That time of the month can come with a whirlwind of symptoms. One symptom that many people may not take notice of is their lack of sleep. Poor quality sleep, or sleep deprivation, can be a problem for anyone. However, women are more likely than men to experience insomnia and other sleep disorders. One reason for this may be hormonal changes and how they affect women's bodies throughout each menstrual period.

If you're a woman having trouble with sleep issues, PMS may be a factor in your sleep issues. In the days leading up to your period, you may realize different physical changes in your body. Most women experience common symptoms (which will be discussed later), while others may have more severe symptoms that can be difficult to combat.

Thankfully, there are a few things that you can do to get better sleep during that time of the month.

What is PMS?

Premenstrual syndrome is a set of symptoms that many women experience in the days leading up to their period. These symptoms usually start to occur 1-2 weeks before their period. Over 90% of women report that they experience at least five symptoms, including but not limited to:

• Mood changes
• Acne
• Bloating
• Breast tenderness
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Irritability and crying
• Changes in body temperature
• Changes in appetite/food cravings
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Weight gain
• Muscle pain and more

When it comes to premenstrual symptoms, it's important to know what is common or normal and what is not. You should see your doctor if symptoms become unbearable or last too long. Some extreme symptoms could signify a bigger health problem or a different disorder.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

For some women, PMS symptoms are more difficult to combat and can be more extreme than the common PMS symptoms listed above. This is referred to as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). The effects can be so harsh on the body that it causes some to miss out on activities like work or school.

People with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder have PMS symptoms in addition to others. These physical and behavioral symptoms usually resolve themselves once menstruation occurs:

• Extreme mood shifts
• Anxiety and depression
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Difficulty concentrating
• Extreme stomach cramps
• Insomnia and more

Why does PMS happen?

Researchers aren't entirely sure why premenstrual syndrome occurs. Although, studies are leaning toward hormone levels and how they fluctuate on a month-to-month basis regarding women's health.

Estrogen and progesterone are two of the main hormones that cause changes. First, let's break down what exactly these hormones are and their functionality.

Estrogen

Estrogen is a hormone that plays a big role in the reproductive system and female characteristics, like breasts, nails, and hair. It is also important for other bodily functions, including bone health, cognitive health, cardiovascular function, and many more. This helps the uterus, vagina, and other female body parts do what they are required to do during menstruation, pregnancy, and after a woman has given birth.

There are different types of estrogen, and they all play a specific role in women's health. Each estrogen type may be higher or lower depending on whether or not a woman is pregnant.

Estrone

Estrone is the type of hormone present in the body after menopause. This is one of the least potent versions of estrogen, but it can convert to other types of estrogen if needed. Like other types of estrogen, estrone is important for sexual development. If estrone is too high, it can cause symptoms like changes in body temperature, irregular bleeding, mood swings, or tiredness.

Estradiol

Estradiol is produced in both males and females. Although, it is very prominent in females during their reproductive years. This is the estrogen that most likely causes some of the extreme symptoms you see during premenstrual syndrome. When there is too much estradiol, things like acne and depression may take place.

On the other hand, too little of this hormone can lead to certain cardiovascular diseases and weight gain.

Estriol

Estriol usually is high during pregnancy. This estrogen type helps the uterus grow with the pregnancy and prepares the body for delivery. The closer a female gets to her delivery date, the higher levels of estriol she will experience.

While estrogen is an important hormone for sexual and reproductive health, it is well kits work it works with progesterone.

Progesterone

Another hormone that plays a vital role in pregnancy, conception, and the menstrual cycle is progesterone. This hormone also controls your libido or sexual desire. Progesterone's most important function is to cause the endometrium to specifice certain proteins during the menstrual phase. This helps prepare the endometrium to receive a fertilized egg when it's implanted. If implantation doesn't occur, estrogen and progesterone levels will drop, causing menstruation.

Both estrogen and progesterone work together to help the body during menstruation and pregnancy. These hormonal changes occur based on when your period begins and if an egg is fertilized.

How Does PMS Affect Sleep?

With different hormonal changes occurring in the body at different times, and sometimes simultaneously, things like your mood and sleep can be affected. Over 70% of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder report insomnia symptoms before their period.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that people may experience with age. Although, that doesn't rule out the possibility of insomnia in adolescents. People with insomnia find it difficult to fall asleep, tossing and turning throughout the night. Insomnia can also make it hard to stay asleep by waking you up at odd times of the night.

People with insomnia may find themselves fatigued throughout the day. Women may struggle with insomnia in the week or two leading up to their period.

On the other hand, some women may be able to sleep more than usual during that time of the month. If this is the case, you may find yourself needing more naps during the day. You may also rest for a long time but still don't feel refreshed when you wake up.

Women with PMS are twice as likely to have insomnia, and nearly three-quarters of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder will experience it.

Physical PMS Symptoms and Sleep

Premenstrual symptoms like stomach pain and cramps, breast tenderness, digestive upset, and headaches sleeping more difficult to sleep before and during your period. The pain or discomfort these symptoms cause may make it difficult to get a good night's sleep.

Another physical symptom of PMS that may affect sleep is a change in body temperature. When progesterone levels are high, body temperature tends to increase. Luckily, most of these physical symptoms can be alleviated with a proper care routine.

Your Mood and Sleep

People with mental health issues like depression and anxiety are more likely to have sleep disorders. During the menstrual cycle, mood changes, irritability, and depression may occur. When the brain is unable to relax and get rid of the negative thoughts that keep you up, it can create a bigger problem of sleep deprivation.

A stressed mind also decreases the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps your body to go to sleep. When the body is stressed, high levels of cortisol are active. Cortisol is known as the primary stress hormone. This hormone triggers the fight-or-flight response, which keeps the body awake and alert. During this time, melatonin levels will drop, and it will be difficult to go to sleep. This is why taking care of your mental health is just as important as a yearly physical.

Insomnia and PMS: The Hormone Connection

Although researchers have not been able to find a solidified answer for why insomnia occurs before and during your period, the underlying cause may be hormonal. Levels of estrogen and progesterone are constantly changing throughout the menstrual cycle.

First, it's important to understand the menstrual cycle and how it is broken into phases, and how each part of the cycle plays a role in how hormones fluctuate and inadvertently affect things like your sleep and mood.

Menstrual phase

The menstrual phase occurs on the first day of bleeding, also known as the period. At this time, the body is shedding the lining around the uterus that was previously prepared for pregnancy. This phase only occurs if the egg from the previous cycle was not fertilized.

Because fertilization did not occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop during this time. This is when women may start to experience PMS symptoms. This phase may last up to five days or more for women with heavy periods.

The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period and ends when ovulation starts. This phase does not begin until a signal is sent to the pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). When this hormone is released, the ovaries produce follicles that contain immature eggs.

The strongest egg will mature, and the increase in estrogen at this stage will thicken the lining of the uterus. This makes a safe and rich environment for an embryo to grow. This phase may last 11-27 days, depending on the woman.

Ovulation phase

When estrogen levels rise during the follicular phase, the pituitary gland receives another signal to release luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulates ovulation. Ovulation is when your ovary releases an egg and goes down into the fallopian tube. This egg waits until sperm fertilizes it.

This is the time women can get pregnant in the menstrual cycle. However, it's important to note that sperm can live for up to 5 days. Therefore, having sex 5 days before ovulation can still result in pregnancy. If fertilization does not occur, the egg will die or dissolve.

Luteal phase

The corpus luteum structure is when the follicle releases its eggs. During this phase, high levels of progesterone and estrogen are created to keep the uterine lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg to be implanted.

If pregnancy occurs, the body produces hCG, the hormone that is detected in pregnancy tests. If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum shrinks and resorbs. At this point, estrogen and progesterone levels decrease again, causing a period. This is when premenstrual symptoms will occur again.

Progesterone tends to relax the body and make you sleepy. On the contrary, estrogen provides more of an energy boost. During the PMS period, the decrease in progesterone makes it difficult to fall asleep.

PCOS and Insomnia

Polycystic ovary syndrome is an issue that occurs during a female's reproductive years. Enlarged ovaries with small cysts that grow on the outer edges. People with PCOS have irregular periods, sometimes not having a period for months. Others may have periods regularly, but they last longer than usual.

In addition to estrogen and progesterone, androgen is another hormone that may be high in the body if you have PCOS. Low progesterone and high androgen levels can create more sleep disturbances.

Studies also show that people with PCOS are more at risk for sleep disorders like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is when breathing starts and stops during sleep. This can be potentially dangerous if not treated.

Tips to Sleep Better With PMS

PMS and hormone changes are not always on your side when it comes to sleep. This doesn't mean that you can't do anything to prevent or improve the trouble it may bring. Here are a few things you can do to still have good sleep if you have premenstrual syndrome:

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene.

The first thing you can do is focus on having good sleep hygiene. This means doing things like:

• Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day
• Creating a cool and relaxing bedroom environment
• Avoiding alcohol and caffeine in the evening
• Doing something to relax before bed.

This will help ensure that you have the best chance of sleeping well. In this case, there are both behavioral and environmental changes you can make to help you sleep better. Forming these good habits can also help perfect your circadian rhythm. This is your body's internal clock that helps you go to sleep at the same time every day.

Some sleep problems are caused by bad habits that have been done for a long time. It will take consistency in practicing good sleeping habits to help you in the long run.

Change Your Eating Habits.

Cutting back on things like salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine can help reduce inflammation during PMS. This inflammation can lead to bloating and cramps. These symptoms can keep you awake at night. Fortunately, it can be drastically reduced if you consume protein and complex carbohydrates instead.

Increasing your water intake will also help you fight against PMS symptoms. Over half of the body is made up of water, so staying hydrated is key.

Practice a Healthy Lifestyle.

As the premenstrual time approaches, you should make healthier lifestyle choices like exercising, changing your diet and getting proper relaxation time. These things will help you cope with PMS symptoms caused by hormonal fluctuations.

While finding time to relax is an important lifestyle habit that you should use, it may be hard to relax while facing certain symptoms. Meditation can be of great help with the relaxation techniques that it uses.

Meditation is also known to increase EM sleep or rapid eye movement sleep. This is another healthy lifestyle choice that you can make. REM sleep is necessary for dreaming, memory, brain development, and processing emotions.

Talk to Your Doctor.

You should talk to your doctor if you have severe premenstrual symptoms or don't respond to self-care and over-the-counter medications. Your doctor will discuss different treatment options with you. You may benefit from medications and therapies that reduce symptoms and help you sleep better.

PMS insomnia is a reality for many women. If you take action and do things to alleviate the severity of premenstrual symptoms before they occur, you can eliminate your sleep problems. The better you feel physically and mentally, the easier it will be to fall asleep throughout the month.

Try BetterSleep

The BetterSleep app has various resources to choose from that can help you get a good night of rest; there's everything you need, from meditation practices to more information about PMS symptoms. Visit the app today to find out more.