For those experiencing sleeplessness and anxiety, progesterone is an easy and often-overlooked medication that can be a great help during perimenopause and menopause.
For female patients going through perimenopause and menoupause who are experiencing sleeplessness and anxiety, we often advise that they speak with their provider about trying a prescription of progesterone.
Women make progesterone throughout their adult lives and it starts decreasing as they get into their late 30s and 40s. Around this time is when many women begin to experience increased anxiety and sleeplessness.
Progesterone is easy to start taking and has very few side effects. While it is possible to get your progesterone levels drawn, it can often be confusing to read and interpret. As a generic medication, it is inexpensive. It is not a controlled substance and does not have addictive potential. It is not necessary to stay on this medication for the rest of your life if you don’t like it or if you experience some side effects.
Some women may be hesitant to take progesterone due to negative experiences with hormonal birth control. However, progesterone is not the same medication as the progestin that is found in hormonal progesterone pills. Progesterone is a naturally derived chemical while progestin is synthetic, and they cause very different side effects. If you’ve had negative experiences with progestin, it is not necessarily an indicator that you will also struggle with progesterone.
Many women have already experienced taking progesterone, for example during early pregnancy to help maintain fetal development, or during fertility treatments when doing IVF. What many of these women describe progesterone as is the feeling of, “I was so relaxed when I was pregnant,” “I had such better sleep when I was pregnant,” or “I just didn’t have anxiety.”
If you’re a woman in your 40’s or beyond and having trouble sleeping or a lot of anxiety, we encourage giving progesterone a try.
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Wells Medicine is a Houston-based practice designed to provide meaningful care for mental health. Providing targeted interventional treatments for Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD and other conditions, with Ketamine Treatments, Stellate Ganglion Blocks, TMS, and Nitrous-Oxide Treatments. Focused on comprehensive care and integration with Psychiatry, Psychology, and Support Services. We are evidence-based, patient-focused and mission-driven.
The content here is for informational purposes and should not be relied upon for medical decisions. For the details of your specific medical conditions and treatments consult your doctors or other qualified healthcare professionals.
