We all need our sleep. Continuous disruption in the sleep cycle can have a snowball effect on our health – both physical and mental. Almost everyone knows what it feels like to want to sleep but unable to sleep. We all experience sleepless nights due to various reasons at various facets of our lives.
Did you know a woman going through menopause can suffer from insomnia too? Yes, she can lose sleep and find it difficult to fall asleep due to all those raging and fluctuating hormones inside her.
Let’s first understand what is menopause and when does menopause start.
Menopause marks the end of a woman’s fertile period. It is when her menstrual cycles stop completely. She goes through a transitional period during which the menstrual cycles will slow down and eventually stop. When she hasn’t had her periods for 12 straight months, she reaches menopause.
On average a woman can attain menopause around the age of 50 – 51. Some women attain menopause in the 40s too.
How can irregular periods or the decline in a woman’s fertility cause sleep troubles? Read on to find out:
Hot flashes are very common in both pregnancies and menopause, due to hormonal fluctuations. Hot flashes can happen anytime during the day or night. When you experience hot flashes at night, it makes it very difficult to sleep through them, thus affecting your sleep. Research shows that the brain undergoes a change before the hot flash occurs and this can in turn wake you up from sleep.
Menopause is also the time when the reproductive hormones – estrogen and progesterone reduce considerably. If left unnoticed, it can even lead to sleep apnea – a severe form of sleep disorder. However, it can be very difficult to diagnose sleep apnea as women experience a lot of fatigue, and it can be easy to miss the symptoms.
Hormonal changes can lead to anxiety or depression which can again affect the quality of sleep. Sometimes it can make it very difficult to even fall asleep, leading to insomnia.
Are you suffering from sleepless nights or insomnia due to your menopause? If yes, these tips are for you
Exercising is very important for not just a good night’s sleep but for better overall health too. Exercising can even ease your other menopause-related symptoms. Regular exercises can help tire your body, release hormones responsible for sleep, and also help you stay asleep all night.
You need not increase your workouts overnight, start regular exercise and gradually increase the intensity to find your limit. Challenging your body can make your menopause transition stage much easier.
Hormone replacement therapies can help restore the hormonal balance in your body, thus leading to a better quality of sleep. However, regular use of such hormones or over-the-counter aids can negatively impact your health. Therapies like acupuncture can also help improve your sleep.
Your doctor might prescribe some medicines to help you sleep better. They won’t prescribe any strong sleeping pills and you cannot take them continuously. These medicines can help reset your body’s clock to help you sleep better at night.
Follow a consistent routine. Just like a child’s brain, your brain will also tune in to the routine. When you eat and go to bed at the same time every day, your body’s clock will readjust itself. Now, you can start going to bed on time and sleep better too.
Meditation can help regulate your mood swings and also help with anxiety and depression. When you feel better, you can sleep better. Try meditating for a few minutes before going to bed. When you switch off your mind and instruct it to calm down, you can enjoy better sleep through the night.
If anxiety or depression affects your life during menopause, seek professional help. There is no shame in getting help as and when you need it. A professional can help you relax, open up and reassure you. When you feel secure, you tend to sleep better.
If your room is too cold or too hot, it can be very difficult to sleep through the night. If you are suffering from hot flashes or night chills, it can be difficult to feel comfortable at any given temperature. If you use an air conditioner, change the temperature settings as your body’s temperature changes.
Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks close to bedtime. These can keep you awake late into the night, thus affecting your sleep pattern and quality. Similarly, avoid eating heavy meals before bedtime. As your metabolism slows down, it makes it tough for your body to digest it all.
Blue light from screens can affect your sleep. The fast-moving images on various screens can overstimulate your brain and make it difficult to fall asleep at night. Avoid watching television, or using your laptop or mobile phone for at least an hour before bedtime.
Menopause can make you feel very tired. Fatigue can make you sleepy at odd times during the day. Try avoiding daytime naps. It can help you sleep better at night.
While you cannot prevent menopause-related insomnia, you can always find ways and means to control it effectively. With the right guidance and help, you can sleep better despite your menopause-related insomnia.
Following a consistent routine and regular exercise can help alleviate menopause symptoms including insomnia.
It can last as long as it takes the body’s hormones to settle down. Different women have different experiences. Some women may suffer from insomnia for months while some might suffer for just a few weeks.
Menopause insomnia can be very tough for some women. They may suffer for weeks or even months before their hormones settle down and allow them to sleep again.
