About every 28 days many women have trouble sleeping or suffer from insomnia due to their periods. It is a very common disorder due to hormonal changes, increased body temperature and other changes in the body. If you can't rest when you are menstruating, you can try several methods to help you get to sleep.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Home Remedies
Step 1. Determine the changes that affect your nighttime habits
If you regularly suffer from insomnia when you are on your period, you can identify the specific symptoms that prevent you from sleeping every single month. Since you are unable to rest due to the physical ailment caused by menstruation, treating it can help you sleep better during that time of the month. The approach to take varies depending on the cause. To understand what it is, pay attention to the factors that prevent you from sleeping or that cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.
Watch for pain, anxiety, or general restlessness. This can help you figure out which technique to use
Step 2. Exercise
It is one of the most effective ways to alleviate the symptoms associated with your period. Sport promotes the release of endorphins, which help fight cramps, relieve pain, ease anxiety and help sleep. Aim to train daily for 30 minutes in the days leading up to your period and at the start of your period.
Don't work out just before bed. This can cause energy levels to soar, generating the opposite effect at night
Step 3. Use a hot water bottle
If you experience unbearable cramps or lower back pain during your period, warming the affected area will help ease the discomfort and help you sleep. It is also an effective treatment for reducing the swelling and inflammation typically associated with menstruation, which can prevent you from resting comfortably. Cover the painful area with a towel or cloth, then place a hot water bottle or heating pad on it.
If you use a heating pad, do not set it to the maximum temperature and do not apply it for more than 20 minutes at a time, otherwise you risk burning or irritating the skin
Step 4. Try acupuncture, which involves sticking a series of fine needles into strategic points on the body, helping to relieve pain
It can be effective in combating cramps, tension, and lower back pain, ailments typically associated with periods that can prevent you from sleeping.
Try making an appointment with an acupuncturist at the end of the day so that the therapeutic effects of the treatment help you get to sleep
Method 2 of 4: Power
Step 1. Increase your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids
If menstrual cramps are preventing you from sleeping, you can try to combat them by consuming more omega-3 fatty acids throughout the day. They are in fact effective to reduce inflammation and cramps, a classic symptom of menstruation. Incorporate more omega-3-rich foods into your diet, such as:
- Nuts and seeds, such as flax seeds, walnuts, almonds, and chia seeds.
- Oils extracted from nuts or seeds, such as walnut or flaxseed oil.
- Fish such as salmon, white fish, sardines, shad and mackerel.
- Herbs and spices, such as oregano, cloves, basil, and marjoram.
- Greens and vegetables, such as radish sprouts, Chinese broccoli, and spinach.
Step 2. Get more vitamin D
If you often suffer from anxiety and high blood pressure when you are on your period, increase your consumption of vitamin D, which also helps fight inflammation. The best way to take it? By exposing the skin to the sun for 10-15 minutes a day: this is enough to trigger the production of this substance in the body.
If you can't get enough from sun exposure, try to do so by consuming foods that are rich in it, such as cod liver oil, tuna, salmon, mackerel, cheese, yogurt, and milk. They are great allies in the winter when there is little natural light
Step 3. Take supplements
There are several supplements that can help you fight the cramps, anxiety, and restlessness associated with your period. Before starting a treatment, always check the dosage and possible interactions with the help of a doctor or gynecologist. Here are some of the most used and effective supplements to alleviate the symptoms of menstruation responsible for insomnia:
- Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil): take at least 1000-1500 mg per day to relieve cramps.
- Magnesium. Deficiencies in this mineral can make cramps worse, so start taking 360 mg daily for 3 days before your period begins to decrease your chances of experiencing the classic pains of this period.
- Football. Just like with magnesium, a calcium deficiency can exacerbate cramps. Take 500-1000 mg per day before your period begins to relieve spasms and other pains usually associated with menstruation to help you sleep.
- Vitamin D. In addition to exposing yourself to the sun and consuming foods that are rich in it, you can take a supplement to help relieve anxiety and inflammation. Take at least 400-1000 IU per day.
- Vitamin C. Cramps can be relieved by taking a 100 mg dose of vitamin C at a time.
Step 4. Use over-the-counter pain relievers
If pain is preventing you from sleeping, try non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are pain relievers that do not require a prescription. Taken in excessive doses or on an empty stomach, they can cause stomach irritation, so accompany them with a light snack (such as a banana) just before bed. This will ensure that the effect lasts all night, allowing you to sleep.
- NSAIDs include medicines such as aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen.
- Follow the dosage instructions on the leaflet. Doses vary according to the type of medicine used.
Step 5. Use natural remedies
Different plants can be used to treat the causes of symptoms associated with your period, helping you sleep better. They are available in several forms, including dried herbs and supplements. Here are some of them:
- Snowball, which helps relieve cramps. Make a tea by steeping 1-2 teaspoons of dried snowball in a cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes. For maximum effectiveness, start drinking it 2-3 days before your period begins.
- Chaste tree, also called vitex agnus-castus. Helps stabilize hormones. Take one 20-40 mg tablet daily before breakfast. If you are using a hormonal contraceptive, talk to your gynecologist about it before using it, as it can have side effects.
- Actaea racemosa, effective for combating cramps, tension and other symptoms commonly associated with periods. Take one 20-40 mg tablet 2 times a day.
- Chamomile. Helps fight anxiety and calm down. Infuse 1-2 teaspoons of dried chamomile tea or one sachet in a cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes.
Method 3 of 4: Habits that Reconcile Sleep
Step 1. Adopt good nighttime habits
In addition to treating the symptoms associated with your period, you can improve your sleep quality by adopting targeted habits. Here are some of them:
- Use the bed only for sleeping or engaging in sexual practices, avoiding using it for watching television and reading.
- Avoid caffeine from early afternoon onwards.
- Eat only light, easily digestible foods 2 hours before bed or avoid eating at all.
- Prefer relaxing activities to stimulating ones (such as physical activity).
Step 2. Relax
It is normal to feel irritated or restless during your period. If you don't switch off or relax before going to bed, you risk suffering from insomnia, exacerbated by the anxiety associated with hormonal changes. Try to relax 1-2 hours before bed. Here are some of the more popular ways to do this:
- Engage in an activity that you enjoy and relax, like reading a book, listening to music or sitting outside.
- Try some relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises.
- Perform progressive muscle relaxation, a technique that involves contracting and relaxing every single muscle in the body in order to calm down and sleep better.
- Use positive visualization, which consists of creating serene mental images with the aim of combating anxiety and worries about the future.
- Take a hot shower to relieve tension and relax your muscles while fighting cramps and swelling.
Step 3. Improve your sleeping environment
An uncomfortable bed or room can cause insomnia, especially if you are already tense due to the hormonal changes caused by your period. These changes can also cause your body temperature to rise, so your bedding may need to be changed at this time of the month. Make sure the duvet, blanket, and sheets are soft, comfortable, and warm or cool enough to promote adequate rest.
- This varies depending on the time of year, your room temperature and the phase of your cycle, so try different combinations to find the one that's right for you.
- Try using a body pillow to help relieve pain and muscle tension.
- This also applies to pajamas. Use fabrics that allow the skin to breathe, such as cotton or linen.
Method 4 of 4: Understanding Cycle-Associated Insomnia
Step 1. Find out how hormones work
Part of it is hormones that keep you from sleeping. During menstruation the values of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone fluctuate, causing insomnia. This is especially true in the phase immediately preceding the cycle.
Severe insomnia that occurs during or shortly before your period can also be a symptom of a condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (DDPM), much more serious than the classic premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which most women suffer from
Step 2. Recognize the symptoms associated with menstruation
During the cycle, some causes of insomnia may occur. In fact, it is possible to experience swelling or cramps so intense that you cannot sleep. It can also happen that you have headaches, nausea, stomach pain and a higher body temperature.
Psychological symptoms associated with periods can include depression, anxiety, crying fits and irritability. They too can prevent you from sleeping
Step 3. See a doctor
If insomnia starts repeatedly or occurs every time you have your period, see a doctor. It will help you understand if it is due to a pre-existing problem and identify other effective treatments to help you sleep better during that time of the month.
