When was the last time you had a good sleep?
A really replenishing and satisfying deep sleep? For me, it was about 2 years ago. What the hell has happened here people? Back in the day, I could be up super late, sleep hard but short, and be up early the next morning feeling great. These days not only do I not bounce out of bed in the morning, but I battle to stay asleep when I’m there!
According to a study undertaken by the Sleep Health Foundation, more than half of Australian adults are struggling with sleep. Women reported feeling more anxious about getting a good nights sleep than men and up to 30% of women report sleep disruption more than three times per week. During menopause, this percentage goes up by 2 to 3 times! Urgh! No wonder we feel tired ladies … we are!
What a yawn that all is!
There’s a number of reasons why sleep becomes more elusive as we age. The hormonal fluctuations of menopause can cause night sweats and hot flushes which can not only wake you up, but keep you awake.
In more stunning good news, women are also more prone to disruptive sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome during menopause. Woot! This lack of sleep may also cause or exacerbate anxiety and depression … which in turn can affect your sleep.
We all know the drill – it’s important to have a good sleep routine. Get some exercise, try to go to bed at a reasonable and consistent time, wear something cool and comfortable and avoid big meals or too much booze close to bedtime.
On the upside
These stop-start nights aren’t all bad however; I recently had a great text catch up with a girlfriend who too was awake at 3.00am scrolling through Instagram. We’re both busy, so an undisturbed half hour to text chat with her was actually quite lovely, even if it was bloody early.
As for me today, and in direct contradiction to all the above advice I had a boozy late night and am off for a nap!
