Women Need Their Beauty Sleep



In general, sleep problems affect women more than men. Millions of women are sleep deprived and they need their beauty sleep. More women have insomnia several times a week than men, and women are more likely to have daytime symptoms. Part of the explanation for their sleep deficit is that many women try to juggle home life, work, and an active social life at the expense of sleep. Women go to bed late and get up early, wake up during the night to tend to children, wake up with hot flashes and women seem to worry more than men. This is either by choice or by necessity. Aside from these external forces, another critical impediment to a good night’s sleep is the internal fluctuation of hormones. Whether it is PMS, pregnancy, or menopause, those fluctuating hormones can wreak havoc on your sleep. Deep sleep should comprise 15 to 20 percent of sleep during adulthood. Body tissues, which are worn out during the normal wear and tear of living, require deep sleep to repair themselves. This is recovery sleep, or beauty sleep, if you prefer, and women don’t want less of it. Among other things, they have to rebuild the lining of their uterus and their bone marrow has to replace the blood cells they lose. Yet, they get 5 percent less deep sleep per month than men, which means their bodies have to do more work with less sleep.

Given the fluctuations of mood, behavior, and sleep experience that come from hormonal roller coaster of menstruation, it is only logical that the decline of those hormonal cycles should result in some swings of their own. In fact, lower levels of estrogen affects the hypothalamus, which plays a role in regulating your sleep cycles. Menopause-related sleep disturbances can be diminished by following general sleep hygiene rules, with particular attention to controlling your bedroom temperature, adjusting the light, and using comfortable bed linen. Almost every authority in the field recommends and insists on regular sleeping habits. The repetition will help you gain sleep habits that will eventually become involuntary and effortless. Eliminating caffeine, sugar, and alcohol from your diet should also be considered.

Deep abdominal breathing techniques have been proven to be significant aid for sleep problems at bedtime. Laying on your back, place your hands on your abdomen, immediately below the navel, with your middle fingertips touching. Breathe through your nose, inhaling slowly, and push your abdomen out as if it were a balloon expanding. Your fingers should separate. As your abdomen expands, your diaphragm will move downward, allowing fresh air to enter the bottom of your lungs. More air should now enter, filling the middle part of your lungs. Slightly contracting your abdomen, raise your shoulders and collarbones. This will fill your upper lungs. Hold your breath for a few seconds without straining. Then slowly exhale through your nose, drawing in your abdomen. Your expanded rib cage will return to its normal position and your lungs will empty. The first few sessions might cause slight dizziness, but that is normal.

Finally, we must remember that sleep should be the most natural of events; failure to fall asleep or remain asleep represents a breakdown of the fundamental relationship between an individual and the natural rhythms of life. We must try to heal our break from nature and live once again in harmony so we will all sleep better.
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