Last Updated on September 9, 2023 by Lori
Sleep can be an elusive thing, especially for women over fifty. (Like we don’t already have enough to deal with!) Here’s a guide to better sleep filled with the most effective sleep tips for women over fifty.
A study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that close to 20 percent of all women aged 40 to 59 said they had trouble falling asleep on four or more nights in the prior week.
Nearly 36 percent of postmenopausal women aged 40 to 59 said they had trouble staying asleep through the night.
Research has shown a direct link between sleep and overall physical and mental health.
These issues raise concerns for us all, but especially our age and gender demographic.
This post contains a collection of information to help women over fifty get the sleep they need. It’s our guide to better sleep. After all, we want to function at our best every day.
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A guide to better sleep for Women Over Fifty
5 Common Reasons You Can’t Sleep (and How To Fix Them)
The first task in improving sleep is to determine what may be causing your poor sleep habits.
Is there a medical concern that’s causing your tossing and turning?
Typical medical problems such as thyroid disease, sleep apnea (so common!), or arthritis can be culprits.
Maybe there is a very simple cause of your sleep troubles – and a very simple solution, too.
Perhaps your mattress is old and needs to be replaced. Or your room is too warm. Or the lights on your phone are waking you continually.
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep After Fifty takes a look at some of the most common – and often, easily correctable, causes of poor sleep.
Many of these can be corrected quite easily – meaning, you’ll be sleeping better starting tonight!
Start here to determine if these easy fixes are causing your sleep troubles. Then read the following to go deeper into sleep concerns.
Is a Good Night’s Sleep The Key to Stress Relief?
If you aren’t yet convinced that quality sleep is one of the most vital needs for your physical and mental health, consider the toll that stress takes on your body.
Quality sleep is one of our primary defense mechanisms against stress.
I’ve always taken the attitude that “sleep is sacred”. I’ve seen firsthand how I am impacted by stress when I’ve had too little sleep!
Sleep is not the only remedy to stress, nor does it eliminate it entirely. Sleep does, however, give you a solid foundation to respond appropriately to stressful situations.
Can’t Sleep? Feeling Stressed? Find Balance For a Healthier, Happier Life
If you are starting to sense a “Catch-22” between sleep and stress, then you are grasping just how large a problem this can become.
High levels of stress can cause poor sleep. Poor sleep prevents you from controlling high levels of stress.
Lowered stress levels permit quality sleep. Quality sleep helps you control the stress you feel.
This post examines the relationship between stress and sleep, and helps you get both under control so they work together in a positive way and that you can move forward productively in life.
can Journaling Before Bed Help You Sleep Better?
Journaling at bedtime is a proven technique that will help you wind down, calm your mind, express your thoughts and feelings, and prepare for the day to come.
There are many different ways to use a bedtime journal, from expressing gratitude for the day’s events, creating a “brain dump”, or even drawing and doodling.
Experiment with this technique and find out if a bedtime journal works for you.
The 5 Best Herbal Teas to Help You Sleep Better
Chamomile, lavender, valerian root, and other herbs can do wonders to relax the nervous system, calm an agitated mind, and prepare us for sleep.
If you enjoy a cup of tea, consider creating a bedtime ritual that uses herbs to relax the body.
Perhaps have your tea while you write in your journal!
How to Use Meditation to Help You Sleep
Meditation is a wonderful way to calm your mind and body in preparation for sleep.
If you do it once you are tucked in, you are likely to drift off during your meditation session – and wake up bright and chipper the next morning.
There are so many different types of sleep meditation that it will be easy to find a method that works for you. I prefer meditative storytelling, my husband likes music, and we both enjoy slow, deep breathing exercises.
If you want a simple, effective, non-chemical means of falling asleep, meditation is the way to go.
40+ More Products That Can Help You Sleep
Are you looking for more specific products that will help you sleep better, longer, with fewer interruptions? From pillows to beverages to white noise machines, find specific sleep-inducing products in this post.
Final Thoughts on The Midlife Woman’s Guide to Better Sleep
Sleep issues are more common than we tend to think – you are not alone if you have trouble sleeping!
There are many causes of this problem – and just as many solutions.
Read through all the posts on sleep, and you are sure to find something that works for you. Refer back to this post as new sleep problems arise – and find new solutions to keep you sleeping well!
Good night and sleep tight!