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"When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to
think, to enjoy, to love." - Marcus Aurelius
As we get older, a good night's sleep can become elusive particularly
during the menopausal transition. A variety of factors, from getting up
to go to the bathroom to night sweats, may cause women in particular to
experience lighter sleep, early morning waking, or insomnia.
According to Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause, sleep disturbances
can also result from medical conditions; physical reactions to certain
medications, to alcohol, or to stimulants such as nicotine or caffeine; a
changing sleep schedule or poor sleep habits; psychological factors such
as stress, anxiety, or depression; or sleep disorders such as sleep apnea
or restless leg syndrome.
Certain lifestyle changes* may help improve sleep. These include:
Physical activity: Moderate exercise, particularly early in the day, may
help you sleep better at night. Avoid exercising within three hours of
going to bed which can have the opposite effect.
Relaxation: massage, meditation, or other stress reduction techniques.
Sunshine: Exposure to light during waking hours helps to set your body
clock.
Cutting down on or eliminating stimulants such as alcohol (a sedative at
first which becomes a stimulant upon breaking down in the body);
caffeine; and smoking.
Practicing the following "sleep hygiene" techniques* may also
be helpful:
-- Go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day, including
weekends.
-- Create quiet time - at least an hour before you get into bed - for
activities such as reading a non- stimulating book or listening to soft
music. Turning off the TV, cell phones, computers and other electronic
equipment may also help.
-- Reserve your bedroom for sleep and sex only. It may be helpful to keep
TV sets, telephones, pets or anything else that may disturb your sleep in
other areas of your home.
-- Wear socks to bed if cold feet tend to wake you up.
-- Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool.
-- Use light sheets and blankets for bedding.
-- Dress in light cotton or other material that wicks away perspiration.
-- Place a chilled gel pack under your pillow. When a night sweat occurs,
you can simply turn your pillow over for a quick, cool hit. Even without
a gel pack, sometimes just turning the pillow over is enough, or have a
second pillow for switching off during the night.
-- Install thick shades on bedroom windows to block out all light.
-- Use an eye mask and ear plugs.
-- Practice meditation, deep breathing, and/or positive self-talk at
bedtime to calm worries and concerns that may cause sleeplessness.
-- Turn the alarm clock toward the wall so you won't see the time if you
awaken at night.
-- Take a hot shower or bath right before bedtime. This increases your
body temperature. When you dry off, your body temperature begins to drop
and thus starts the internal physiological process that is the beginning
of sleep. (However, avoid getting under a down comforter when you are hot
as this could trigger hot flashes.)
On the other hand, if you find yourself waking in the middle of the night
or early morning (many people report waking regularly at 3 or 4 am) and
not being able to fall back to sleep, you may find it less stressful to
go with the flow.
This can be a peaceful and fertile time for creative pursuits such as
writing or painting or for spiritual practices such as meditation or
reading uplifiting spiritual material (particularly if you can go back to
sleep later and don't have to rise too early!). Spiritual teachers say
this is the time when we are most open to communication with the Divine.
In that case, it might be a good idea to follow Rumi's advice:
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you;
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep.
Whatever nighttime path you find yourself on, may you sleep
peacefully, dream sweetly and rise refreshed and ready to gratefully
greet another day!
Love and blessings,
Carol
*Source: The Boston Women's Health Book Collective, Our Bodies,
Ourselves: Menopause, NY: Touchstone, 2006.
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