How to Sleep Better During Midlife

Ladies, has your sleep been affected by midlife and menopause?

Disclosure: This post contains bedding that was gifted to me from Colette Jaffe. As always all opinions are purely my own.

I am finding it difficult to sleep and have been researching this issue for the last 3 years. I go straight to sleep then wake up every night around 2:00 for a potty break or a painful leg cramp, or both and find it difficult to fall back to sleep. I also have hot flashes around 2:00 and toss and turn to cool down. Menopause isn’t the only reason I have difficulty sleeping soundly at night, I tend to think a lot and do my best work in the middle of the night while lying awake.  I also believe my restless sleep is why I have a higher blood pressure in the morning than at 4:00 in the afternoon.

Go to Bed and wake up at the same time every day.

I crawl into bed every night around 9:30 to unwind and read or watch television a little before I turn off the light. I also wake up every morning around 6:30 because my body’s biological clock is used to the routine and I don’t set my clock to wake up. If you have to set a clock to get up early DON”T LOOK at the clock at night. I have removed the clock from our bedroom because I used to stare at it all the time when I had to get up at 5:30 to take my daughter to work. I use my Ipad as my alarm.

Go outside in the morning and get some sunshine.

I found this bit of information interesting about getting outdoors in the morning but it made sense to me.

Getting outside in the sun for 15 minutes each morning helps to regulate the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Your internal body clock (the circadian rhythm) runs on a 24-hour schedule and functions best when you are exposed to a regular pattern of light and dark. Malfunctions in your circadian rhythms because of changes in light and dark exposure can negatively impact your ability to get a good night’s sleep. (Sleep Doctor)

Keep your bedroom cool when you sleep, even if it means your husband is freezing.

Studies have shown that sleeping in a cold bedroom increases the production of melatonin, a natural sleeping aid, and anti-aging hormone. The experts recommend keeping your room between 60 and 68 degrees but I think 70-72 is fine for me in the summer and 68 is perfect in the winter. (Otherwise, my husband may move to another bedroom if we go any colder.) Also, try leaving your feet exposed when sleeping at night to cool down your body, body’s natural air conditioner.

No alcohol 3 hours before bedtime.

Yes, alcohol can make you sleepy but you do not sleep soundly if you’re clinking glasses at midnight. You tend to have a restless night sleeping if you’re drinking. Stop at dinner with your glass of wine and forgo the Kahlua in your coffee for dessert.

No Caffeine after Noon. 

If you have issues with caffeine keeping you up at night, read labels, and perhaps rethink having your dark chocolate for dessert.

Do not Exercise before going to bed.

Stop your exercise routine at least 4 hours before going to bed, except yoga is a wonderful mind-body routine to relax your body. Try meditating or reading to make you sleepy.

Menopausal Symptoms keeping you up?

If Menopause symptoms keep you up at night, talk to your doctor about Hormone Replacement Therapy or Bio-Identical Therapy. Taking these therapies have pros and cons to them, so please discuss this with your doctor.

Use the right sheets. Period.

Do you ever wonder why your husband or partner wants to recreate the hotel room experience? It’s not the modern furniture he craves but the mattress and sheets he sleeps on when he’s away on a trip. The higher the thread count the better. Have you ever stayed in a luxury hotel and really felt the sheets? I do because I know quality as an interior designer. Fabrics made of Egyptian Cotton are softer, finer and last longer than any other cotton so are worth putting the slight extra bit of money into. Since finer yarns mean a higher thread count, the weave of the fabric is significantly stronger and lasts a lot longer than regular cotton. It’s always worth noticing the thread count when choosing which to buy; the higher the thread count, the higher the quality so the more durable and soft your bed sheets. Most hotels will spend the extra money on Egyptian cotton because it lasts longer. Period.

The sheets I am sleeping under have a thread count of 300 and have a sateen finish to them.  Buy the lightest and soft to the hand sheets you can afford. Heavy scratchy sheets will keep you up at night!

Sleep in the dark without distractions.

The glowing LED light of your smartphone next to your bed stimulates your brain! As an interior designer, we are only installing amber lighting for our clients to guide them to the bathroom when nature calls. We prefer not to wake up the brain when we make bathroom trips at 2:00 in the morning!

I am using the Multi Righe Sleep Mask made of  Egyptian cotton sateen, filled with plush, washable fiberfill and finished with a covered elastic strap. All this softness will help you nap or sleep wherever you are. Perfect for travel when you’re on an evening international flight when crossing many time zones!

Colette Jaffe

Colette Jaffe is a Minnesota girl (like myself ) who went to Chicago to work for Neiman Marcus and the luxury Italian brand Pratesi, (long considered the gold standard of luxury linen). She has recently launched her own line of luxury linens (the sheets are entirely manufactured in Italy using 100% Egyptian cotton) when she reached out to me for a collaboration. I love connecting with women who are running their own companies and it was such a pleasure getting to know her better.

Thank you, Colette Jaffe, for gifting me these luxurious sheets! I am sleeping better already!

Thank you for stopping by today!