Menopause Sleep Strategies - Tips For Getting the Rest You Need For Health and Resilience

Do not underestimate the importance of sleep as you go through menopause. And yet it's one essential element of health that's often lacking during menopause due to many of the menopausal symptoms that interfere with good quality sleep. Sleep is not only essential to offset the stress of menopause, it's also very nourishing and healing. Not getting enough rest depletes your stress-coping hormones, and as they begin to diminish you lose your ability to deal with life's daily challenges with vitality, confidence and optimism. Sleep is also important for concentration, memory formation and the repair of damage to your body's cells during the day.

Here are some strategies to use to ensure that your menopause self care toolbox doesn't neglect getting good quality sleep. I find it's helpful to group these strategies into three different categories: conditions for high quality sleep, lifestyle behaviors that affect sleep and nutritional choices that affect sleep.

1. Conditions:

Some of these may seem obvious, but it's wise to check these off the list as you read along to make sure you're not missing any of these points.

Do you need a new bed?

Beds were not meant to last forever. It may be an expensive strategy for improving your sleep, but in the long run well worth it. I've been frustrated by the idea that we cannot return beds after we've tried them out at home, though I certainly recognize the logic behind the policy. There are stores that do have a more liberal return policy and carry a wide range of choices, so those are better places to shop.

Test out a bed at the end of the day when you are likely to be more tired. And lay around on each bed. Don't be shy! There is no right or wrong bed. It's a personal choice, so take your time. And if you need a new pillow, get one. That'll make a huge difference as well.

Do you need more or less fresh air at night?

Another individual choice. I prefer lots of fresh air. Some women prefer using fans for circulation or humidifiers and air filters for air quality control. Try different combinations and go from there.

Do you need to sleep in a dark cave to rest your best?

Light sensitivity is important. If you find that early morning light gets you up to early, then you'll do better to create a cave like environment.

Are you sensitive to noise?

Another interesting one. I know some women who can't sleep a wink without ear plugs. Again, it's what works for you. You need to rest well to feel and function your best, so pay attention to what soothes you and what agitates you.

2. Lifestyle behaviors:

When's the best time for you to exercise?

Some women will have a more difficult time calming down after vigorous exercise. If you are one of them, make sure not to exercise for a few hours before bedtime. Also, notice what exercise choices you make, some may affect your ability to sleep differently.

For instance, a cardio class at the gym may over energize you, yet a yoga class may put you in a perfect state for your best night's sleep ever! Play around and try some different choices at different times and see what works best.

What do you do before bedtime?

Most women find it difficult going to sleep straight from a session of the computer. More and more information is surfacing about how interacting with electronic devices affects our brains and emotional energy. I would strongly suggest that you wind down from any electronic devices (computers, TV, telephone etc) at least a few hours before bed. How to use that time instead?

Reading is very relaxing, taking a bath, practicing some deep breathing works wonders, writing in a journal can be helpful so enjoy discovering for yourself what else works to put you in the mood for sleep.

If you're someone whose mind easily wanders to what went wrong today kinds of thought, it will help to think about your day and ask yourself questions like "What am I grateful for, what did I learn today, who did I help today and who helped me?" Reflecting on what you have to be grateful for sets the tone for a restful nights sleep.

3. Nutritional choices:

The most obvious one here is caffeine. If you are sensitive, then stop taking in caffeine early in the day. This may also take some time to figure out but it's important.

How big a meal can you eat before going to bed?

For some of us, being in too much of a digestive state will interfere with sleep.

If you have a sensitivity to certain foods, like wheat for example, then you'll end up feeling stuffed up and congested before bed and that's not a good idea. For some women, alcohol and sugar will keep them up and others can sleep just fine after eating them. Some women can go to bed slightly hungry and others are uncomfortable feeling the least bit hungry.

It all depends, but it is essential to find what works for you. Also, notice how you feel in the morning when you wake up. If you've slept well and wake up feeling groggy, dehydrated, or have a hard time getting up and getting going, then your nutrition the day before is the likely culprit.

Remember that getting a good night's sleep is one key to coping with any menopausal symptom you may be experiencing. Create a checklist of these ideas I mentioned and start to see if any of them are affecting the quality of your sleep in an adverse way. Do this and you'll be sleeping soundly and feeling rested once again.

New Advances in Fibroid Uterus Treatments

Fibroid uterus one time treatments such as Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) or outpatient Myomectomy to remove fibroids from inside the uterus by laparoscopy (going in through the bellybotton) are the latest advances in fibroid care. Women seeking a fibroid uterus treatment one time only are hoping to avoid the expensive hospital stays previously required when fibroids were removed through an incision in the abdomen in a procedure called laparoscopy. With the new procedure allowing a laparoscope to go through the bellybutton, women also avoid having a scar on their abdomen. These new options for fibroid removal can also save the fertility of women who might otherwise be forced to undergo a hysterectomy.

Another new laparoscopic procedure to provide fibroid uterus treatment one time only is called myolysis. Instead of removing the fibroid, myolysis works to destroy the fibroid by cutting off its blood supply. With this method, there is no sample for the doctor to send to the lab to be tested for abnormal cells. The tissues decay inside the uterus and scar tissue develops on the uterine wall where the fibroid was rooted.

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) is similar to myolysis, but in this procedure a catheter is placed in the groin area through an artery which is then directed toward the blood supply of the fibroid. The catheter is then used to inject a plug to block the artery from providing blood to the fibroid. Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) is primarily used to stop heavy bleeding caused by fibroids that have not responded to chemical or hormonal treatments.

Fibroid Uterus one time treatments are a vast improvement over conventional chemical and drug treatments offered by doctors such as prescribed birth control pills to control heavy bleeding symptoms or medicines that induce a false menopause in an effort to reduce the amount of available estrogen feeding the fibroids. These medicines effect a woman's hormone levels and need to be taken daily, while one time surgical treatments bring relief without the daily grind of taking pills and the worries about unintended side effects.

Some women decide not to treat smaller fibroids which can shrink or disappear on their own. If a woman is already close to menopause (when the level of estrogen available will naturally drop) she may want to wait and see if fibroids resolve themselves on their own. Conversely, some women have extremely large or especially painful fibroids where surgery may be a better choice. In cases where even new treatments are not an option due to a large number of fibroids, or fibroids within the uterine wall, a hysterectomy may be the best treatment. When in doubt, always consult a specialist.

Botanical Alternative Treatments Gaining Headway in Battle Against Menopause

Today alone, thousands of women around the world will enter the first phases of menopause and begin to notice that the hormones in their bodies are becoming imbalanced as they naturally stop producing eggs. There are 34 menopause symptoms that have been concluded to be commonly associated with this natural process in a woman's life, and up until recently many women had to rely upon synthetic drugs and hormonal replacement therapies just to normalize their bodies during this cycle.

Menopause can really put a damper on the lives of many. Common symptoms like irritability, headaches and migraines, abnormal weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats and lack of sex drive are of the most complained about. And can you imagine having to be subjected to such grueling symptoms time and time again, day in and day out? Of course with the standard fare of medical solutions does also come the inherent and known, adverse side effects, many of which discourage or frighten women from even using such treatment options, without even factoring in the high dollar cost of such options.

Thankfully there are now a variety of natural supplements and treatment options for women that are not considered to be hormonal replacement therapies, or soy substitutes. Rather, they are a natural solution to a naturally occurring physical condition-one that can be treated using botanical alternatives. When taking a look at these natural alternatives, many which have been clinically proven to be as effective as hormone therapy when treating the symptoms of menopause, a few key ingredients come to mind.

Using the power of high-potency phytoestrogen botanicals like cohosh, soy isoflavones, Red Clover Flower Powder, Cnidium Monnieri Fruit Powder, Wild Yam Root Powder, in combination with a proprietary blend of many others, this product has been proven to relieve the symptoms of menopause from the onset throughout the entire duration. Today women who are about to enter menopause have far greater options than before. With safe and effective, side-effect free, all-natural solutions, they can ease through their menopause and enjoy life during the most golden time it has to offer them.

Pubic Hair Loss

Many people are not aware of the fact that they can lose hair in their pubic area and this is regardless of whether there is hair loss in other body areas as well. A number of reasons have been put forward for pubic hair loss but a fact remains that this is normally an indication of a more serious problem. Patients suffering from cancer normally experience hair loss as they undergo chemotherapy treatment. However, they are usually warned about this in advance. As menopause takes place or after it has taken place, most women lose hair on different parts of the body including the head. People consider this to be quite normal. One should however consult a doctor just in case the condition becomes too excessive.

In particular cases the causes of pubic hair loss resemble those of the common loss of hair. Men in their numbers can suffer from the above condition also due to hormonal as well as general conditions. Alopecia defines some conditions that are associated with losing hair which can either be in patches or throughout the body. The ageing process can be a cause of absence of hair in the pubic area. Menopause brings on a variety of changes in a woman's body. Absence of hair in the pubic region is one of those changes. In addition to losing pubic hair, women experiencing menopause may also lose hair in their armpits and on their legs.

In some instances the adrenal gland in its inactive state and can cause the absence of hair on the pubic area and on other parts of the body. The gland is known to be responsible for the growth of hair as well as for reproduction. In case it is stunted it can cause Alopecia. The disease, which is progressive, does not discriminate against gender and usually tricks the adrenal gland into halting the production of much needed hormones.

Among the minor causes of pubic hair loss are auto immune deficiency, diseases that irritate the skin, hormonal imbalances, liver cirrhosis, iron deficiency and hypopituitarism. Where skin conditions are concerned, loss of hair within the pubic area becomes noticeable only when the condition is concentrated at a particular place.

If a cause is detected at an earlier stage it becomes easier to treat in the pubic area. This could involve a number of tests as well as questions coming from the physician in an attempt to diagnose the cause. Another reason is stress and if this is the case then the doctor's recommendations will include relaxation exercises, yoga, therapy or medication. Hair loss brought about by a type of skin condition can be stopped by the use of a topical medication that will go on to either heal or ease the condition.

Menopause Treatments - Holistic Treatment As Alternative to Conventional Treatment

Menopause symptoms are difficult to deal with that is why women are constantly trying to find ways to cure these symptoms. The conventional treatment of menopause symptoms is through HRT or Hormone Replacement Therapy while the alternative treatment is through the holistic approach or holistic treatment. Other menopause treatments are still being studied and hopefully in the future, there would be a lot of credible results that can help women in their quest of curing the menopausal symptoms.

Usually, the menopausal age starts at the age of 51 years old. But younger women who are in their 20's and 30's are already experiencing some of the menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. They're already experiencing these symptoms due to the presence of Zenoestrogens, their constant exposure to new toxins and their genetic predispositions.

Night sweats and hot flashes are the result of varying levels of estrogen and the balancing of a woman's hormones. When the ovaries shrink and the level of the estrogen in the woman's body varies, the body's reaction is to increase its temperature and sweat to cool the skin. The sweating is usually severe at night, thus having the name "night sweats".

Modern medicine explores the holistic treatment for menopause because modern medicine is open to new approach that could help treat the symptoms of menopause.

Studies are being made regarding the holistic treatment and what it could contribute to the menopausal symptoms. It should be noted that not all plant-based alternatives are being studied. Some plant-based alternatives that were studied yielded positive results and are proven to be safe and effective while some alternatives are still being researched.

The holistic treatment of menopausal symptoms can be as effective as the HRT, but the actual shifting from using HRT to the holistic treatment is difficult to attain because there are still a lot of people who are not convinced about the effectiveness of the holistic treatment. Some people are still having doubts about shifting from HRT to the holistic treatment because not even one credible personality or group is publicly endorsing the product saying "yes, it is safe and effective".

Extensive research should be done to point out which holistic treatment is effective and which is not because not all holistic treatments are effective.

The only way to see if the holistic approach is effective is by doing trial and error, personal research, reading available researches and its results, recommendations from trustworthy people, and having a money-back guarantee from the manufacturers.

The US government is implementing new laws to protect the people. They are requiring manufacturers to put labels, expiration dates and have at least one of its active ingredients to be tested in the laboratory.

Menopause treatments are a great help to women who are undergoing menopause because the symptoms are difficult to deal with and women are greatly affected by it.

Menopause Migraines - Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Migraines are a common problem that afflicts about ten percent of the American population. This condition seems to affect men, women and children but is more prevalent among women, particularly menopausal women. In fact, out of every hundred people who get migraine attacks, thirty would be women. These attacks could last anywhere from a few hours to three whole days. A surprising thing to note is the fact that not many people go to their physician to consult about it and seek a solution.

A typical symptom for a migraine attack would be a constant throbbing localized pain on one side of the head, usually in the temple region and it may be accompanied by one or more symptom such as vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and loud noise. Migraine attacks are generally of two kinds. One is called the 'classical migraine' attack which is usually preceded by certain warning symptoms such as hallucinations, seeing bright spots and flashy lights and even some loss of vision. These symptoms are called 'aura' which has nothing to do with the usual meaning of the word which refers to the energy field surrounding the body. When a woman gets these symptoms, she knows that a migraine attack is close at hand.

The second type of migraine attack comes unannounced and is not preceded by any symptom. There is no general consensus among researchers as to why menopause triggers migraine in so many women. Some people hold the view that it is because of the dilation of blood vessels but there are not many takers for this theory. The current viewpoint is that this could be a genetic problem which impacts the quality of the interaction between serotonin and nerve cells.

Then there is the question of who is at a greater risk? Is it the menopausal woman who sleeps too little or the one who sleeps a lot? Does eating certain types of foods like cheese bring it on or does skipping meals too often cause this problem? All these reasons could be a cause, but nothing is clearly indicative of the fact.

We now come to the question of when will a migraine prone person get an attack? Again, there appears to be several factors such as stair climbing, physical exertion, intolerance of extreme heat or cold, noise, flickering lights and the most important of all, which is 'stress'. When two or more factors come together, a migraine attack takes place.

Besides the factors already mentioned, hormonal factors are also key players in bringing on an attack of migraine. One clear rationale is migraine is far more prevalent among women than men. Another plausible reason is also that with so many women on contraceptive pills whose main ingredient is estrogen, it is no wonder that their estrogen balance could go awry which affects the blood vessels. Any one of the above mentioned reasons could be the cause of migraines.

Doctors are now recommending that women who get frequent attacks ought to maintain a diary of their attacks and try and write down in as much detail as possible about their circumstances during the attack so that they can, in course of time be able to pin point the why's and the wherefore's of their attacks. This would definitely give them a clear idea about the pattern of their illness, the triggers and so forth. Often, understanding the problem can provide the solution too.

Finally we come to the issue of medication for this illness. There are many options, but none of them appear to have the track record of being highly effective. Acetaminophen works for a lot of women and for those with far more severe symptoms, Triptans are recommended. For those who are determined to overcome their migraine attacks, a threefold approach of using medication, lowering their stress levels and keeping a diary to understand the triggers for their attacks will help them achieve success eventually.

Vaginal Dryness During Menopause - Causes and Remedies

Vaginal dryness is one of the most common symptoms and also a side effect of menopause. Women may suffer from this in pre-menopause, menopause and post-menopause phase of their life. The hormonal imbalance in the body of a menopausal woman causes lack of estrogen, a vital hormone which maintains elasticity of vaginal lining by keeping it moist, to promote vaginal dryness or vaginal atrophy.

The problem of vaginal dryness may seem petty but it can be very harsh on relationship with male partner. Initially vaginal dryness causes some itching or pain during or after sex but this keeps on increasing to even cause scars and cuts in the vagina to make the sex very painful. Even if problem is not aggravated the reduced pleasure and fun in lovemaking act does not work well for healthy relationship. Some women are unable to perform in the bed completely. Lack of estrogen in the body of menopausal women also causes thinning of vagina which makes the walls of vagina weak and prone to yeast and bacterial infections. Women facing vaginal dryness during menopause may also start experiencing pain in pelvic region as the blood circulation decreases due to lack of estrogen in the body to promote further problems and discomfort.

Due to severe yeast or bacterial infection in the vagina women may have white vaginal discharge which is odorous and painful. Due to growing weakness in the muscles and walls of vagina due to vaginal dryness, problem of incontinence may also creep up and woman may not be able to control her urine and pass out few drops while laughing, coughing or sneezing. All of these problems can make any woman's life difficult and for working women such problems can be very depressing and debilitating.

However there are many treatments to overcome this problem. If a woman start feeling burning sensation in the vagina during penetration or after lovemaking in her pre-menopausal phase can start taking precautions to avoid further complications of vaginal dryness. Doctors suggest more frequent sex to avoid vaginal dryness during menopause, to stimulate mucous glands at the base of uterus to produce more mucous and keep vaginal walls moist and lubricated. Use of water based lubricants to avoid discomfort is also recommended which can help easy movement of male sex organ in the vagina without causing any damage to the vaginal walls. Ensuring sufficient amount of water intake will help greatly.

If level of estrogen hormone in the body keeps on decreasing and dryness is not alleviated by frequent sex and artificial lubricants then there are many herbs which can be of great help. Black cohosh, chaste berry, maca, damiana, licorice, gingko biloba are few herbs which are used as treatment to treat dryness during menopause. These herbs are available as supplements in the form of capsules and powders and can be used in organic form too, whichever way is convenient. However self medication shall be avoided as few of these herbs are very powerful and their dosage should be worked by an expert before use. Ensure sufficient rest and sleep during menopause to keep stress and anxiety at bay which also works well to alleviate vaginal dryness and other symptoms of menopause.