Getting a good night’s sleep is important. We live in a chaotic world, so, getting restful sleep can be challenging at any age. This is especially true after menopause.

Not only do we have the same distractions and stresses that everyone else has, but, we also have wonderfully active hormones swirling through our bodies. This makes the process of falling asleep even harder.

There Are Natural Ways to Improve Your Sleep After Menopause

If you find yourself dealing with sleep challenges, now that you are a little older, my conversation with Julie Dargan may help. Julie is a nurse and naturopath who believes in the healing power of diet and lifestyle.

These factors, she says, are the keys to managing the postmenopausal symptoms that disrupt our sleep.

Why is it So Hard for Older Women to Sleep Soundly?

According to Julie, there are several reasons that older women have trouble sleeping. First, night sweats (the nighttime version of hot flashes) can affect women into their 70s. Our bodies are usually good at regulating our temperature, but, night sweats can interfere with our usual REM (rapid eye movement) sleep cycles.

Older women can also find their sleep interrupted by a weak bladder or poor circulation. In the video, Julie gives us some great tips for dealing with these issues.

Take Control of Your Sleep with these Simple Lifestyle Changes

In the video, we talk about how diet and lifestyle changes can make a huge difference when it comes to sleeping better at night. As we sleep better, we have more energy to embrace healthy aging practices, like exercise, meditation and yoga. It’s a positive cycle.

Julie’s suggestions for avoiding postmenopausal sleep disruption are simple. She recommends that we avoid eating and drinking 4 hours before sleep. Yes, this that last glass of wine that so many of us are fond of. If you really need something to quench your thirst, consider drinking a soothing lavender or chamomile tea a few hours before you curl up in bed.

She also suggests sleeping in a very dark room. If you are worried about needing to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, consider using a night light that activates when you get out of bed.

Finally, Julie recommends that you eat a balanced diet with plenty of naturally occurring magnesium and calcium.

Oh, and you’re not going to want to miss her lavender tip – I loved it! Watch the video and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Getting a good night’s sleep is so important to every other aspect of getting the most out of life after 60. I hope that you enjoy these ideas for reducing stress, while calming your postmenopausal body. Good night and sweet dreams!

Have you found that the quality of your sleep has changed after menopause? Are you still experiencing hot flashes and night sweats? What advice would you give you other women in the community when it comes to dealing with postmenopausal sleep disturbance?