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And to top it off, numerous studies have proven that getting less than 5 hours of sleep significantly contributes menopause weight gain. It has such an effect that women who sleep 5 hours or less will gain almost 6 pounds more fat than women who sleep 7 hours or more.
For many women going through menopause, sleeping through the night seems to be a thing of the past and they're feeling the effects. They are drowsy and grumpy all day, they don't have the energy the used to have and in many cases they are having problems getting along with a partner who is sick and tired of being woken up all night.
There are several reasons why women have trouble sleeping during menopause. One reason is a reduction in the levels of serotonin. This chemical affects your brain, making you feel drowsy. When the level falls off, which generally happens during menopause, those feelings of drowsiness don't come in the evenings. Your body becomes confused and thinks it isn't yet time to go to sleep.
Hot flashes and night sweats can also interfere with a normal sleeping pattern. Women are often woken up several times during the night by the discomfort. They find themselves flinging blankets off to cool down, then bundling up again later when the hot flash has passes. This cycle of hot and cold makes rest difficult and sleep nearly impossible.
A third reason for women to lack sleep during menopause is stress and anxiety. This is a difficult time for many women, dealing with mood swings, changes in the body and sometimes depression. With so much on your mind, it can be very difficult to fall asleep at night. Anxiety is a major cause of insomnia at all ages, but it is extremely common during menopause when so much is changing at once.
Knowing what is keeping you awake is the first step in fixing the problem. Once you have identified which of these reasons (and it could very well be all three) are causing you to loose sleep, you can find ways to change your lifestyle to make sleeping a bit easier.
For women with anxiety or serotonin-related sleeplessness, it is very tempting to catch up by napping during the day. This is a bad habit to get into since it can make you even less likely to feel sleepy at night. Napping should be avoided because you won't get high quality sleep that way. Instead, force yourself to stay up until a reasonable hour and then you should be sleepy enough to let your cares slip away. What's important is to keep to a sleeping routine. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will get your body used to the cycle and hopefully train it to want sleep at the right time.
Exercise is another way to help you sleep better at night. By burning extra energy during the day, you'll be craving rest when it comes to bedtime. Exercise is also a great way to get rid of stress, so it helps you to sleep at night by unburdening your mind. Plus, the added exercise will help offset the potential weight gain from sleep deprivation. It is a bad idea, however, to do any strenuous exercise just before you go to bed. It will increase your heart rate, making you more alert and probably keep you awake. Make sure your exercise is over at least three hours before you plan to go to bed.
Avoiding stimulants like caffeine and nicotine will also help your sleep patterns. These chemicals can stay in your system for hours, so a coffee after dinner could prevent you from falling asleep later on. While some people like to turn to alcohol for a "night cap" before bed, this can also interfere with your sleep (and contribute to menopause weight gain). It may make you feel drowsy, but alcohol can prevent your from going through the normal patterns of sleep.
If you do like something hot to drink before bedtime, try chamomile tea. Both of these can help you to feel sleepier. The tea is calming and soothing. If you don't like chamomile you can use another herbal tea, but avoid black and green teas because they contain caffeine. My favorite Tea before bed is Good Earth's Tea for Sleep (You can check it out here).
Another drink you can try is the old favorite of warm milk. The milk contains tryptophan, which is a chemical that makes you feel sleepy. Turkey contains the same chemical, but a turkey sandwich before bed is not quite as soothing.
Other relaxation techniques you can try include taking a hot bath before you go to bed, meditation, and relaxation exercises. Anything that helps you to wind down and get rid of stress will make it easier to fall asleep. Relaxation CD's can be helpful for some women, while others enjoy soothing music.
If you wake up frequently with hot flashes or sweats, go to bed prepared so that you can adjust over the course of the night. Dress in layers rather than in a warm nightgown or flannel pajamas. If you can take off a layer or two when you get hot and pull them back on later, it will save a lot of fussing around trying to get comfortable. You may also benefit from keeping the temperature in your bedroom a bit cooler than usual. Having the air cooler will let you cool down faster after a hot flash so that you can get back to sleep. It may mean wearing more to bed, but once you've taken everything off, if the room is too hot you won't be able to do anything more about it.
Getting enough sleep equips you to deal with all of the other challenges that come with menopause. While it might be impossible for some women to make it through every night uninterrupted, improving the quality of your sleep will help. The better rested you are, the more you will be able to enjoy your day.
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