Perhaps you’ve tried melatonin and other “natural” vitamins and over-the-counter sleep supplements before, with so-so results. When it comes to menopausal insomnia, however, it’s a whole other animal.
Take control of your sleep with the following six solutions that will have you making peace with this struggle. The remedy isn’t found in a supplement bottle, but in finding your rhythm in a behavioral adjustment that becomes a wellness routine. Better sleep during your menopausal transition is not impossible. Here are six natural strategies for sleeping better during menopause.
Is your Prince Charming tall, dark, and handsome? Well, prepare to embrace cool, dark, and quiet. Not an ideal person, but for the menopausal woman with insomnia, this one is just as good in the bedroom. By keeping a “restorative bedroom” that invites sleep, you’ll find it easier to fall into a deep slumber with this technique.
Keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet helps if you also deal with night sweats. Breathable cotton fabrics for pajamas, nightgowns, and bedding not only pamper you but also help keep you cool, even when menopausal discomfort disrupts sleep. A fan for ventilation and cool water on washcloths are welcome additions that can help you get your Zzz’s.
Goldilocks-adjust the bedroom to a comfortable temperature, not too hot and not too cold. What’s just right? Between 60°F and 67°F is a good range. Tending towards the cooler side is the ideal temperature for your thermostat to keep you cool and transform you into a Sleeping Beauty.
Don’t forget about the dark. Let the sun shine in in the morning, and dim the lights at night if you sleep. Don’t downplay the tech-glow of blue light produced by all the screens: phones, TVs, computers, and other devices, either. Their light may make it difficult to fall asleep by keeping your brain active and, consequently, keeping you awake. Try reducing your screen time one hour before bed to help create a “sleep-friendly” bedroom.
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Maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule, even on the weekends or on days off. Keeping the same time for rise and shine is golden. If you’re a sister with menopausal insomnia, good “sleep hygiene” can help improve mental ability and sleep quality, research shows.
Following a regular sleep schedule is important for getting a good night’s sleep. Lastly, avoiding napping in the late afternoon or evening is super important, as this can keep you awake at night.
Unwind with a relaxing routine. For some, it’s reading a book. For others, it’s a long soak in a warm bath. Some folks enjoy listening to soothing music at bedtime. Let prior experience guide you on what has also worked for you when you wanted or needed to relax.
Some experts go the old-fashioned route, recommending natural remedies for any sleep problems, such as insomnia. Healthcare professionals still say they suggest warm milk, chamomile tea, or tart cherry juice.
Although there isn’t much scientific proof for these tips on how to drink your way to better sleep, there are reasons they work. Warm milk simulates the effects of tryptophan (think Thanksgiving post-turkey-feast effect) on the brain and is a “building block” for serotonin.
Chamomile tea possibly has flavonoids which may “interact with benzodiazepine receptors in the brain that are also involved in the sleep-wake transition.” It has all the taste of tea without the caffeine buzz that keeps you awake when you’re trying to sleep. Lastly, tart cherry juice may “support melatonin production and support a healthy sleep cycle”.
Late-night dining, if you must eat then, calls for lighter fare, no caffeine, and no alcohol. A big meal before bed is hard to digest. Caffeine late in the day (from coffee, tea, or chocolate, for example) is generally a bad idea and could keep you up at night. Additionally, alcohol won’t help you sleep. In fact, your cocktails at happy hour may be messing with your sleep by making it harder to stay asleep. So ditch the nightcap and keep alcohol from destroying your sleep.
Stretch and breathe your way to inner peace. Try yoga poses that promote a peaceful transition to sleep when practiced as close as 15 minutes before your bedtime. Yoga can focus your mind on meditation. It could also help you go deeper with deep-breathing exercises to lower stress levels before bed. Try to find a bedtime yoga routine that emphasizes gentle stretches and breathwork to enhance sleep quality and duration.
If you’d prefer to move differently for exercise to get your sleep on, moderate aerobic exercise, if you “time it right”, is worth a try.
This tends more toward walking than kickboxing. Healthcare providers generally advise their patients with disrupted sleep to “try to avoid working out within two hours of bedtime.” The key is that exercise can help you sleep, but if done too close to bedtime, it can become a hindrance rather than a help.
If none of these natural remedies and sleep strategies work for you, you may want to consider talking to a behavioral health specialist. They can aid you in your quest for relief from menopausal insomnia and help you return to better quality sleep. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is a highly effective, non-drug, problem-solving approach to helping or modifying behaviors around sleep. It has proven effective in “women with menopausal symptoms”.
Look for “a trained professional with experience working with women during their menopausal transition.” Ask your doctor to help you find someone who is local.
No relief or severe symptoms? Talk to your doctor if you have menopausal symptoms and are struggling with your sleep. Discuss potential hormone therapy or non-hormonal prescription options.
Every woman’s menopausal journey is unique. But we all hold sleep to be necessary and therefore important. Sleep is foundational to function, affects multiple moods, and can make the difference in the quality of life experienced. Chronic poor sleep can take its toll. A life change for better sleep can incorporate using one, some, or all of the six suggestions here. Find what works for you, even if you end up going back to traditional treatment.
At this time of your life, you can feel more reactive than proactive when it comes to menopausal symptoms like insomnia. Remember to be kind to yourself and to all the others who may see you as less than your best due to the challenges that come with menopausal insomnia.
Make peace with this chapter of change and its related emotions that will change you. Be gentle with yourself and patient with yourself to the same degree as you silently expect from the others you encounter, friend or foe, when they’re dealing with you. Respect the shift. Honor the woman you are now for all she is, does, was, and ever will be(come). Do what you can and release what you can’t control while hoping that relief from menopausal insomnia is possible for you, too, sooner than later.
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