SLEEP
Simple tips to sleep more soundly
BY WENDY KING
For peri-menopausal and menopausal women, missing those “Z’s” is all too common. “It’s estimated 40 per cent to 60 per cent of menopausal women will experience some disturbance, and 25 per cent of peri-menopausal will have significant disturbance,” says Dr. Diana McMilllan. She says sleeplessness can be age-related, hormonally instigated, or be caused by social and emotional stressors. But peri- and menopausal women can get closer to the seven to nine hours of sleep they need using some non-pharmacological sleep health strategies recommended by McMillan. Keep to a regular bedtime and wake time all week to train your “internal clock.” “If you have a nap, keep that to 20 to 30 minutes As an associate professor at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences College at University of Manitoba, Diana McMillan wears many professional hats. She has a PhD, MN, RN, BNSc and BA under her belt — but the letters she most cares about are your “Z’s.” Her area of expertise is sleep health.
early in the afternoon,” says McMillan. Get some exercise out in the sunshine.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
MATURE 7
Powered by FlippingBook