Menopause Keeping You Up At Night? Study Says These 2 Things Can Help You Snooze

From the hot flashes to the irritability, menopause comes with a host of side effects and symptoms—and sleep can take a big hit as a result.

Sleep disturbances and subsequent fatigue are some of the biggest issues for menopausal women, with previous research from 2016 finding that 76% of participants transitioning through menopause experienced fatigue1.

So for this study, researchers wanted to know which complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques could help menopausal women get some shut-eye.

They specifically wanted to look at two CAM methods: therapeutic touch and music. Therapeutic touch is described as a noninvasive intervention that directs and balances life energy within the patient, for reported benefits like accelerated natural healing and increased energy flow in the body.

Music, meanwhile, is believed in CAM to release endorphins, lower heart and respiratory rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce pain, anxiety, sadness, and stress.

But would they help menopausal women sleep? To find out, the researchers split over 100 menopausal women into three groups: one control group, one group that received therapeutic touch once a week for four weeks, and one group that listened to music for half an hour every night before bed.

While you should always talk with your primary care provider if you're experiencing menopause-related symptoms, the findings of this study suggest two simple and natural techniques could greatly improve sleep if you're struggling. (And of course, they can also be used in tandem with any medications your doctor might prescribe.)