Q: I’m going through the menopause and after being a sound sleeper all my life am now tossing and turning for hours. Any tips?

A: Sleeping problems are common during the menopausal years. They can be caused by feelings of volcanic heat, arctic chills, and powerful surges of emotion. Some women sleep restlessly, wake early, go for a walk, and need a nap later. Others feel so tense when they lie down they can’t seem to drift off, and wake achey and irritated.

 

Women who have normal levels of oestrogen fall asleep easier than women who don’t and spend time in the deep dream stage of sleep and they also wake more refreshed when they wake up. Dreaming is important for feelings of rest and renewal. You can still sleep without oestrogen but you tend to wake up feeling less refreshed. Before rushing to your doctor for a pack of sleeping pills try the following tried and tested self help remedies:

 

To increase your chances of a good night’s sleep you need to programme your body clock. Create a bedtime routine, going to bed at the same time every night. Read, listen to taped music, and then go to sleep. Keep a note pad by your bed if you do find it hard to nod off as creativity can often surface in the midnight hours.

 

Big dinners will make you feel sleepy but they also prolong digestion, which interferes with a good night’s sleep. It’s best to eat your biggest meal before mid afternoon and have a light evening meal.

 

Dishes seasoned with garlic, chillies, cayenne, or other hot spices can cause nagging heartburn or indigestion and cause problems sleeping. Avoid spicy foods at dinner. Gas-forming foods and hurried eating also cause abdominal discomfort, which in turn interferes with sound sleep. Limit your intake of gas-forming foods to the morning hours, and thoroughly chew food to avoid gulping air.

 

An amino acid called tryptophan, found in soya and peanuts, helps the brain produce serotonin, a chemical that helps you relax. Try drinking some soy milk or eat a slice of whole meal toast with peanut butter before bedtime. Plus, the warmth may temporarily increase your body temperature and the subsequent drop may hasten sleep.

 

Avoid caffeine. Even small amounts of caffeine can affect your sleep. Try eliminating all caffeine-containing beverages. If you feel and sleep better after two weeks of being caffeine-free, then avoid caffeine permanently. You can try adding back one or two cups after the two-week trial, but cut back if sleep problems reappear. (A warm herbal tea such as chamomile can soothe and relax you and makes you feel full, which might help facilitate sleep.)

 

As for alcohol it might make you sleepy at first, but in the end you’ll sleep less soundly and wake up feeling exhausted. Alcohol suppresses a phase of sleeping called REM (rapid eye movement) during which most of your dreaming occurs. Less REM is associated with more night awakenings and restless sleep.

 

A warm beverage at bedtime can often help and try also to avoid large meals in the evening and eat your evening meal early, before 7 pm if possible. Avoid alcohol and caffeine and vigorous exercise in the evening; although gentle stretching or a relaxing walk can improve your chances of a good night’s sleep.

 

Lavender essential oil and blossoms are classics for aiding sleep. Try using a little lavender sleep pillow. Put a tiny one in your pocket during the day. Or put a few drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball or handkerchief and tuck it into your pillow. You may find a lavender bath before bedtime relaxing. Add a handful of dried flowers, or a few drops of essential oil with an emulsifier. A couple of drops rubbed between the palms, then cupped over the nose for several minutes provide an excellent inhalation. Breathe deeply.

 

Oat straw has been found in research studies to relieve fatigue and weakness, particularly when there is an emotional component. By soothing the nervous system, it can help make sleep more restful. It’s considered a cooling and nourishing herb that eases night sweats, anxiety, and headaches. One cup of infusion before bedtime, or sleeping on an oat-hull pillow may lead to restorative sleep.

 

Nettle tea nourishes the adrenals and may result in fewer sleep disruptions. Try using one cup or more four times a week. St. John’s Wort, one dropperful in a cup of fresh hops or lemon balm tea, is also a gentle helper for sleep. Passionflower is an old remedy for nervous insomnia and hysteria, restlessness and headaches. Use 15-60 drops of the fresh flowering plant tincture before bed to relieve ongoing sleeplessness.

Valerian root has been used for centuries to induce sleep and it can be helpful. Other herbs that have a sedative effect include passion flower, catnip and chamomile. Experiment until you find what works best for you.

Q: I have PCOS, am insulin resistant and showing symptoms of the menopause. I would also like to lose the fat around my middle.  Is it OK to combine the ‘fat around the middle’ supplements with ‘MenoPlus’ and ‘Black Cohosh Plus’?  I took the ‘fat around the middle’ supplements during last year and found them extremely effective so would very much like to use them again.  Also is it safe to take them for longer than the 3 months you recommend as my weight loss seemed to stall once I had stopped them?

– Anonymous, Oxford 

A: I am glad to hear that you found the ‘fat around the middle’ supplements useful last year and it is OK to take them for longer than three months.  As mentioned in the ‘Fat around the Middle’ book, you are aiming to use the Nutri Plus and Amino Plus along with the dietary and exercise recommendations, to get your waist to hip ratio lower than 0.8.  This may take longer than three months for some women as they may have more to lose.  But you are aiming at some point to not need the supplements and to maintain a good shape by eating well and exercising once you have reached your goal.

 

As regards the menopause, it is fine to take the MenoPlus and Black Cohosh Plus alongside the ‘fat around the middle supplements’.  You only need to take the herbs like black cohosh if you are getting symptoms and once they are gone you can stop the herbs.  The multivitamin and mineral (MenoPlus) is one you can stay on even when you have stopped the ‘fat around the middle’ supplements as this multi contains good amount of other nutrients like calcium etc which are important before, during and after the menopause for bone health. 

Studies suggest that fluctuating hormone levels during the menopause can cause lack of coordination, poor concentration and clumsiness so you may feel more accident prone and forgetful. For example, you may need to read a page over and over again to get the sense of it or you may find yourself daydreaming when you need to be concentrating. The following natural therapies should help but bear in mind that the menopause isn’t always to blame. Difficulty concentrating and becoming absent-minded may also be related to poor diet, lack of exercise, fluid retention, lack of sleep and stress.

• Pay particular attention to eating little and often and cutting down on caffeine, to ensure that your nervous system isn’t being overworked by too much adrenaline.
• Make sure that your diet is sufficient in B vitamins – especially vitamin B5 found in food such as whole grains like brown rice, oats, whole meal bread and also in legumes, broccoli and tomatoes. Vitamin B5 is essential for optimum functioning of your nervous system. If lack of co-ordination is a real problem you may want to supplement with a good B complex containing 50 mg of vitamin B5 a day.  (See the Resources Page.)
• Make sure your diet is sufficient in iron as low iron levels can be associated with memory problems and poor coordination.
• Decrease your intake of stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and sugar.
• Regular exercise also helps to keep you alert and sharp and can improve your concentration too. A brisk walk in the fresh air every day for around 20 minutes will tone up both your mind and your body.
• Learn a relaxation technique to give your nervous system a chance to repair and relax. Just a few minutes a day of relaxation is enough.
• Try some essential oils to soothe your mind and body and reduce stress. Melissa, lavender, and chamomile all have a calming effect which can help problems that contribute to clumsiness.
• Research has shown that Ginkgo Biloba can improve concentration, memory and reaction time. Gingko helps deliver oxygen to your nerve cells and your brain. A study in the Lancet showed that Gingko can improve blood flow to the head. If mental and/or physical disorientation is a problem you may want to take gingko for a period of three to four months. Remember herbs take a few weeks of daily use to show improvement.   (See the Resources Page for an excellent Ginkgo supplement.)
• Practise yoga and meditation to help improve concentration and alertness. While you are doing your yoga you may want to silently and slowly count backwards from 100 once you are in a relaxed state as this will help stimulate circuitry in the brain. As your concentration improves start back from 200 or even 500.

It’s a case of use it or lose it with your brain. Contrary to popular belief brain power does not decrease as you get older and studies show you can be just as sharp in your 60s as your teens. The secret is to use your brain and keep it active. So if you do find yourself becoming forgetful keep your brain alive with new interests, new challenges and try your hand at crosswords or Sudoku every day.