How to Sleep Better During Menopause
If you want to find out the secret to having a good night's sleep every night, you need to learn to unwind and relax. All the benefits of a good and healthy sleep will start to show in no time. The things you do before you go to bed matter a lot. If you tend to feel tired during the day, taking a daytime nap for no longer than 30 minutes might do the trick for you.
Still, with menopause, things are a bit different. Hormone levels tend to drastically and rapidly change. That change will affect the quality of your sleep. Such hormone levels are related to menopause. Most of the time, the change in those levels is causing you to feel exhausted. Menopause can ruin your sleep and the results are devastating.
Your energy is low. You’re constantly not in the mood for anything. You start lacking confidence. And you can see the poor sleep symptoms on your face and skin. Well, if that is the case, it is time to do something about it. First of all, you need to do whatever it takes to boost your hormones that are in charge of your sleep. If you manage to improve your levels of melatonin, you can boost the quality and depth of your sleep cycle.
Go to Bed Before Midnight
Melatonin is produced in your body at a certain time which is somewhere between 10 pm and 2 am. That is exactly why all sleep experts always say that the best time to go to bed is before midnight. The perfect condition for boosting melatonin production is to make your bedroom as dark as possible. Avoiding bright lights when you sleep helps you fall asleep much more easily. The darker the room, the better the sleep.
Now, if you want to make your sleeping experience better, you need to keep a consistent sleep schedule. You can only do that by following the same bedtime routine. It usually takes some time to get used to, but once you establish a routine, you’ll notice how better you feel after a while.
First of all, eliminate all mobile devices usage before you go to bed. Such devices emit blue rays which disrupt your sleep. That means no tablets, laptops, and smartphones anywhere near you at least an hour before you go to bed. Instead of using those devices, you could try to meditate, read an interesting book, or take a relaxing bath that will get you in the right mood for hitting the bed. You can also try doing some exercises such as walking, pilates, or yoga. Even intensive cardio can be of some help, but it is best to do it during the day.
Cut Down Caffeine
If you are used to drinking large doses of coffee, cut it down. Caffeine is no friend of your sleep. Even though insomnia is triggered by menopause, it’s actually the fear and anxiety caused by sleeplessness that actually amplifies your sleep issues. Most people get out of bed when they wake up at night because they don't feel like sleeping anymore.
Instead, try to remain in bed because you need the rest. Mindfulness can be helpful in those situations to stay in bed. Do everything you can to ease anxiety and get back to sleep. People tend to worry about not sleeping which additionally ruins their sleep.
Do Not Think About Not Sleeping
Worrying will only take away from your sleeping experience so try not to overthink. Focus on things that make you fall asleep like the touch of your bed and your breath. Breathing usually helps to get back to sleep so if it happens that you start thinking about not sleeping, take a few deep breaths and change a position that suits you more comfortably.
Do this as many times as needed to get back to sleep. If you feel like taking a nap during the day, just do it because staying awake will only do more damage than help. Just like you can't force yourself to sleep, you can't force yourself to stay awake. The more you force yourself, the more sleep disruptions you will cause.
Even if you don't actually fall asleep during your nap time, you will still improve your energy level and relieve any stress from anxiety. Getting a good and regular sleep is not something that you can do overnight, it takes some training to get there. Once you do, the results will be more than pleasing than you ever dreamed of.