Weighted Blankets Help Ease Meno-Insomnia

Meno-Insomnia ..... What is It?

Insomnia is a common complaint during peri/menopause. This insomnia often takes the form of an inability to sleep through the night. Women often wake up in the wee hours of the morning and have great difficulty getting back to sleep.

Symptoms of insomnia can include one or more of the following:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep
• Waking up too early in the morning
• Non-refreshing sleep (feeling tired upon waking and throughout the day)

Will drinking alcohol or warm milk help me to fall asleep? Alcohol may help you relax and fall asleep, but it should not be used as a sleep aid because it has a rebound effect. It can disturb your sleep later and can cause you to awaken in the middle of the night. Milk contains a substance called tryptophan. The body uses tryptophan to make serotonin, a chemical in the brain. Serotonin helps control sleep patterns, appetite, pain, and other functions. Milk does not contain enough tryptophan to change sleep patterns, but drinking a glass of milk before bed may help you relax. Over-the-counter tryptophan supplements are not recommended due to a rare condition associated with the supplements called "eosinophila myalgia syndrome."

How is insomnia treated without the use of drugs? The Cleveland Clinic Foundation  offer  many steps you can take to get yourself sleeping soundly through the night. Here are some tips.

• Do not nap during the day.
• Exercise daily. However, be sure to avoid vigorous exercise 3 hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine throughout the entire day.
• Keep your bedroom cool to prevent night sweats.
• Do not go to bed until you are tired.
• Take a warm bath or shower at bedtime.
• Do not watch television, eat, or read in bed. Do these activities in another room until you feel sleepy.
• Follow the same bedtime routine each night.
• Avoid using sleeping pills.
• Wear socks to bed to help control body temperature.
• Weighted Blankets have been found as a wonderful natural , drug free aid in releiving meno-insomnia.

What is the best type of weighted blanket to help relieve meno-insomnia symptoms? DreamCatcher Weighted Blankets suggest the following guidelines when looking to purchase a weighted blanket for meno-insomnia.

It is best to use a blanket made with 100%  cotton on both sides. Hot flashes that are a common symptom with menopause will be aggravated by using a blanket made with fleece on one or both sides of a weighted blanket.

More information about DreamCatcher Weighted Blanket can be found at www.weightedblanket.net or calling 406-777-2267.