Sleep Disorders and Insomnia in Women - What Causes Them and Natural Insomnia Treatments

Did you realize that women are twice as likely as men to have sleep disorders? Women are known to have frequent sleep problems during their reproductive years.

There are numerous factors which can influence a woman's ability to have normal sleep patterns. These can include hormone levels, stress levels, lifestyle, sleep environment and menstrual and pregnancy related issues. It's quite common for women to experience premenstrual sleep disturbances during which they have difficulty falling asleep, may awake during the night, or have difficulty waking up. They may experience daytime sleepiness or suffer from insomnia, which is sleeplessness, and is one of the more common symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Many women acquire unhealthy sleep patterns due to the demanding roles they face as mothers, wives and career women. Women tend to choose to ignore fatigue and work long hours, both of which cut into their sleep time. On top if these, women also frequently have their sleep interrupted by their responsibilities as mom.

Women older than 40 years of age report more sleep disturbances than do women in their 20s or 30s. Lack of sleep in perimenopausal women can contribute to decreased job performance, decreased ability to concentrate, a decline in social interaction and a lack of general well-being.

Pregnancy can also be a major factor in sleep disturbance. The sheer demands of pregnancy on the body can make a woman feel sleepy during the day and yet inhibit sleep at night - especially in the first trimester. The pregnant woman may receive better sleep in the second trimester, only to face sleep issues again  in the third trimester due to the size of her abdomen and the aches and pains of pregnancy.

Lack of sleep, or poor quality of sleep during pregnancy are often attributed to frequent urination, heartburn, discomfort from bodily changes, fetal movement, low back pain, leg cramps, vivid nightmares, sleep apnea and snoring which can occur or worsen during pregnancy.

As women age other sleep disturbances tend plague them due to menopause. The causes of sleep problems during this time of a woman's life can often be blamed on hot flashes and night sweats which wake them up or make it difficult to fall asleep.

The most common sleep complaint that women report is insomnia. Women have many reasons for having insomnia (sleeplessness) including physical pain, anxiety or worry, medical conditions that disrupt their sleep, and breathing disorders.

Statistics also show that sleep apnea increases in women who are over the age of 50. As women age they are far more likely to have restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder or even narcolepsy.

There are some natural ways to combat insomnia such as herbal teas, herbal baths and aromatherapy. Here are a few you can try to help you get a good night's sleep:

Sleep Easy Bath

    * 2 drops Ylang-Ylang essential oil

    * 3 drops Lavender essential oil

Add to tub full of warm water and mix well.

This is a soothing, relaxing blend that helps ease away a day's stresses and strains.

Insomnia Aromatherapy Blend

Ingredients:

10 drops Roman Chamomile

5 drops Clary Sage

5 drops Bergamot

Directions:

Blend the oils well in a clean dark-colored glass bottle. Add 1-2 drops to a tissue and place inside your pillow to aid you in falling asleep.

If you prefer to make a Diffuser blend that you enjoy during the hour before bedtime, make a blend with a ratio of 2 drops Roman Chamomile to 1 drop Clary Sage to 1 drop Bergamot and add to your Diffuser.

Lavender can also help provide relaxation and drowsiness, but using more than 1-2 drops can have the opposite effect.

Sleepless Night Tea

    * 1 part Chamomile flowers

    * 1 part Catnip herb

    * 1 part Lemon Balm herb

    * 1 part Passion Flower

Use a heaping teaspoon and steep 10 minutes in boiling water. Sweeten with honey or molasses to taste.

Dee Braun, a single mom of 6, is a Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Dr. of Reflexology and a natural health practitioner. Click now to visit Remedies4.com at http://www.remedies4.com/ - a large directory full of free natural health ebooks covering common ailments, illnesses, health conditions and natural healing techniques.

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Symptoms and Causes of Insomnia Sleep Disorders

Insomnia sleep disorders are categorized by the inability to fall asleep or not getting adequate sleep, which gradually tends to disrupt our natural and normal life. Although everyone goes through some lack of sleep at some point or other, there are some key characteristics that can help a person identify if such an occurrence is one of incident or in fact is actually a disorder.

People who suffer from insomnia sleep disorders are unable to relax both mentally and physically and hence are unable to sleep, as their mind tends to work continuously. It is only in the early hours of the morning, as the sun comes up, that the mind begins to slow down. This slowly becomes a painful and frustrating cycle that is very difficult to break.

Symptoms

One of the biggest indicators of insomnia sleep disorders is the inability to sleep or to get quality sleep. This starts with a chance incident and spirals into a pattern. However, it is not the number of hours that one spends sleeping that define insomnia. Neither is the time that you take to go to sleep, but insomnia is defined by the quality of sleep that you get and how you feel after waking up.

Some of the symptoms that signal insomnia are as follows:

o Inability to fall asleep in spite of being tired.

o Using alcohol or sleeping pills to fall asleep.

o Having disturbed sleep or waking up a number of times at night.

o Waking up too early but not feeling refreshed.

o Feeling drowsy during the day especially while doing stationary activities such as driving, reading, or watching television.

o Having memory and concentration problems leading to low performance at work, school, etc.

o Diminished reaction time and alertness.

o Constant sense of fatigue and urge to use stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine to go through the day.

o Mood swings, irritability and depression.

Causes

There are a number of factor that are contributors to insomnia sleep disorders. Sometimes when one can identify the cause of this disorder, getting the solution for the same becomes must easier. Some of the common causes for insomnia sleep disorders are as follows:

Stress: Stress is a very big contributor for insomnia sleep disorders and tends to be its primary trigger. Emotional upheaval because of the loss of someone close, pressure at work or examination scare, a disturbed personal life can trigger stress leading to insomnia. Transient insomnia begins with light sleeplessness, but stress and emotional instability can turn it into chronic insomnia.

Diet and medication: A person's diet plays a crucial role in determining his/her health. So, if your intake of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol is high right before your bed time then chances of you getting affected by insomnia stress disorders is higher as these are all stimulants. At times prescription drugs can also contribute to insomnia.

Exercise, TV and sleeping environment: Exercising close to your bed time can be physically stimulating thereby disturbing sleep. Also, watching television before bed can stimulate and disturb the mind and produce sleeplessness. Your room also might be too bright or noisy preventing you from sleeping well.

Adapting good lifestyle choices and abstaining from medication to sleep helps people suffering from insomnia sleep disorders. Sometimes the simplest solution is to simply relax!

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