Do hormones affect your quality of sleep?

Sleep is essential for mental and physical recovery. However, about 40% of Germans suffer from sleep disorders (insomnia), with women being the most affected. This may be due to a hormonal imbalance.

Why is sleep important?

Germans sleep an average of 7 hours and 14 minutes per night, but any sleep duration between 5 and 9 hours is considered normal. Accordingly, the amount of sleep a person needs and how much sleep is appropriate varies from person to person. However, it is not the duration of sleep but the quality of sleep—especially the duration of the deep sleep phase—that is crucial for optimal recovery. This is because the regulation of certain hormones occurs only during deep sleep. During this time, levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine decrease. At the same time, growth hormones such as melatonin and prolactin are released. These stimulate cell renewal and promote healthy skin, improved hair growth, optimal wound healing, increased muscle strength, and bone growth. If deep sleep is lacking over an extended period, the skin becomes thinner and wrinkles deepen. In addition, the risk of becoming overweight increases. Restful sleep is crucial not only for beauty but also for health, as the immune system can only regenerate during deep sleep. Sleep is also essential for mental well-being, as it is during sleep that the day’s experiences are processed and new information is consolidated and stored.

The quality of sleep affects one’s overall quality of life. Chronic sleep deprivation leaves you constantly tired and exhausted; you feel drained, irritable, and unable to cope with stress. The lack of restorative sleep impairs performance and can, in the medium or long term, lead to the worsening or onset of illnesses. Thus, sleep disorders and the resulting sleep deprivation can also lead to serious conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. As a result, life expectancy can even decrease!

A Woman’s Sleep

Women are significantly more likely to suffer from sleep disorders than men. In general, young women sleep better than older women, as the physical and hormonal changes women experience throughout their lives have a direct impact on sleep quality. Physical factors can include, for example, breathing difficulties or hot flashes. However, emotional factors such as stress, anxiety, and depression also negatively impact sleep quality. Since the female body is subject to significant hormonal fluctuations, it is hardly surprising that sleep needs and sleep regulation also fluctuate. In addition to sleep disorders during pregnancy and menopause, sleep problems related to menstruation are also frequently reported. In general, healthy women experience post-ovulatory sleep disturbances in the form of nighttime awakenings and frequent, more intense dreaming. Others, however, report increased daytime fatigue, states of exhaustion, and a generally heightened need for sleep. These sleep disturbances are usually accompanied by other premenstrual symptoms and subside after menstruation.

The Role of Progesterone

If restless sleep or sleep problems are related to menstruation, this is often due to changes in hormone levels during the second half of the menstrual cycle. After ovulation, the hormone progesterone is released to protect a potential pregnancy; however, this hormone also has a sleep-promoting effect. When progesterone levels drop again before menstruation, the sleep-promoting effect also noticeably diminishes. Progesterone plays an important role in the menstrual cycle and fertility. Additionally, progesterone acts as a counterbalance to estrogen. Both must be present in the body in a specific ratio to maintain a harmonious hormonal balance. However, many women produce too little progesterone. This results in estrogen having an excessive effect—it becomes, so to speak, dominant. This so-called estrogen dominance can also be a cause of sleep disorders. It is already known that the hormonal IUD can trigger a progesterone deficiency by suppressing the body’s own progesterone. In many cases, this can also lead to estrogen dominance, which is the main cause of many side effects of the hormonal IUD, including insomnia.

What helps with sleep problems?

If no obvious triggers—such as stress, an infection, a hormonal imbalance, etc.—can be identified for acute sleep problems, it is important to look for other causes, especially if the sleep disturbances persist. If underlying medical conditions are present, it is of course advisable to treat those first. Sometimes, simply improving sleep hygiene can resolve a sleep disorder. For example, the bedroom should be well-ventilated and not too warm. Late, heavy meals, coffee, and alcohol should be avoided. Fixed rituals as well as relaxation and mindfulness exercises before bedtime can also be helpful. “Digital detox”—avoiding digital devices such as smartphones, computers, and televisions before bedtime—as well as darkness can help promote healthy sleep. Medicinal plants such as lavender, valerian, lemon balm, and passionflower are also helpful for sleep disorders.

By the way: Doctors only diagnose a sleep disorder if, for at least a month, you are unable to get uninterrupted, restful sleep three or more nights a week and feel tired, weak, nervous, and irritable during the day. Even if you feel like you’re sleeping well but are constantly tired during the day, this can be a sign of disrupted sleep. In these cases, you should always consult a doctor first.

By the way: You can also use OvulaRing to track your sleep quality. A healthy and restful night’s sleep is characterized by a significant drop in body temperature during the night.