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With the curtailment in use of estrogen to treat menopausal symptoms, including night sweats, symptoms of insomnia increase.  While not always associated by patients, complaints of lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and problem solving, or even mood changes such as irritability, and depression may be consequences of poor sleep quality.  If restless sleep or these symptoms persist beyond a month, then you should schedule an appointment with your doctor to evaluate the cause of your insomnia.

Sometimes serious underlying ailments exist, but the majority of the time anxiety or other issues are responsible.  Prescription sleep aids, used on a short term basis of less than a month, or episodically can be quite helpful according to sleep specialists.  Likewise low dose estrogen works wonders especially for menopausal night sweats and hot flushes, removing the inciting event to sleep disturbances and hence their consequences.  Women often return commenting, “I feel like myself again.”  We initiate hormone treatment at the lowest effective dose, and if using pills take them at bedtime to take advantage of peak blood levels.

Nevertheless, many menopausal women desire to manage insomnia “naturally.”  Here’s a list of suggestions to help you:

• Maintain a regular sleep and wake schedule, including weekends
• Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine (warm bath, reading, listening to music)
• Create a sleep “sanctuary” that is dark, quiet, comfortable, & cool
• Use your bedroom for sleep and intimacy (no TV)
• Finish eating at least 2‑3 hours before your bedtime
• Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least 4 hours before bedtime to unwind
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime
• Put your worries away at bedtime (acknowledging that you’ll deal with them the next morning)
• If you can’t sleep within 20 minutes, get up and go to another room; return when drowsy
• Avoid naps.  If you must nap, limit it to less than 30 minutes, and complete it by early afternoon

Commonly doctors often focus their efforts on life threatening conditions or ones they know are straight forward to treat.  Nevertheless, if these insomnia interventions do not help you awake feeling rested, then you should see your primary care physician.  Sleep quality impacts quality of life.  They can help you get consistent, quality sleep so you can awake to meaningful days. 

Wishing you good health!

Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Avenue, Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
www.WomensHealthFremont.com

With leftover Halloween candy lingering in our homes and turkey preparation for Thanksgiving only a few weeks away reminds us that flu season will also arrive shortly.  The CDC advises all pregnant women–regardless of stage of pregnancy–receive a flu vaccination.
While pregnant women do not experience an increase in the rate of serious medical complications from the flu, they are hospitalized in their third trimester at a comparable rate to non‑pregnant women who have high‑risk medical conditions for whom the flu vaccine is traditionally recommended.  Using this data, researchers estimate that one to two hospitalizations among pregnant women could be prevented for every 1,000 pregnant women immunized.
Since the flu vaccine is not a live virus and major systemic reactions are rare, many experts consider it safe during any stage of pregnancy.  However, concerns about neurotoxicity to the developing fetus lead to the recommendation of only using vaccines without mercury preservatives.  If your primary care physician doesn’t carry them we do at Women’s Health Specialists.

PS: With our recent installation of a electronic medical records system on our computers, we may have missed sending you a reminder for your annual well woman examination.  If it’s been over a year since your exam or you’re unsure, then please contact our office to schedule your appointment before the end of this year.

Wishing you good health!

Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Avenue, Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
www.WomensHealthFremont.com