Menopause and Insomnia

Menopause has many unwelcome surprises for women but the biggest complaint is insomnia. Falling asleep may not be particularly difficult but it is staying asleep that becomes the problem. These episodes may or may not include night sweats or extreme warmth, extremely vivid dreams, or intense anxiety that is almost in the form of panic. Often there may be no cause at all for a woman to wake in the middle of the night and just can not go back to sleep. Experts do know that hormonal imbalances can put a woman's system right out of whack causing extreme hot flashes which could be the reason that the body can not return to a state of sleep because the body has to return to its normal temperature first.

More recent research has shown that maybe it is not night sweats and body temperature at all that contributes to menopausal insomnia. In fact, it may be that the drop of serotonin, which is the brains natural chemical, may be the culprit as this happens automatically when estrogen levels decline. There is no doubt that there is a definite relationship between menopause and insomnia and very often the insomnia can begin up to 7 years before the actual onset of menopause. Most have heard people refer to menopausal women as being irritable and nothing less than moody.

The reason for this is a combination of lack of sleep that results in added stress, which then manifests into a higher degree of moodiness. Menopausal women experience a high lack of REM sleep which is the deepest level of sleep and the one that is most necessary. Lack of this sleep can really cause menopausal women to become extra irritable. It can not be understated the importance of a woman getting her proper rest at this critical time.

Visit your doctor and he should be able to give you some hormone replacements which will stabilize your hormones resulting in a good nights rest. There are also herbal remedies available such as vitamin replacements and herbal teas that promote sleep. Don't feel alone and don't hesitate, address the importance of your insomnia right away so you can rest easy once again. Perhaps you can start an exercise regimen or start taking yoga or meditating to cleanse your mind, body, and soul.

In combination these will all promote better overall health which could possibly balance out the insomnia. Caffeine is one thing that should be avoided at all costs during menopause as it will only add to the inability to sleep. Menopausal women may find that there are certain conditions or products that trigger an insomnia spree, and as these triggers are discovered, they can then be avoided.

Menopause already makes a woman feel tired and drained and it can vary quite a bit from woman to woman but it is almost guaranteed that it will surface. As the estrogen and progesterone fluctuate many symptoms will develop in certain ways that lead to increased insomnia. The best things that you can do are work with your doctor and take his advice and together you will work through this difficult time.