FindItMore | Do you have trouble sleeping some few days before or during your periods? This happens to most women. Statics reveal that more than 60% of menstruating women have difficulty sleeping due to various conditions. The cycle can disrupt your sleep pattern and make you get insomnia.
During the premenstrual phase, a lot of women do not stay in the REM sleep phase for long. The premenstrual phase occurs some few days before the periods start showing. REM is the deepest sleep stage in which you should remain in for long hours through the night. The lack of enough sleep during this stage sometimes contributes to the negative moods in women before menstruation.
Today, we focus on helping every lady who can’t sleep enough during their menstruation find better answers as to why it occurs. We will teach you better ways of improving the quality of your sleep during this phase. Find out more!
Why do you get sleep problems during the cycle?
You get menstrual insomnia due to PMS pains and other issues such as backaches, bloating and breast tenderness. All these can make it hard for you to fall asleep. The stomach also makes you feel restless since the stool becomes loose and forces you to make endless trips to the bathroom.
The 14th day of the cycle, when you are ovulating, the body builds up progesterone which causes drowsiness. During premenstrual syndrome, the level of progesterone reduces making it hard for one to fall asleep. During this stage, your body temperature increases more than the rest of the days. Increase in temperature contributes to the lack of sleep before and during your periods. It leaves you feeling restless at night.
How can you boost your sleep during the menstrual cycle?
Prioritize on sleep
We end up prioritizing our busy schedules and forget how important sleep is. Resting during the monthly cycle is very crucial as it determines how you function during the day. Prioritizing on your sleep will help you sleep for hours especially during the REM phase so that you can wake up with enough energy to proceed with work.
Monitor your sleep
A sleep log can help you monitor your sleep to help you fight insomnia. You should track your sleep pattern throughout the entire month to find out if there is a relationship between your period symptoms and how you sleep. You can, therefore, take the necessary steps beforehand to help you improve your sleep.
Proper planning
Once you understand your body in relation to how you sleep, you can purchase the necessary drugs to help you improve the situation. Alternatively, try the natural ways to improve your sleep without relying on drugs. For instance, light exercises will help you keep fit and also enhance the quality of your sleep.
You could be taking some drugs that cause side effects such as drowsiness during the day. Your doctor may determine if you can consume them before sleep so that you can sleep well during the night instead of causing drowsiness during the daytime.
Consider using oral contraceptives
Monthly sleepiness is less on ladies who use oral contraceptives as opposed to those who don’t. Researchers, however, need to provide additional evidence to support these claims. Talk to your doctor to help you decide if it is a good option for your body.
Get help for severe symptoms
Some women have to deal with other conditions during menstruation. The increase in blood volume can also make it uncomfortable for a woman to sleep well. Others have to deal with restless legs syndrome due to heavy periods. This can irritate at night and make it hard for a woman to rest. Let your doctor know of such symptoms for them to conduct blood tests for them to determine if you need additional folate and iron to reduce the symptoms.
Minimize the pain
There are different ways you can reduce PMS or menstrual pain without the help of a doctor. For pelvic pain which comes during menstruation, you can buy anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or magnesium supplements from a chemist.
Use a heating pad on areas such as the back to soothe the area for you to sleep well. Aerobic workouts can also help your body block chemicals which are responsible for causing pain. Sex is also known to be a natural remedy for pain.
Make the bedroom comfortable
Your sleep environment could also contribute to the quality of your sleep during periods. Ensure that it is comfortable enough for you to sleep better even if you have PMS pains. You can buy a new mattress from Bear Mattress. They produce high-quality mattresses which regulate the temperature to help you improve the quality of your sleep.
You can also use a fan to regulate the temperature in your room and light bedding. Sleeping in a dark bedroom with no light penetration can also help you remain asleep the entire night. Use dark curtains in your bedroom and adjust the lighting to make them dim at night. You can also place some herbal hot packs in the bedroom for you to enjoy herbal tea in the evening before sleeping.
Watch your diet
PMS and menstruation cause different cravings in women. It stimulates hunger and cravings of sugary foods. You should, therefore, be keen on what you eat during this period. Avoid eating heavy before bedtime because it can cause stomach problems which interfere with your sleep. If you get hungry before sleeping, take light food such as nuts since they contain fiber which can boost digestion.
Work on your emotions
The menstrual cycle affects the feelings of ladies. Some become overly worried about everything while others get irritable and emotional. Try to control your emotions especially at night to avoid overthinking when your mind should be resting. If you find yourself crying over life stressors, try to focus on the good things and don’t focus on things you cannot control. You can also see a therapist when going through anxiety.
