Women and Insomnia: Burning Candles at All Ends

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or a high powered executive, there's a good chance you may be tired -- and with good reason.

From careers, to kids, to social and family events, life comes first, sleep comes last.

When you add biology into the mix -- like a woman's menstrual cycle and insomnia becomes even more common. Sleep problems can make it even harder to get the recommended 7.5 to 8 hours of shut-eye necessary to perform your best.

But you don't need to lose sleep over the fact that you're losing sleep! To understand why you’re suffering with insomnia, you need to learn what's keeping you up at night. Some of the most common reasons are below:

Insomnia and Your Lifestyle

In a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in the US, one of the primary reasons women aren't sleeping could be something as simple as spending a bit too much time socializing with friends (online or in person) instead of hitting the sheets earlier in the evening. If this is the case, then simple solution involves exercising a little self-discipline.

Stay-at-moms weren't much better off, however. The survey also found that three-quarters of the women in this category experience symptoms of insomnia.

But what's keeping moms up at night?

It could be the kids – or the dog – deciding to climb into bed with you or perhaps it's a lack of quiet leisure activities to help you unwind at the end of the day. If your evening is spent primarily on chores or kids' activities, that could lead to sleep problems.

There’s also the Wonder Woman syndrome to contend with -- and married, with school-aged children and working full time, if you fall into this group it's pretty much a sure bet you aren't getting enough sleep. These women, he says, are usually getting fewer than six hours a night.

Often, the solution here is as simple as making just a little more time for yourself at the end of every day.

Sleep Problems and Your Hormones

If you're like many women, it isn’t necessarily your lifestyle that is sabotaging your sleep but your own body -- primarily, your hormones. It all begins, say experts, with your monthly menstrual cycle.

According to Amy Wolfson, PhD, author of The Woman's Book of Sleep: A Complete Resource Guide, more than 70% of women complain of sleep problems during menstruation, when hormone levels are at their lowest.

Experts say that not only does your period affect sleep quality, any menstrual symptoms you may experience can also keep you up at night. In fact, research reveals that menstruating women often report bloating significant enough to disturb their sleep at least two or three days during each menstrual cycle.

If this sounds like you, it would be a good idea to contact your gynaecologist. There are treatments that can help some of your menstrual-related symptoms, which in turn may help solve these sleep problems.

However, that as women enter perimenopause (pre-menopause phase) and eventually menopause, hormonal changes are back in the picture, disrupting your bedtime yet again.

Generally, post-menopausal women are less satisfied with their sleep, with more than half reporting insomnia symptoms.

The oft-cited causes of sleep problems include hot flashes, mood disorders and sleep-disordered breathing like snoring, all common and sometimes severe even in post-menopausal women.

Again, talking to your doctor about symptom relief that can also help you sleep better.

Could You Have a Sleep Disorder?

Yet, despite doing all the right things, i.e. relax before going to sleep, and get to bed on time -- but still can't get a decent night's rest, a sleep disorder could be at the root of the problem.

Possible sleep stealers include:

• Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a pause in breathing during sleeping," says Rosekind. "The interruption to sleep occurs because the body has to wake itself up again in order to get the oxygen it needs." The longer the pauses in breathing and the more often they occur, the less sleep a woman gets.

In some cases, apnea can occur five or 10 times a night, while in other more extreme cases, it could be hundreds. Studies suggest that apnea is more prevalent in men than in woman but surveys suggests that apnea could be much higher in women than we realize."

What's key here, however, is that most of the time you won't be aware of the momentary wake-ups -- so you end up feeling tired, and you don't know why.

• Snoring 

Another nighttime issue: snoring, either yours or theirs. If your snoring wakes you, that's a clue there's a problem, but in many cases you won't have a clue what's going on unless a partner tells you:

Snoring can also cause sleep problems even if you're not the one doing it. "Snoring can be a problem when it's the spouse who has the issue; the audible noise plays a role in keeping her up at night."

In either case, talk to your doctor -- there are a number of new stop-snoring remedies that can help.

• Restless legs syndrome (RLS) 

Among the sleep disorders garnering more attention these days is a frequently undiagnosed neurological disorder known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS sufferers experience unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them to relieve the feelings. Lying down and trying to relax makes the feelings worse, making it hard to fall and stay asleep.

The higher the frequency of these episodes, the more likely a woman is to experience insomnia, daytime sleepiness, consume caffeine, and use sleep aids.

If your sleep problems persist despite your best efforts -- if you are consistently tired during the day, you are snoring, your partner says you are moving a lot at night -- it's time to speak with your doctor  and consider seeing a sleep specialist as well.

Simple Sleep Tips

Fortunately, getting a good night's rest usually requires simply paying better attention to a few key factors. First and foremost: Make sleep a priority.

The biggest mistake women make is to put sleep last. By making sleep a priority, you become more productive, more efficient and most of all, less stressed.

Making a few changes to your nighttime routines can also help:

• Stress -- physical and mental -- is a major cause of insomnia. If something is bothering you, try to deal with it during the day, so it doesn't keep you up at night worrying.
• Avoid alcohol after 6 p.m. at night and caffeine after 2 p.m. Both can keep you awake nights.
• Keep your bedroom cool rather than warm, dim rather than bright, and dry rather than humid for optimum sleeping conditions.
• It is also important to make certain your bed is adequately sized for you and your partner, and that it offers proper support so you feel comfortable and relaxed while sleeping; in addition, take some time choosing a pillow. A pillow that's too soft or too hard can cause sleep problems.
• Don't bring your work or your laptop into bed at night. Instead, look to do something that helps your mind unwind -- like reading or listening to relaxing music.