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Meet Kathryn: The Sleepless Wonder

Kathryn had always been the queen of sleep. She could doze off faster than you could say "sweet dreams" and wake up feeling refreshed, ready to conquer the world -- or at least her overflowing inbox. But lately, things had changed. It started with tossing and turning, a pillow flip here, a sheet adjustment there. Then it escalated into full-blown staring contests with her ceiling at 3 a.m. For the first time in her life, Kathryn was wide awake during the night and utterly exhausted during the day.

"What is happening to me?" she groaned one particularly restless night, staring at her phone's clock as the hours ticked by.

Kathryn was at the point in life where her hormones decided to stage their own version of "Survivor." Her trusty sleep schedule, once as predictable as sunrise, was now out of sync. She had no idea that insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of menopause. For some women, it shows up like a thief in the night (literally) with no warning, while for others, it builds up slowly as estrogen and progesterone levels start to drop.

What Kathryn didn't know at first was that her declining progesterone, the hormone often referred to as a natural sleep aid, was playing a starring role in this new nocturnal drama. Without enough of it, her body struggled to stay relaxed and ready for rest. As if that wasn't enough, her friend estrogen was also leaving the party early, and its absence triggered more night sweats, which meant even more sleeplessness. It was like a perfect storm of hormonal mischief conspiring against her.

Why now?

Kathryn scratched her head. She was still active, still eating well (most of the time), and had recently invested in a mattress that was supposed to feel like sleeping on a cloud. Why the sudden disruption in her sleep?

As her perimenopause set in, her body's natural hormone production began to fluctuate wildly. Estrogen and progesterone -- the very hormones that had helped keep her nights peaceful and her mood stable -- were starting to decline. These fluctuations weren't just messing with her heat regulation (thanks, hot flashes!), but they were also sending confusing signals to her brain's sleep center.

To top it off, declining estrogen levels often affect the production of serotonin and melatonin, two critical players in managing sleep cycles. With these hormones out of balance, it was no wonder Kathryn was wide awake when she should've been drifting into dreamland.

Kathryn's midnight epiphany

After weeks of struggling, Kathryn had a revelation one night -- she didn't have to just "deal with it." She could take action. At breakfast the next morning, fueled by her third cup of coffee, she decided to reach out to her hormone health provider.

"I feel like a zombie," she confessed during her appointment. "I just can't sleep."

Her hormone specialist nodded knowingly. "Insomnia is incredibly common during menopause, but the good news is, there are ways to manage it," she said. Kathryn learned that lifestyle changes could help, like cutting back on caffeine (goodbye, afternoon lattes) and establishing a relaxing bedtime routine that didn't involve scrolling through social media at all hours.

But the most important thing? Understanding that this wasn't something Kathryn had to accept as her new normal. Her provider explained that there were several approaches, including hormone therapy, to help balance her system and give her body the support it needed to start sleeping soundly again.

Kathryn's advice to fellow sleep-deprived women

After working with her provider to get her hormones back on track, Kathryn started to reclaim her nights. "It's not just about getting more sleep -- it's about feeling like myself again," she shared with her friends. "And seriously, if you're tossing and turning, don't just suffer in silence. Get help. Your body -- and your brain -- will thank you."

At Solutions Function Medicine, we prefer you not take our word for it. Hormone health can be confusing. We would like to show you what the science has to say about these matters and help you make an informed decision about your hormone health to manage insomnia, and so much more. Call our team of hormone health certified staff at 859-251-6220 for a free inquiry consult.