With spring underway, we’re looking forward to warmer weather, longer, lighter days, and summer vacations to new places (and new time zones). As welcome as they are, all these seasonal shifts can cause disruptions to our sleep schedules that can take some getting used to due to changes in routines, environments, and even hormones.
If you’re already dealing with the fitful, inconsistent sleep that comes along with perimenopause and menopause, you might also wonder if seasonal time changes like Daylight Saving Time or jet lag from changing time zones while you travel could be hitting you harder than before.
Although we lack research on the specific connection between Daylight Saving Time and menopause symptoms, we do know that time changes of all kinds, whether from the biannual clock switch-up, travel, or working night shifts, absolutely affect how we feel and function. Throw the hormonal highs and lows of menopause into the mix and you may notice more sleep challenges than usual, even if time changes previously didn’t affect you much. It all boils down to the relationship between our hormones and our circadian rhythms.
What are circadian rhythms?
“Circadian rhythms” might sound like a fun aerobic dance class from the eighties, but it’s just the scientific term for the body’s internal clock. That internal clock runs the roughly 24-hour cycle of processes that determine things like our core body temperature, digestion, mood, and when we’re naturally inclined to wake up, feel alert, and get sleepy throughout the day. Circadian rhythms are largely controlled by the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which tells various organs to perform their functions at specific times based on environmental cues (like how much light we’re exposed to) or behavioral cues (like when we habitually eat and exercise). It’s a pretty sensitive system, as anyone who has spent their first days of a vacation groggy, cranky, and queasy might know.
Many of the processes governed by our circadian rhythms, like our sleep-wake cycle, depend on the production and regulation of hormones like melatonin, cortisol, and serotonin. When the levels of these hormones ebb and flow at times we're not used to, it’s a recipe for disorientation and dysfunction.
A time change of just an hour, like when we spring forward or fall back for time changes, doesn’t sound like much compared to jet lag after traveling across multiple time zones, but as we are reminded twice a year, it can feel surprisingly disruptive.
How time changes affect our circadian rhythms and our bodies
Many of the circadian rhythm disruptions we experience during the spring and fall time changes happen because of how our bodies respond to light. Natural light is the body’s cue to run the sleep-wake cycle by releasing and modulating levels of melatonin and cortisol, two of the hormones that help control when you get sleepy at night and begin to wake up in the morning.
As the days get longer after the “spring forward” time change, even a little more light later in the evening can delay melatonin production, meaning sleep onset might happen later too. This, of course, also affects when our bodies send wake-up signals—not just the ones that pull you from sleep without an alarm clock, but the ones that determine what time of day you’re likely to feel awake and alert instead of groggy.
In a less scheduled world, where we could allow our bodies time to gradually sync up with shifting levels of sunlight throughout the seasons and follow our unique circadian rhythms (also called chronotypes), we might not feel time change effects as much. Unfortunately, just because the time on the clock has changed doesn’t mean work, school, commute times, or business hours start any later.
For many of us, that means sleep loss—according to the Sleep Foundation, the average person gets 40 minutes less sleep on the Monday after Daylight Saving Time begins. There’s actually a term for the mismatch between one’s circadian rhythms and scheduled, time-bound obligations like work or school: it’s called social jet lag, and it’s not great for us!
Social jet lag and Daylight Saving Time
Social jet lag can make you feel fuzzy-brained in a meeting or cause you to give your equally sleep-deprived and irritable teenager a run for their money, but it has also been linked to more serious health concerns. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine notes that chronic social jet lag is associated with higher risks of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and depression.
While chronic social jet lag is more of a concern if you have to stick to a long-term schedule that’s not compatible with your natural sleep needs, the switch to Daylight Saving Time gives everyone a little jolt of short-term social jet lag, and the consequences can be surprisingly serious.
Studies have found that the days after Daylight Saving Time are associated with a range of fascinating but troubling occurrences, from increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, and atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat), to higher rates of work and school absences, medical errors, traffic accidents, and suicide.
Of course, these increased risks are due to complex knots of physiological, social, behavioral, and environmental factors, but there is good evidence that the jarring effects of sleep loss and disrupted circadian rhythms can touch just about every aspect of our lives.
As the weeks go on, most people acclimate to Daylight Saving Time enough to not notice the effects quite so profoundly. But what about those who already struggle to get consistent, quality sleep? Those who wake up at all hours sweating, ruminating, or with a startling snore, thanks to menopause? Does menopause mean every time change from here on out is about to feel a whole lot worse?!
Your circadian rhythms during menopause
Frankly, we don’t have much data exploring the relationship between Daylight Saving Time effects and menopause symptoms—at least, not enough to say that women in midlife are consistently more or less affected by the time change compared to the general population.
Whether menopause affects circadian rhythms at all is another story altogether. We do know that estrogen is among the hormones that help regulate circadian rhythm-driven processes like the sleep-wake cycle, appetite, digestion, and metabolism, and body temperature fluctuations. When it declines during menopause, the effects are just as noticeable as the short-lived effects of a time change—often worse. Our brains and bodies like to stick with the patterns they’re accustomed to, and when those patterns change due to internal factors like hormone swings or external factors like a new time zone, the adjustment process can be slow and uncomfortable.
The menopause transition can introduce all kinds of sleep struggles: Irregular sleep patterns, insomnia, waking up in the middle of the night, never feeling fully rested no matter how much you sleep, daytime fatigue...to say nothing of vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, which aren’t triggered by the sleep-wake cycle but can still keep you from a good night’s rest. Poor sleep, of course, can lead to or worsen mental health symptoms that may have already reared their heads during menopause, like brain fog, irritability, anxiety, and depression, which in turn can lead to—you guessed it—even more trouble sleeping. It is truly a vicious cycle.
All of this is to say, if you’re dealing with sleep disturbances during menopause and feel more sensitive to your symptoms after experiencing a time change, that’s valid! Your already irregular circadian rhythms suddenly have to adjust to new cues. It’s also perfectly valid if you have these symptoms without the influence of a time change. Menopause sleep problems are common and sometimes complex, but in many cases, they are treatable. And seeking care is not just about feeling better; it’s about investing in your long-term health. Both menopause and chronic sleep issues are linked to increased risks of cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, metabolic dysfunction, and body composition changes (i.e., where we gain and hold on to body fat).
Lifestyle changes, medications (including hormone therapy, when appropriate), cognitive behavioral therapy, and solid sleep hygiene routines can go a long way toward resolving chronic sleep concerns. Gennev’s menopause-trained doctors and Registered Dietitian Nutritionists can help address sleep issues like night sweats and fatigue, so if you’re struggling, don’t hold back—make an appointment today. If you suspect something more serious is keeping you from sleeping well, consider a sleep study to check for disorders like sleep apnea. You can even do an assessment from the comfort of your own bed through a company like Complete Sleep, which offers easy, at-home sleep apnea screenings and treatment via custom-fitted night guards.
How to recover from a bad night of sleep
Even if you don’t usually struggle with sleep, a restless night can happen to anyone, whether from travel, stress, seasonal time changes, illness or menopause symptoms, or just a fun evening out. Here are our top tips for bouncing back when sleep just did. not. happen.
Hydrate:
The fatigue, brain fog, and malaise that wallop you after a bad night’s sleep might not be due to reduced sleep time or quality alone—they could also be signs of dehydration. While it’s normal to lose some fluids overnight through breathing and sweating, some research has found that adults who slept six hours or fewer had up to a 59% higher risk of dehydration compared to those who regularly slept longer. Even if you are getting more than six hours of sleep, menopause-triggered night sweats could mean that you’re waking up more dehydrated than you realize. This can worsen your symptoms of both sleep deprivation and menopause, so rehydration is a must.
Plain water is a quick and easy option, but for extra flavor you can add a squeeze of citrus, sliced fruit or cucumbers, or crushed herbs like mint, lemon balm, or basil. Electrolytes can help too; you can get these key minerals from fruits and veggies, or in the form of supplemental tablets, powders meant to be mixed with water, or DIY recipes. Gennev’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionists advise patients to look for ones without excess sugar, artificial sweeteners or caffeine, particularly if you plan to consume them later in the day, as these can lead to digestive distress and further trouble sleeping. Sugar alcohols like erythritol are used in some electrolyte formulas as sweeteners, but many people don’t digest these well and there is some research linking high levels of erythritol to blood clots; when in doubt, go for unflavored electrolytes or look up a recipe for a homemade version instead.
Gennev RDN Melissa Burton also cautions that since electrolyte formulas can be quite high in sodium and potassium by design, they might not be suitable for those with high blood pressure or kidney issues. If you’re dealing with hypertension or kidney concerns, check with a doctor or RDN before trying electrolytes.
Move:
Gentle movement, especially in the morning, can help you shake off sluggishness and set yourself up for better sleep that night. Physical activity is one of the cues that regulate your circadian rhythms, so if you’re woozy after a time change or jet lag, a bit of exercise could help you feel back to normal faster.
If lack of sleep has left you too foggy to function, it’s fine to skip the workout class that calls for complicated footwork or slinging heavy weights around—a walk is a great lower-impact choice instead. Here’s how to get the most out of your walks.
See the sun:
Or natural light, at the very least. Morning light and fresh air feel good no matter what condition you’re in, but if you’re sleep-deprived, light exposure shortly after you wake up can help you feel more alert. It’s another one of those signals that circadian rhythms depend on, meaning that not only will it make you feel a little livelier during the day, it will also prepare your brain to produce the hormones that make you drowsy in the evening. Think of it like pre-ordering better sleep for the night to come.
Caffeinate cautiously:
While your daily coffee or tea can taste extra satisfying after a rough night, more is not always better when it comes to caffeine. There’s no need to skip your coffee or switch to decaf if you haven’t slept well (nobody likes a caffeine withdrawal headache!) but drinking more than usual won’t make up for the missed hours. It could tip you from slightly energized to jittery and anxious before you know it—not ideal if you’re already dealing with menopause-related anxiety or irritability. Caffeine has a half-life of 4-6 hours and traces of it can stay in your system even longer, so any extra caffeine you consume in the afternoon could still contribute to keeping you awake that night if you’re sensitive to it.
The FDA’s recommended safe daily limit for caffeine is 400 milligrams before unpleasant side effects set in, but everyone processes it differently and caffeine content can vary between types of teas, energy drinks, and even coffee blends. If you’re curious about how much caffeine you could be consuming, check out this chart of caffeine content in popular products.
Other vices to skip? Alcohol, processed sugar, and long naps—alas. It’s tempting to take the edge off with an afternoon snooze, a sweet treat, or a nightcap, but they can all interfere with sleep quality, mess with circadian rhythms, and aggravate symptoms of menopause. If sugar-induced hot flashes sound like a special kind of indignity you’d like to avoid, fresh fruit and decaf tea (like ginger, rose, or hibiscus) can tick the boxes for something sweet and hydrating.
Stick to your schedule:
Shouldn’t the remedy for not getting enough sleep be...more sleep? Not in the way you might think. Sleep experts like those interviewed in this episode of NPR’s Life Kit caution against long naps too close to bedtime and sleeping in later than usual. As good as they feel, both practices can further throw off your circadian rhythm and confuse your brain so it doesn’t send the sleep-wake signals when it should. A better solution, if you really need some sleep to get through the day, is a brief nap: no more than an hour long, and at least six hours before you plan to go to bed.
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