My Cauldron Still Bubbles!

So here it is, Fall 2011. It's been a long hot summer and as far as I can tell, it's going to be a long hot winter in my house too. I was hoping my hot flashes and night sweats would start to ease up soon, but I was wrong they have come on stronger and with a vengeance!

I just started adding vitamin E to my supplements to see if that helps. I've read several reports of women finding some relief with vitamin E. If it just eases up enough so I can sleep, it will be a huge improvement.

I want so much to get excited about the holidays for my son, but between the lack of sleep and the constant daytime feeling like your going to faint dead away, it's hard to stay cheerful.

I also have been dealing with a fair amount of nausea which I was not really aware of as a symptom of menopause until I did some reading.

This is like pregnancy on steroids but you don't get a baby in nine months. Worse, it goes on for years! About five so far for me. I'm gonna just say it: Menopause sucks.

* I'll let you know if the vitamin E helps :)

Melatonin and The Shrew

Last week Science Daily published an article about the benefits of the hormone melatonin on aging. A laboratory in France has been studying the effects on the Greater White-toothed shrew, a small nocturnal insectivorous mammal.

I know they probably chose the shrew because of it's nocturnal behavior, but I couldn't help getting a giggle thinking that lately my "menopausal shrew" could use some taming.

Melatonin is naturally secreted by the body during the night and is responsible for helping maintain normal sleep patterns. As we age, our bodies produce less melatonin and therefore inadequate sleep can become a problem. This study found that by supplementing the shrew at the onset of maturity, the loss of circadian rhythm was delayed. According to the the study:

Melatonin is now known to play several beneficial roles. These include being an antioxidant, an anti-depressant, and helping to remediate sleep problems. The next step will be to understand the mode of action of the hormone on aging, so we can perhaps envisage its use on humans.

I have been using melatonin to help me sleep for some time and other than some strange dreams (not sure if this is just me or what?), I am pleased with the results. The nights I forget to take it, I wake up more and find it harder to fall back to sleep. So far I will attest that getting a better night's sleep does improve this shrews attitude during the day!

Ice Cream After Dark

I have always loved ice cream but at the moment I seem to need it. Right now there are no less than three, half gallon containers in my freezer. In the dark of night, after waking in a sweat for the second or third time, I head to the kitchen. It doesn't matter which flavor I grab as long as it's cold.

There is no need for a bowl any longer or a chair to sit down for that matter. Standing in kitchen, with a night light to guide me, I eat straight from the box until my soul has been cooled and calmed.

This has not helped my waistline at all, but for now I don't care. It's my secret garden, my hidden treasure, my will to go on.

*Note to self: never, ever run out of ice cream!

The Bed Fan

Have you seen this? While I admit it sounds like a good idea, I wonder if having a sheet billowing up and down all night would bother me? I bet it would bother the cats, They would think the bed is possessed.

It would probably send the cats running for the hills. It may be worth it just for that alone! I mean if I didn't have them in the bed, I would already be much cooler, right?

The Bed Fan is designed to blow cool air between the sheets, cooling you at night. The company is marketing it for menopause, illness or just folks who want to save on a/c costs but can't sleep in a warm room. The more I think about it, the more I really like this idea! They have a demo video on their site, check it out and let me know what you think.

* This is not a paid post, just sharing information :)

Elusive Sleep

One of the most difficult things I've dealt with so far, is the changes in my sleep pattern.

I have always been a somewhat light sleeper except when I was pregnant. I remember getting a really good night's rest while I was carrying my son and then of course for about six months or so I was up a lot until he slept through the night.

However in the last few years I've changed from light sleeping to fitful sleeping. My night is spent dropping off into periods of deep sleep followed by nightmares and waking in a cold sweat. I may wake up four or five time a night. After waking in order to comfort myself, I sometimes wander into the kitchen and start eating (usually ice cream or cookies) in the middle of the night. By morning, I'm cranky and sometimes nauseous until after my coffee.

Needless to say this is not the way I want to start my day! I have tried taking melatonin before bed and this seemed to help for a while, a glass of wine helps too. Because I'm alone in the house with a four year old, I'm afraid to take medication for fear I will be too sedated and not hear him if he needs me.

The one thing I think might help is to get more exercise. As soon as I get a new pair of walking shoes, I intend to start an evening walk now that my son is old enough to join me. It will be good for him as well.