Cracking the Sleep Code

Sleep Quote for August 28th

"His insomnia was so bad, he couldn't sleep during office hours."

Arthur Baer

Insomnia? 4 Must Read Articles for Women

Do you ever think you might be going crazy?  Well, before you decide please take action and check to see if your hormones are in balance.  This is more common than you would think and you don't have to be menopause age to have this problem...

1. http://www.4woman.gov--A government owned site that focuses on causes and treatments of insomnia for women.

2. http://www.womentowomen.com- Talks about symptoms of hormone imbalance and everything you need to know about perimenopause and menopause

3. http://www.virginiahopkinstestkits.com/hormonesinsomnia.html
A question/answer on "Is a hormone imbalance causing sleepless nights?"  Also a way to order hormone saliva tests

4. http://www.virginiahopkinstestkits.com/estrogendominance.html-Talks about the importance of having a correct ratio of estrogen and progesterone.   

Sleepless? Depressed? Low libido? Time to Check Your Hormones

A large part of this months focus has been on hormone balance.  Your hormones and your sleep are very closely related and need to be recognized as an integral part of your sleep health.

Hormones control more than your libido...they control your moods, weight, body temperature and aging.  It seem that the word "estrogen" is overused when discussing hormones as the other hormones don't get enough credit.  Your "hormones" also include...progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, dopamine, seratonin, adrenalin and thyroid.  Progesterone seems to have a lot of influence because if it's off balance, then it can affect the rest of the bunch.

Hormones can start changing long before menopause. Most women don't think that their symptoms could be caused by a hormone imbalance because they're not "that age" yet...not true. All of our hormones change with aging...so doesn't it make sense that if you keep your hormones balanced that it would slow the aging process?

While researching and visiting clinics I was able to gather more than enough stories of women who had trouble sleeping until they started on progesterone cream.  I personally am not a big fan of synthetic hormones but I am a believer in bioidentical hormones.  Bioidentical hormones are hormones derived from plants---they still need to be altered for the human body to utilize it, so it's important to have it compounded at a pharmacy for the proper strength and ingredients.  Ask your physician about a hormone saliva test which have been know to be very accurate and you can do it in your home instead of going to a lab for a blood draw.

The Roby Institute has a fabulous website on your health and hormones.  Of course not every woman who has sleep issues, depression and thyroid problems have a hormone imbalance.  But I do think it would be smart to have your hormones checked before getting that prescription filled for an antidepressant.  What do you think?

Sleepless Women! Have You Had Your Hormones Checked?

Research shows that insomnia is more common in women than men.  Between hormone fluctuations with the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, menopause, babies not sleeping through the night or children that you want to make sure you can hear in the night... who can get a good nights sleep?!  Last but not least you have the woman that has to try to sleep next to her snoring husband.

Hormones are being focused on more and more by physicians as research discovers how many women have a hormone imbalance and all the serious symptoms that hormone imbalance can cause--- especially in younger patients.

Besides insomnia there are a host of other symptoms that a hormone imbalance can cause...depression, mood swings, anxiety and panic attacks can become maddening, especially when you don't know what the cause is. A saliva test can tell you if you need to be on supplemental hormones.

Bioidentical hormones are gaining a lot of attention because they are natural and have no know side effects.  Do you need to have your hormones checked?  Here is a great article on how a hormone imbalance can affect your sleep.

For an article on specific vitamins and foods that can affect your hormones read here.

Women and Estrogen: Can a hormone imbalance cause insomnia?

Why is it that my husband sleeps like a rock yet I have to wear earplugs and have a fan on.  Why is it that I talk to so many other women that have the same story as mine?   I decided to look into this a further.  I knew it had to be something to do with hormones since God decided to give women 'hormonal issues' as opposed to the man who received a more consistently balanced hormone ratio.

Hormones can be directly related to insomnia.  There are foods that will increase your estrogen level.  Eating these foods on a consistent basis while following a sleep routine can get make a huge difference if your sleep.

I've included an article from mothernature.com that has a great sleep plan if you feel your hormones might be the cause of your sleep disruptions.  These tips include...

1. How to tell if your sleep problems are caused by your hormones

2. Getting the nutrients that you need that will aid in sleeping

3. Foods that can alter your chemistry in order to achieve hormonal balance

Are You Just a Snorer...Or Could You Have a Breathing Disorder?

I was just going to do "sleep Apnea" week.  But the 'week' is turning into a month.  There is so much to cover with this sleep disorder I've decided to continue this series for another week.

Todays article is about diagnosing your sleep apnea.  Are you sure you're just a snorer??  There are ways to tell if you are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea even before going in for an overnight sleep study. It's important to point out that there are different treatments for snoring and sleep apnea.  A lot of the over the counter 'snore fixes' can be dangerous to a person who has sleep apnea.  The last thing you want to do is mask the disorder or delay diagnosis because you just want a quick fix for the snoring.  If you are at a point where you want to do something about your snoring then your first action should be a physician visit.

Is it time to find out if your snoring has transformed into sleep apnea?

Could you have sleep apnea?! Watch Rosie O'Donells interview and get all the sleep apnea scoop

Have you been to the sleep lab yet?  Chances are you are considering it if you have found this post. Whether you have been or have not this video is for you.  Rosie O'Donell does a great job with this interview covering the whole sleep apnea scoop.  Michael Brues is a well known sleep specialist that explains what sleep apnea is, how it can effect you and the different treatment options.  This video is one of my favorites because it shows an alternative option to the typical CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask which is the first line of treatment when it comes to sleep apnea.

There is life after sleep apnea...when you get all of your 'sleep stages' back you will be amazed at what you were missing!

  Let me know if this interview motivated you to get help.

Sleep Quote for August 18th

“Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.”

Og Mandino (American Essayist and Psychologist, 1923-1996

Hormone Imbalance: Can a hysterectomy Cause Insomnia?

The body is so delicately balanced...and for a woman this can be a circus act trying to keep everything balanced.  If you have had a hysterectomy and are having problems with your sleep then it might be time for a hormone check.  Chances are, if you have had a total hysterectomy then you are currently taking hormones.  If you are on hormones and are still experiencing anxiety, frequent 'wake ups', loss of libido, night sweats or melancholy then you might want to consider going to a clinic that has saliva hormone testing.

After my second child was born, I had a partial hysterectomy (the removal of the uterus and cervix but leaving the ovaries) because of uterine prolapse.  I was told that because I would still have my ovaries there would be no reason to go on hormones--- which left me relieved because I was not excited about being on hormones at age 38. Two years later I had to question why I had so many symptoms that mirrored a woman going through menopause...mainly anxiety and trouble having a good nights sleep.  I knew something was going haywire but I wasn't sure how to pinpoint it. 

After researching and talking to some specialists I found some interesting information.  The ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus all work together to maintain their healthy blood flow.  If the uterus is removed, the blood flow to the ovaries is compromised...and as a result they produce very little (if any) hormones.  The adrenal glands try to pick up the slack and make some hormones but they're not doing the job like your ovaries did.  Basically I personally, was living on fumes. 

It's nice to know at least that I wasn't going crazy. I was also relieved to hear about bioidentical hormones which are natural hormones that are identical to the hormones in your body---hence the name "bioidentical."  These hormones don't carry the risks that synthetic hormones do. Some physicians prefer synthetic hormones while others prefer the natural. It's important to find a doctor that feels the same as you.

Throughout this week I will be talking about the different hormones and how their levels can effect our sleep. The balance of Progesterone, estrogen and testosterone have a powerful impact on our health and aging...it's crucial to have the right levels to feel and be at your best.

Do you suspect your hormones being imbalanced?   Tell us your story.

Sleep Quote For August 11th

"If you're going to do something tonight that you'll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late." 

~Henny Youngman