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We’ve all heard of the hot flashes, weight gain, and mood swings associated with menopause. But one of the most persistent side effects of menopause is insomnia. According to the National Sleep Foundation, approximately 61% of menopausal women have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Because of this widespread problem, many women turn to prescriptions for sleep aids or seek hormone therapy from their doctors. But sleep medications can become addictive, and hormone therapy can have its own side effects. So how can you go through menopause without being perpetually sleep deprived or dependent on drugs? Here are some tips to get you started.

Regular exercise

Exercise is usually good for the mind, body, and soul. In relation to sleep, exercise can help you feel drowsy enough to sleep. When you do aerobic exercise, your internal body temperature rises and so do your cortisol levels. However, this “high” exercise is only temporary. As your body temperature drops and cortisol drops, you become more relaxed and may even feel drowsy enough to sleep. For best results, exercising too close to bedtime is not recommended or it may lead to insomnia. Studies show that exercise makes you more sleepy if done more than an hour before bedtime.

Keep a regular sleep schedule

Staying up late to see a movie may not be the best option for a good night’s sleep. While it may give you enough sleep to go to sleep, the quality of your rest may not be good. Irregular hours of sleep, or waking up and going to sleep at irregular times, can keep you from feeling rested. Getting up early in the week and sleeping late on the weekends isn’t enough either. The only way to get a good night’s sleep is to maintain a regular sleep schedule. Anything else will make you feel deprived of sleep.

Warm bath or shower before bed

A warm bath or shower is very effective in helping you relax and rest before going to sleep. To enhance this experience, you can try adding Epsom salts to your bathtub or aromatherapy products that contain lavender.

A comfortable bed

This may seem like a no-brainer, but many women sleep in beds that are too firm or too soft. While you can skimp on other household items, getting a quality mattress is always a good investment. Mattresses can range from the traditional spiral mattress to the gel and memory foam variety. Gel and memory foam mattresses may be somewhat better if you are menopausal because they tend to stay cooler than traditional mattresses. This can be really helpful if you suffer from hot flashes and night sweats.

But if you can’t find a good gel memory foam mattress or just prefer the spiral variety, there are plenty of pillows that contain gel as well. The only caveat with pillows is that they tend to be very firm. They can be somewhat uncomfortable initially, but they soften once they break.

Another alternative is cooling packs that can be placed in the pillowcase. These packets are placed in your freezer during the day and help cool your pillow at night. They can be a good alternative to gel pillows if you prefer something a little softer.

Meditation or relaxation exercises

Listening to meditation or relaxation apps is a great way to deal with insomnia. These apps contain short sessions in which a narrator gives you prompts to help you sleep, or there is a combination of prompts and relaxing sounds. You can connect to a relaxation app for 10-20 minutes on your tablet or other mobile device.

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