Search results for yoga and hot flashes

Got sleep?

Posted by Liz on Oct 9, 2009 in sleep disturbance | 0 comments

How many nights do you lie awake, staring at the clock and just hoping for a wee bit of shut-eye?

If you are like many women in peri- or post-menopause, the answer is probably “a lot.” However, data presented at last month’s North American Menopause Society Annual meeting show that sleep problems do not change uniformly across menopause, which is why addressing them effectively can be difficult for some women.

Researchers examined the sleep patterns and symptoms of 286 women who participated in the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. All participants completed daily menstrual calendars, which were used to track their experiences across the menopausal transition and rate the severity of all symptoms. For five years, they also provided the researchers with first-morning urine samples so that estrogen, fallopian stimulating hormone, and stress hormones could be measured.

The result? Depending on your sleep pattern, the relationship to certain factors changed. For example, nighttime awakening was mostly associated with age, being late in the menopausal transition (before moving into full-blown menopause), early menopause, hot flashe, depressed mood, joint pain and stress. Early morning awakening was associated with age, hot flashes, depressed mood, anxiety, joint pain, stress, and lower estrogen/higher FSH levels. On the otherhand, difficulty falling asleep was associated with menopausal symptoms in general, stress, and lower stress hormone levels.

However, regardless of whether women were having trouble falling asleep, awoke several times during the night or awoke in the early morning hours, sleep disruption was consistently associated with hot flashes, depression and stress.

In light of these findings, the researchers concluded that interventions to improve sleep might be more effective if they were targeted and focused, for example, towards night-time awakening and hot flashes, or difficulty falling asleep and depression, rather than clustered under the category of “sleep disruption” without examining exacerbating factors.

Of course, the greater implication here is that sleep-associated disorders during the menopause do not fall under the “one size fits all” approach and are better treated with individualized therapy. This is not to say, however, that certain interventions, like yoga or acupuncture can’t help address the cluster of sleep issues, hot flashes and stress, etc. Still, it’s best to consult with your practitioner before embarking on your own approach to solving the sleep woes. Personally, I find that I will be awake for hours in the nights preceding my menstrual period, regardless of the use of herbs, exercise or meditation. It just “is.” Yet, I’m glad to know there might be a better approach to addressing my specific woes.

What about you? What are you doing to get sleep?

Bad to the bone

Posted by Liz on May 8, 2009 in bone health | 0 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VsoxT_FUY]

Are hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms an indication of adverse bone health? According to data coming out of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, they might possibly be. Notably, while studies have examined the association between vasomotor symptoms and bone mineral density (BMD) previously, they have not followed women as they undergo the menopausal transition and rather, focused on women after they completed menopause.

Here are some of the study’s highlights:

• 2,213 women, ages 42 to 52, were included in the five year study. all had a uterus, were not using hormones, and had not yet entered menopause (i.e. still had their periods)
• Menopause stage and degree of vasomotor symptoms were assessed each year by questionnaire
• Bone mineral density was measured at the study’s start and each year. Dimensions were taken at the spine, hip, and pelvis

Study findings, which were published this past March in Menopause, showed that bone mineral density was lower in women with vasomotor symptoms compered to those without. What’s more, these effects varied depending in the stage of menopause. For example, women in pre- and early perimenopause with vasomotor symptoms had lower bone density measures in their pelvic areas, while women in postmenopause with vasomotor symptoms had lower BMD in their spine and hips. Overall, bone mineral density was consistently lower in women who experienced frequent vasomotor symptoms versus those who did not. In these cases, lower bone density was more evident in the lumbar spine in early peri- and postmenopause, and in the pelvis among early pre-menopausal women.

Whew! What does it all mean?

According to researchers, the findings suggest that vasomotor symptoms in menopause are linked to bone density deficits, which vary depending on the severity of symptoms and menopausal stage. This may help women and their practitioners devise more targeted strategies to protect bone health at appropriate times, and potentially encourage regular screening to prevent osteoporosis, fractures and related problems. The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Bone Tool Kit includes information on calcium, vitamin D and exercise. Yoga Journal also has some great advice regarding safe and helpful postures.

Hot flashes and night sweats may be bad for the bones. But there are many positive steps we can take to protect them. Afterall, we only have one set. There’s no time like the present to take better care!

Sleep matters

Posted by Liz on May 1, 2009 in sleep disturbance | 0 comments

There’s no question that sleep during the menopausal transition can be difficult. Indeed, two studies published last year in the July 1 issue of the Sleep journal confirm that sleep complaints (e.g., difficulty falling and staying asleep) are related to declining and fluctuating hormone levels and symptoms such as hot flashes. What’s more, they tend to increase through the menopause transition.

I written previous posts outlining certain positive steps you can take to combat sleep disruption, including herbs, yoga, acupuncture and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Much to my chagrin, however, I’ve realized that I’ve ignored one of the most obvious – your pillow. Mind you, your pillow is not going to address estrogen decline, hot flashes or night sweats. But if you have a lousy pillow, well, you’re already facing a losing battle.

So, where am I going with this, you ask?

I was recently asked to review* two Tempur-Pedic® pillows:

• The Neck Pillow by Tempur-Pedic®
• The Comfort Pillow by Tempur-Pedic®

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Tempur® is a material that was originally used by NASA scientists to relieve the G-force of space travel.  The Swedes then stepped in and perfected the material for sleep purposes, utilizing what they characterize as a “variable balance of pressure relieving and therapeutic support” layers. The material has also been engineered to respond to small changes in body temperature so that it conforms to the body.

Personally, I’ve never been attracted to the Tempur-Pedic® mattresses but I know many friends who swear by them. The pillows? That’s another story.

As someone who has experienced back issues her entire life, and neck and shoulder issues as a result of spending hours a day in front of the computer, well, a good pillow makes a huge difference in my life. In fact, I’ve never hesitated to invest in a good mattress, decent sheets and a nice pillow.

So what do I think about the Tempur-Pedic® pillows?

The Neck Pillow is a great pillow. It does everything that the Tempur® material claims it will do, from contouring to your neck and shoulders, to relieving pressure and allowing your spine to stay in proper alignment.

I tried the company’s  standard size but I also own a small travel size that I bring with me whenever I’m away from home. Frankly, I never leave home without it.

What’s more, compared to other memory foam pillows that I’ve used (and I’ve used plenty), it maintains its integrity and continues to outlast the competition. While it certainly did not prevent me from awakening during my 4 am witching hour,  I truly believe that since I’ve been using the pillow, I’ve had less trouble falling back asleep, mainly because I’ve been comfortable. In so far as temperature goes, I remain unconvinced that the pillow is cooler than other pillows for purposes of night sweats, per se. The material is not wicking so it’s not been constructed to repel moisture. Yet, the few nights that I had the sweats, I did not notice that the pillow retained any odor or remained damp. I love this pillow. Period.

I don’t feel as positive about the Comfort Pillow. I don’t know whether or not it’s just me but I find the Comfort Pillow to be anything but comfortable. In fact, despite several attempts to sleep on it, I tossed and turned and finally moved onto the neck pillow. So, what problems did I have?

I did not find that the Comfort Pillow molds to the head as easily as the Neck Pillow does. In fact, it barely contours as all (wouldn’t this seem to be impossible since it is constructed of the same Tempur® material as the other pillow)? It’s too heavy and cumbersome. And while it looks great and is obviously well-constructed, it is not for me. Ironically, I asked my partner, who is a tall and well-built, to try the pillow out and he felt the same. So, it’s not a size thing. Yet, he knows people who love the Comfort Pillow as much as I love the Neck Pillow. Go figure!

My main take-away is that good sleep hygiene matters. If you don’t like the pillow (or sheets for that matter)  that you’re sleeping on, your sleep is going to be lousy regardless of the degree of havoc that hormones are wreaking on your body.  Along with the other positive steps you can take, I believe that a good pillow is worth the investment.

What do you think? When it comes to sleep, what matters?

*Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this review. However, I agreed to try out the pillows because I feel that the topic is relevant. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Matted

Posted by Liz on Jul 14, 2008 in hot flash, Meditation/mindfulness therapy, nightsweats, stress | 3 comments

Ladies – get your mats ready!

Research suggests that yoga is actually superior to physical exercise for relieving vasomotor symptoms (e.g.  hot flashes and sleep disturbances) perceived stress and neuroticism in perimenopausal women.

The new study, published in the journal Menopause, compared the effects of 8 weeks of simple, trainer-supervised physical exercise to integrated yoga (sun salutation with 12 postures, breathing practices and cyclic meditation) in 120 perimenopausal women.

Positive, significant benefits were seen in all measures among women who were part of the yoga versus the physical exercise group.

Yoga appears to be a wonderful way to relieve some of the more troublesome menopausal symptoms without medication. I wouldn’t give up any physical exercise that you engage in but adding a yoga component to your routine may be provide some additional benefits.

Yoga classes are offered throughout the country in local gyms, specialized centers and often through the local YMCA or YWCA. If you’ve never participated in a class, you can learn more about the practice of yoga at  the following sites:

• The American Yoga Association offers a great introduction to yoga
• The Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States also has some well-written content on their website, and oversees instructor certification. They may be a good resource for finding an instructor
• Yogajournal.com is a great resource for videos, teachers, community, blogs, etc. and a wonderful place to get started

Finally, I just want to mention that that is not me in the photo. If I were ever able to get into that position, it might take me months to get out of it!