Perimenopause & Insomnia

Tips for Beating Insomnia

Exercise

It is one of those strange truths that exercising gives you energy ... and not exercising makes you tired. Hard to believe, when you are dragging around, barely able to function.
When you give yourself choices, that's when the problems begin. "Just Do It."

You don't have to run a marathon to succeed with exercise or experience the benefits. A 10 minute walk will help. Or a five minute walk. SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Just get your body moving. We aren't meant to be sedentary creatures. Bodies are made for movement.
If you have other illnesses or disabilities that prevent you from doing certain exercises, speak to your doctor or physical therapist. There are many ways to move your body.

Meditation

Meditation can be a way to relax your body enough to let you sleep. Even if you have tried to meditate, but didn't feel relaxed afterwards, biologically, you may have been more relaxed from it than you thought.

Sitting quietly in meditation is the spiritual equivalent of recharging your cell phone batteries. If you empty a bucket filled with water, you'll only have an empty bucket if you don't refill it. Meditation is one way to re-energize your body and soul. Doing the meditation is the easy part ... making the time for it is the tough part.

Here's the thing: sometimes we cannot sleep because we are overtired, overstressed, or overworked. Meditation can help to balance your body and mind so you can sleep better.
I've developed a simple meditation technique for women in perimenopause that can help you deal with stress much more effectively and help you recharge your psychic battery. Click here to read more about midlife mediation.

Other Tips

• Avoid drinking caffeine at night.
• If you can't sleep, don't lie there tossing and turning. Get up and walk around a bit or read a book/watch TV in another room.
  
• Take a hot bath to relax you.
  
• Exercise will help tire you out, but don't exercise in the evening, as this can be too stimulating and prevent you from sleeping.
  
• Go to bed when tired. If you are tired earlier than usual, that is a signal to get some rest. Waiting may make you overtired and prevent you from sleeping.
  
• Finally, if you have had persistent insomnia for an extended period, see your doctor to evaluate if sleep medication is right for you. While there are horror stories of people becoming addicted to sleep medication, it has truly been a lifesaver for those who cannot get the rest they need.

Insomnia and Perimenopause

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