Could a Good Night's Sleep Reduce the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome?

For so many women, midlife is far from being a time to slow down. Research suggests that over 80% of female entrepreneurs start a business over the age of 50, 5% of women start a family in their forties and 20% of women at midlife are actively caring for a relative.

The death of a parent is 50 times more likely during midlife and divorce rates among the middle aged account for approximately 36% of all divorces in the U.K. Both rank in the top six most stressful life experiences.

57% of working women state that menopausal symptoms negatively impact their ability to progress their careers with 24% turning down promotions due to the impact of menopause and 10 to 15% considering leaving the workplace altogether.

When arriving at perimenopause, I chose to face the change naturally. Forearmed is forewarned so I attended a talk and followed up with my own research in order to better understand the transition I was facing. I consider myself to be well grounded in physiology but the information in literature and on social media from nutritional therapists, scientists and menopause doctors was bamboozling! Much of it, in all honestly left me feeling anxious and confused, but one thing came up again and again; the risk of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

I changed my diet and worked on stress management as advised. I exercised and now lift weights as advised, I have practiced good sleep hygiene for years but in spite of this, my sleep has been disrupted or short throughout my menopausal journey.

I have high cholesterol and poor liver function which may of course be genetic, but poor sleep quality or chronic short sleep can be a contributing factor.

The brain has a cleansing process called the glymphatic system which clears metabolic waste and toxic proteins via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) while we sleep. Poor sleep therefore, can lead to cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

According to a 2022 article by McAlpine CS et al…, “Sleep profoundly influences immune and inflammatory responses…” Poor sleep risks cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction and type 2 diabetes.

Interestingly, in a 2021 article by Che Y et al…, it was stated that both too much and too little sleep is associated with metabolic disorders which include obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, high blood sugar levels and high triglycerides (a specific type of fat that increases the risk of heart disease).

Research indicated that Reishi, or Ganoderma lucidum “has traditionally been employed in the treatment of restlessness, insomnia and other health issues. Specifically, polysaccharides extracted from Ganoderma lucidum are known to exhibit antitumor, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and hypoglycemic effects. On the other hand, triterpenes isolated from this fungus possess anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective*, and immune-regulating activities,” according to Ekiz E et al… 2023.

I have not long been taking a reishi tincture but already I am noticing longer gaps between waking at night and I awake feeling much more refreshed. Let’s hope the extra sleep and the other health giving properties of Reishi lead to improved long term health overall. *Hepatoprotective means protective of the liver so I hope future blood tests will show an improvement in my liver function.

We are all genetically different and so what works for me might not be suitable for you.

Please do your own research into supplements, especially if you are taking any medication (in which case, speak to your GP before taking any supplements). While a good night’s sleep eases symptoms of menopause, sleep can be disrupted by the symptoms themselves. However, I have found that while night sweats woke me up in the past, better sleep seems to be reducing the frequency of night sweats and hot flushes. It’s a win, win!

References:

Kylkilahti TM, Berends E, Ramos M, Shanbhag NC, Töger J, Markenroth Bloch K, Lundgaard I. Achieving brain clearance and preventing neurodegenerative diseases-A glymphatic perspective. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2021 Sep;41(9):2137-2149. doi: 10.1177/0271678X20982388. Epub 2021 Jan 18. PMID: 33461408; PMCID: PMC8392766.

McAlpine CS, Kiss MG, Zuraikat FM, Cheek D, Schiroli G, Amatullah H, Huynh P, Bhatti MZ, Wong LP, Yates AG, Poller WC, Mindur JE, Chan CT, Janssen H, Downey J, Singh S, Sadreyev RI, Nahrendorf M, Jeffrey KL, Scadden DT, Naxerova K, St-Onge MP, Swirski FK. Sleep exerts lasting effects on hematopoietic stem cell function and diversity. J Exp Med. 2022 Nov 7;219(11):e20220081. doi: 10.1084/jem.20220081. Epub 2022 Sep 21. PMID: 36129517; PMCID: PMC9499822.

Jeong HG, Park H. Metabolic Disorders in Menopause. Metabolites. 2022 Oct 8;12(10):954. doi: 10.3390/metabo12100954. PMID: 36295856; PMCID: PMC9606939.

Che T, Yan C, Tian D, Zhang X, Liu X, Wu Z. The Association Between Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Nov 19;12:773646. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.773646. PMID: 34867820; PMCID: PMC8640251.

Ekiz E, Oz E, Abd El-Aty AM, Proestos C, Brennan C, Zeng M, Tomasevic I, Elobeid T, Çadırcı K, Bayrak M, Oz F. Exploring the Potential Medicinal Benefits of Ganoderma lucidum: From Metabolic Disorders to Coronavirus Infections. Foods. 2023 Apr 3;12(7):1512. doi: 10.3390/foods12071512. PMID: 37048331; PMCID: PMC10094145.