Insomnia and Menopause

It is hardly surprising that if you are a woman who has been told she is experiencing menopause you may lose a night of sleep or two. Menopause may be frightening. It is perfectly normal to wonder what is to be expected. Even if you never intended to have another child, it may seem unfair to learn that at some time you will simply be unable.

However, for some women, menopause brings on more than just some sleepless nights, it brings on sleep disturbances, including insomnia, or the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. In fact, according to a National Sleep Foundation (NSF) research study, 56% of women who had experienced menopause or were encountering menopause reported frequent insomnia. For many women, sleep disorders occur just before or during menopause and are marked by wakefulness in the middle of the night, followed by the inability to fall back asleep. What to do if you feel you may be experiencing this symptom?

Sometimes the reasons for insomnia during this stage in life are clear. You may find you wake just before or during a hot flash or night sweat. The heat wakes your body up. Sometimes, it is obvious that you are worried about something - the changes in your body or the decision to take hormone replacement therapy. Accelerated heart rate or bad dreams may be the cause. Sometimes, there seems to be no reason at all. If there is a clear reason - such as hot flashes - the solution may be as simple as seeing a health care practitioner about the symptom in order to treat it and eliminate the problem. If the insomnia persists or threatens your ability to live your life, you need to seek a doctor.

Insomnia can be a serious problem, since it affects the amount of REM (or rapid eye movement) sleep we get. REM sleep is important for all sorts of cognitive functions such as problem solving, creative work, and remembering. Even those who get a total eight hours of sleep may find themselves tired if they wake up frequently. This is because the quality of their sleep has been affected. Those who experience a lack of sleep in general and a lack of REM sleep in particular over time will experience a number of problems, including decreased concentration, decreased memory, extreme tiredness, decreased motor skills, and irritability.

Over time and in severe cases, depression can result. People who are severely sleep deprived may lose consciousness. Those who do not get enough sleep may endanger themselves inadvertently by not being alert enough to look around before crossing a street or by leaving a door open or a stove on. Many fatal car accidents each year are caused by people who fall asleep at the wheel.

Most researchers now believe that insomnia in pre-menopausal and menopausal women is caused by changes in body temperature caused by changing levels of the hormone estrogen. Even if you do not feel warm when you wake up, and even if you do not feel a hot flash just after waking, your body may have heated to the point where you were woken up. It takes the body some time to cool down, and some studies have found that this may be why some women take some time to fall back asleep.

There are many ways to help control insomnia, and if you are experiencing mild or occasional problems sleeping, you may consider a few simple remedies and life-style changes which may help:

Lower the temperature in your bedroom
Avoid lying in bed doing nothing or doing work. If you cannot sleep 25 minutes after waking, get out of bed. This may send the message to your brain that when you are in bed, it is sleep time.
Remove any items of work or pastimes from your bedroom area. If you can see a television or a pile of work from your bed as you are drifting off, your mind may focus on that instead of sleep. Do any hobbies or work in another part of your home.
Most natural health food stores sell herbal teas for relaxation and sleep. You may also want to try chamomile tea, which is naturally soothing and leads to restful sleep.
Create a bedtime ritual so that you “prepare” your mind for bed and maintain regular sleeping and waking hours all week.
Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine before bedtime. If possible, try to remove alcohol, sugar, and caffeine from your diet entirely for a week or two and see if that makes an improvement. If that is ambitious, try to avoid these three items after lunchtime.
Decorate your sleeping area with relaxing colors. Eliminate clutter. Create a restful sleeping place. Keep it dark and filled with fresh air.

Avoid long naps (more than 20 minutes) in the daytime, as this will disrupt your sleep cycle.
Take soothing baths and listen to quiet music before bed.
Try to exercise in the morning rather than the afternoon or evening. Even moderate exercise is stimulating, making it difficult to settle down and sleep.
Make sure your bed is comfortable. Check your mattress for firmness and try a new supportive pillow.
Eat a light dinner and one that is not to close to bedtime. Drink a cup of warm milk or tea just before bed.
Consider acupuncture from a qualified acupuncturist.
Wear sleep wear that is loose-fitting, thin, and made of silk, cotton, linen, or other natural fibers. Synthetic fibers such as rayon and polyester do not allow the skin to “breathe”, trapping heat next to the body, and heavy flannel nightgowns or pajamas may be too warm.
Try meditation and aromatherapy. Certain soothing scents and a slow relaxing of the mind and body can relax you enough to allow you to drift off. If you find yourself waking in the early morning hours, some deep breathing and calming mind images can help you regain sleep.

Some women are tempted to take sleeping pills, but these are a temporary measure and need to be taken only under the close supervision of a good doctor. Although sleeping pills may help a person to sleep, there is no evidence that they improve the quality of sleep. Some people find that they feel groggy and tired the morning after taking them, and that is likely the feeling you are hoping to avoid. Sleeping pills are also addictive, as the body develops a tolerance for them and requires larger doses to attain sleep.

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