Dr. Kelly Simms ND, CNS

Naturopathic Doctor and Nutritionist, Fertility Course, Natural Women's Health, Preconception and Fertility

Because natural women’s health doesn’t have to be complicated. 

  • Home
  • Services
    • Optimal Hormonal Balance
    • Preconception Planning, Fertility, and Infertility
    • Perimenopause + Menopause
    • Fertility Membership
  • Fertility Membership
    • Learn More
    • Get Started Now
  • Blog
  • About
    • About Dr. Simms
    • FAQ
    • Media
  • Become a Patient
    • Contact
  • Login to ChARM – Patient Portal

in Women's Health

Are Night Sweats Disrupting Your Sleep + Your Life?

To women everywhere who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause, we salute you.

Sleep can be incredibly evasive during this time of your life, especially if you’re experiencing night sweats and hot flashes. Staying up all night fighting with your pillow might not be a big deal once or twice, but over time the sleep you’re losing to those night sweats can cause serious physical and mental health issues.

Sleeping During Menopause

According to the Sleep Center at the University of California Los Angeles, night sweats aren’t the only reason you’re not getting the best sleep of your life during menopause. Instead, the changes in your hormones can both directly and indirectly change how you sleep for the worse. For example, your sleep may become lighter or you may spend less time in the sleep stage known as deep sleep. You can even be awoken by hot flashes as much as once an hour!

Obviously, this can’t be the best thing for your well-being. In fact, according to Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine, in the short term, a lack of sleep can affect judgment, mood, ability to learn and retain new information and can increase risk of serious accidents.

Longer-term effects of a lack of sleep include:

  • Since your body secretes a number of appetite, metabolism and glucose controlling hormones at night, a lack of sleep can create a cascade that results in obesity. Not only will you lack the energy to exercise, but your body may throw cravings for sweets your way or even make it hard to know when to stop eating.
  • Sleeping less than five hours a night can change the way your body processes glucose. Less shuteye can cause glucose to be processed more slowly and greatly increases your risk of developing Diabetes.
  • If you already have problems with your blood pressure, even one night of lost sleep can cause your pressure to soar the next day. Losing sleep over and over can influence how well your blood pressure is controlled overall.

Getting Better Sleep

Sleep is vital to normal functioning for humans of any age, but getting enough sleep can be such a balancing act as your life gets more hectic and busier.

Between family commitments, friends, household commitments and job duties, you might believe you’ll never be able to carve any time out for yourself to get more sleep or try some techniques to improve the sleep you are getting. Fortunately, many things that help you sleep are simple.

Give these a try:

  • Cool your room at night. Turning the thermostat down is good for sleep, according to science. For some, it means keeping their heads cool and the rest of their bodies lukewarm, for others this might mean cranking the A/C while laying under a thin sheet. Sleep temperature is highly individual, but if you keep your bedroom as cool as is comfortable, it’ll help combat night sweats.
  • Lighten your sleep attire. Some women go to bed wearing layers, others wear hardly nothing at all. When you have night sweats regularly, you can soak through your PJs, further disrupting sleep. Having a less is more attitude may be the biggest boon to your sleep. Less clothing to soak through is more sleep you’re getting.
  • Add a little exercise. Researchers in Latin America found that women who exercise less than three times a week for 30 minutes were 28 percent more likely to have more severe menopause symptoms than their more active counterparts. These women were also 21 percent more likely to experience hot flashes. It would seem that hitting the gym for just a half hour three days a week can help reduce hot flashes and night sweats.

Tossing and turning, or even drenching the bed, isn’t a problem to be ashamed of, it’s just another part of menopause. Instead of ignoring your lack of sleep, though, take control of your night sweats with simple changes to your sleep environment and daily activities.

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

« PCOS 101: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Four Signs It Might Be Perimenopause »

Search

Categories

Stay up to date

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Media Inquiries

Contact info

773-492-8010
2559 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60614

Click here to contact us

join me on instagram

dr.simms

Estrogen dominance, or unopposed estrogen, is a th Estrogen dominance, or unopposed estrogen, is a theory in which the level of estrogen outweighs the level of progesterone and other hormones in the body. Picture a seesaw. Estrogen is the person high in the air looking down at the progesterone (and other hormones)- sitting at the other end with their feet on the ground.

Our bodies need estrogen for reproductive, cardiovascular, and bone health. Estrogen is a very important hormone! Too much estrogen, however, can be linked to an assortment of conditions like: 
- Heavy periods
- Migraines
- Water retention 
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Uterine fibroids 
- Endometriosis
- Mood swings 
- Hormonal weight gain

High estrogen can be caused by certain medications, excess body fat, stress, alcohol, liver issues, and synthetic xenoestrogens, so some dietary and lifestyle changes may be needed to correct your hormone levels. And, what about supporting the other hormones? Picture the seesaw again. We can support healthy progesterone production with dietary and lifestyle changes as well!

Was this helpful? If so – like, follow, and don’t forget to comment below any questions you have about estrogen dominance!
There are few health conditions as frustrating to There are few health conditions as frustrating to address and correct as acne.

Courses of antibiotics, dozens of topicals, spironolactone, supplements, and the birth control pill are the main treatments most of my patients have tried before they come to me. While some may be effective, you might be still wondering: is there a way to heal my skin once and for all and not have to use this stuff?

Acne is so frustrating for many because it seems like there are a million things you could be trying. So, what are some NATURAL first steps you can take if you are struggling with acne?

1) Get your hormone levels checked. Knowing if you have any hormone imbalances can help your doctor to cater your treatment plan to your specific needs.

2) Address your gut health. Your gut is the foundation of your health and can be closely tied to skin issues.

3) Try going dairy free. I’ve found this is one food group that can be especially problematic for people that suffer with acne. The thing to know is that you have to avoid it for at least 30 days and also that in the future, you can probably have at least some dairy back. It’s usually not a forever restriction.

If you have questions about your struggles with acne, leave a comment below or send me a DM. I’d love to chat about potential solutions and help you get to the bottom of your skin concerns.
It’s time for another Sunday Supplement highligh It’s time for another Sunday Supplement highlight! Today, we’re talking about Magnesium Glycinate.

Magnesium Glycinate is a supplement that increases magnesium levels. Magnesium is vital in regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. It may also be helpful in the making of bone, protein, and DNA. 

I love magnesium glycinate because it is one of the easiest forms of magnesium supplementation for the body to absorb. It is also gentle on the digestive tract which means it is less likely to cause undesirable side effects such as an upset stomach or loose stool. 

Magnesium glycinate might be especially helpful for you if you suffer from:
- High blood pressure or heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Migraine headaches
- Depression

Do you have more questions about magnesium glycinate? Leave a comment below, or shoot me a DM and we can chat!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Yelp

Looking for something?

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Media Inquiries

Copyright © 2023 · Kelly Simms, ND · website by N.Creatives