Putting menopause insomnia to rest

I always get up in the middle of the night to go to the washroom. In the past I wouldn’t even really wake up. I would just stumble through the deed on auto-pilot, back asleep as my head hit the pillow.

Not anymore. Now when I get up in the middle of the night, I stay up. Oh, I go back to bed, but I’m done sleeping for a good hour or more.

The alarm goes off shortly after managing to drift back to sleep. So, I haul myself out of bed and head off to work. But, I’m in good company once I get there, because I hear more than one woman my age complain about being awake for a good part of the night.

Menopausal insomnia. Gotta love it.

Most of the literature associates the sleeplessness with night sweats. I’ve never had night sweats, so that’s clearly not my problem. I just find that I’ve become a very light sleeper, and any disruption brings me to a fully awake state. Heading off to the bathroom wakes me up, and returning to a snoring Mr Very Right keeps me up.

And if the bedroom isn’t pitch black, I might as well not even bother going to bed.

Eliminate sleep disruptions

There are ways to help get a good night’s sleep. Obviously eliminating disruptions help. I find not turning on any lights when I go for my middle of the night bathroom visit helps. And ear plugs block out my husband’s symphony. We also have thick shutters that block out all external light sources.

Tryptophan is your friend

Tryptophan is used by our bodies to make serotonin, which controls sleep patterns. Drinking milk before bed helps. Most literature suggests the milk has to be warm, but there isn’t actually any evidence that the tryptophan is more bio-available in warm milk versus cold. Personally, the thought of drinking warm milk makes me queasy, so I drink mine cold.

Other tryptophan sources are:

• bananas
• dates
• figs
• tuna
• grapefruit
• peanut butter
• and the ever famous sleep inducer, turkey

Other sleep inducers

Exercise! When I run during the day, I sleep much better.

Take time to unwind from a busy day. Turn off the electronics and pick up a book. I used to play those fun little computer games just before bedtime, but then I’d lie there staring at the ceiling while my mind blew up little coloured balls.

What not to do before bed

Drinking caffeine and alcohol should be avoided three to four hours before bedtime. If you like a nice cup of tea to wind down with in the evening, make sure its herbal.

Make sure you eat these foods early in the day, as they act as stimulants:

• cheese
• bacon
• sausage
• tomatoes
• spinach

Don’t watch the clock

The absolute worse thing I can do when I can’t get back to sleep is watch the clock. That just makes me anxious and irritable about how long it’s taking me to get back to sleep, and how soon the darn alarm clock is going to go off.

Instead, I just lie there in a relaxed state. I might not be sleeping, but at least my body and mind are resting. Most days, therefore, I am still able to get up feeling somewhat refreshed, and on the days I truly am exhausted I just go to bed a little earlier and hope it all evens out in the wash.

Your thoughts:

• When you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, do you stay in bed, or do you get up and do something until you are tired again?
• Are there foods or activities that you absolutely have to avoid at night in order to get a good sleep?

Suggested reading:

How to Beat Insomnia Through Menopause
Menopause Insomnia: Symptoms and Treatments
Eliminate Menopause Insomnia And Sleep Well Again

Your turn

Do you have a personal story to share? Silver & Grace is always looking for stories that turn the theory into reality. To submit your story click here.

Is there a topic related to the spiritual or physical aspect of aging gracefully that you would like to see covered? Please send post ideas to Eliza by using the Silver & Grace contact form.

Don’t miss out!

To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the topics and discussions, subscribe by RSS or Email