I had a patient named Mary Ellen, who was 57 years old when she came to me to get help with her insomnia (the menopause symptom that was causing her the most distress). She was always somewhat of a light sleeper—she’d have her good nights of deep restful sleep, but when she was under stress, she had more disturbed sleep. And as she got older, she began noticing a shift in her sleep cycle.

During the day, Mary Ellen was groggy and sleepy, which made it hard for her to function at work, and her quality of work was affected. But as the night came, she became more agitated and couldn’t settle down. Over-the-counter products didn’t work, and she didn’t want to get hooked on prescription medications.

I worked with Mary Ellen on some key sleep-inducing exercises. Specifically, a couple of hours before bed, she did some quieting exercises, meditation, peaceful visualization, and prayer, which was compatible with her belief system. In addition, I also recommended that she take low-dose melatonin (300 mcg–1 mg) and 5-HTP (50–100 mg) each evening before bed. She was happy to report a few weeks later that she really achieved great success from this program.

If you’re having similar sleep issues because of night sweats or other menopause symptoms, I urge you to try these two supplements!