Menopause and Insomnia

Insomnia is a very common symptom reported by numerous women at the onset of menopause. It is characterized by sleepless nights and often uncomfortable sleep such as tossing and turning in an effort to get comfortable. If you are primarily a mentally active person, it can become very difficult to calm the mind. You feel restless and irritable. Welcome to the change of life.
Insomniacs sleep is chock-full of waking up at frequent times during the night, waking up too early, and light sleep where the ticking of a hand clock may jolt you awake. This condition occurs during menopause because it is a side-effect of other menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and general physical and mental discomfort. When your body is dealing with night sweats, it's easy to have your sleep interrupted, which makes it even more difficult to be sharp and at your best during the day.
Consuming stress-inducing foods loaded with things such as caffeine can further stimulate tension, so it is important to maintain a caffeine-free diet. Avoid drinking coffee as late in the day as possible. Do not over stimulate your nervous system. Release tension by learning hatha yoga postures or how to breath deeply and mediate.
Try altering your sleep arrangements. If you find that your pillow is not soft enough, or maybe it's too elevated for your head, make adjustments. If you find that the polyester blankets you're lying on does not relax the contours of your body - switch them. It takes effort to accommodate these changes and make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Exercise also preps the body for restful sleep. Scientific studies suggest eating fat loaded foods are not recommended before bedtime. So a steady, healthy is a great plus. Insomnia can be treated by consuming foods that increase the serotonin levels in your brain so that your body relaxes. Serotonin is responsible for aiding with sleep by calming your brain. Drink a glass of warm milk before bedtime to help calm your nerves.
There are many causes for insomnia that stem from menopause. Depression is characteristic of this transition and can negatively influence your sleep. Decreasing estrogen levels can cause the on-set of depressive symptoms. In the menstrual cycle, ovulation causes progesterone (which has soothing effects on the mind and body) to be released.
Irregular cycles may cause anxiety to build-up, as a result of the lack of this happy hormone. For some people, taking melatonin is enough to get a restful night. For others, a prescription sleeping pill is necessary. Some women swear by black cohosh to help with body flushes as well as natural sources of progesterone.
In any case, it is important to consult with your doctor in order to decide together what treatment is best for you.
The information in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.

Cathy writes frequently on mid-life issues for women and men particularly menopause, and a copy of her book can be found at http://www.howtoconquermenopause.com
To read a sample of this book go to http://www.everythingmenopause.com/currentissue.html

Insomnia: How to End the Frustration

Insomnia is a common sleep sickness that has bothered
many people around the world. But the consequences
brought about by this disorder may not be as ordinary as
it may seem. It can be downright punishing.

You know the frustration of looking repeatedly at your
clock while endlessly moving around in your bed. It's
mental and emotional agony to say the least. The
tension builds up to its peak when you see the sunrise,
and you have to go to the office lacking so much energy
after spending a sleepless night.

You don't have to suffer anymore. Here are some tips
to help you snooze faster than you could ever expect.

1) Wake up and go to bed at the same time everyday, even
during the weekends. Some insomniacs tend to sleep at
any time of the day to catch up on some sleep they lose
during the night. Now this is the biggest mistake you
can make. It ruins your body clock and will only worsen
your insomnia. If you can't sleep one night, get up the
usual time the next morning. You'll be sleeping soundly
like a baby the next night.

2) Don't eat within 4 hours before you go to bed. If
in case you went hungry, try some crackers or light
snack. But don't indulge in an "eat-all-you-can"
feast right before bedtime. Your food won't be digested
well, resulting in poor and uncomfortable sleep.

3) Don't drink caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine can
obstruct your ability to sleep. Alcohol can make you
drowsy, but it can wake you up in the middle of the
night and bring you side effects that will hinder a
continuous sleep process.

4) Relax and stay fit. Avoid having a stressful
lifestyle. Exercise daily to release tension.
Engage in breathing exercises to relax your body.
Most important of all, don't carry your problems or
emotional baggage to sleep with you. Forget about it
for the mean time. You can go back and solve your
dilemma better the next day after a restful sleep.

5) Never force yourself to sleep. Trying your best
to sleep requires some work. You don't want to work
when you want to doze off. Sleep comes best if
you are in a relaxed and comfortable state. Just
lie down, relax, and let the sleeping fairy cast its
spell upon you.

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Insomnia - Getting The Help You Need

Experiencing an occasional sleepless night every now and again is normal and transient insomnia affects all of us from time to time, especially when we are under personal or professional stress, or our schedule changes significantly as a result of jet lag or shift work. But prolonged insomnia, lasting for perhaps six months or more, is another story.

If you have been unable to sleep every night, or most nights, for an extended period, then you may well suffer from serious insomnia.

If left untreated, such chronic insomnia can lead to a variety of significantly more serious conditions, including headaches, high blood pressure and even an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Whats more, sleep disorders such as this can cause a loss of mental clarity and difficulty in concentrating. Insomnia and related sleep problems have also been linked to depression and other serious psychological and emotional problems.

Fortunately, addressing the problem, and getting the help you need for a better nights sleep, can prove relatively straightforward. Whether you suffer from initial insomnia (trouble falling asleep), middle insomnia (difficulty staying asleep), or late insomnia (waking up too early), a process of simple adjustments to your daily routine, exercise, diet and sleep schedule will gradually result in a new pattern of healthful and fulfilling sleep.

A variety of natural sleep remedies (herbs, vitamins and minerals), when used appropriately, can prove an extremely effective tool in overcoming insomnia and generating a better nights sleep. In fact, a few notable herbs and natural remedies have been medically recognized as the natural equivalent of several well-known artificial sleep aids and sleeping pills, and have been lauded for their effectiveness.

If you still find yourself struggling, even after making basic lifestyle changes and using proven natural remedies for insomnia (not to mention allowing an appropriate amount of time for these changes to take effect), you do need to seek the advice of a doctor. In this case, you could be suffering from more severe insomnia or a related sleep disorder like sleep apnea, narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome, all of which require the guidance of a medical professional.

The following questionnaire will help you determine your level of insomnia:

Simply answer each question "True" or "False"

1. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a good nights sleep.

2. I have difficulty falling asleep at least four nights out of every seven.

3. I frequently wake in the night and struggle to get back to sleep.

4. I often wake up at least an hour or more before my alarm clock rings.

5. More often than not, I go to bed and get up at the same time each day.

6. I follow a regular exercise routine.

7. My diet includes a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

8. I watch television or have a computer in my bedroom.

9. My spouse/partner complains about my snoring.

10. I am frequently sleepy during the day and often wake up feeling tired.

11. I often experience a tingling or crawling sensation in my legs and feet.

12. I frequently find myself accidentally falling asleep during the day.

Answering true to any of the first four questions will help confirm the fact that you may be suffering from serious insomnia.

Answering true to questions five through eight, however, suggests that you have already established the lifestyle habits conducive to a good night's sleep. Having difficulty sleeping despite following a healthy exercise, diet and daily routine suggests that you could be suffering from some form of insomnia. You may want to try using natural sleep remedies to manage your condition, and considering seeking the advice of a medical professional if it persists.

Answering true to the last four questions may indicate that you suffer from severe insomnia or a related sleep disorder, and you should seek the advice of a medical professional.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders - http://help-me-to-sleep.com

Attention Ezine Editors / Website Owners
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your website so long as you leave all links intact, do not modify the content and include the resource box shown below. You may of course use your own affiliate link in the resource box. For details of our affiliate program, please visit our website.

Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health publications including "How To Get A Good Night's Sleep - Simple Solutions To Help You Rest". To pick up your free copy of this guide visit: http://help-me-to-sleep.com/index1.html

 

Curing Insomnia - 7 Steps To Better Sleep

Do you sit up at night not bothering to go to bed because you know you wont sleep? Or, do you climb into bed and then toss and turn getting more and more frustrated because sleep wont come? If so, dont despair because help is at hand.

Whether you are suffering from short-term, transient insomnia or longer-term chronic severe insomnia, curing insomnia is simpler than you might think.

Here are 7 simple steps that provide a natural cure for insomnia and that will set you on the road to better sleep.

Step 1. Set yourself a bedtime routine.

Set a time for going to bed and for getting up in the morning and stick to them. Experts agree that most of us need about seven or eight hours sleep a night, but this varies from person to person. Youll know yourself whether you can manage comfortably on six hours a night, or perhaps need as long as nine hours. Whatever the case, set your bedtime and wake up times accordingly and then keep strictly to them.

Step 2. Arrange your bedroom for sleep.

Your bedroom should only ever be used for sleeping (and for making love), so arrange it accordingly.

Set the temperature at a comfortable, cool level (ideally between 65 and 70 degrees), and make sure that your bedroom is well ventilated. If possible, sleep with a window open or, if this isnt practical, ensure that air can circulate through the room, perhaps by using a fan. Also, make your bedroom as dark as possible when its time to sleep and avoid the common mistake of leaving a light on in case you need to get up during the night.

Step 3. Lower external stimulation.

Avoid doing anything that is likely to stimulate either your body or your mind in the hour or two before bedtime. Dont do your daily workout during this time, or decorate the spare bedroom.

Also, try to cut out television in the run-up to bed. I know, this is not easy and you might even say its impossible. If this is the case, then dont give this particular pleasure up but try to be selective in what you watch and choose programs that are relaxing.

Step 4. Lower internal stimulation.

If youre a tea or coffee drinker then try to cut these out of your evening routine. This also applies to other drinks that contain caffeine, or high levels of sugar, such as many colas and hot chocolate.

Also, avoid drinking alcohol. Although a drink before bed might well help you to get to sleep, it will certainly not help the quality of the sleep that you get.

Step 5. Avoid overeating.

If, like many people, you enjoy a bedtime snack then keep your late night meal small and avoid high protein foods and foods that contain a lot of fat or sugar.

Try a small bowl or cereal or a low-fat yoghurt.

Step 6. Clear out your worries and concerns.

If youre the type of person who goes to bed with your mind racing and runs over all of the worries and concerns of the day then heres a tip for clearing the clutter from your head.

Shortly before you go to bed, take a notebook and write down all your worries and concerns. The simple act of committing these to paper will allow your mind to let them go and relax.

Step 7. Take positive steps to induce relaxation.

Its easy to talk about the need to be relaxed when you settle to sleep, but how often do you actually take steps to relax yourself, rather than hope that relaxation will come.

Add relaxation, and perhaps meditation, exercises to your bedtime routine!

Climb into bed about 15 minutes before its time to turn out the light. Get comfortable, close your eyes and practice one of the many relaxation or meditation exercises available. With a little practice youll find yourself falling asleep before youve finished your exercise.

The natural remedy for insomnia

The seven steps outlined here are just a small sample of the many things that you can do to cure insomnia.

The secret to curing insomnia doesnt lie in the all too commonly used sleeping pills, but is to be found in a few simple changes to your lifestyle and in setting yourself a clear routine.

Make a few simple changes to your lifestyle today and start enjoying better sleep tomorrow.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders - http://help-me-to-sleep.com

Attention Ezine Editors / Website Owners
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your website so long as you leave all links intact, do not modify the content and include the resource box. You may of course use your own affiliate link in the resource box. For details of our affiliate program, please visit http://help-me-to-sleep.com/affiliates

About the author:
Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health publications including "How To Get A Good Night's Sleep - Simple Solutions To Help You Rest". To pick up your free copy of this guide visit: http://help-me-to-sleep.com/insomnia/


Do Magnets Work? Allan WilsonThe scientific explanation behind magnet therapy is that the magnetic fields produced by magnets (generating electromagnetic current) penetrates the human body thereby affecting the functioning of individual cells and improve the various disorders by taking care of the entire body system. Precisely how the magnetic fields do this remains a mystery, but there are several hypotheses. Some say that the electrical current generated by magnets reprieves the transmission of pain signals in the central nervous system. Others claim that magnets enhance blood flow, increasing the flow of oxygen, and resultantly diminishing pain and swelling. It keeps us pondering "do magnets work"?

What You Can Expect

It is a common belief that magnets work best when placed over a body area that has some degree of intact circulation. Therefore it is ideal to do magnet therapy under the guidance of an expert massage therapist or a doctor. Many people choose to use magnets on their own, however.

For those who question that " do magnets work?", here are some examples.

If you are experimenting magnets for arthritis or another type of pain, you may be advised to buy small magnetic systems that can be tightened to the ailing body part with elastic bandages, tape, or Velcro. These magnets generally produce a magnetic field ranging from 300 to 400 gauss--about ten times powerful than the magnets on your refrigerator. (The intensity of magnetic flux is measured by gauss.) Some people presume that magnets may work in part for conditions like arthritis because attaching them to the nauseous joint acts like a limiting movement, splint.

The time period to undergo a magnetic therapy depends on the type of pain you are experiencing. It can vary from five minutes to a number of hours everyday for several weeks. You can be suggested to use magnetic pillow or magnetic mattress for insomnia, which may generate as much as 4,000 gauss, which may generate as much as 4,000 gauss. (The gauss level should be higher when the magnetic source is farther from the body.)

To date, there has not been enough research completed to determine what, if any, gauss intensity is high enough to be deleterious. Due to MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines produce magnetic fields as high as 15,000 gauss with no known deleterious side effects. Magnet therapists claim that the therapeutic magnets is are safe since it poses no health risk. Therefore those who pose the question" do magnets work?'' the only answer is, " yes, they work."


It is amazing how many different ways you can use magnets, including for business, health, gift ideas and more... Get more free information by visiting http://www.nichearticles.com/magnets/

 

Insomnia and the use of Bright Light Therapy

The use of light as a therapeutic tool has a long history, with reports of sunlight being used to treat depression and lethargy over 2000 years ago in ancient Greece and Rome. The use of light in therapy today however stems largely from research carried out in the 1980s that looked at the cycle of depression, and other problems, associated with changes in the seasons of the year.

Many of the body's functions are regulated by an internal clock which operates on a pattern that repeats roughly every 24 hours and that gives a rhythm to our lives. Indeed, this is often referred to as the body's circadian rhythm, from the Latin 'circa dies' meaning 'about a day'.

Unlike your kitchen clock or wrist watch, however, which are more often than not powered by batteries these days, your body clock is essentially a chemical clock and is powered by a variety of different environmental factors, the most significant of which is the alternating pattern between daylight to darkness.

In simple terms, as your body senses the fall of darkness it sends out signals, shutting down many of your body's functions in preparation for sleep. Similarly, as daylight returns, signals are again sent out for these same functions to start up again.

So just how can we apply this knowledge to the treatment of insomnia?

There are three main types of insomnia initial, or sleep onset, insomnia (difficulty falling asleep), middle insomnia (difficulty remaining asleep through the night) and late, or terminal, insomnia (waking too early in the morning). It is in the first and last of these three that light therapy can be particularly useful.

In the case of initial insomnia your body clock has often shifted so that, instead of sending out the chemical signals to start shutting down at say ten or eleven o'clock in the evening, your body doesnt start sending out the necessary messages until perhaps one or two o'clock in the morning.

Similarly, at perhaps seven o'clock in the morning, when you should be starting your day, your body clock hasn't yet started to send out its 'wake up' signals and wont be doing so for perhaps another three or four hours.

To solve this problem, and to re-adjust your body clock, bright light therapy can be used in the morning to get you up and going. If bright light therapy is used for perhaps thirty minutes to an hour each morning for several days, your internal body clock will gradually shift to align itself with your normal sleeping routine.

The same treatment can be applied in the case of late insomnia. In this case your body clock is set too early so that it is telling you to go to bed before it is time to do so and similarly to get up too early.

Here, bright light therapy can again be used to re-adjust your body clock, but now needs to be applied in the evening, rather than in the morning.

Although bright light therapy is being used increasingly to treat insomnia it remains very much a secondary form of treatment and has yet to achieve the prominence that it deserves. It is, however, gaining ground in the treatment of insomnia associated with two specific problems, those of jet lag and shift work, and so it is perhaps only a matter of time before it becomes a far more widely used form of treatment for insomnia generally.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders - http://help-me-to-sleep.com

Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health-related publications including "How To Get A Good Nights Sleep". Pick up your free copy today and learn the secret to better sleep or visit Help-Me-To-Sleep.com to learn more about insomnia


 

Melatonin as a Dietary Supplement to Combat Insomnia

Melatonin is probably the most studied and best understood natural sleep remedy for insomnia, and can be particularly helpful if you suffer from initial, or sleep onset, insomnia difficulty falling asleep.

A hormone that occurs naturally in the body, melatonin is secreted throughout our lives by a tiny pea-sized organ at the center of the brain called the pineal gland. The release of melatonin is controlled by your body's circadian rhythm your internal 24 hour time-keeping system, or body clock, which plays an important role in controlling when you fall asleep and when you wake up. Darkness stimulates the release of melatonin and light suppresses its activity.

Although the pineal gland is capable of producing melatonin through life, there is evidence to suggest that its production slows as we get older. This may well be one explanation for the fact that younger people find it easier to fall asleep than older people and reinforces the view that melatonin can be especially useful as a sleeping aid for older people.

As well as occurring naturally in the body, melatonin is also available today in a synthesized form, available through health food and drug stores as a dietary supplement. It can also be purchased as natural melatonin, made from the pineal glands of animals, although its purchase in this form is not recommended because of the small, but nonetheless significant, risk of virus transmission.

If you suffer from initial, or sleep onset, insomnia then you might like to consider taking melatonin about thirty minutes before going to bed. The dosage will vary from person to person but melatonin is typically available in tablet form ranging from 1mg up to 3mg.

It is recommended that you start with a low dose and increase this only if necessary. For many people a dose of 1mg is more than sufficient and you may well find that starting with just half a tablet, or 0.5mg, will do the trick. You should also experiment with the time at which you take melatonin as, although the majority of people find that thirty minutes before bedtime is about right, you may find that taking it slightly earlier, perhaps an hour or even two hours before bedtime, will suit you better.

Melatonin can also prove extremely useful as an aid to countering the effects of jet lag. For many long-haul air travelers taking a very low dose of melatonin at the start of their flight and a slightly higher dose when going to bed at their destination has been shown to reduce the effects of jet lag insomnia.

Melatonin can also be very helpful when it comes to weaning yourself off those long overused sleeping pills. Although the benefits of discontinuing sleeping pills are considerable in the long-term, in the short-term giving up can add to your sleeping problems. One way to help in this process is therefore to replace your sleeping pills with melatonin.

Although melatonin is widely used as a dietary supplement, and has been available over the counter for many years now, its use is not regulated by any statutory authority and so there is little information regarding its interaction with other medications. If you do wish to use melatonin therefore and are currently taking any form of medication you should proceed with care and, if in any doubt, consult your doctor first.

Melatonin is natures own sleeping pill and helps many thousands of people to overcome the problems of insomnia every day. Insomnia is a common problem, but it is also a condition that can be addressed with simple natural remedies, that include the use of dietary supplements such as melatonin.

Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders - http://help-me-to-sleep.com


Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health-related publications including "How To Get A Good Nights Sleep". Pick up your free copy today and discover more about natural insomnia remedies or visit Help-Me-To-Sleep.com to learn more about insomnia and melatonin


 

Depression and Insomnia Relationship

Youve been lying for a couple of hours, your eyes closed and you wanted to fall into a deep sleep but cant make it. You tried a little more and again and again it goes. At 2 oclock you fell asleep but at 5 oclock in the morning you wake up devastated because you found out that you only slept for 3 hours. You lied again but sleep is so elusive so you get up and eat your breakfast but you wondered why your day is already spoiledyou are easily irritated, annoyed and you felt that everything was not in their proper order the world again started to become topsy-turvythen you ask yourself why cant I sleep?


If sleepless nights are bothering you, this may be a sign of insomnia or depression. Insomnia is a symptom not a separate disorder. A complaint of this needs a clinician to inquire further to disclose the underlying etiology of the complainant. Depression, conversely, is a serious medical condition that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. The main three depressive disorders are Major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder.

Sleeplessness may be due to mood disorder, either depression or mania. Treatment of mood disorder leads to normalization of sleep. Some patients suffering from insomnia require a pharmacologic treatment. The long-term use of benzodiazepine or barbiturate hypnotics though is not advisable because it might develop into tolerance, dependence, or worst delirium.

Depression attacks without warning and creates desolation, chaos and negative effects. Twenty million Americans are enslaved by depression and at times this result to suicides. Whatever the result, everyone affected is a loser. Some of its symptoms are: pessimism, empty mood, guilt feelings, restlessness and irritability, suicide attempts, changes in appetite and weight, difficulty concentrating, decreased energy and insomnia or oversleeping. If you have five or more of these symptoms and are present for at least two weeks, you better seek professional help.

Another factor that contributes to sleeplessness is the food intake. Yes the food that we eat! If you ate several bars of chocolate or sip a glass of rum the night before, chances are your bloodstream will be suffocated with extra sugar. Too much sugar or alcohol in the blood stream pulls out forces to fight the bodys enemies. Your brain needs glucose and because of the pull out it results to glucose shortage. The brain reacts to the problem, that reaction grabs you out of sleep.

The next time you lack sleep, recall what you have eaten or drank the night before. You might be able to save a trip to your doctor by finding the real cause. You might even opt for a healthier lifestyle. Don't let depression and insomnia beat you down!


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