Feeling exhausted during the day can sometimes be blamed on staying up late or experiencing stress at work or in a relationship. However, chronic sleeplessness is a symptom associated with menopause and andropause and can be treated with hormone replacement therapy at our clinics in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, the New Orleans area, and throughout southern Louisiana. This treatment can address the hormone imbalance that causes fatigue and insomnia so you can feel refreshed and re-energized.
What Hormone Causes Fatigue and Insomnia?
The relationship between hormones, fatigue, and insomnia isn’t exactly a cause-and-effect situation. Hormones are the chemical messengers that tell your body what to do and when. These hormones are responsible for maintaining your bodily functions, including but not limited to:
- Hunger, appetite, and blood sugar
- Circadian rhythm and your sleep-wake cycle
- Sexual function
- Body temperature
- Cardiovascular function
- Muscle and tissue repair
A good night’s sleep is vital to healthy hormone production and secretion. When your hormones are balanced, your body runs like it should. Even slight changes in hormone levels, however, can have a dramatic effect on your physical and emotional well-being and disrupt your sleep. Not getting enough sleep can affect your hormones, which can cause future sleep problems. This can create a vicious cycle of poor sleep and hormone imbalance.
What Is the Sleep Hormone?
Melatonin is often called the sleep hormone because it is directly responsible for promoting healthy rest and regulating your body’s circadian rhythm. While most of your body’s hormones are produced in your brain’s pituitary gland, melatonin is produced in the pineal gland, which is associated with your sleep-wake cycle.
Can hormone imbalance cause insomnia? Absolutely! Hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone can all contribute to insomnia— especially in premenstrual women, pregnant women, and women in menopause— but those problems are temporary and resolve once hormone levels return to normal.
Though the connection between low testosterone and insomnia is less clear, men with low testosterone wake up frequently and fail to get enough restful sleep.
Treatment for Insomnia
Even though many women and men rely on over-the-counter melatonin supplements to help them sleep, hormone replacement therapy, such as estrogen replacement therapy, is a more effective treatment for insomnia related to a hormonal imbalance. Melatonin supplements may be used in conjunction with HRT to improve sleep and reduce fatigue.
Before recommending hormone replacement therapy, it’s important first to rule out potential underlying conditions that could be causing chronic feelings of fatigue and listlessness. Effectively treating insomnia involves zeroing in on a specific cause or causes. If insomnia is a primary reason for fatigue—along with brain fog and other fatigue-related symptoms—then low-dose hormone replacement therapy can improve the quality of your sleep.
Can Low Testosterone (Low T) Cause Fatigue?
It may seem like a strange question, but “does testosterone help you sleep better?” applies to both men and women. In each case, having too high or too low levels of testosterone can impact sleep duration and quality. Low testosterone levels in men, in particular, can cause insomnia and sleep apnea, contributing to a sense of fatigue during the day. We provide testosterone replacement for men, which we recommend in conjunction with lifestyle changes to improve sleep.
Does Low Estrogen Cause Fatigue?
As with testosterone, imbalances in estrogen can disrupt sleep. Both low and high estrogen can cause insomnia and may impact women differently throughout menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Balanced estrogen levels can help women fall asleep faster, boost REM sleep, and minimize nighttime awakenings. We offer estrogen or estrogen with progestin HRT for women to enhance vitality and promote better rest.
How Long Before HRT Helps You Sleep?
The goal of HRT is to restore hormone balance and reduce symptoms, including insomnia. It usually takes a few weeks before you start getting more restful sleep and feeling less fatigued.
Though HRT may ease some of the symptoms affecting your sleep, we also recommend a few lifestyle changes when treating insomnia, such as:
- Following a set sleep schedule
- Developing a relaxing bedtime routine
- Keeping electronic devices out of the bedroom
- Exercising regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
- Avoiding caffeine late in the day
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder with many causes. Though HRT can help some, it’s not the right treatment for everyone struggling to get a good night’s sleep. For example, the best HRT for insomnia or fatigue will depend on your specific needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Our simple 3-step process can help determine if HRT is right for you and help you get a good night’s sleep.
Our team of medical specialists, including Dr. Jonathan Weiler, certified medical assistants, and nurses, are ready to create a hormone replacement therapy plan that addresses insomnia, fatigue, and any other symptoms of hormonal imbalance you may be experiencing. Women and men from throughout Louisiana travel to one of our locations for Rejuvime Medical’s expertise. Request a consultation using the online form or call us at (225) 960-1580 to schedule an appointment.
Updated October 2024
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