Sleep, Glorious, Elusive, Sleep

Ahh, another thing I used to take for granted now treasure….SLEEP.  Real sleep, snore, dream, through the night sleep.  I often feel like I am awake more than asleep.  Ironically, sometimes, I am not exhausted the next day.  Maybe we just require less sleep at this age and haven’t learned to adjust our sleep patterns.  However, too many days of sleepless nights makes one very foggy, unhappy lady.  It affects my ability to focus and process information which is so frustrating.  Of course, this usually happens during the work week so I can’t even try to take a nap.  

I am fortunate that it is not too extreme for me but I have several friends where they are in a sleep crisis.  One in particular is at the end of her rope, after exhausting all natural options, she finally caved a tried a prescription sleeping pill.  This had the reverse affect and had her hyped up all night.  Has anyone found anything unconventional that helps: acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, etc.  

The Heat Is On!

 

 

 

Earlier this past summer, I was driving my car when I was overcome my an intense heat.  I thought, “oh no, am I having a hot flash?”  You can only imagine my relief when I realize I had accidentally hit the button on my seat heater.  My prized option I had to have when I bought this car.  

Fast forward to October, now the hot flashes are real. Once again, riding in my car and the heat hits.  I look and to my dismay, no light on the seat heater button.  They became frequent and intense, interrupting my sleep.   I had heard some reviews about a menopause supplement from GNC.  I have been on them a week and I am starting to notice a difference.  The hot flashes are not gone, but they are less frequent and much less intense.  I am sold that this product is making life with menopause tolerable. 

picture via GNC.com

 

Summer loving….NOT!!!!

I prefer my heat to come externally from the sun not from the inside!  I am going to give GNC Menopause formula with Black Cohosh a shot at relief from the hot flashes.  Has anyone tried it?

Hello world!

Menopausal Maniac

I thought that 50ish women became outspoken and sassy because they were more confident, more sure of who they were, cared less about other people’s opinion of them  . . . but NO that is not true, it is the Menopause Monster.

Worse than raging teen hormones, sleep becomes erratic, moods swing uncontrollably, and more crazy symptoms than just the well publicized HOT FLASHES.  Okay, so I thought I would swing through this without them, because my mom doesn’t remember having hot flashes.  Remember being the key word.

Being cold natured all my life, I always loved summer and hated winter.  Who would have thought I would be looking forward to cooler weather. Never did I imagine the intensity of the internal heat that could come from my own body.  Hot flashes, personal summers, mini tropical vacation, power surges, whatever you call them, they are uncomfortable, embarrassing and draining.  You could put a room of menopausal women together and bring new meaning to the term flash mob.  Heck, the energy in that room could light up the Las Vegas Strip.

Through all the frustration and change, you just have to wind up laughing.  It’s time to gather your friends close – not too close we can’t handle the heat, and share the misery.

My daughter and her friends share lots of baby information on blogs.  They help each other with pointers, empathy, and even helping diagnose illnesses.  So, I am embracing the ideas of her generation and hoping to find other women out there to share stories, care for each other, and help each other through this phase of life.

I believe in embracing every moment I am blessed to live, so I want to go through this stage with grace and joy.  But I think we can only do that with each other.  Hello?  Is anyone out there?