How Menopause Affects Our Sleep Pattern
In your teens and twenties, you are invincible.
Sleep? What's that? I don't need to sleep.
Late nights, parties, and no sleep were the norm.
You thought at the time that this is the way life would be.
Why were all those older people complaining about sleep you might have wondered! In your thirties, you may have been raising children.
Late night feedings and a busy life meant very little sleep.
When you dreamed of a vacation, all you could think about is a comfy bed somewhere with no interruptions so you could sleep.
That sounded better than a week in Hawaii.
By the time you reach your 40's and beyond, the kids are no longer keeping you up as much, especially once they are grown, and you are pretty sure it's your time to sleep as much as you want.
Then perimenopause and menopause come and that darned thing called sleep can start to elude you in ways you never imagined.
Hot flashes, ok...
but sleep? Come on! Don't take our sleep away! Unfortunately, trouble with occasional sleeplessness is common among menopausal women (more than 60% of women going through menopause said that getting a solid night's sleep is an issue).
It just doesn't get the "press" and jokes that hot flashes do.
Its menopause's dirty little secret, but one that can leave you feeling wiped out and discouraged.
What can you do about it? In most cases, it's the symptoms such as hot flashes that can keep you awake (or wake you up).
If this is the case, be sure your room is well ventilated, wear cool, loose fitting clothing and always keep a glass of water by your bed.
If it's not symptoms keeping you up, concentrate on what else it could be - are you stressed? What's your caffeine intake? Are you tired during the day? What's your sleep schedule? It may even help to write it down - for 1 week, take time each day to write down the things that are worrying you, how much caffeine you've had, how you felt when you woke up, if you were tired during the day and what time you went to bed.
There may be some hidden culprits keeping you from a good night's rest!
Sleep? What's that? I don't need to sleep.
Late nights, parties, and no sleep were the norm.
You thought at the time that this is the way life would be.
Why were all those older people complaining about sleep you might have wondered! In your thirties, you may have been raising children.
Late night feedings and a busy life meant very little sleep.
When you dreamed of a vacation, all you could think about is a comfy bed somewhere with no interruptions so you could sleep.
That sounded better than a week in Hawaii.
By the time you reach your 40's and beyond, the kids are no longer keeping you up as much, especially once they are grown, and you are pretty sure it's your time to sleep as much as you want.
Then perimenopause and menopause come and that darned thing called sleep can start to elude you in ways you never imagined.
Hot flashes, ok...
but sleep? Come on! Don't take our sleep away! Unfortunately, trouble with occasional sleeplessness is common among menopausal women (more than 60% of women going through menopause said that getting a solid night's sleep is an issue).
It just doesn't get the "press" and jokes that hot flashes do.
Its menopause's dirty little secret, but one that can leave you feeling wiped out and discouraged.
What can you do about it? In most cases, it's the symptoms such as hot flashes that can keep you awake (or wake you up).
If this is the case, be sure your room is well ventilated, wear cool, loose fitting clothing and always keep a glass of water by your bed.
If it's not symptoms keeping you up, concentrate on what else it could be - are you stressed? What's your caffeine intake? Are you tired during the day? What's your sleep schedule? It may even help to write it down - for 1 week, take time each day to write down the things that are worrying you, how much caffeine you've had, how you felt when you woke up, if you were tired during the day and what time you went to bed.
There may be some hidden culprits keeping you from a good night's rest!
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