Many people start to struggle with sleep as they go through the menopause. Those days of falling asleep and waking up to the alarm clock often seem a distant memory!
But sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. During sleep your body repairs its cells and recharges its batteries.
So, adopting good sleep practices and getting good quality sleep is a powerful part of your menopause transition.
Would you like to sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed every day?
Let’s have a look at some of the issues which you may be experiencing.
Are you tired all the time?
Do night sweats keep you up all night?
Do you wake with a start at 3 am?
Do you wake up tired and unrefreshed?
To break this vicious cycle, it’s important to understand all of the causes of these disturbed sleep patterns. There may be a number of different contributing factors. When you have done this, it is then possible to address each of them in turn. This is a process that may require time and patience but will be worth the investment.
Sleep and the menopause. What is going on?
Why does sleep becomes more difficult as you get older? There are a number of reasons for this.
And you’ve guessed it – an imbalance in hormones is at the heart of the problem!
Melatonin and cortisol are invaluable hormones for sleep as they control your circadian rhythm. When functioning properly, melatonin rises in the evening to prepare you for sleep. At the same time, cortisol levels drop so that your body can relax and sleep. Cortisol will then increase in the morning to get you going for the day.
When these hormones are not balanced, you may find going to sleep particularly difficult and experience extreme fatigue in the morning. You have probably heard the expression tired but wired!
Fed up with feeling exhausted all the time?
If you have invested in some comprehensive hormone testing, you will already know if your melatonin levels are low. You will also know how your cortisol is behaving in your body.
And if you have done this, it’s possible to put in practical steps to ensure that you get a good night’s sleep. And how amazing would it be to wake refreshed and energised for the day?!
One of the main ways to improve your sleep is to concentrate on balancing your blood sugars during the day. This will ensure that your blood sugars do not drop too low at night. And because of this you will not be woken up in the middle of the night.
In addition to this, balancing your blood sugars is key to giving you sustained energy throughout the day and saying goodbye to common afternoon energy slumps.
So by focusing on good sleep hygiene practices, balancing your sleep hormones and controlling your blood sugars, you will recharge your batteries, be fully energised during the day and sleep like a baby at night. And cracking this goal is pretty priceless for all women transitioning through the menopause.
Click through to my download to find out more about how to have a happy and healthy menopause
