When I was in my 20s, I was a great sleeper. I’d hit the pillow after a long day at work and I was out for the count. I remember my roommate W was envious of how quickly I would nod off. Not anymore. These days as a “post menopausal woman,” I rarely fall asleep even after 30 minutes of relaxing music. Some nights I feel like I barely get any shut-eye at all.
I’ve tried many remedies — from warm milk to warm bathes, from Valerian (ooh, ooh, ooh, cannot stomach that herb in any form) to Melatonin — without much success. Most evenings, I usually enjoy a cup of Chamomile tea and douse myself with lavender oil. Yet some nights nothing seems to work.
While I do see a sleep doctor about twice a year, I’m always open to any and all sleep experts. That’s why when the team at AARP invited me to interview Life Reimagined Thought Leader and psychiatrist, Dr. Janet Taylor, and try out her new “Sleep Better” activity created for LifeReimagined.org, I said “yes.”
The “Sleep Better” Program
The program was quick to complete at only four steps:
♥ First, I took the quiz to rate my sleep health. My results: “You need more sleep.”
♥ Next, I learned methods to manage my stress and meditate. I liked Dr. Taylor’s evening meditation. Her soothing voice helped me to relax.
♥ Third, I reviewed physical and mental activities that will help me get a better night’s rest. I did well in both areas — with daily yoga, bicycling, walking to activate my body — and reading The New York Times and blogging to stimulate my mind.
♥ Day Four, I went over what was working and where I need to improve. It was recommended to keep a journal, which I currently do.
I encourage you to check out the “Sleep Better” activity and let me know how you do.
Q&A With Dr. Janet Taylor
After completing the “Sleep Better” program, I had a few questions for Dr. Taylor.
Dr. Janet Taylor created the Life Reimagined “Sleep Better” Program.
Q: Do you have suggestions if I have trouble falling asleep?
Dr. T: “Manage your stress. Practice healthy coping methods to deal with stressors or anxiety. Perhaps try diet supplements, for example the combination of 500 mg of magnesium and 250-300 mg of Calcium Citrate has been shown to ease muscles while trying to fall asleep. Meditate by focusing on the breath, with eyes closed while allowing thoughts to flow in and out and relaxing your muscles.” (I practice relaxing my facial muscles too. Sometimes my face is tense so I put my tongue on the roof of my mouth and let my face relax. I learned this technique in yoga.)
Q: What about getting back to sleep when I awake at 3:00 a.m.?
Dr. T: “Avoid turning on the television or checking any screen including clocks. Most people sleep better in cooler rooms. If you are still awake after 30 minutes, get up and out of bed. Walk around, read a book, avoid overstimulation and try to go back to sleep.” (Guess I better turn my clock around so I cannot constantly check it. I’ve been doing a great deal of night reading. I’m currently reading The Nightingale – it’s very good.)
Q: Are there any natural remedies you would recommend?
Dr. T: “Soothing rituals can aid you before bedtime. The smell of lavender is calming and can help with relaxation. A warm non-caffeinated beverage like Chamomile tea or Valerian tea is also calming and the warm liquid can slightly raise body temperature and aid in feeling sleepy.” (Okay, Dr. Taylor, I’m going to continue to use my lavender oil and drink my hot tea. Maybe it will help. I’m also trying some new pillows. One I received from BackJoy called SleepSound and one my friend R likes called Indulgence by Isotonic.)
Sounds like there is no miracle cure. Regardless, I hope if you do fall asleep tonight that you have “sweet dreams!”
Judi
When I turned 40 I went from someone who could sleep deeply and long, to someone who struggles to get a good night sleep. A few things that have helped, cutting way back on caffeine , not drinking liquids after 7 pm. ( keeps the bathroom runs to a min), and going into bed at the same time every night. Hope this helps…
Kath, thanks for your tips. I have to stop drinking so much water and chamomile tea in the evenings.
If I don’t sleep I get so cranky as to be impossible to live with. When, still in peri-menopause, I started with some hot flashes and interrupted sleep, I ran to my holistic doctor who prescribed some plant based hormones and ginseng. I also revived my meditation practice, that has fallen by the wayside, and I am now back to sleeping like a baby. And not drinking tea before going to bed also helped!
Thanks for the tips about sleeping. I’m trying to practice my yoga and meditation to relax during the day and before bedtime.
I was so happy to come across this post and thank you for sharing these fabulous tips with your readers. This article really reminded me of a book I read recently called, “Is Mid-Life Mooching your Mojo?” by author Dr. Joni Labbe (http://mojogirlfriends.com/). Her book is a God send for any woman over 40 and looks at thyroid issues as being the culprit for insomnia, weight issues, hot flashes, etc. She is a certified clinical nutritionist and is someone who has gone through menopause and was diagnosed with Hashimoto and Celiac’s. She tells you the way to go through LOW cost lab testing and recommends the right science based nutrition. If you have tried just about everything and nothing seems to work READ THIS BOOK. I cannot recommend it enough
Thanks Karen. Will have to check out Dr. Labbe’s book.
I live in California and sometimes it is very difficult to get a good night sleep. If the weather is too hot you can easily get some sleep with the ac on, not me. I first started off with ideas on what would help me out. So then i turned on youtube and decided that rain always helped (works best with headphones). I would turn on this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy7eoln_xcM and I would fall asleep in no time. After time I decided to get help from sleep hypnosis from youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk7SQ6ZZxUM and it also helped out. Im just sharing this videos because I really believe it can help some of you out.
Felix, thanks for sharing your sleep tips.
I learned a lot from everything you said and the Question and Answer portion with Dr. Janet Taylor. I am a young mom and yet I am already having trouble sleeping. Having to figure out ways on how I can have better sleep is really tough — you’re right, there are really some nights when nothing seems to work. That’s why it is really great to know more about this topic. Thanks a lot!
Sorry to hear about your sleep problems. Hope you can find relief with these tips.