Do Weighted Blankets Actually Improve Your Sleep Quality?

From verywellhealth.com

If you’re frequently tossing and turning at night, you might want to consider swapping out your comforter for a weighted blanket to help you sleep. A weighted blanket is a knit or sewn blanket that is weighed down with a heavy material or with sand, rice, or plastic beads. 

This extra weight can provide a calming sensation to some people, according to Michelle Drerup, PsyD, DBSM, a licensed psychologist and Director of Behavioural Sleep Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

“Weighted blankets provide deep pressure stimulation, a form of tactile stimulation that involves gentle, even pressure applied to the body, which is believed to relax the nervous system,” Drerup told Verywell. “In addition, the pressure may mimic the feeling of being held or hugged, which can be calming and comforting.”

That sensation may be particularly calming for certain people, including “children and adults with conditions such as autism where they respond well to sensory input," said Beth Malow, MD, a professor of neurology and paediatrics at Vanderbilt University and director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre.

Here’s what experts have to say about the science behind weighted blankets and how to pick the right one for you.

Evidence on Weighted Blankets 

While there is some evidence that weighted blankets can help with sleep, experts say the studies have been small, and more research is needed. 

A November 2024 study published in BMC Psychiatry found that people with insomnia may benefit from using a weighted blanket. The researchers looked at 102 people with insomnia, with half receiving a weighted blanket and the other half receiving a regular blanket.

After one month, the study participants had their sleep assessed according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Those who received a weighted blanket scored 2 points better on the scale than those who had the regular blanket. They were also less likely than the regular blanket group to report waking up in the middle of the night.

However, both groups had similar levels of daytime sleepiness, stress, anxiety, fatigue, and body pains.

As for the findings? The results aren’t enough to prove that weighted blankets are effective sleep aids for everyone, said Malow, plus a 2-point improvement is pretty minor.

“Sleep is complex and lots of different interventions work—it’s also personalized where a weighted blanket might work for one person but not another,” she said.

An August 2024 review of published studies on weighted blankets found the blankets may help some adults with sleep issues but that there is less evidence for children.

Additionally, a Swedish study published in 2023 found that people using weighted blankets had higher melatonin levels than those using regular blankets. Melatonin is a hormone your body produces that can help regulate your circadian rhythm and improve sleep.

"The research is mixed with some studies showing minimal improvements in sleep parameters," Drerup said.

How To Pick the Right Weighted Blanket

If you are interested in trying out a weighted blanket for sleep, you’ll want to look for a few things, said Kit Lee, MD, a family medicine physician at Loyola University. First, pick a blanket that is about 10% of your body weight. Keep in mind that you can go a little heavier or lighter if that is your personal preference. 

You’ll also want to consider the size of the blanket and the material. Lee pointed out that whether you run hot or cold may impact your preferred fabric type.

“The open weave of the knitted ones may be less hot to use in warm weather. For some people, smaller, lighter lap blankets are sufficient for relaxing outside of bed,” Lee said.

There are also a few rules when it comes to safety, Lee said, as certain people should not be given weighted blankets because they can pose a health hazard. This group includes infants, toddlers, or anyone who is unable to remove the blankets themselves.

“Use caution for people with obstructive sleep apnoea and respiratory diseases, claustrophobia, low blood pressure, and those with circulation problems,” Lee said.

But for most people, a weighted blanket is a safe, low-tech sleep aid. Given the lack of negative side effects from weighted blankets, said Lee, “it is worth a try.”

What This Means For You

While there is some evidence that weighted blankets can help you sleep, it’s not a proven method. That said, unless you have certain health conditions that would make weighted blankets unsafe to you, there is no harm in giving it a try. 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/weighted-blanket-sleep-8763540

This doctor-approved ‘pre-dreaming’ technique can help you fall asleep faster

From nypost.com 

A sleep medicine doctor says a clever “pre-dreaming” technique used by the military can help you fall asleep faster at night.

And while it works better than counting sheep, you don’t actually have to forget the sheep entirely to get the most out of it.

Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a double board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor at Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, explained that visualization is a lot like “pre-dreaming.”

“Everyone knows that beautiful feeling as you start to lightly dream as you doze off into sleep,” he told The Post. “Guess what? Dreams are visual, and the more you can invoke the visual system, the faster you might be able to fall asleep.

“Instead of counting sheep, try picturing a beautiful scene that makes you relaxed,” he said, suggesting imagining yourself floating on your back in a canoe on a serene lake.

The key is to visualize a calm and serene scene, so you can still use sheep — but picture them grazing rather than counting them.       fotoliasc2014 – stock.adobe.com

But if you’re really attached to those sheep, they can still make an appearance — just don’t tally them up.

“Visualizing sheep is probably better than counting sheep. Verbal or counting activity is likely more brain-stimulating than serene visualization,” he explained.

You want whatever scene you’re imagining to be something that you personally find relaxing.

“Calming visuals can have a relaxing effect and stop mind wandering,” Dimitriu said.

He recommends getting lost in a particular scene from a memory, be it a beautiful beach from your trip to Santori or the the peaceful forest where you used to hike as a kid.

“There is some belief that seeing — or imagining — vistas, as in a natural expanse, can have a calming effect,” he went on.

“I also think it helps slow down the verbal thinking mind, which can be a source of anxiety, by putting a focus on visualization. And dreams are visual, after all.”

                                    Dr. Alex Dimitriu told The Post he uses this as part of a treatment plan for patients with insomnia                                                                                                                   Dr. Alex Dimitriu

To really maximize the impact, Dimitriu suggests using visualization as just one part of a military method for sleep.

Outlined in the 1981 book called Relax and Win: Championship Performance in Whatever You Do, the method was reportedly developed by Army chiefs to help soldiers sleep in high-stress situations.

It starts with a body scan, in which you slowly move your focus down your body from your head to your toes, consciously relaxing each part bit by bit.

While doing this, slow your breathing down. Then finish with the visualization tactic.

“The stages of the military method are fundamentally relaxing the body, slowing the breath and visualization to calm the mind — all three are beneficial together, and probably still helpful in parts,” the doc said.

“I certainly use this as part of my treatment plan for patients with insomnia, and my kids know about this too!”

https://nypost.com/2024/12/24/health/doctors-pre-dreaming-method-can-help-you-fall-asleep-faster/

"I was an insomniac for 20 years. This is how I finally learnt to sleep"

From telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness

By Jo Elvin

I bet a lot of people find themselves facing insomnia for the same reason I did: by becoming obsessed with sleep 

I was in my early 20s, new to London (from Sydney) and thrilled to have scored a magazine job on a teenage pop title. I loved that job – and not just because it meant I found myself doing things like clubbing with Robbie Williams. Not so glamorous were the hours, which were, frankly, inhumane. We were a tiny team of virtual children and chaotic as hell with it. It was a regular occurrence to do 30 hours straight in the office, especially in the days leading up to a deadline. Once, when the regular account car driver dropped me home, at 7am on a Saturday morning, he said: “Get another job, love. They’re killing you.”

It was around this time that I became anxious about what a lack of sleep must be doing to my health. I knew I looked awful – dark circles and a puffy face, even though I weighed all of eight stone. I figured this lifestyle must be doing terrible things to me on the inside as well. I was so tired all the time. If I wasn’t at work I was shunning any and all social invitations and devoting myself to the dream of getting more sleep.

When would I be able to leave the office and get some sleep? When could I get more? Whenever I was in bed, I’d lie there calculating how many hours I could get before I had to get up again. If it was less than seven, I’d fret about how unhealthy that was and fixate on how dreadful I’d feel the next day. I was getting so little sleep that I became completely consumed with the subject and guess what? I slept even less.

I would race home to bed and lie there, wound up, unable to switch off. As the minutes turned to hours, I’d despair. From my flat in south London I could hear Big Ben striking off each hour and by 4am I’d often be crying.

I started self-medicating but sleeping pills just made me feel drowsy and heavy-lidded whilst still awake. I went through a phase of adding alcohol and marijuana to the mix, which did sometimes help me to pass out for a couple of hours. But of course we all know that alcohol in particular is the enemy of deep sleep and makes you just snap awake at some point in the middle of the night.

This next bit sounds insane I know but sometimes I’d be so frustrated and anxiety-ridden I’d slap myself in the face, repeatedly, as hard as I could stand. I have no idea what I thought that would achieve. Just a vent for the rage of not being able to sleep? I think I thought I might actually be able to knock myself out. Who knows? I was not a well girl. It didn’t occur to me to see a doctor about any of this. I can’t believe how clueless I was about my own self-care in my 20s.

Even though I moved on from the killer hours job, the number on my head had been done. I did sleep a bit more, yes, but the obsession with it was unshakeable. On the many occasions that I’d snap awake in the wee hours, I would lie there tossing, turning, totting up the hours slept and then fretting about what it all meant for the working day ahead.

The turning point finally came when, aged 35, I had a baby. But I don’t think you need to have a baby to share in my epiphany.

Of course you expect to be sleepless when you have an infant, but it’s still impossible to really prepare for and understand exactly how mind-blowingly tired you’ll be.

But the lightbulb moment came when she was about eight weeks old. I was facing my fourth consecutive day of having had maybe an hour’s sleep the night before. Honestly I can still remember how dire I felt: stinging eyes, nausea, every joint aching. And, true to form, my anxiety about it was through the roof. How would I get through this interminable day? How would I even find the strength to walk from my bedroom to my baby daughter’s cot, let alone somehow keep her alive all day? My only hope was that she’d sleep long enough at some point in the day for me to maybe grab a cat nap.

One small issue with that: as my husband was leaving for work, he reminded me that the electricians were coming to install new radiators. I could have cried. I probably did, actually, I was so tired and hormonal. They arrived, they clomped about and they drilled and drilled all day. I wouldn’t be sleeping. Then to my horror, I remembered: I’d invited my friend Kath around for lunch. Good god. I can’t, I thought. I left her a voicemail apologising profusely but begging to reschedule for when I’d had some sleep.

At 1pm, the doorbell rang and there was Kath, beaming at me. Oh. She had clearly not got my message. And what was I going to do? Make things awkward by telling her I’d tried to cancel? Nope, I welcomed her in, already knowing that later that day she would finally hear my miserable “I’m knackered, sorry!” message, but we would cross that bridge.

‘If you ask a person who sleeps well what they do to get to sleep, the answer will be nothing,’ says Dr Meadows Credit: Andrew Crowley for The Telegraph

I still wonder to this day if it was some kind of divine intervention that delayed her hearing that message. Because that visit – that day – changed everything about my mindset. I pulled myself together for the sake of my friend who’d made the effort to come and see me. She made me laugh, and as a mum herself eased my millions of anxieties about whether or not I was doing a good enough job of keeping this baby alive. When Kath arrived, I seriously wondered how I’d have the energy to get through the visit. By the time she left, I felt completely energised. That was the day I realised that a terrible night’s sleep is not the end of the world. I felt so physically and emotionally bankrupt and yet still I had managed to not only plough through the day and survive it, I had enjoyed it.

It was the day I finally stopped obsessing about whether or not I had slept or not. That was nearly 20 years ago and ever since, if I’m lying in bed awake and somehow not able to drop off, I don’t get wound up about it at all. I stay rational about what it will mean for the next day. Even if I only sleep for a couple of hours, I will be fine, I tell myself. You might not be sleeping right now but you are resting, and rest is the next best thing to sleep (a therapist told me that).

Here’s the thing: That subtle but significant shift in my mindset has meant that I sleep well. Almost always.

Dr Guy Meadows is a sleep psychologist and founder of the pioneering sleep clinic, The Sleep School. He laughs wryly as I tell him my story. “You’ve managed to crack for yourself what I dedicated 20 years of my life to understanding.”

Not everyone appreciates my advice to “just stop worrying” about insomnia. But as challenging as it can be to make that mental adjustment, it’s been a life-changing one, and easily more effective than drugging myself, exhausting myself and definitely a better strategy than slapping myself in my own stupid face.

To my surprise, my approach is an actual clinical technique. “You’ve stumbled upon the acceptance and commitment theory or ACT, which is how I treat my insomniac patients,” says Dr Meadows. Which is essentially to stop railing against negative thoughts or feelings of “I can’t sleep, tomorrow will be a disaster” and accept them. The preoccupation with trying to fall asleep is the thing that will stop you falling asleep.

“If you ask a person who sleeps well what they do to get to sleep, the answer will be nothing,” says Dr Meadows. “Ask an insomniac and they’ll have a list as long as your arm involving an hours-long wind down process, or sleepy teas, or particular room conditions.

“Insomnia is, at its heart, an anxiety disorder, one in which we’ve basically trained our brains to fear those moments of trying to sleep. The more you struggle with feeling anxious about wakefulness, the more awake you will be. You’ve found for yourself that it’s possible to train the brain to have a different, more accepting relationship with this anxiety and it can be life-changing for insomniacs.”

It truly can be. I no longer approach the night, or sleep, as another big job to conquer. Gone is the anxiety I used to feel as I worked myself up into a panic in the hours before turning in. I used to feel so bad for a fellow magazine editor when we were away in Milan or Paris for the fashion shows. She used to get so excited about the joy of having a hotel room to herself, away from her nocturnal toddler to score a few nights of unbroken sleep. Only, she would usually be quite downbeat when I saw her because she was not sleeping. Whether it was the temperature of the hotel room, or a weird banging pipe noise, or just noisy people in the corridors, somehow this dream of a precious, full night’s sleep eluded her. I’m convinced it was because she was so consumed with anxiety about getting to sleep that she just couldn’t relax enough to do it.

I’m not saying that I now always sleep brilliantly every night. That’s not my point. It’s simply that I no longer have anxiety about it if I don’t. I remind myself that the body really is a self-governing state and will get what it needs. Because I’ve made the conscious decision to trust my body on this, I’m not anxious at all any more about sleep. Which, funnily enough, helps me to just relax.

A few other things I have learnt that work for me:

Having a sleep divorce

I applaud the growing movement to normalise this. It’s just better for both my husband and me if we sleep separately. He snores so much, which keeps me awake. My anger about being kept awake means he often lies there scared to breathe, so he doesn’t sleep either. Our relationship could not survive our mismatched sleeping needs.

I play this trick on myself

If I really cannot seem to relax enough to drop off, I put myself through reverse psychology. OK, I tell myself, you’re not allowed to shut your eyes. Don’t you dare. Keep those eyes open. It always works.

I never drink coffee after midday

If caffeine is in my system, I’ll be struggling to sleep. It’s why I also leave the chocolate well alone in the evening.

My phone never comes to bed

The blue light from our phones is a brain stimulant that keeps us wired. My phone goes off by 10pm each night and stays off. I can’t get my head around anyone who is able to sleep next to it when it’s lighting up and pinging with b-------t all night.

I don’t have a clock

If I need to set an alarm, I still face any clock away from me so I can’t roll over in the middle of the night and look at the time. Nothing good comes from me knowing that it’s 4am and I need to get up in two hours. If I’m oblivious about the hour, I don’t start running that maths through my head. It’s one of the best things I have ever done to ease my sleep anxiety.

I only use my bedroom for sleep

No work, no television, nothing but sleep and well, yes... that other thing that happens in bedrooms. Psychologically I just think it’s no bad thing to have a space that your mind associates with nothing but the end of the day and restfulness.

I exercise a lot

In my 20s and 30s, I was an insomniac and also I barely moved. I’m sure these two facts are linked. There is science behind how exercise helps you sleep, but I think it’s another psychological tool for me. I know that if I’m working out regularly, my body will do the work of putting itself in recovery mode. It’s another way I’ve taught myself to trust the vessel I’m in to get what it needs.

I stretch a lot

Whenever I’ve carved out 20 minutes or so to do it properly it is a game changer for deeper relaxation. There’s tons of content on YouTube to give you guided stretching exercises. It’s an incredible (and free) gift you can give yourself.

I give myself permission to admit defeat

If it’s truly making me feel despairing and worrying about the next day, I tell myself, OK, stay home and call in sick. I’ve never actually gone through with this, because the second I tell myself that that’s an option, I relax a little bit more and then I fall asleep.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/wellbeing/sleep/ive-been-an-insomniac-for-twenty-years/

How to sleep in 2 minutes even if you have insomnia

From sportschosun.com

A sleeping method that allows people who suffer from chronic insomnia to fall asleep in two minutes has been introduced, making headlines.

According to foreign media such as the Daily Mail, Justin Augustine, a fitness expert in Canada, delivered a sleep method developed by the U.S. Army to help fighter pilots fall asleep in noisy and stressful situations. The video has become so popular that it has recorded more than 11 million views until recently. He claimed that about 90 percent of those who tried the sleep method worked.

This sleeping method consists of deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and imaging. 

First, lie down in a comfortable position in bed and relax your muscles in the order of your eyes, cheeks, and chin.

At this time, you breathe deeply and relax your muscles by exhaling slowly.

The hands, fingers, and arms are also comfortably stretched to the side.

Then slowly relax in the order of neck, shoulder, chest, belly, thigh, knee, leg, and foot.

The next step imagines that 'Warm Feeling' is transmitted from the top of your head to your toes.

Now, we need an image association.

Justin suggested two scenes.

One is 'Lying in a canoe in a calm lake with nothing but a clear blue sky' and 'Lying in a hammock made of black soft cloth in a dark room without light'.

Justin emphasized that practicing this meditation method every night for six weeks would allow him to fall asleep within two minutes of closing his eyes.

After the video was released, a netizen said "I've been practicing this sleeping method for more than 30 years since I was a soldier. It has a very good effect."

Another netizen wrote, "I'm a truck driver and I desperately need a break, which helps a lot", "Following a night of deep anxiety, you fall asleep magically"", a chronic insomnia patient who was very sceptical at first. However, I was happy to experience something that actually worked and posted comments such as..."

Studies have shown that relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization can improve the amount and quality of sleep.

When exhaled for a long time, the heart rate slows down rapidly, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (a neural network that relaxes the body after a period of stress or danger).

Relaxing each part of the body is also a type of meditation known as 'body scanning', which has been proven to cause hormones related to feeling calm.

https://www.sportschosun.com/culture/2024/12/how-to-sleep-in-2-minutes-even-if-37542

Menopause Insomnia: End 2am Wakings for Good

From honehealth.com

Crappy sleep? We hear you loud and clear. Here’s what experts say can help 

When you’re in perimenopause or menopause, getting a good night’s sleep is like winning the lottery: The odds are not in your favour. Just look at the numbers. Between 39  and 47 percent of women experience perimenopause insomnia. The rate of insomnia jumps to 60 percent for women after menopause.

“A trifecta of physical changes, mood changes, and societal demands that make sleep a big problem,” says Shelby Harris, Psy.D, the director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. 

During the menopause transition, which starts between 45 and 55 and can last for a decade or more, symptoms from declining oestrogen levels can make it hard to fall and stay asleep. Plus, during this time in mid-life, many women are juggling careers, kids, and even aging parents, which can lead to insomnia-inducing stress. 

Beyond feeling tired and cranky⸺which is bad enough⸺chronic insomnia (struggling to sleep three times a week for three or more months) can have long-lasting effects on your body and mind. Poor sleep or not enough sleep can increase women’s risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease. A 2023 study published in Nature and Science in Sleep found women who experience early menopause face higher risks of cognitive decline, for reasons that may include sleep issues like insomnia. The research suggests addressing sleep problems could help protect your brain.

Perimenopause and Menopause Insomnia

During perimenopause and menopause, the primary cause of insomnia is shifts in hormones like melatonin and oestrogen. Declining oestrogen levels can cause hot flashes and night sweats that disrupt sleep. Stress and an increase in mood disorders like anxiety and depression can also make it hard to fall and stay asleep.

Hormone changes

Oestrogen and progesterone,  the two main hormones that fluctuate and eventually decline during the menopause transition, help to regulate sleep. 

“Specifically, they will allow certain parts of the brain to go through the different cycles and the firing of neurons that allow your body to fall asleep, stay asleep, and have good, restorative sleep,” says sleep expert Dylan Petkus, M.D.

“If you have a day where oestrogen spikes way high or way low, it will destabilize how your brain can initiate sleep and govern sleep,” he says. 

Oestrogen supports the pineal gland in the brain, which governs the release of melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. The less melatonin you produce, the less sleep you get. Lower levels of progesterone can also make it difficult for your body and mind to relax into sleep. Progesterone promotes relaxation and drowsiness by increasing the production of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a neurotransmitter that calms brain activity, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep longer.

Perimenopause symptoms

For women in perimenopause and menopause, hot flashes and night sweats can disturb sleep.  Oestrogen is once again the culprit here. The hormone helps regulate the body’s internal thermostat in the brain’s hypothalamus. When production dips, it can bring on these vasomotor symptoms. A drop in oestrogen can cause the thermostat to overreact which causes the body to heat too quickly. After you sweat your body begins to evaporate the water, which can bring on chills or cold flashes that wake you up.

“People are uncomfortable from these night sweats,” Dweck says. ”They end up waking up as a result of that physical discomfort with the need to even change their bedclothes or sleep clothes.”

Mood swings

Fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone can lead to mood swings that can cause or worsen insomnia.  Progesterone has a relaxing, calming effect on the body. As ovulation winds down during menopause so does your progesterone. In turn, anxiety and mood swings can increase.

Oestrogen influences the production of key neurotransmitters, including serotonin, a feel-good hormone that regulates mood. Serotonin is also needed to make melatonin for sleep. It’s tough to be cheerful when you’re exhausted — and if you’re anxious or irritable, sleep can be even more elusive. 

The risk of developing anxiety and depression increases during perimenopause and menopause as well.

Sleep conditions

Oestrogen and progesterone shifts can cause sleep apnoea and restless leg syndrome, common sources of menopause insomnia.

For years, sleep apnoea—a sleep disorder that causes snoring and repeated pauses in breathing— was considered most prominent in men or people who are overweight. But now researchers acknowledge that during menopause women develop the condition as well. Women with severe hot flashes and night sweats may be at a higher risk of developing the condition.

“Hormonal changes cause a loosening of the muscles of the airway, which can cause snoring,” Harris says. “It doesn’t have to be loud, obnoxious snoring, like we think of with a lot of older men.”

Restless leg syndrome—a disorder that ​​causes an uncontrollable urge to move your legs— also increases during menopause due to hormone changes. Most women experience this condition at night.

“It makes it harder to stay still and to go to sleep, because you feel restless in your body,” Harris says.

Physical symptoms

Menopause-related aches and joint pain can keep women awake at night. These issues primarily stem from increased chronic inflammation, which comes from—yep—hormone shifts.

Declining oestrogen levels elevate levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory markers associated with difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality, and increased fatigue. Lack of sleep can increase inflammation in the body, creating a cause-and-effect cycle.

“If you’re not sleeping well, your inflammatory markers throughout your body will be higher,” he says, “So not only are you sensing more pain, but now you have more inflammatory markers.”

How Long Does Menopause Insomnia Last?

Perimenopause can last between four to 10 years, and your insomnia may last the entire time.

Some women find when they reach menopause, insomnia goes away as their hormones level out. For others, says Petkus, low levels of oestrogen and progesterone may continue to wreak havoc on sleep.

Treating Insomnia in Perimenopause and Menopause

Women have lots of treatment options for the menopause symptoms that cause insomnia, ranging from medications to therapy practices.

HRT

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT, also called menopause hormone therapy or MHT), is effective at treating various symptoms of menopause. The combination of oestrogen and oral micronized progesterone, a synthetic-like hormone, mimics progesterone in the body, which successfully combats sleeplessness for many women.

“Some women will get relief from their sleep disruption by taking hormone therapy,” Dweck says.

Progesterone is also thought to improve sleep quality by increasing non-REM 3 sleep, the deepest level of sleep  Dweck notes some women will still experience insomnia or disrupted sleep after taking HRT. 

“So we know it’s not just 100% oestrogen related to sleep disruption in menopause,” she says

Birth control

If you’re in perimenopause another to consider is the Pill. Using hormonal birth control may ease insomnia by balancing hormones.  One thing to consider: The Pill can hide the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, which makes it harder to know what’s going on with your body. Taking the Pill after age 35 can also slightly increase the risk of serious health conditions, including stroke and heart attack, especially in women who smoke or have other cardiovascular risk factors.

SSRIs/SNRIs

Some women find some benefit from a low dose of antidepressants. The two most well-known are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). They keep these neurotransmitters in your brain longer so the body experiences their benefits for longer. One study using escitalopram (Lexapro) resulted in better sleep among women who took the medication.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia

Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)  is a proven tool to treat menopausal insomnia. This is particularly true if your lack of sleep is due to mood changes, a racing mind, or negative thoughts.

CBT-I teaches you behaviours and thought patterns that reframe bedtime as a positive experience rather than an anxiety-ridden task. Typically, you’d start sessions with a sleep expert or therapist who’s trained in CBT-I, with the goal of being able to implement what you’ve learned yourself when you need it.

“I think CBT is helpful for that busy mind, where you have night-time wakefulness and you can’t get back to sleep because your mind is racing,” Dweck says. “And CBT may be helpful as a remedy to get those busy thoughts out of your head so that you can get back to sleep and save the daytime for all of that thought process.”

Holistic Ways to Improve Menopause Insomnia

Practicing healthy sleep hygiene is one of the best ways to set up your body and brain for less insomnia. Here’s what the experts recommend.

Get morning sun

One of the easiest ways to combat menopause insomnia is to get morning sun on your face or body. Even just 15 minutes can help with your circadian rhythms, which govern your sleep patterns and habits. 

Establish a bedtime/wake-up routine

The National Sleep Foundation recommends going to bed and waking up at the same time every day to keep your body in a healthy sleep pattern. 

Create a ritual around bedtime to signal to your brain that it’s soon time for shut-eye:

• Turn off your phone an hour or two before sleep. 
• Take a warm bath or shower. 
• Drink a cup of herbal tea. 
• Read a book. 
• Listen to chill music.

Manage stress

Because of hormone fluctuations during menopause, your anxiety and depression can worsen. You aren’t doing yourself any favours by going to bed feeling stressed or worried about kids, work, partner, chores, or whatever is bound to keep anyone up at night. Practicing meditation, and breathing exercises throughout the day or before bed can help quash stress and encourage better rest. Even 15 minutes a day can help.

Watch what you eat and drink before bed

Eating a heavy meal or a dish high in sugar within three hours of bedtime can throw a wrench into your sleep plans, Dweck notes. 

The same goes for alcohol. Don’t drink three hours before going to bed, or limit your consumption altogether.

“Alcohol will make you tired. You may fall asleep easier, but it interferes with general sleep,” Dweck says.

Keep your room cool

The National Sleep Foundation recommends keeping bedroom temps between 60 and 67 degrees for optimal sleep. A cool room promotes in your brain that it’s time to produce melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep.

The Bottom Line

Insomnia during perimenopause and menopause is common. It’s caused by a combination of factors, including changes in oestrogen and progesterone. Hormone replacement therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy may improve sleep, as can adopting healthy habits.

https://honehealth.com/edge/menopause-insomnia/