How HRT Has Impacted Insomnia

Hot Flashes And Insomnia - Are They Related
One of the more debilitating symptoms of hot flashes is their impact on our ability to get a good nights sleep. A deep and uninterrupted night's sleep is too long overdue for many postmenopausal women. Many women say they just lie awake, unable to go to sleep or stay asleep, and worrying about being alert for the day ahead.
My grandma used to say she had "eyes like saucers" when her hot flashes were keeping her awake at night - I think she meant she was suddenly wide awake and unable to get back to sleep - but we certainly got the picture.

It seems that hot flashes, and insomnia in particular have plagued us for a very long time - as even the great Shakespeare wrote about it in Macbeth when he employs a physician to deal with his wife's insomnia: " Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, Race out the written troubles of the brain; And with-some sweet oblivious antidote cleanse the stuft bosom of that perilous stuff which weighs upon the heart." Well, at least that's what it sounds like to me.

How HRT Has Impacted Insomnia
Yet, even though insomnia has been around for centuries, it seems to have just gotten worse. That's because many women dropped hormone replacement therapy after news that the risks outweigh the benefits. The abrupt withdrawal led to uncomfortable symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal dryness - and sleeplessness.

A lot of women are now going through a whole heap of menopause symptoms again, that they had once thought gone for good. But the good news is that there are other solutions to the age old condition, and many of these are now showing to be very effective at not only treating the symptoms, but in protecting our health as well.
Even though insomnia is a fairly common experience for post menopausal women, there isn't a "one size fits all" solution. As with every other symptom of menopause, you need to determine how it's affecting you, and what the best cause of action will be. Don't simply start popping sleeping pills to get through - they only offer short term solutions at best.

These days, women are learning to tailor treatment to their own medical history and risk factors. That often means sitting down with a health care provider and researching all the options carefully. For some, hormone replacement therapy is a reasonable short-term remedy.

How To Cure Your Hot Flashes

How Aging and Insomnia Interact
Both men and women experience less-restful sleep after age 50 within the five stages of sleep, stage one, transitional sleep, and stage two, light sleep, are known as non rapid eye movement, or NREM sleep.

Stages three and four, deep sleep or Delta sleep, are the most restful. Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep, stage five, when dreaming occurs, occupies about 20 percent of sleep time.
As we age, particularly as we reach 50, we spend more time in sleep stages one and two, which means we tend to sleep lighter and are more prone to wake up prematurely. This has a knock on effect which makes us get tired earlier at night, and wake earlier in the morning. But we still have many options for improving our sleep.

First task on the list to figure out where we are having problems and what is causing the disruption to our sleep process. Do you have difficulty falling asleep, or do you drift off easily only to wake up soon afterwards. Are you continually wakening during the night, or just wake to early in the morning? Are the hot flashes causing you to wake suddenly, or do you experience one almost immediately you awaken?

Can Natural Herbal Remedies Help
While there are some very specific herbs for menopause, not all herbal remedies are everything they claim to be - so tread carefully. Over the counter sleeping medications can help for a while, but these should be viewed as a short term solution to help you start sleeping properly again. Your aim is to create a new sleep pattern (like your original one when you slept right through the night), rather then rely on drugs to make you sleep.

How To Cure Your Hot Flashes
When hot flashes start to disrupt your sleep, the first thing you need to do is stop worrying about it, and look to what is causing them - find the triggers. Some women find that when they dream, that triggers a hot flash. By finding out what is triggering them, you are now in a much better position to deal with them - rather than taking sleeping medications to make you sleep through it.

You have to find out what your body needs and work with it to get back into your normal routine.
Sometimes all it takes is changing your routine or diet. Spending a half hour in a darkened, cool room increases sleep hormones like melatonin in the body. Avoid stimulating activities before you go to bed. That hot shower at night can trigger hot flashes. Exercising late in the day might spike adrenaline, making sleep difficult.

Diet is also very important - what we eat has a huge impact on how our body works. Some speciality teas for example can induce hot flashes, so choose carefully and do a bit of research. Believe it or not, carbohydrates also increase your sleep hormones, so if you're on a low carb diet you may want to make a few exceptions in the evening. And warm milk can be a great help to induce sleep, but I'd recommend a non-dairy alternative like soy milk.

Are Hot Flashes Causing You Sleeping Problems

As well as being a frustrating symptom of menopause, hot flashes can have some unpleasant side effects of their own - insomnia being one of the more physically debilitating ones. Experiencing a hot flash during the night not only affects how you feel, it interrupts your sleep patterns and has a longer term impact on your health.

My grandma was the first person I can remember who used to suffer with insomnia brought on by her hot flashes - she'd explain all the details to us, describing herself as having "eyes like saucers" - which I now understand meant she was wide awake.
It seems that hot flashes, and insomnia in particular have plagued us for a very long time - as even the great Shakespeare wrote about it in Macbeth when he employs a physician to deal with his wife's insomnia: " Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, Race out the written troubles of the brain; And with-some sweet oblivious antidote cleanse the stuft bosom of that perilous stuff which weighs upon the heart." Well, at least that's what it sounds like to me.

How HRT Has Impacted Insomnia
So we know insomnia and hot flashes have been with is for centuries, but it seems to have escalated dramatically just recently during the last few years. Many people believe it to be related to the HRT scare that was publicized a few years back - where the clinical trials suggested that the risks of using hormone replacement therapy greatly outnumbered the benefits.

A lot of women are now going through a whole heap of menopause symptoms again, that they had once thought gone for good. But the good news is that there are other solutions to the age old condition, and many of these are now showing to be very effective at not only treating the symptoms, but in protecting our health as well.

Even though insomnia is a fairly common experience for post menopausal women, there isn't a "one size fits all" solution. As with every other symptom of menopause, you need to determine how it's affecting you, and what the best cause of action will be. Don't simply start popping sleeping pills to get through - they only offer short term solutions at best.
The best place to start is by consulting your doctor or health care professional, and discussing all possible options and potential side effects. Believe it or not, some form of hormone replacement therapy could still offer the best short term solution.

Insomnia - Is It Age Related

As we enter our early fifties, we all start to experience disruptions to our normal sleep patterns. Depending on which of the 5stages of sleep is impacted determines how serious it is. The first two stages, transitional sleep and light sleep are known as Non Rapid Eye Movement stages or NREM.

Stages three and four are known as deep or Delta sleep, and these are the most restful - these are the stages we need to get to quickly and remain in longest. Stage five is known as REM or Rapid Eye Movement. This is when we dream and take up about 20 percent of our sleep time.
After age 50 we spend more time in stages one and two, so we sleep lighter and are more likely to wake up. We get tired earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. But that doesn't mean we can't improve our sleep.

First task on the list to figure out where we are having problems and what is causing the disruption to our sleep process. Do you have difficulty falling asleep, or do you drift off easily only to wake up soon afterwards. Are you continually wakening during the night, or just wake to early in the morning? Are the hot flashes causing you to wake suddenly, or do you experience one almost immediately you awaken?

Natural Remedies and Cures For Hot Flashes
While you have probably noticed that there are numerous herbal remedies for menopause and insomnia, you're probably wilting under a mountain of information. Some work, some don't - so buyer beware. Don't rely on sleeping medication too long - they should be seen as a short term solutions (at best) to help you get back into your routine.

Stopping Hot Flashes From Disrupting Your Sleep
If your hot flashes are causing your insomnia, you need to find out what is triggering them. For some women it's having a dream in the middle of the night that brings it on, for others it could be something as simple as a "spooky" noise like the heating system switching on. Rather than treating the symptoms with sleeping pills, look for the triggers and manage those.

You have to find out what your body needs and work with it to get back into your normal routine.
My suggestion would be start with simple things like changing your diet and your routine. Take 15 - 30 minutes at night before you go to bed and simply sit down somewhere quite (away from the TV) and relax. Relaxing in a darkened room helps your body to increase production of sleep hormones like melatonin. Don't do anything stimulating late at night, like exercise or taking a hot shower.

Diet also plays a part. Some hot teas - cinnamon tea, for example - might induce hot flashes and should be avoided. Carbohydrates actually increase sleep hormones, so that low-carb diet might be a culprit. Mom was right. Warm milk does induce sleep. But skip the cookies. Wheat toast should be just the ticket to help usher you into dreamland.

Hot Flashes - What Are They

Hot flashes, or hot flushes, are the commonest menopause symptom reported. Although hot flashes are experienced by many women -- around 70-80% of those in menopause -- not every woman in menopause experiences hot flashes. It is believed that the reduction in oestrogen level that the menopause brings is the main factor in causing hot flashes.

A hot flash (flush) either starts at the chest or waist and moves up or starts at the head and spreads down. Some women find that it spreads to other parts of the body. Its duration is from a couple of minutes up to as long as an hour.

Hot flashes are much more common in the USA and UK that in the Far East.
What Can You Do For Hot Flashes (Flushes)
Hot flashes, or flushes, can be uncomfortable and inconvenient and where this is the case, many women are willing to try just about any thing to relieve them.

The main approaches to coping with hot flashes are:
1. Drugs, especially ERT, or HRT
2. Herbs
3. Diet
4. Exercise, and
5. Rest

Many women try to avoid the hormone based drugs which are used to treat hot flashes, ERT or HRT. Fortunately, a combination of the other four methods helps the majority of women - if followed closely.

The difficulty often is changing your habits to healthy ones.
If you will:

• Take several different herbs regularly -- such as agnus castus, dong quai and red sage
• Modify your diet -- reduce starchy food, junk food and processed foods; increase fresh foods especially fruit and vegetables and especially raw
• Get vigorous exercise 3 times a week
• Chill out - spend time relaxing

then in most cases hot flashes will reduce in 1-2 months. Continue for 6 months for more long-lasting effects. An extra benefit is that your general health will improve too.

How To Reduce Menopause Hot Flashes

What can you do about menopause hot flashes? Although it's not the worst symptom you can suffer through menopasue it's one which can cause plenty of anxiety and angst among sufferers.
So is there a sure-fire way to relieve the onset of hot flashes? In this article, we'll highlight five steps you can take to help free you, if only for brief periods, from the incidence of hot flashes.

Five Ways To Lessen The Onset Of Menopause Hot Flashes
We know hot flashes can strike at any time which makes it all the more frustrating and in certain situations, can cause a little embarassment. Here are five ways you could use to lessen the incidence.

1. Undoubtedly the best and most reliable way of solving the problem is hormone replacement therapy. The only problem is, it's getting a bad rap because of the risk of heart disease and cancer. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor.

2. If you suffer regular bouts of hot flashes then start o log of when it occurs and the possible triggers which causes it. The trick then is to stay away from these triggers.

3. Try exercise. The most recommended form of exercise is walking and it has an uncanny ability ability to make women with menopausal symptoms feel a lot better. Recently, yoga has also surfaced as a way to reduce hot flash incidents.

4. Find ways to effectively cool the body. Setting room temperatures to a level below what's most comfortable is great but then you run the risk of alienating the other members in the home. Wearing light clothing both day and night and if you get chills, put on an extra layer of clothing. Using ice to cool areas such as the wrist and neckline can help as well as cold drinks.

5. Reducing stress is important. Deep breathing exercises are a great way to alleviate stress. By doing deep breathing exercises and reducing stress you also cut cut on the heat produced by the body. This can be an effective method for temporary relief from menopause hot flashes.

Menopause - How To Deal With Hot Flashes

Of all the symptoms associated with menopause, hot flashes have to be considered among the most ill-desired symptom of all. While they are an absolute annoyance, it is the hormonal imbalance within that causes them to occur. Since there are no definitive conclusions as to why hot flashes occur, let’s try to determine how to deal with hot flashes.

According to a recent report on menopause, it was determined that “lifestyle and psychological factors can increase the number and severity of hot flashes that a woman experiences. In fact, women who tested at a high level of anxiety had nearly five times the number of hot flashes as those who tested low. Women who smoked experienced twice the amount. Being overweight led to an increase in annoying hot flashes, as well.”
Hot flashes don't always begin with the menopause. Sometimes they start with perimenopause, or they may not start until after the last menstrual period has occurred. Usually, they last three to five years and are usually worse during the year following the last menstrual period. However, it has been noted that for some women, hot flashes can last indefinitely.

Although it is a common notion that menopause hot flashes are associated with a decrease in estrogen, there are those who believe it is simply the hormonal balance which acts as the catalyst. Before puberty, girls have low estrogen but no hot flashes. Conversely, women in the late stages of pregnancy may have hot flashes at a time when their estrogen levels are high.

Researchers have stated that “the secretion of hormones is regulated in the brain by the hypothalamus, which houses the body’s thermoregulatory center. They believe that something happens in this center that causes the body’s thermostat to be altered during menopause. The result is a hot flash, a feeling of excessive warmth if the body gets just a little overheated. In an attempt to cool down, the body perspires and blood vessels dilate, causing skin to turn pink or red. After a brief time, maybe a few minutes, the heat dissipates, leading to chills.”

The solution to relieve hot flashes was implemented by using hormone replacement therapy. However, we now know that HRT could have side affects which may cause more harm and good. It has also been recommended to support your body in a natural way, thus not having to rely on prescription drugs used in hormone replacement therapy. Many women find that with the proper support, during menopause, their own bodies can correct the hormonal imbalance that is the real cause.
Finally, taking everything into consideration; the research, the case histories, and our own experiences, it seems that hot flashes – while a definite nuisance – can be handled in a very simple manner. Ignore them as much as possible. Accept them as part of the menopause cycle, and do not give them any more importance than you would an annoying stranger who just won’t leave you alone.

Hot Flashes In Menopause - 4 Key Natural Treatments

Hot flashes in menopause are the commonest symptom reported by Western women. They are thought to relate to the reduction in oestrogen level which the menopause produces.

The key areas to consider treating are:
1. Exercise
2. Stress
3. Diet, and
4. Supplements

1. Hot Flashes And Exercise
Regular aerobic exercise reduces both the frequency and severity of hot flashes. As this is so good for maintaining bone strength and so avoiding osteoporosis, this is important to do. Studies have further found that found that mood is elevated by regular exercise, adding another good reason in its favour.
Avoid exercise within 2 or 3 hours of bed, to help avoid any night sweats.

2. Hot Flashes And Stress
Stress produces tireness and eventually exhaustion. This tiredness exacerbates hot flashes (hot flushes). Minimising stress is key.

Recommended strategies include:

• Spending time on yourself regularly
• Take herbs for the nerves regularly. St John's wort, scullcap and vervain (verbena officinalis) all have beneficial properties.
• Take exercise regularly to reduce stress
• Regular meditation is a great help to deal with stress. Even just sitting quietly for 10 minutes following your breath can be very helpful.

3. Hot Flashes And Diet
There are some foods which can trigger hot flashes. Examples are alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, and spicy foods. It is best to avoid these and look out yourself for any other which affect you.
A diet high in phytoestrogens such as soy products have been shown to help reduce menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes.

4. Supplements For Hot Flashes
We will look here at herbs. The main herbs for hot flashes are:

• Black cohosh
• Dong quai
• Agnus castus
• Motherwort
• Red clover
• Red sage

Choose several remedies and try them simultaneously; one by itself will probably not be sufficient. You can try one capsule each of black cohosh, dong quai and agnus catus, 3 times daily. Keep regular written notes how you feel so that you can refer back. You would hope to see some changes by the second month, otherwise change your combination.
Pay attention to cautions on the product and do not take alongside prescription drugs unless you have the agreement of your doctor or a herbalist or other trusted advisor. Ideally ask a herbalist to plan your herbal treatment for you.

Stopping Menopausal Hot Flashes

Studies show that over 50% of women going through menopause experience hot flashes—that means you are more likely to get them than you are to be hot-flash-free. These uncomfortable moments cause sweating, a rapidly beating heart, and flushing and make you physically uncomfortable, possibly even embarrassing you when you are in public situations. They also can occur at all times of day (and night). Fortunately, because so many women suffer from hot flashes, there are many remedies for the situation.

When you first talk to your doctor about the hot flashes you are experiencing, he or she will probably recommend a number of lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce this symptom of menopause, which can last up to a half hour. Living in a healthy way alone can cause the hot flashes to disappear—eat a healthy diet, stay cool, exercise often, relax, and quit smoking. There are also a number of herbal supplements you can take that have been shown to effectively reduce hot flashes in menopausal women. Some include black cohosh and red clover. Other popular dietary changes include eating wild yams, chasteberry, and licorice.

The above-listed options are the best choices for women experiencing mild or infrequent hot flashes. Even without treatment, these hot flashes usually subside within a year’s time. However, if you are experiencing 8 or more hot flashes every day, or you find them to be unbearable, your best choice may be hormonal treatment.

The most effective way to stop hot flashes is estrogen therapy, but this form of treatment has risks as well. It is normally taken in conjunction with the hormone progesterone. Some of the main risks of estrogen include heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer. Therefore, if you are already at risk for these conditions, you may want to reconsider your use of estrogen. Even if you were not previously at risk, it is important to use the lowest dose of estrogen possible, and to discontinue use as soon as the effects of menopause, including hot flashes, become bearable without treatment.

If estrogen and progesterone therapies are not medically sound options for you, there are other medications you may wish to pursue as well, although studies are still being done to find if they are safe and useful. One such option is taking antidepressants. In low doses, many menopausal women have used them to reduce hot flashes. However, they may have unwanted side effects as well. Gabapentin and clonidine, medications used to treat seizures and high blood pressure, respectively, are also being studied for their effectiveness in treating menopausal hot flashes.

Your doctor can give you more information on all the treatment options available if you find that you have begun suffering from hot flashes. This condition is common among women, and you do not need to continue suffering from the hot waves that flood your body during the day and the night sweats that disturb your sleep. Remember that this is one of the many changes you will see in your body during the menopause, and most will subside within a year.

Menopause Treatment And Weight Gain

To a certain extent you may find it funny that an article about Menopause is being written by a man. But the side affects of living with a woman who is going through this delicate time of life is immense. I really truly believe that men should understand what women go through, and I hope that as many men read this article as women.
The mood swings, the hot flushes, the lack of sleep, the weight gain, and general depression etc. Even being a mere man I understand what a difficult time it is for you girls, and I'm sure in some cases it's worse than others.
But if you are suffering with the menopause please don’t worry because you’re not on your own. Millions of women are going through the same thing, and it may comfort you to know that there is an alternative to HRT, which is reported to be responsible for heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer.

Compiling this article I have come across several references to the Menopause, and one that caught my eye was a website by a Lady called Cathy Taylor. She went on to say how she did a lot of research and how she can offer help and encouragement to any suffering from all the Menopause symptoms. She also tells of her frustration with the lack of adequate answers to the point she felt scared, discouraged, and unhappy with her life.

The more she researched the more frustrated she became as she quotes that most of the information available was years out of date. What I would like to say is that women deserve to get the best knowledge, and information because is a difficult time for both men and women. Today’s world with the Internet is getting easier for all to get that right information.
Another thing I should say before we go any further is that is very important to work with your own Doctor through your problems, and the more you understand what you’re going through, the better you will be able to talk to your Doctor about it.