Menopause Relief--Are Sleeping Pills One Of The Best Solutions For Menopause Insomnia?

TV advertising wants to sell the idea that sleeping pills are one of the best solutions for menopause insomnia, but there must be a way to get natural menopause relief.

During menopause and perimenopause, many, if not most, women suffer to some degree from insomnia. Either you wake up and cannot get back to sleep, or you simply cannot fall asleep as you once could. You wake up tired and go to bed tired, but still you cannot get a good night's sleep.

Many factors enter into the insomnia picture: stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalance, temperature changes, changes in routine, and just minor noises can disturb your slumber.

When you look at the overall picture, you can see that there are many things you can do to help with menopause insomnia. The factors mentioned above are all manageable by using natural methods.

Is there a natural way?

Stress can be managed by using numerous techniques. Our fast-paced lifestyle is mostly to blame, so with some consideration, you can certainly find ways to reduce the stress levels in your life. Perhaps restructuring your day so that you have time for walks, exercise, play or visiting with friends can make a substantial difference.
Anxiety is very pervasive and destructive. It can gnaw away at your core being and rob you of your energy and good humor. By taking the time to address the underlying causes, you will free yourself of this most miserable guest. Get help with the bills, mend the relationship, ask forgiveness, do whatever it takes to clear your foundation in life.
Imbalanced hormones can be helped by eating a well balanced diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables. A high quality vitamin/mineral supplement is very helpful as well. This cannot be over-emphasized because the hormones play such a critical role in your sleep patterns.
If you bedroom is too warm, you will probably wake up because your body is already prone to hot flashes and night sweats. Open the window, get a lighter blanket, but do something to provide for fresh air and a cool room. You will sleep much better. No wonder my own mother slept with her window open all year long!
Life changes all the time, and especially as menopause enters in. Teenagers grow up and leave home, relationships change, values begin to change, work takes on a different significance and all of this can easily prevent you from getting a good night's rest. Take the time to resolve these changes, accept them and adapt.
Minor noises that used to go unnoticed can now be most annoying. Flushing toilets, barking dogs, music in the next room, etc. can all keep you awake or wake you up. Often other people are quite willing to be more quiet, if you only ask them. When there is nothing you can do though, you might need to invest in something to mask the noise or cancel it out. Even simple ear plugs can go a long way in masking the unwelcome noise. Some people use recordings of thunderstorms or ocean tides to cover up outside noises.

So, who needs sleeping pills?

There certainly are times when sleeping pills are advised. However, there is no reason to make them the solution for menopause insomnia. There are many safe, natural sleeping pills that can get you over the hump when you need it and they can be a real life saver.

The problem arises when you become dependent on them, especially if they are a powerful pharmaceutical drug with the potential for dependency. It is quite common for women to become dependent on these drugs, and suffer the side effects as well.

In conclusion, take a look at the many natural, simple remedies to get menopause relief. By taking personal responsibility you will find that your menopause insomnia can be greatly reduced, if not eliminated. Sleeping pills have their place, but it should be to temporarily help you, not become the solution.

Safe Menopause Relief and Family Stress and Healthare two of the projects that Randy Hough and Laura Simon, MSW,MEd, have worked together on to help families. They live and work in the Upper Valley of Vermont.