Menopause and Sleep

I hate to be the bearer of bad news.  But it turns out that menopause just goes on and on.  It's enough to make you wish for the good old days of cramps and annoyance.

But I'll also bring some good news about sleep - if you are a regular reader you might remember this post about my sleep despair and how I conquered it - and I just want to report that although other symptoms returned with a vengeance after getting a period, I'm cool on the sleeping.

Now I'm working on hot flash reduction.  Any ideas?

 

 

New Year: Slow Start But Good Attitude

It's been so cold that I haven't been able to run for several weeks. The big surprise? I miss it!

I have been able to get some several-mile walks in, but not with any real consistency. Currently sidelined with a cold, but anxious to get back into an exercise routine.

Menopause coping-strategies still in place, and except for getting enough exercise things are on an even keel. I guess the thing is that we all have to find the balance that works specifically for us.

For me, that was finding a way to get enough sleep. Everything else falls behind that, because without enough quality sleep everything falls apart. Also important: find a way to laugh at this stage with all the weird things going on with your body THAT NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU WOULD HAPPEN.

I wonder if *this* is the year that I finally lose some of the weight as well as stay fit. What about you?

Love,
Owlette

Menopause and (No) Sleep - How I Conquered It

If you've been following this blog, you know that my major menopause complaint was sleeplessness. It's been months of trial and error, but I've finally found what seems to work for me. It requires forethought and was work to get it started, but it's routine now.

The Basics:

1. I get up and go to bed around the same time every day


2. Sleeping room is dark, quiet and well-ventilated


3. No tv in bed (but I do read every night before going to sleep)

The Details That Help:

1. Exercise - walking, biking, running at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes.


2. Vitamins - I take a multi-vitamin (Emergen-C), and 1000 mg Omega 3 and 1000 IU of D3 every day.


3. Food - Eat regular meals of healthy food with as few preservatives and additives as possible.

The Secret Element That Made The Difference (For Me):

1. Calcium and Magnesium. I take multi Calcium (2000 mg), Magnesium (1000 mg), and Potassium (200 mg) every day in the evening. It's recommended to take at bedtime, but I've had better results taking it a couple of hours before bed.

Other things I've tried (like Chinese herbs) didn't do much for sleep, although certainly provided other support for my body in transition. Over the counter preparations like Remifemin didn't do much for me, but didn't harm me. Over the counter estrogen and progestin creams didn't seem to have much effect on me either.

In desperation, I cut out all alcohol (which made me sad because a glass of wine is one of life's joys) but saw no difference in my sleeping. I have now found that I can enjoy a glass of wine or beer with no problem (but more leads to sleeplessness.)

The calcium product that I am using is called Mega Food Calcium, Magnesium & Potassium and can be taken with or without food. It was highly recommended by the expert at my local organic food store. I think it rocks.

To Sleep, Perchance to...Sleep

I know my crappy little blog doesn't have many readers, but are all of you SLEEPING? (Not now, I mean in general. Although I wouldn't mind a comment or two if you wake up.) Sleep is so important that's it's considered a form of torture to keep someone awake.

I am really tired by 5:00 PM, and sort of speechless by 8:00 PM. I'm not that much fun in the evening, and if we do go out I'm looking forward to going home by 9:00. I've got to find a solution here. I think that there probably isn't one answer, and that everyone has to try and find the right combination for herself.

I feel like I'm on the right track with the herbal formula prescribed by my doctor of Chinese Medicine, but I'm not quite there yet.

Next up: adding more calcium and magnesium. Studies seem to show that it can be an effective sleep aid. I'll be adding 1500 mg of Calcium Citrate (in a divided dose), 1000 mg of Vitamin D3, and 750 mg of Magnesium.

I'll ask again: if you have trouble sleeping, what works for you?

Love,
Owlette

Another Short Update

The time just flies, huh? So another update is due.

1. Menopause. Sucks worse than ever. Back to getting a monthly migraine and bloating for which there are no descriptive words. It would seem impossible for any one human body to retain so much water without exploding. Recently I started getting hot flashes of intense intensity (yep. that's how they feel. don't question me.) Drenching, must-mop-my-face-like-a-day-laborer-because-otherwise-I-would-be-blinded hot flashes. Followed by what I can only call cold flashes where I am suddenly freezing and need a blanket. It's like I have no internal temperature regulator.

2. Sleep. Needs its own line now. It's been months since I had a full night's sleep. It's so bad that even hot flashes take a back seat. No problem falling asleep, but staying asleep? Impossible. Some nights I just wake for a few minutes every hour or so, but other nights I may be awake for hours. I have tried almost every single trick in the book:

a. I go to bed and get up about the same time every day.
b. I ease into sleep time with a calming routine.
c. I drink only one caffeine drink a day, in the morning.
d. I exercise 5-6 days per week.
e. No work in the evenings.
f. No tv in bed.
g. If I'm awake for more than an hour, I get up and read in another room.
h. Sleeping room is dark and well ventilated.
i. I use a C-PAP machine for sleep apnea, without fail.
j. OTC herbal sleep remedy made no difference.
k. Remifemin made no difference.
l. Custom Chinese herbs do not seem to make a difference, even tweaking the formula.

The only thing I haven't done is give up my single glass of wine or beer with dinner. *sigh* If that does the trick I will want to jump off a building. I'm stubbornly resisting it.

3. Fitness. Foot injuries have not really healed, but I'm running when I can and walking otherwise. Most days. When I'm not incredibly lazy.

Follow up to plan:

1. Went to the doctor for a full check up (good health, keep exercising, lose some damn weight.) I asked about my crap immune system and was told that I was fine and to wash my hands more. Damn if that didn't make a huge difference. I now consciously try to remember not to touch my nose or mouth after touching lots of public things (like being on the subway) until I can wash my hands.

2. If I'm not running, I try to at least walk for a couple of miles every day. It still seems to aggravate the foot injury so I'm trying to find the right mix.

3. Ran in another 5K with my Skull n Bones team in July. I didn't want to, didn't feel trained for it, but I did it. And because I am stubborn, I ran every step. I was the dead last finisher. (And the world didn't end, and I didn't die of embarrassment, contrary to my expectations.)

4. Eating Plan. So NOT up to speed on this. I have no idea what my blockage on this topic is.

So NEW plan:

1. Owlette must SERIOUSLY lose weight. Perhaps a full time food-nanny?

2. Keep up exercise program. The latest is that for the relay marathon next year, the team has decided that we will all shift one position. That means I start with a 10k (6 miles) run. Last year my cousin did it with a sprained ankle (obtained in mile one.) So there isn't a lot of room for excuses.

3. Exhaust (ha ha) all avenues re: sleep - so important! - before resorting to prescribed western pharmaceuticals.

Does anyone have any tricks to share for sleep issues? I'm all ears.

Love,
Owlette