Who Says We Can't Sleep During Menopause?
I’ve come to realize that most important for women who are going through menopause is SLEEP. This is the one area where we ALL lack and have in common. Sleep is the one thing we need to boost metabolism, lose weight, heal our bodies, regulate our hormones, and regenerate our cells.
When I started menopause I noticed that my sleeping patterns changed. At first it was because I was having night sweats and chills throughout the night. But even after I got that under control, I still wasn’t sleeping throughout the night. And the sleep I did get wasn’t peaceful because I tossed and turned a lot. My husband was about ready to saw our bed in half! It got to the point where I would get two hours of solid sleep and then my eyes would just pop open. Then I would just lie there with my eyes wide open, unable to go back to sleep. On top of that the strangest stuff would start going through my mind as soon as I closed my eyes. Songs. Random thoughts. TV shows. Conversations. People. Places. Things.
I remember one night a funny scene from a cartoon I used to watch as a child went through my head and I burst out laughing and woke my husband up. He looked at me like I had three heads cause I was just lying there with a pillow over my face laughing like a hyena. I had to get up and go into another room to have my little giggle fest so he can get back to sleep. I couldn’t figure out what was going on!
This happened to me almost every night or every other night. It started to show on my body and I started looking older and was picking up weight. My face was puffy and my eyes were dull. I was sluggish throughout the day and my mind felt foggy. I was tired in the middle of the day and wanted to nap (something I NEVER did). My energy level was low and I actually started to feel ill. In fact, because I suffered from heart palpitations, I would feel them even more the next day. Once I realized that, I fought to get my 7-8 hours in. And that wasn’t easy for me to adjust to because previously I only needed 5 hours a night to wake up energized and ready for my day. That changed after menopause began.
Do whatever you have to do to get your proper rest. I recommend a relaxing tea. My favorite is Twinnings Nightly Calm. You can even drink this tea iced and get the same benefit. I drink it plain or sweetened with a little honey. You can also try 5 minutes of deep breathing right before bed. What most of us don’t realize is that we breathe correctly when we sleep. And it’s the breathing that regenerates, regulates and rejuvenates us. You can do an evening QiGong workout. In fact, there are QiGong movements designed specifically for relaxation and preparing your body for a deeper sleep. Remember, this is all a hormonal imbalance and the stress that comes along with it that causes the shifting sleep patterns. To get it back you have to regulate and balance those hormone surges. The breathing and the Qigong will do that and over time you will notice your sleep patterns normalizing again
Now that I am in menopause I make getting my sleep a priority. It’s life for me. Without it I know I will start to look older, gain weight, and find myself unable to handle the smallest details that require my concentration. And let’s face it; zombie mode is NOT cute. 7-8 hours of sleep is what I need. Not want…NEED. It’s vital! So I can wake up in the morning and still be the beautiful, vibrant, energetic queen I was the night before! Hello!
Next Week: The Healing P ower of QiGong For Menopausal Women
Until then...
Stay Blessed...And Stay WELL
