Insomnia is a very common condition, especially as the female hormones begin slowing down production of the very hormones that give your body signals to fall asleep. There are several safe and natural ways to find menopause relief, without spending much money at all.
What if you have tried everything you know of and still cannot fall asleep, or get a good night's rest? Perhaps one of the alternative methods could hold the answer. There are several techniques which have proven to be very effective for many women.
Behavioral approaches to insomnia
A sleep therapist or clinician can often help when everything else has failed. They are trained in alternative approaches to insomnia, such as acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, light therapy, and sleep restriction therapy.
These alternative methods are very personal and require your open participation. If you are suffering from insomnia, this is not much to ask though. Obviously, it requires more than taking a pill, but the benefits far exceed the short-term quick fix of a sleeping medication. Very often, the alternative method is able to deal with the underlying issue and truly solve the problem.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recently changed it's guidelines and recommends behavioral therapy as a first-line treatment for insomnia. Studies have shown that the therapy is much more effective than sleep medications, plus there are no negative side effects, only positive ones.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
This therapy trains you to change your attitudes toward sleep. For example, it is well known that just thinking about insomnia and all of the problems associated with it can enable the insomnia to continue. It is like a self fulfilling prophecy.
It also teaches you to change your sleep hygiene. Poor habits, such as keeping a TV on all night, or a radio can seem to help you fall asleep, but actually it robs you of deep sleep and the rest you need. Other habits, such as drinking alcohol to induce sleep, or keeping a light on can have the same effect as the TV.
The main idea is to develop long-term positive attitudes and patterns of sleep through personal change. This is why CBT is so effective- it gets to the root of the problem, rather than offering a quick, chemical fix.
CBT has also been shown to be effective for both primary and secondary insomnia. This is very promising because many people have serious problems associated with the chronic lack of sleep brought on by both types of insomnia.
These alternative methods hold great promise as a safe and natural way to find menopause relief. It requires a bit more time and personal effort to learn and use, but the benefits are permanent and very effective.
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