Menopause is a stage in every woman’s life. Then, the woman’s ovaries cease to produce the hormones: estrogen and progesterone and as a result a woman stops having her monthly menstrual cycle (her period). It is a normal part of aging and it symbolizes the end of a woman’s reproductive years. Menopause typically takes place in a woman’s late 40’s to early 50’s.
When the ovaries do not produce adequate amounts of estrogen and progesterone any more (as it is in menopause), the loss of these hormones can lead to the occurrence of various symptoms such as hot flashes (a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the body) and sweating.
Hot flashes and sweating can cause sleep difficulties. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that approximately 61 per cent of menopausal women have sleep problems that related to hot flashes. Sleeping difficulties can also bring about other problems that include for example daytime drowsiness.
Treatments for Sleep Problems Related to Menopause
Behavioral Alterations
The following hints might keep you cooler at night and help you sleep better.
* Wear loose clothing to bed.
* Keep your bedroom cool and well-ventilated.
* Avoid certain foods that may lead to sweating (such as spicy foods), particularly right before bed.
Other practices that may improve sleep include:
* Maintain a regular bedtime schedule, including going to bed at the same time every night
* Regularly do some sports activities, however not right before sleep
* Avoid excessive caffeine consumption
* Avoid naps in the course of the day, that are possible to prevent you from sleeping well at night
Available medications
The traditional treatment for the symptoms associated with menopause has been hormone therapy (HT). However, HT has been connected with a number of severe health problems such as breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. As a consequence, healthcare providers nowadays recommend using the lowest possible dose of HT and for the shortest amount of time for serious menopausal symptoms only, with regular follow-up with your physician.
Alternative Treatments for Hot Flashes
Alternative treatments that are able to help decrease hot flashes include:
* Soy products, including tofu and soybeans. Soy products comprise a plant hormone known as phytoestrogen that works as a weak estrogen. However, research, in general, has not discovered any considerable hot flash decrease after consuming soy products.
* Black cohosh, a perennial plant that is a member of the buttercup family, has also been used for the treatment of hot flashes. In some research, menopausal women who were given black cohosh encountered relief from hot flashes and sweating, though the majority of the research has been short-term, and used different amounts of black cohosh from various sources. More research is currently being conducted to determine if black cohosh decreases the frequency of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
Bear in mind that alternative treatment products are not regulated or controlled by the FDA, and the long-term profits and risks connected with these therapies are not known. Consult healthcare provider before taking any alternative products.
