Menopause and Insomnia - How To Regain Your Sleep and Your Sanity!

Feb 18
11:29

2009

Wendy Owen

Wendy Owen

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Natural menopause treatment can take away the worry of side effects, but does it really work and is it cost effective? There are simple things you can do which don't cost a cent. Even if you are using natural menopause relief of another kind, or are a dedicated HRT user, these simple actions can boost the relief of menopause insomnia.

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We all respond to menopause in different ways. Some hardly notice any difference,Menopause and Insomnia - How To Regain Your Sleep and Your Sanity! Articles while the rest of us suffer through this rather unpleasant stage of our lives. Making the whole thing harder is menopause insomnia which can wake us up suddenly with hot flushes and generally have a negative impact on the quality of our sleep.

Menopause can also increase breathing disorders such as sleep apnea, although this may be due to increased aging as well. Anxiety and depression are other menopausal symptom that can affect out sleep, causing early waking, restless sleep and making it hard to get to sleep when we first go to bed.

Can menopause insomnia be treated?

The best way is to treat the menopause first. The insomnia will then often take care of itself. The usual remedy is hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, which is some form of estrogen taken in the form of creams, tablets or skin patches. Although there is no proof that estrogen increases breast cancer risk, as previously believed, there is now some evidence that traditional menopause treatment can cause a stroke in older women.

Those who suffer from menopause insomnia and who may also be depressed are usually prescribed anti depressants. There is also an anti-epileptic drug called Neurontin which is often prescibed when hot flashes interrupt sleep. Of course there is a risk of side effects with these drugs.

Natural remedies for menopause

Natural menopause treatment can take away the worry of side effects, but does it really work and is it cost effective?

There are simple things you can do which don't cost a cent. Whether you are using natural menopause relief or if you prefer to use HRT, these simple steps can ensure you maximize relief of menopause insomnia.

Keep your bedroom cool, this may seem obvious but it will significantly improve the quality of your sleep.

Wear loose clothing. Specially designed menopause sleepwear is now available but is not essential, the same results can be obtained by comfortable loose cotton sleepwear.

Wind down before bed. Spend the hour before bedtime doing relaxing activities. Avoid getting involved in disagreements or arguments which may raise your stress levels.

Avoid spicy foods. Some foods, for example curries, can causes increased sweating. Alcohol is also known for causing hot flashes and interrupted sleep. Try cutting these out for a while and see if this helps your sleep.

Natural menopause alternatives such as black cohosh which can lessen hot flashes, dong quai which helps to balance the female hormones and pasque flower that soothes the nervous system are very effective for treating menopause insomnia. They work best when combined together in their ideal proportions.