{"id":5275,"date":"2018-06-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-06-29T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=5275"},"modified":"2021-10-20T17:18:45","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T17:18:45","slug":"how-can-i-sleep-better-during-menopause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-can-i-sleep-better-during-menopause\/","title":{"rendered":"How can I sleep better during menopause?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

By Cheryl Reid-Simons<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peri- and post-menopausal women don\u2019t often complain about poor sleep, says menopause specialist Terry Silvestrin, ARNP.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t complain because they\u2019ve come to expect it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s just the kind of stoic resignation Silvestrin says puts women\u2019s health and well-being at risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep disruption can be one of the most disturbing symptoms of menopause,\u201d Silvestrin says.<\/p>\n

Women suffering from disrupted sleep find it more difficult to focus at work or at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gets to be a vicious cycle,\u201d she says. \u201cAs it keeps going, it affects your work, your personal relationships, your sexuality. It can affect moods and it can become a safety factor when women are driving while very groggy in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s a woman to do? It starts with identifying the factors contributing to sleep disruption. One of the classic menopausal symptoms that affects sleep is the \u201chot flash\u201d or night sweats.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t control a night sweat, but what you can do is change the environment to be more restful,\u201d Silvestrin says. \u201cWear less to bed so you\u2019re not going to get as overheated. Get a personal fan and direct it on you so it\u2019s not disturbing your partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s safe, open a window, she advises. And when you do get hot, uncover your head and feet, even though those aren\u2019t the only parts of your body that get overheated.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your head and feet are uncovered, you\u2019re going to cool off the fastest,\u201d Silvestrin says.<\/p>\n

Cooling pillows and mattresses also help, but sometimes it\u2019s not enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cI literally have women tell me, \u2018I jump out of bed, fling the back door open and walk outside and I\u2019m naked,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

If night sweats and temperature-related sleep disturbances are that persistent, Silvestrin suggests considering hormone replacement therapy. And if you\u2019re skeptical, she urges women to talk to their doctors and learn more about hormone replacement before dismissing it out of hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cMenopausal hormone therapy can play a real relieving role,\u201d she says. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be scared of hormone therapy anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Absent specific risk factors, hormone replacement can be an effective tool for many women, at least for a time.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may need it now, you may not need it in a year,\u201d she says. \u201cNothing is forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from temperature spikes, the menopausal years also seem to see an increase in general anxiety for women, who are often still caring for children in the home while also facing the responsibility of their own aging parents and increased work responsibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat women are doing far too often is simply too much,\u201d Silvestrin says. \u201cThere\u2019s an inability of the mind to shut off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silvestrin recommends keeping a set sleep schedule, turning of electronics at least an hour before bedtime and making sure alarm clocks aren\u2019t easily viewed. Seeing the minutes tick by can making sleep even more elusive. Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeinated beverages after dinner. And definitely don\u2019t have that heavy discussion with your spouse just before bedtime.<\/p>\n

Over-the-counter medication can help, too, Silvestrin says. Melatonin is an herbal sleep aid that helps some women. Benadryl can also help, but you have to take it well before bedtime or you\u2019ll wake up groggy. Silvestrin says these medications aren\u2019t habit forming.<\/p>\n

For those with the most serious sleep problems, prescription sleep aids are available, but should be used only once or twice a week, Silvestrin advises. She also advises taking them only when you have an especially important event the next day, and acknowledges that it\u2019s easy to fall into a habit of using them nightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have dependent, addictive potential,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you\u2019re not sleeping, you\u2019re not thinking well and you\u2019re also not safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

For some women with anxiety, panic attacks or OCD symptoms, antidepressants can provide the sleep relief they need. The key is talking frankly and honestly with your health care provider, Silvestrin says.<\/p>\n

Finally, Silvestrin says more women should probably get sleep study referrals for sleep issues during menopause, to determine if there are other issues at play.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can find out if other factors affecting sleep beyond menopause disruptions are hindering a good night\u2019s rest, such as lack of oxygen,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Regardless of what\u2019s keeping you up at night, Silvestrin says you don\u2019t need to suffer in groggy silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuality of life is the bottom line, from my perspective,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\n
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Menopausal women don’t have to suffer in groggy silence. There are things you can control to help get a better night’s rest.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":315,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-womens-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow can I sleep better during menopause? - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-can-i-sleep-better-during-menopause\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How can I sleep better during menopause? - MultiCare Vitals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Menopausal women don't have to suffer in groggy silence. 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