HOT FLASH!!!

If you've had one, there's no mistaking; it's sudden and intense! The flash usually affects your upper body and face, perhaps preceded or accompanied by a number of disruptive symptoms such as rapid heartbeat and sweating, anxiety, or headache. The flash is followed by a flush, leaving you reddened and perspiring and there is no way to hide it. You can have a soaker (UGH!), or merely a moist upper lip or forehead (that's enough). A chill can lead off the episode or be the grand finale (sweater off - sweater on???).

Hot flashes and sweats are common among woman transitioning from perimenopause into menopause (30's-50's age group)... blame it on changes in hormones, not "who turned off the air conditioning?!".
The hypothalamus which is sometimes referred to as the body's "thermostat", is the part of the brain responsible for controlling your sleep cycles and body temperature. Somehow the drop in estrogen confuses the hypothalamus and makes it read "TOO HOT!". The body's confused response... "get rid of the heat". Your heart pumps faster, the blood vessels in your skin dilate to circulate more blood to radiate off the heat, and your sweat glands release sweat to cool you off - soaking sweat followed by a chill... miserable!
When these symptoms occur at night, it may result in chronic insomnia and reduced quality of life.
Some natural remedies:
1. Follow the sleep tips we've outline on the SleepCompass website. These tips will certainly get you started.
2. Two tablespoons of Flax seed sprinkled on cereal or yogurt. Some research by the Mayo Clinic suggest flax seed helps reduce the number and intensity of hot flashes.
3. Hot flashes deplete the body of B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium and potassium. Consider increasing the intake of these and don't forget calcium too (consult your physician first).
4. Avoid (as much as possible) triggers such as spicy foods, alcohol, sugar, hot drinks, and hot weather. Reduce stress with yoga, meditation, visualization and prayer. Evaluate the quality of your sheets.
5. Exercise helps to relieve hot flashes by lowering the amount of LH (luteinising hormone) that when released, are related to the initiation of hot flashes. Also, exercising raises endorphine levels which drop during a hot flash. Just 20 minutes three times a week can significantly reduce hot flashes.
6. Slow abdominal breathing 6-8 breaths per minute, can bring about a 40% decrease in frequency of hot flashes according to two research psychologist from Wayne State university. Use this technique 15 minutes twice a day and when you feel a hot flash coming on.
There are a number of herbs to help reduce or even eliminate hot flashes and in turn address insomnia and fragmented sleep at night. BEFORE you embark on an herb or supplemental regime, consult your physician!
For more information on this topic visit: Dr. Christiane Northup M.D.
SleepCompass.com - Nancy

WHAT TO DO WHEN NOT SLEEPING
How much sleep is enough? There is no one answer!! At best, the recommended amount is to sleep enough so that one functions optimally. This begs the question, “what is optimal fucntion?” It is difficult enough to know optimal physical function (no fatigue, “achyness”, tired feelings, etc.), and even more so, optimal mental or emotional fucntion. And then there is “spiritual functioning!!” To make things worse, the majority of sleep deprived persons are not aware of, or minimize their impaired functioning!!
So, how then, can these functions be measured and correlated to the amount and quality of one’s sleep?!?!?
Medical research does well to show that sleep deprivation contributes to stress, anxiety, memory problems, poor job performance, fatigue, pains, medical diseases (obesity, diabetes/glucose intolerance, heart disease), and psychological-psychiatric illnesses. Conversely, it is now well accepted that good sleep makes one healthier, smarter, and less stressed.
So why do so many skimp on sleep? The extra work accomplished instead of sleeping, (i.e. “burning the candles at both ends,”) is negated by the potential and real mistakes made due to less than optimal mental functioning!! There is a tendency to do less physical activity when sleepy, leading to more unhealthy behaviors, and the ability to handle stress lessens significantly after missing even a little sleep (e.g. new moms).
So, again why do so why do so many skimp on sleep? Any comments, ideas, suggestions, excuses, rationalizations, are welcomed.
But, after treating the sleep deprived, the sleep disordered, as well as just promoting healthy (or at least adequate) sleep, for 20 years, one thing is clear, most people were not following the advice to get more and better sleep!! There were many reasons, comments, ideas, suggestions, excuses, rationalizations, none of which were valid for more than a few nights!
But then I noticed that there were a few well balanced, calm, aware, and happy people that slept less than the recommended 7-8 hours per night. Although there are genetically determined sleep needs (ie natural short sleepers), these persons chose to do things differently when not sleeping. These activities included prayer, meditation, contemplation, and other activities that reduce thinking, whether with music, books, guided tapes, or with nothing.
This suggest to me that what is one does instead of sleeping contributes in a major way to how one feels, acts, behaves and performs during the day. Those that try to cram more work, school-work, chores, and such, are impaired, never seem to complete their work, and are cranky; those that pray, meditate, etc, accomplish abundantly, feel well, are happy, and are great people to be around!,
So, if you can’t sleep, don’t want to sleep, or think sleep is a waste of time, I suggest you take up the more spiritual activities, like prayer, journaling, meditation during the hours you are supposed to be sleeping. The short version of these suggestions is too calm down, slow your thinking, relax. You will feel better, healthier, sharper, and happier….and the rest of us will appreciate this!
For some specific ideas to help you with these suggestions, visit sleepcompass.com and Discover The Gift of Sleep
Sleep Well, Gus