One aspect of the menopause that many women find debilitating in particular, is to have
their regular sleep pattern interrupted.
Whilst the signs and symptoms that display themselves as a result of going through the
menopause are varied, the most common issues are hot flashes and night sweats, which
can hinder your chances of a good night’s sleep.
Getting Ready for the Night Ahead
As if menopausal symptoms like loss of libido, mood swings and even vaginal dryness were
not difficult to contend with in their own right, an interrupted sleep pattern can make everything
seem worse when you wake up the next morning not feeling rested.
The key to trying to sleep soundly through the menopausal madness and mayhem that ensues
while your body changes and mind behaves in a way that you are not used to, is try and make
some changes to your lifestyle and routine which will help you get through this difficult phase
in your life.
One simple thing you can do which will make quite a difference, is to wear the right pajamas
to bed.
Buying a suitable pair of pajamas from someone like Sleepyheads.com or others can really help
you to get a comfortable sleep whilst coping with the night sweats.
Look out for a pair of pajamas which are made from 100% cotton, as this will help to absorb
excess moisture and help maintain good airflow so that you have less chance of waking in the night.
Prepare Your Bedroom
A good pair or pure cotton pajamas will definitely help you to be more comfortable and keep you
warm enough at night, but cool enough at the same time.
In addition to making sure that your nightwear is suitable for dealing with menopausal night sweats,
there are some other things you can do to prepare your bedroom and improve your odds of
getting a good restful sleep.
Use fans to regulate the temperature in your bedroom so that it is nice and cool and consider the idea
of separate beds for you and your partner if you are just getting too hot sleeping with them by your
side and generating extra heat.
You could also take a cool shower a few hours before you go to bed so that you bring your body
temperature down before slipping into those pajamas and heading to bed.
Sleep Schedule
If you don’t currently have an established sleep schedule, suffering from the symptoms of menopause
is probably the best incentive you need to establish one.
The sleeplessness of perimenopause can be combated and tackled much more efficiently if you are able
to stick to a rigid cycle of sleeping and waking, with no deviations.
Developing a sleep schedule and getting your body used to a specific pattern of sleeping and waking
which does not deviate, will help your body to override and even ignore some of the conflicting hormonal
messages it is receiving as part of the changes induced by the menopause.
Being able to achieve quality restorative sleep on a regular basis will enable you to function properly
in the rest of your daily life, so create a sleep schedule and stick to it, as it will provide numerous
benefits now and beyond this difficult time in your life.
Get Some Help
If you are still struggling with night sweats and hot flashes, causing interruptions to your sleep pattern,
you might want to consider working with a therapist.
A course lasting about 8 weeks with a qualified cognitive behavioral therapist might provide you
with some useful sleep strategies in general and also provide some custom-made answers to symptoms
relating to the menopause which are particularly affecting you.
HRT
You need to consult your doctor for professional advice on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
as there are side-effects and dangers associated with taking the prescribed drug.
HRT is one of the options available if you are experiencing symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes
and night sweats, and as about one in five women tend to experience menopausal symptoms which
are severe enough to cause sleep disruption, it may help.
From wearing the right pajamas to HRT, there are various ways of ensuring you manage to get a
good night’s sleep.
About the Author:
Allison Ernst is a health professional. She is keen to share her insights with an online audience and her thoughts can be found on a variety of relevant websites.
Did you experience hot flashes, nights sweats and disrupted sleep during menopause?
How did you handle it?
What worked for you?
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