help with insomnia, please!

[Jags]

I was coming back too, to recommend the opposite.

Earplugs.

I like these the best.

[bzar]

earplugs work for some people, but when i use them, it amplifies my heart beating! and it keeps me awake!

but try it and see - it could work.

[mandie123]

I've had insomnia for many years too.Tried alot of different things,some gave me crazy dreams.I do like the self hypnosis stuff on you tube,someone mentioned Jason Stephenson,which is who I listen too. Dr.started me on sleeping meds 12 years ago,wish i had never started them!

[Jeanne Marie]

Originally Posted by Jags

Rather than adding solutions to address insomnia, I am going to suggest removing a few things. Removing these three items has eliminated my insomnia and hot flashes.

Caffeine - All varieties except green tea, no green tea after 12:00 p.m.
Chocolate - ALL
Sugar - ALL

Sherry, I'm so sorry you are going through insomnia. I had a brief stint with it about 7 years ago when I was going through menopause, but thankfully it didn't last more than a few months. I quoted Jags above because I really think the elimination of sugar is awesome for so many things, and I'm betting getting good sleep is one of them.

Sometimes I worry that I fall asleep too easily, but then I remember what it was like NOT to be able to fall asleep and I get over it. I have a hard time staying awake after I lie down. It's almost instant. One thing I do now, that didn't do back then, was an intense workout later in the evening. I know some people say that keeps them awake, but it puts me out like a light. I have bootcamp every evening at 6pm. Sometimes it's followed by personal strength training with a trainer, so I am intensely active until about 8pm. I am wiped out when I get home. I shovel some food in my mouth, get in the bed and sleep a solid 9 hours at the very least.

[sherry7899]

Jeanne- I do not think I have ever slept nine hours straight- I am envious I am glad you do not have sleep issues anymore. I would not wish them on anyone.

I have no danger of intense late in the day workouts interfering with sleep. I am strictly a morning exerciser, except for yoga sometimes at night.

Sherry

[Susan G.]

I struggle with insomnia too. Yamuna or Jill Miller's Yoga Tuneup balls sometimes help. Yamuna even has streaming in-bed routines.

[Dorothy J]

Originally Posted by toaster

Sherry, Sabine gave excellent suggestions and similar to what I recommend to clients as well. I would say that most important is her #4--be sure to GET OUT OF BED if you are not sleeping! Otherwise, your brain starts to form an associate with bed as the place that sleep does NOT happen. Also, if you haven't been falling asleep until 1:30 or 2 a.m., then don't go to bed at 11 p.m.--go to bed closer to the time that you have been actually falling asleep. This will ensure that you are REALLY tired when you get to bed. If you are able to fall asleep at this time, you can eventually start resetting your bedtime earlier, gradually moving it up about 15-30 minutes at a time.

Sherry, I feel for you! Like you, I've never been a champion sleeper, but since menopause (about 10 years ago), I've struggled with insomnia more often than not. My problem is getting to sleep; once I nod off, I sleep through the night.

You've gotten lots of good suggestions. The point that Beth made that I quoted above is one that really made a difference for me. I don't want to get out of bed when I'm trying so hard to get to sleep. But once I realized that I dreaded my bed, I knew that I had to break the association. The technique she outlined has helped me A LOT. I'm doing pretty well now, I'm happy to say.

As to the magnesium, rather than taking it orally, I found some Epsom lotion that I rub into my shoulders (which are often sore) or the soles of my feet. It does help with muscle tension. But note that even the lotion will have the stool-softening effect at first if you use a lot of it.

A final note: if you have an allergy to ragweed, be careful of using chamomile, as they are close relatives.

[shannonb]

I've had issues off and on with insomnia and have found it to be related to a variety of thing for me. First was my birth control pill, so a hormonal issue could definitely be to blame. I also have issues if I take a multivitamin at night (especially with a lot of B vitamins). Finally, as mentioned before, both deficiencies (iron for me) and allergy medicines can also cause me issues. Melatonin has helped me in the past. Good luck! Insomnia is horrible...

[spotted zebra]

Here's one of several good articles by Dr. Kate Rhéaume-Bleue (ND) on physiological reasons behind insomnia and practical solutions - in this case addressing waking up too early. It's an informative read about the connection between hormones and sleep and what to do about it. The culprit is often blood sugar. There are fixes once you know the real why's which until fairly recently have often gone ignored.

http://doctorkatend.com/what-really-...-of-the-night/

[Daphne M]

This article about older women athletes in last week's Washington Post mentions several challenges that crop up with menopause, including insomnia. It's a fast and easy read.

The article is free, may or may not require some kind of registration. In short, you are not alone due to hormonal changes impacting stress-hormone cortisol, body temperature swings, hot flashes, a lack of melatonin, yadda yadda. Not a whole ton of practical advice other than exercise in the morning, keep the bedroom cool and drink a frosty glass of tart cherry juice at bed time.