One of the symptoms of perimenopause that is often the effect of other symptoms, rather than a symptom on its own is insomnia. It is quite a common occurrence among perimenopausal women, though. So much so that perimenopause and insomnia almost always go together. This can be really difficult for women to deal with because a lack of sleep usually causes inability to function properly or at one's best during the day.
Often, perimenopause and insomnia is the result of night sweats, crashing fatigue, or anxiety, all of which are symptoms of perimenopause. Night sweats are sudden increases in body temperature, wherein the woman's abdomen area gets so heated up that it can wake the woman up in the middle of the night causing discomfort and difficulty getting back to sleep.
Crashing fatigue, on the other hand is sudden debilitating tiredness during the day, sometimes lasting several days. However, it does result in over sleeping, which can lead to insomnia later in the evening. Finally, perimenopause and insomnia can be caused by anxiety or feelings of worry that many women going through this stage have, whether the worries are justified or not.
Just as some symptoms can cause the problem, other symptoms can be triggered by the insomnia; symptoms like irritability, lack of focus or concentration, and mood swings. Though these symptoms can be caused by the hormonal imbalance experienced during this time, they can all be further exacerbated by the fact that a woman lacks sleep.
If you find yourself experiencing perimenopause and insomnia, do not worry or panic. There are techniques or tricks you can do to help yourself get through the problem. One such trick, taken from a great guide to perimenopause symptoms called 'Perimenopause: Have it, Live it, Love it' is to exercise more regularly, and try to exercise in the evenings.
Many women who face perimenopause and insomnia, do not exercise regularly or take the time to relax their body. Sometimes exercising in the evening can really help the problem because it stretches out your muscles, relaxing you, and it also makes you a bit more tired than usual, which can induce better sleep. Also, taking time to wind down, either through meditation or meditative exercises such as yoga, can help you assess what has happened in your day, and help any anxiety you may feel about work or any current life situation.
Finally, try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. Like it or not, caffeine is a stimulant, which means it will keep you up at night! The same goes for foods loaded with sugar. The extra glucose can make your body a bit "hyper", and though it never affected you before, as we get older, our bodies can become more sensitive to the extra energy boosts that caffeine and sugar provide. So say good-bye to caffeinated beverages, and say good-bye to sugary sweets or sugary foods as well.
Remember, though perimenopause and insomnia are a common pair, it isn't something you have to live with!
Get a good night's sleep and minimize the effects of all your other symptoms NOW. All you need to do is read and learn how surviving perimenopause is possible!
