While it may not be apparent, your body actively readies itself for the next day during sleep. Essential for mental and physical recovery, sleep is tied to memory consolidation. Poor rest can lead to brain fog and focus issues, particularly concerning PCOS. Quality sleep is crucial for stress management, reciprocally influencing PCOS symptom control. Hormonal imbalances, specifically cortisol and melatonin, are common in PCOS individuals. A frequently overlooked aspect of PCOS is its link to sleep disruptions. Signs of such disturbances may involve daytime fatigue, difficulty initiating sleep, and/or experiencing restless or disturbed sleep.
Understanding Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Affecting around 13% of women of reproductive age, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is commonly diagnosed through issues with ovulation, hormonal imbalances, or ovarian ultrasound imaging. Its consequences include weight gain and heightened risks of infertility, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease.
A Brief Overview of Sleep Issues
Sleep disorders, affecting the quality, timing, and duration of sleep, lead to daytime distress and impaired functioning. Often occurring alongside medical or mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, these disorders include insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, parasomnias, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. Sleep issues are interconnected with both physical and emotional challenges, influencing and being influenced by mental health conditions. Approximately one-third of adults report insomnia symptoms, and 6-10 per cent meet the criteria for insomnia disorder.
The Connection Between PCOS and Sleep
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and sleep are closely intertwined. Achieving 7–8 hours of quality sleep, as recommended by Veera Health, can alleviate PCOS symptoms by promoting hormonal balance. Research from NCBI indicates that women with PCOS are more prone to sleep disturbances, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and excessive daytime sleepiness. Studies reveal a 5–10 times higher risk of OSA in women with PCOS compared to those without, and a 30 times higher likelihood of OSA in individuals with PCOS.
Common Sleep Disorders
Insomnia:
Insomnia, characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and functional impairment. Diagnosis involves ruling out other causes, such as sleep disorders or underlying health issues. Treatment may include sedative-hypnotic medications and behavioural techniques.
Narcolepsy:
Narcolepsy is identified by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden muscle weakness, often triggered by emotions or surprise. Treatment involves stimulant medications and behavioural interventions, like scheduled naps, to minimize disruptions.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS):
RLS causes an unpleasant “creeping” sensation that hinders sleep and is relieved by leg movement. Dopamine abnormalities are associated with RLS, and treatment typically involves correcting this imbalance and promoting sleep continuity.
Sleep Apnea:
Sleep apnea, signaled by snoring and interrupted breathing, requires attention due to potential health risks. Treatment depends on the cause, addressing conditions like heart failure or nasal obstruction. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices can also be effective. Seeking healthcare guidance is crucial.
How To Fall Asleep Faster & Get Better Sleep
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Establish a Consistent Sleep Routine (Sleep Hygiene):
Cultivate a routine to enhance sleep, known as sleep hygiene. Wind down at a set time and prioritize relaxation. Maintain fixed bedtime and wake-up hours, aiming for consistency throughout the week.
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Unwind and Incorporate Meditation for Better Sleep:
Initiate relaxation well before bedtime. Steer clear of electronic devices an hour before sleep, as they emit disruptive blue light. Engage in calming activities like reading, listening to soft music, or sleep meditation. Explore mindfulness techniques, such as guided meditation, to facilitate relaxation.
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Embrace Mindfulness for Improved Sleep:
Combat anxiety, worry, and stress by adopting daily stress-management strategies. Share concerns with a trusted individual or jot them down in a pre-sleep to-do list. Employ techniques like reframing thoughts, covered in our self-help CBT section.
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Cultivate an Optimal Sleep Environment:
Craft a sleep-conducive environment by ensuring quietness, darkness, and cool temperatures. Experiment with earplugs, silent phones, quality curtains, and temperature adjustments. Personalize your space for comfort, considering factors like ambient sounds or music for sleep.
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Avoid Forcing Sleep:
If sleep eludes you, refrain from forcing it. In case you feel restful while awake, embrace the feeling. If sleep remains elusive, engage in a relaxing activity like reading or listening to music in a comfortable setting before returning to bed.
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Enhance Sleep with Diet and Exercise:
Foster better sleep through a balanced diet and regular physical activity. Steer clear of large meals close to bedtime and minimize stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, especially 1 to 2 hours before sleep. Incorporate exercise for overall well-being, avoiding vigorous activities close to bedtime.
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Tranquil Melodies
A noisy environment can hinder the swift attainment of restful sleep. Besides minimizing disruptive sounds, you might discover that listening to calming music aids relaxation and masks external noises. Create a playlist within a 15 to 20-minute optimal sleep onset window for a nightly routine. If music proves distracting, others endorse the use of white noise for sleep.
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Guided Visualization
Evoke a tranquil memory or imagine a peaceful scene to alleviate daily stressors and ready your mind and body for sleep. Engage in slow, deep breaths, immersing yourself in the sensory details of an imagined space. Utilizing a pre-recorded soundtrack for guidance, you can find various guided imagery resources online.
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Meditation
Incorporating meditation techniques into your bedtime routine may expedite the onset of restful sleep, with mindfulness meditation showing promising results. Emphasizing present-focused relaxation and non-judgmental awareness, mindfulness can diminish rumination and facilitate emotional release before sleep.
Mindfulness meditation is effective in reducing sleep-related anxiety and decreasing time spent awake in bed for those with chronic insomnia. While it may take time to achieve relaxation initially, familiarity with the process allows for quicker relaxation and sleep initiation. Consult your doctor before starting meditation, especially if you have a history of trauma or if meditation triggers distressing thoughts.
Improving sleep often involves adjusting your overall lifestyle and adhering to good sleep hygiene practices. These include:
- Maintaining a consistent sleep and wake schedule
- Limiting caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol consumption
- Avoiding electronic devices before bedtime
- Creating a quiet, dark, and comfortably cool sleep environment without distractions
- Limiting naps to 30 minutes or less, and not too close to bedtime
- Reserving the bedroom for sleep and intimacy only
- Moving to another room if unable to sleep after 20 minutes, and returning to bed only when feeling sleepy
Consult Veera’s Doctors
Sleep latency, also known as sleep onset latency, denotes the duration it takes to initiate sleep. A healthy sleep onset period typically falls between 15 to 20 minutes. This timeframe excludes pre-sleep bedtime activities like showering or meditating and focuses on the duration spent attempting to sleep after getting into bed. Abnormally lengthy or brief sleep latency may signal sleep health concerns. If your sleep onset duration deviates from the usual range, consult Veera Health’s doctors to discuss your concerns.
Get Real-time Coaching & Build Healthy Habits
Veera Health’s weight loss and PCOS programs are designed with an individualistic approach and are an overall lifestyle management program. These include improvement tips for all aspects of your lifestyle including your sleep cycle.
Learn More With Veera
Consistently adopting targeted lifestyle changes not only helps alleviate symptoms but also reduces sleep abnormalities. For personalized guidance and expert care in PCOS management, explore Veera Health’s specialized PCOS program!
