How to Beat Menopause Insomnia: 7 Tips for Better Sleep

During menopause, hormones start to shift. And for a lot of women of their late forties and early fifties, this might imply coping with menopause insomnia. If you’re struggling to get a decent quantity of shut-eye every night, keep studying for our greatest tips and hacks for a greater sleep!

7 Symptoms of Menopause Insomnia

Wondering if you’re experiencing menopause insomnia? You may have a number of of these 7 symptoms:

1. Exhaustion throughout the day
2. Headaches
3. Change in mood
4. Confusion
5. Irritability
6. Difficulty attending to sleep or staying asleep
7. Waking up too early

6 Causes of Menopause Insomnia

When it involves menopause insomnia, it could additionally be a results of any of these 6 causes:

1. Hot flashes  – When hormone ranges like estrogen and progesterone drop, your physique temperature increases. This rise in temperature can set off you to wake up. Hot flashes can take a while to pass, making it difficult to fall again asleep as soon as they’re over.
2. Night sweats – Hot flashes can result in night sweats. Night sweats are the biggest reason women lose sleep. More than half of women expertise night sweats that reduce the quantity of sleep they get to decrease than seven hours a night.
3. Restless legs syndrome –  Many women can start to expertise stressed legs syndrome throughout menopause, inflicting tingling or crawling sensations of their legs throughout the night. As a result, it could additionally be harder to go to sleep and keep asleep.
4. Sleep apnea – During menopause, hot flashes and night sweats usually tend to occur, which can increase the risk of developing sleep apnea. It’s additionally extra common for women who’ve had a surgical menopause to develop sleep apnea, leading to points with insomnia.
5. Change in estrogen – Progesterone and estrogen ranges considerably drop throughout menopause. Both of these hormones are known for his or her sedative effects. Estrogen particularly has a big affect on how well you sleep. It works with neurochemicals like serotonin to assist you go to sleep at night. When these ranges start to lower, your high quality of sleep goes down. You may take longer to go to sleep and get up extra often throughout the night.
6. Decrease in melatonin – Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps you go to sleep and keep asleep. The ranges of melatonin your physique produces decreases with age. This decrease can contribute to sleep issues.

5 Risks of Untreated Menopause Insomnia

When you lose sleep, it can have an effect on many things. Left untreated, menopause insomnia can set off potentially dangerous results such as:

1. Accidental injuries
2. A change in reflexes
3. Impaired judgment
4. Uncontrolled temper swings
5. Constant tiredness

How to Beat Menopause Insomnia: 7 Tips

These 7 tips can assist you fight menopause insomnia:

1. Start with your bed – The final factor you need is a mattress that makes you really feel too hot at night. Start by selecting sheets and bedding that’s breathable. Fabrics like cotton and bamboo allow air to flow, keeping you cooler. Even your mattress has the ability to decrease your physique temperature. Some reminiscence foam mattresses are made with plant-based supplies that retain much less heat.
2. Change what you wear – What you put on to mattress every night can have an effect on the way you sleep. Go for clothes that’s loose-fitting and made from a breathable supplies like bamboo or cotton. These supplies will assist your pores and skin breathe at night and can wick away moisture.
3. Check your thermostat – The easiest way to remain cooler at night is to decrease your thermostat. Ideally, you need to maintain it between 60 and sixty seven degrees. When you sleep, your physique temperature drops, and in case your room is already cool to start with, you can assist your physique go to sleep faster.
4. Change your diet – Certain meals can actually set off night sweats and hot flashes. Avoid alcohol and spicy foods, and attempt to restrict the quantity of caffeine you have every day. All of these issues can set off acid reflux as well, which makes it extra difficult to get to sleep. Talk to your physician about including meals wealthy in plant estrogen, such as chickpeas, lentils, or soybeans, to your diet.
5. Stick to a routine – Creating a routine and sticking to it can assist you set up good sleep patterns. Make certain to go to mattress and get up on the identical time every day. After a few weeks, you may discover a distinction in how a lot sleep you’re getting.
6. Avoid naps – When you’re feeling tired, a nap can appear like a nice idea. But when you’re coping with menopause insomnia, it’s best to keep away from them altogether. If you should take a nap, keep it to not greater than 30-40 minutes and sleep throughout the early afternoon.
7. Address anxiety – Anxiety is a big sleep deterrent. During menopause, hormone fluctuations can increase your ranges of anxiety and set off coronary heart palpitations. It can additionally set off night sweats. Try stress reducing techniques such as mediation, exercise, or breathing techniques.

How lengthy insomnia lasts throughout and after menopause will be different for everyone, so take a while to discover the options that work best for you.

If you’ve tried everything you can and you’re nonetheless having points with menopause insomnia, try speaking with you doctor. They could additionally be able to supply over-the-counter medications. pure sleep supplements, or hormone replacement to assist with sleep points and night sweats.