My Menopause Needs a Nap - Sleep and Your Hot Flashes

People call hot flashes a medical condition. It is my personal belief that is untrue. An actual medical condition can be cured or controlled with proper treatments. This is a time in our lives. A transition. A phase. Not a medical condition.

Let's start with sleep. Get any? When was the last time you got more than 2 or 3 hours at one time?

If you have not accepted your hot flashes at this stage of your life and do not have them under any control, you are not going to sleep.

After embracing the hot flash, my sleep has become ever so slightly better and less frustrating. Then, after developing the proper routine, my sleep, or lack of, was acceptable. That is better than no improvement at all.

Some of the other menopause symptoms we have are caused by the hot flash.

• Irritability and being short-tempered

• Slower metabolism Weight gain

• No desire for sex

Maybe there are even more symptoms related to lack of sleep, but I'm no scientist. Then…

• Who the f@#k is not irritable and moody when they get no decent sleep night after night with no end in sight?

• Who gains weight because the body, which heals itself overnight, gets no time to do so?

• Who wants to have sex when they have had no sleep and have a fat belly?

Seriously I'm bloody tired, aren't you?

So here are some things you can do to promote decent sleep:

If you are experiencing sleep issues related to menopause, you should consult your doctor first, then another, and then another. They can recommend treatment options. Or you can disregard those and go out on your own with treatments like me. The following tips may also help.

 ·         Maintain a healthy weight and diet when possible.

·         Avoid large meals and spicy, sweet, or acidic foods before bedtime.

·         Avoid nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol, especially in the late afternoon and early evening.

·         Use the restroom before going to bed to avoid waking up early or in the middle of the night. Also, try to stop drinking all liquids a few hours before bedtime.

·         Reduce stress as much as possible. Anxious and stressful thoughts can keep you up at night. If you are feeling depressed or anxious, talk to a behavioral health professional.

·         Develop a bedtime routine. Take a bath, listen to music, read or meditate.

·         Develop a routine for falling back asleep if you wake up from a night sweat.

·         Dress in lightweight pajamas to stay cool at night or sleep naked. Swap out your bedding for cooler fabrics made from natural fibers like cotton or bamboo.

·         Keep the air conditioning on at night if you can or place a fan next to your bed to cool the air further and increase circulation.

·         Follow a regular sleep schedule, go to bed, and wake up at the same time every day.

These are doctor-written solutions and can seem out of the question sometimes. I pulled the stupidest parts out.

Keep the house at 65 degrees? Who does that? Where the hell does that person live? Certainly not where they must pay the AC bill.

They recommended a nap no more than 20 minutes long. Falling asleep isn't the problem is it, ladies? It's staying asleep. So, I will take as many naps as I need to function during the day, and so should you. This is just like having a kid. Take the naps when you can get them. Sadly, we don't all have that flexibility…yet.

It is not out of the question to enjoy things you like, just in moderation. If you never have to give something up, it is easier to limit how much you have in a serving.

As far as sheets go, this will be a "you are on your own" type thing because I have tried many different ones, and one is no better than the other. However, it seems the cheaper ones are better than, the more expensive.

I am happy to recommend products based on what I've tried, which have only been herbal products. I need a buttload more info about you to make an informed suggestion, and I am willing to talk with any lady, one on one, who wants an ear. If you choose to take something on your own, make sure any pill or capsule you take does not have magnesium stearate, a filler, or palm oil with saturated fats.

Finally, give a product time to work—usually 30 days. A product may stop working after a time. So, take a break or try a new one. Your hormones are constantly changing, so you cannot think the same product will continue to work the whole time you are in menopause.

Good luck and I am happy to chat anytime.