your primary care provider to determine if there is a medical reason that you are not sleeping including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, etc. That being said, most people may just need to get their circadian rhythm functioning again and possibly add on a sleep supplement or two. Here’s a list of supplements that have some good research backing them that are used for sleep! Remember: not all supplements will work for you, so find the one or two that really seems to give you the best results.

Book a wellness appointment if sleep is a concern for you. We can also get you set up on fullscript for discounted supplements!
Love,
Jenna Lambing, FNP-C