Are you struggling to sleep?
If you are in perimenopause or post menopause, it is likely you will answer YES!
Roughly 60% of women experience sleeplessness at this time in their life.
Unfortunately, the end result of sleepless nights is a lot more than simply feeling tired.
Sleepless nights impact out heart health, brain health and mental health.
The less a woman sleeps, the less inclined she is to exercise.
The less she sleeps, the more likely she is to make poor food choices.
The less she sleeps, the more prone to weight gain she becomes.
We need sleep. We need enough sleep, and we need good quality sleep if we want to feel our best and have the best health possible as we age. (I've shared a breathwork recording with you to help you sleep. Scroll down).
But how on earth do we get more sleep?
Recently I have been taking a deep dive into breathing and breathwork.
During the menopause transition and beyond, women are at increased risk of sleep disordered breathing. This means that we are more likely to have disrupted sleep due to changes in the way we breathe during sleep. If you snore or wake frequently to go to the bathroom and pee, this is a fairly good indication that you are struggling to breathe well at night and I would recommend that you have a chat with your doctor. Learning how to breathe better is key at this time in life. You can read more here.
Hot flushes and night sweats.
In addition to sleep disordered breathing, many women find it hard to sleep due to hot flushes and night sweats. It is important for women to understand that severe hot flushes can indicate an increased risk of heart disease, so once again, it is a good time to chat with your doctor to evaluate you risk and make lifestyle changes to lower these risks. There has been some research conducted looking at slow, deep breathing for lowering the frequency and severity of hot flushes. You can read more here.
Daily stress makes sleeping more difficult.
Since 2020, I am sure we can all agree that life has been stressful! Women are expected to carry a lot of the weight of family responsibility along with full time work, getting to the gym, eating well, socialising and relaxing! There really doesn't feel like there is time to rest effectively, and this is often where alcohol comes along to save the day. Unfortunately alcohol disrupts sleep quality and duration only adding to our already sleepless nights. The impacts of stress are very real and far reaching. Women must find ways to manage stress if they want to experience good health as they age and this is where breathwork can really come into its own.
Women must make time for themselves.
I don't have time to meditate....I can only get to an exercise class once a week.....I am just too exhausted to go to yoga..... I hear these conversations all the time from women who want to lose weight, have more energy and feel better in their own bodies. WE HAVE TO MAKE TIME.... We are never going to 'find time'. The people in your life need to hear you say "I NEED THIS OTHERWISE I AM GOING TO FALL APART". Your partner needs to hear this, your family need to hear this, your kids need to hear this and YOU need to hear this....
Relaxation breathing can help.
I tried meditating many times and I could never 'gel' with the experience. I always felt like a failure when I simply couldn't still my mind. At the age of 50 I discovered breathwork and immediately I knew there was something here for me. There are many types of breathwork and you can use it to lift you up out of a funk and/or slow you down for deep and peaceful sleep.
You can perform simple breathing exercises as you drive, walk, exercise, work or rest. You do not need to sit down and close your eyes. As I drive to meet a personal training client I breathe slowly to bring clarity and calmness to my mind. As I train myself in the gym I slow my breathing to increase my energy levels and improve my recovery. In the morning I can quickly take myself through an energising session to get me out of bed and started or I may use simple breathing techniques to help me get back to sleep at 3am.
The more I learn, the more passionate I become about the power of our breath. As a woman in perimenopause, these tools are invaluable for helping me to manage stress, anxiety and my energy throughout the day. Menopause is a huge time of change and women need all the tools they can get their hands on to get through it in one healthy, happy and energised piece.
Breathwork for sleep.
I want to share a 15 minute breathwork session that I created with you. This recording is best listened to when you finish work but it will be equally as effective if you need to listen to it as you go to sleep. The benefit of listening to this recording earlier in the evening is its stress hormone lowering potential in the hours before sleep. I will write more about this soon. Enjoy the recording and I look forward to hearing how you feel after the session. PS - share it with your friends, they need it too!
Much love,
#relax #relaxation #stressmanagement #sleepwell #betterhealth #womenshealth #womenswellness #menopausematters