Menopause and sleep disturbances

Abstract

The menopause in a woman’s life is one of the most significant events indicating the large-scale changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis function. Gonadal steroid hormones are actively involved in the central nervous system (CNS) growth, differentiation, physiology and ageing processes. Sleep provides restoration of the central nervous system, and also contributes to memory consolidation. Sleep influences the two primary effector systems, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which in turn regulate adaptive and innate immune responses. During sleep, blood levels of cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine drop, whereas the levels of neurotransmitters such as growth hormone, prolactin and melatonin show a steep increase. We get more and more facts showing the role of sleep in the processes of immunogenesis and metabolism, in particular fat metabolism. A systematic modern literature analysis on the prevalence and structure of sleep disturbances in women during pre-, peri- and postmenopause was carried out. The results of individual studies revealing the relationship between sleep disturbances and hormone levels including levels of sex steroids are presented. A review of current scientific evidence shows conclusively that the neuroendocrine system significantly determines the sleep quality. Sleep disturbances associated with RLS, COAC are highly prevalent, especially among postmenopausal women, due to declining ovarian function and deficiency of sex steroids. The results of conducted studies support the continued study and analysis of the relationships between gender, neuroendocrine factors, sleep disorders and the search for effective methods for their treatment. SonNorm Duo containing melatonin, peppermint leaf oil, and motherwort herb extract is one of the drugs used to manage sleep disturbances. SonNorm Duo is an adaptogenic sedative drug that is indicated for sleep disturbances, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders associated with rapid travel across multiple time zones.