Meno Mamas

September 06, 2024

Meno Mamas

Now that we are over 50 we have a text group called Meno Mamas where we share tips for sleep problems and other things that arise at our age. Truthfully we should have started it when we were younger because many women start to experience perimenopause symptoms in their late 30's and early 40's. In this text group we share sleep strategies that work for us and our friends, tips and tricks for nutrition, books, podcasts, Ted Talks and more on the subject. This post is basically a compilation of this text stream.

Join Us! You are not alone! Check back as we will add to this as we come up with new products we enjoy/use/read. As with all medical decisions please consult your doctor before trying something new.

Perimenopause- that time (years!) leading up to the day you haven't had your period for one year. That day when it's been a full year since your last period is called Menopause, that one day only. After that you are considered Postmenopausal for the rest of your life. And oh the joys and pains and sleep deprivation that come with it!

Many of us in our group have experienced frozen shoulder, hip and joint pains. We have tried rest, acupuncture, heat and ice, and physical therapy. Our bodies adapting to a lack of estrogen after having it the majority of our life is certainly the cause a lot of aches and pains. Our friend recently said she is having "great results with reducing symptoms with acupuncture. Most significantly reducing joint/hip pain". Perhaps Something you can try to! KT also takes turmeric for joint pain. Walking, weight lifting, and practices like meditation, journaling, energy healing and yoga have helped many of our friends too.

Sleep issues have probably been the most consistent complaint for most of us. Whether it is hot flashes, waking up sometime between 2 and 4 in the morning, anxiety or just rolodexing - "flipping through all the your worries or made up worries that only arise in the middle of the night". We all know that not sleeping effects every other aspect of our life. It can make us more emotional, less able to focus and remember things and more likely to feel anxious and depressed.

The best tool for me personally has been my kindle. I never look at my phone to see what time it is (you know it's b/w 1-4 AM anyway). I have had sleep issues throughout my life so get some sleep anxiety when I wake up in the middle of the night worrying that I will have yet another sleepless night. The Kindle has helped with this because I do not have a chance to start thinking or stressing about anything. I turn the kindle on the lowest brightness I can so that I can read in bed without waking up my husband. I prop it against a pillow and turn it to the lowest brightness that I can still read on. Another tip is to increase font size so that you do not need to wear readers in the middle of the night. This actually tires out my eyes b/c of the low brightness and distracts me from worrying. I almost always fall asleep within minutes with my kindle in my bed. It is very light weight. Also having a pop socket on the back also helps me hold it in bed, on the beach, etc. This tool also has worked for other friends and men I know who have sleep issues and wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep too. Try not to read thrillers..had a few page turners this summer that made me want to stay awake and keep reading..which kind of defeats the purpose!

Blue light exposure can be a precursor to sleep issues for some people. "A friend has been working with a cognitive behavioral therapist for her sleep and she was recommended blue light blocking glasses and swears by them."

Bedside Table Essentials

I need a bigger bed side table!

"I just ordered a sleep mask that also has white noise headphones…for sharing room with husband and his snoring! Many of us complaining that as sleep gets harder and harder for us to come by our partners seem to snore louder and louder! Don't knock a night in a different room a few nights a week. You might be surprised how well you sleep and begin to wonder if it is really just you that is waking you up in the middle of the night.

Magnesium: Many of us are deficient. This has been the biggest game changer for me in terms of sleeping better!

magnesium glycinate I take at night in bed or half an hour before bed. Don't take the mistake KT made and take it in the morning..she was wondering why she was tired all day!

magnesium oil spray- I spray on bottom of one foot and rub soles of feet together Feels like you've been at the beach for the day. Soles of feet are supposed to be super absorbtive. Don't know why it works but it seems to help. My adult kids have tried it too and love it!

Magnesium Butter: Also helps with sleep, restless leg syndrome, migraines, anxiety. Could use this in place of the magnesium oil spray. Friends swear by it!

5 great food sources for magnesium -If you would rather start with food sources than supplements:

Pumpkin seeds: 1 oz = 156 mg of Mg, Chia seeds: 1 oz = 111 mg of Mg, Almonds: 1 oz = 80 mg of Mg, Spinach: ½ cup boiled = 78mg of Mg, Cashews: 1 ounce = 74mg of Mg

Tart Cherry Supplements: Liquid or Capsules can help with sleep, muscle soreness, belly fat, gout.

Castor Oil:

Castor oil- Touted in Ayurvedic practices this oil can be applied externally to your belly button before bed, used as a powerful moisturizer for hot flashes, skin and wrinkles, help with acne, inflammation, hair, eyebrows - it is essentially the apple cider vinegar of night oils..it does everything! My hot flashes at night have definitely decreased since starting this practice. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319844

Cooling sheets and blankets:

Cooling Sheets Anything to keep those middle of the night hot flashes at bay!

cooling blanket This summer we have tried the Scandi Method where we sleep with different covers in our king size bed. I sleep with this cooling blanket while my husband sleeps with our bedsheet. I think it helps b/c we both have our own covers so aren't throwing them off each other when our temperatures change. And when our dog inevitably cuddles up between the two of us she isn't stealing the covers from both of us. I also sleep with this cooling blanket under my comforter in the winter.

Ice Baths - in your tub or in an outside Ice Pod Known to help with inflammation, weight loss, sleep. We loved experiencing one for the first time in Guatemala this summer and then bought an Ice Pod to enjoy at the lake this summer. Lots of Ice bath converts.

Books -on the subject of menopause/brain health as we age/etc. Don't read at night b/c hopefully you'll be sleeping!

“Menopause Brain “ by Lisa Mosconi

The New Menopause by Mary Haver

Estrogen Matters Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve Women's Well-Being and Lengthen Their Lives-Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer by Carol Tavris