Menopause and Sleep: Why Is It So Hard?

For a lot of women, menopause and sleep seem to be mutually exclusive. They go together like oil and water – which is to say, not at all. Menopausal insomnia is one of the worst symptoms through which women have to go. You will be up until four, five, even six o'clock in the morning. This can actually lead to ridiculous accusations by spouses and partners. They may accuse you of just staying up for the sake of it. They may then put you down for sleeping all day, because you are unutterably exhausted. Men rarely understand the full scope of menopause. Sadly, few husbands understand the link between menopause and being unable to sleep, which makes it must harder for their wives. Fortunately, there are some things you can explain to your husband or partner to make him understand. There are also a number of things you can do to make this symptom easier for you, which is really the most important aspect.

One of the main reasons menopausal women have so much trouble sleeping is because of those dreaded symptoms, hot flashes and night sweats. All told, most statistics show that anywhere between 75 percent and 85 percent of women in menopause have hot flashes. These can last as long as five years. Given those numbers, it comes as no surprise that as much as 61 percent of menopausal women also have difficulty sleeping. This can in turn lead to daytime drowsiness.

As you might imagine, we have hormones to thank for this. Specifically, as you enter into the first stage as menopause, your body begins producing less estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are essential to menstruation. The results are increasingly frequent hot flashes and night sweats, in addition to erratic periods. These things in turn lead to insomnia. Only a few women will escape this emotionally and physically draining symptom.

Like say, however, the good news is that there are quite a few things you can do to make sleeping possible. Traditionally, women turn to hormone replacement therapy, otherwise known as HRT. It contains estrogen, and you can receive it in various forms – pills, patches, or creams. However, a lot of women are wary of hormone replacement. No problem, though, there are plenty of other helpful methods.

For instance, changing what you wear to bed at night can be enormously helpful. Many companies are even making menopause pajamas these days! Otherwise, just make sure you wear loose, comfortable night clothes when you go to bed. You need to keep your bedroom well ventilated, and make sure the temperature is cool. You should also stay away from certain types of foods. Did you know that spicy foods can make you sweat? When you eat a lot of spicy foods, especially just before bed, it can lead to night sweats, which can further lead to insomnia.

You should also try to get yourself on a schedule and go to bed around the same time each night. Regular exercise – during the day, not at night – can also help you sleep better. Do not drink too much caffeine either. As well, you should try not to nap during the day, as hard as it may be to stay awake.