Everyday life can be challenging to women because of high demands.
Women often take on an enormous amount of responsibility and may be unaware of the effect it has on their sleep. The reason is simple, women have adapted to a busy life, and it has become detrimental to their health. Women should get at least seven hours of restorative sleep nightly. Women must begin to prioritize self-care and understand this way of thinking will help with their overall wellness.
Quality sleep is essential to our everyday lives and is often neglected...
or overlooked because of children, spouses, work, and other daily activities. Most women go through menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause without realizing they are not obtaining the most optimal rest. Restorative sleep improves overall wellness.
During the time of menstrual cycles...
women may experience a variation of pain which may include cramping, bloating, and headaches. Any of these can cause fragmented sleep, sleep apnea and/or insomnia. Over the counter medications may help or even eliminate the pain and it can also be a suppression of an underlying issue. The menstrual cycle has been associated with our biological clock called the circadian rhythm and the structure of our sleep (sleep architecture). So even without the experience of major pain during the menstrual cycle, there is still a great chance that you are having sleep disordered breathing.
Once becoming pregnant, there is usually an increase in sleep disturbances.
Some of these disturbances are caused by declines in hormones, fetus movement, and the discomfort of weight gain. Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint; however, the cause of insomnia could possibly be sleep apnea. It is also common during pregnancy to have restless legs (an uncomfortable feeling of the urge of your legs to move uncontrollably, happens while you are awake) or periodic limb movement (uncontrollable moving of your legs while you are asleep).
WARNING, THIS VIDEO MAY SHOW UNCOMFORTABLE CONTENT. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
After the menstrual period has ended,
which is menopause, women experience night sweats as well as insomnia and sleep apnea. One of the commonalities among women during this stage of their life is waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep or not being able to fall asleep at all.
THE IMPACT OF OVERLOOKING SYMPTOMS
Sometimes things are overlooked because of the duration of symptoms, embarrassment or things appear to be minimal. Due to obstructive sleep apnea being a risk factor for heart disease in women more than men, it is imperative for you to discuss with your primary physicians any issues that you are having regarding your sleep.
**If you are experiencing any discomfort, receiving any complaints from your bed partner, or do not feel well rested, I ask that you reach out to your primary care physician or contact your insurance company for an in-network sleep provider for help. If you are unsure if you should see a provider, or if seeing a provider is not on your radar at this time, schedule a 30-min consultation for more information.**