Sleep disturbance or insomnia is not uncommon in women starting
at midlife. While this may be due to a physical concern, usually
it’s not. Let’s discuss some things you can do NOW to improve
your sleep.
•Good sleep is a component of good health. Things that you do
for good health are essential and will directly impact your
quality of sleep. This means eating a healthy diet, regular
exercise and good daily multivitamin/mineral supplements.
•A healthy diet that is high in phytoestrogens such as fruits
and vegetables may help if the cause of your sleep disturbance
happens to be related to being perimenopausal. Apples, carrots,
cherries, green beans, oats, peas, potatoes, soybeans and
sprouts – just to mention a few! •Avoid stimulating agents such
as nicotine and caffeine – that includes coffee, tea, soft
drinks, and chocolate. Even one cup of coffee in the morning can
affect sleep quality hours later. We, as women, tend to
metabolize caffeine much slower than men. If you smoke or chew
tobacco…quit. Short of that, avoid smoking/chewing within a few
hours of going to bed.
•Sleep in a dark room. (How bright is your illuminated clock?)
•Develop a sleep routine: going to bed at the same time; rituals
such as having a cup of relaxing tea and then washing up, and
the like. •Avoid taking naps.
•Is your sleeping space comfortable? Look at light, noise and
temperature. How about your bed? Is it too firm or too soft?
•Avoid late night heavy meals. However, a light snack at bedtime
may be helpful.
•Try relaxation – mediate, take a bath, listen to soft music,
read a gentle book, get a massage. •Avoid the news and other
violent or emotional stimulation before bed! It’s hardly
relaxing! •Avoid alcohol late in the day. It can cause waking in
the night and impairs sleep quality.
•Limit your bed activities to sleep and sex.
•If you cannot sleep – get up and do something until you can
sleep.
•If worries are keeping you awake, try journaling – it may
provide a way for you to “release” the worry onto paper and thus
relax and sleep.
There are natural supplements that can be tried. If you are a
milk drinker, consider having a glass of warm milk. Milk when it
is warm releases tryptophan, the same substance that was in that
Thanksgiving turkey that had you napping. On the other hand, I
recently read that warm milk also has substances that can keep
you awake. Let your own body tell you what it likes about milk.
Other suggestions include valerian root, melatonin, passion
flower and of course the chamomile, catnip, anise or fennel
teas. Some companies package teas in their own formulations for
sleep, such as “Sleepy Time”. Your local herbalist or health
food store may also be able to give you suggestions. As with
anything else, the key to try different things and see what you
respond to.
If none of these suggestions work, I would recommend the
following. First of all, see your see your health care provider
to ensure there is nothing physical that needs to be attended
to. Keep a sleep diary for 3 months with the goal to see if
there is some sort of pattern. Keep track of the time you go to
bed, awaken, how often you are awake and/or up at night. Are you
tired when you awaken in the morning? What time are you getting
up? Is there something that is on your mind? Does any of this
correlate with your cycles (if you still have them).
Use of sleeping medication is something that can sometimes be
used to get your body back on track, but it’s not for long term
use, and should only be used when other remedies have been
ineffective.