The Best Estrogen-Rich Foods To Eat During Menopause For Better Sleep

Hot flashes are bad enough during menopause — and then there's also lack of sleep?! It turns out that estrogen and progesterone — both of which contribute to better rest — are affected by menopause.

We've got you covered, though! We asked sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus for his thoughts on getting better sleep during menopause.

While you can talk to your doctor about supplements and medications that could help, Dr. Breus says it is possible to combat this without drugs. He has a few dietary recommendations that could positively affect your body's estrogen and give you a better night's sleep. 

Foods that contain phytoestrogens — chemical compounds found naturally in plants — both act like estrogen and affect the body's own estrogen when ingested.

Phytoestrogen-rich foods that help promote estrogen include legumes and a number of different kinds of fruits and vegetables, according to the doc.

Here are the best foods to eat during menopause, according to Dr. Breus.

Legumes: Peanuts, beans and peas contain phytoestrogens.

Vegetables: Broccoli and carrots are rich in phytoestrogen.

Fruits: Phytoestrogens in citrus fruits like oranges help increase estrogen.

RELATED: 8 Foods To Eat To Get a Better Night's Sleep

And if you're concerned about an increased breast cancer risk as a result of consuming foods that contain phytoestrogens, here's what Dr. Breus has to say.

"What's nice about phytoestrogens is they actually help DECREASE the availability of the estrogen that could lead to breast cancer, and INCREASE all of the other estrogen that's kind of the 'good' estrogen (versus the 'bad' estrogen)."

All of these foods are things that people should be including in their diet, the doc explains.

Always consult your doctor before making changes to your diet.