Not sleeping well at night can make you sluggish, irritable and foggy-headed. However, it can affect more than just the obvious. Women's healthcare professionals will tell you that adequate sleep is also important in regulating such things as your capacity to fight illness and disease, immune deficiencies, and blood pressure related illnesses. Also mood disorders which are increased from lack of a regular sleep schedule, affect women at a greater rate than men. Age plays an important role in the amount of sleep women need. A pre-teen girl can sleep up to 12 hours a day!! And, as we become full-fledged adult women we can go on only 7 hours sleep-although more is good.
Getting good sleep helps boost your mind and mood and can help prevent health problems. As we discussed in 'Do I have a Sleep Disorder,' women are more likely than men to have insomnia and other sleep problems. Changing hormones during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can affect how well a woman sleeps.
As women are affected more with sleep disorders, there are several steps you can take to get the best rest you need:
Make a regular sleep schedule. Your mind as well as your body will adapt to a regular schedule and begin to expect bedtime and begin relaxing as soon as you hit the sheets. Go to sleep at about the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning, even on the weekends. Easier said than done- right moms!
Don't take naps after 3 p.m, and don't nap longer than 20 minutes. Try to power through the urge to nap during the day. Your mind and body will be that much more agreeable to a set bedtime later on.
Stay away from caffeine and alcohol late in the day. Caffeine can remain in your system for up to ten hours so plan accordingly. If you have an afternoon coffee say at 3pm, by approximately 8pm half the effects should have dissipated and continue to grow less effective over the evening.
Avoid nicotine completely. Nicotine will accelerate your blood pressure and heart rate so that it will act as a stimulant and make it more difficult to relax.
Get regular exercise, but not within 2-3 hours of bedtime. Once again, exercise will act as a stimulant as your heartrate and blood pressure will be elevated. Also, if you are doing an aerobic exercise, your resting metabolism will be increased and you will be burning more calories.
Don't eat a heavy meal late in the day. A light snack before bedtime is OK.
Make your bedroom comfortable, dark, quiet, and not too warm or cold.
Follow a routine to help you relax before sleep (for example, reading or listening to music). Turn off the TV and other screens at least an hour before bedtime. Stop using your computer, smartphone or tablet—the blue and green light from these devices can decrease our ability to fall asleep easily.
Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, do something calming until you feel sleepy, like reading or listening to soft music.
I always have melatonin in my medicine cupboard. It is natural hormone (your body actually produces it) and non-addictive. As a supplement it produces a calming wafefulness that can promote better sleep.
And as always, talk with your healthcare provider if you continue to have trouble sleeping.
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