About the causes of insomnia associated with PMS and how to deal with it

Many women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which makes them feel uncomfortable before menstruation. There are various symptoms ranging from physical symptoms such as insomnia, lower abdominal pain, fatigue, chest tightness and constipation to mental symptoms such as irritability and depression.

This time, we will focus on insomnia due to PMS and explain its characteristics and how to deal with it. If you don't get enough sleep, it will affect your daytime life, and it will create a vicious cycle of stress and even more sleeplessness.

If you have trouble falling asleep before menstruation or are a light sleeper, please refer to this article.

Find out in this article

• Basic knowledge of PMS
• The relationship between PMS and insomnia
• How to deal with insomnia due to PMS

What is PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)?

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) is a disorder that appears 3 to 10 days before menstruation , called Premenstrual Syndrome . This disorder is characterized by being relieved or disappearing with the start of menstruation, and it is said that more than 70% of women feel some kind of symptoms.

The symptoms range from physical symptoms such as rough skin, back pain, and constipation to mental symptoms such as irritability and crying. In addition, the severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Some people hardly feel PMS, while others have severe symptoms that interfere with their daily lives.

PMS is inevitable as long as you have menstruation. However, it is possible to get along well with PMS by taking appropriate measures and preparing yourself.

Insomnia symptoms associated with PMS

There are two types of insomnia associated with PMS: difficulty falling asleep, and waking up in the middle of the night.

Some people have one or both symptoms. Due to sleep disturbance, you may not be able to sleep well, feel drowsy during the day, feel tired, and may interfere with your daily life.

Also, in the case of insomnia due to PMS, symptoms generally appear 3 to 10 days before menstruation, as with other PMS symptoms, and the symptoms ease with the onset of menstruation. If symptoms persist during the postmenstrual and pre-ovulatory follicular phases (when a woman is at her best during her menstrual cycle), there may be other causes.

Possible cause

The exact cause of insomnia associated with PMS is still unknown. However, there are several possible causes, including body temperature, female hormones, melatonin, vitamins and calcium.

According to one theory, the basal body temperature rises during the high-temperature period when PMS occurs, so it is said that the lack of sharpness in body temperature causes shallow sleep and difficulty falling asleep.

It is also said that changes in female hormones affect the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves and the secretion of substances in the brain.

In particular, it has been reported that the secretion of melatonin, a substance that turns on the sleep switch, changes in those with PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), a type of PMS that manifests strong mental symptoms.

Coping with insomnia associated with PMS

The cause of insomnia associated with PMS has not yet been elucidated, and there is no special attack drug. However, even if there are differences in the degree of symptoms, it is a heavy burden both physically and mentally to be unable to sleep every cycle. So, here are some remedies for relieving symptoms.

improvement of lifestyle

The first thing that anyone can do immediately is to improve their lifestyle. It is very important to go to bed at about the same time, eat three well-balanced meals, and exercise moderately.

Humans have internal rhythms, not only for the menstrual cycle, but also for sleeping and eating. It is important to maintain a stable state without disturbing this rhythm greatly in order to keep it in good condition.

Of course, each person has a different body rhythm, so it is not possible to limit how many hours of sleep you need. However, there is always a rhythm that suits you.

To avoid breaking the rhythm by skipping meals or staying up late, let's start by improving your lifestyle habits.

aromatherapy

It is also effective to burn aroma by your pillow or take a bath before going to bed to promote sleepiness. Aromatherapy can be expected to have relaxing effects such as suppressing irritation and stabilizing mood. In particular, it is said that humans fall asleep most smoothly when the temperature inside the body (deep part) rises and, conversely, when the epidermal temperature begins to fall.

Citrus scents such as oranges and grapefruits are recommended for a change of mood, and lavender scents are recommended when you want to relax.

In addition, rose, geranium, and clary sage (onisalvia) are said to have the effect of balancing female hormones. Relax and fall asleep with your favorite aroma.

herbal medicine

Chinese herbal medicine is also effective in improving symptoms. In particular, Chinese medicine is very good at improving women's malfunction such as PMS. The herbal medicines used vary depending on the symptoms, but if insomnia is the main problem, we recommend Saiko Karyu Kotsu Boreito or Kamiki Hito.

Both are herbal medicines that balance the autonomic nervous system and improve the symptoms of insomnia. In particular, Saikokaryukonetsuryoto is for those who are irritated or have strong mental symptoms such as hypersensitivity, while Kamikihito is for those who have physical symptoms such as a little tiredness. Used for

There are many other herbal medicines used for PMS, so if you are interested, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

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low dose pill

Another option is to use low-dose pills for insomnia symptoms. The root cause of insomnia we are talking about this time is due to "PMS". Therefore, taking a low-dose pill to treat PMS may relieve symptoms.

The pill was originally used as a contraceptive, but today it is used for treatment purposes such as PMS because it works to maintain hormonal balance by using low-dose pills. However, as you know, the pill also has a contraceptive effect, so please be aware that it cannot be used as a coping method for those who want to get pregnant.

Also read the following articles
Explains how to relieve PMS symptoms with the pill

sleeping pills

In addition to the pill, there are sleeping pills as a coping method using drugs. Some people may be a little defensive when they hear the word sleeping pills. Certainly, if you use it wrongly, you may become dependent on the drug, side effects may appear, and in the worst case, you may die if you take it in large amounts.

However, sleeping pills are safe and very effective in improving the quality of your sleep if you follow the dosage and take them correctly. In order to achieve the desired effect, be sure to strictly follow the instructions given by your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.

summary

This time, we have introduced the relationship and characteristics of PMS and insomnia, and how to target them.

In fact, although there are various possible causes of insomnia caused by PMS, there are still many unknown points.

How to deal with insomnia due to PMS

• improvement of lifestyle
• aromatherapy
• herbal medicine
• low dose pill
• sleeping pills

Menstruation occurs every cycle. And PMS can occur every time.

In order to get along well with PMS, let's take an appropriate coping method while consulting with your own body.