I just came from a seminar on stress management. He gave some very good advice; unfortunately, none of it is practical for us so we’re going to have to go another way.
Stress Anyone?
First he said breathing is extremely important. That’s fine, we all have to breathe. Unfortunately, he went on to say that the only relaxing breathing is the kind where your stomach goes in and out – big time. He said “forget about your bellies and just breathe!” What do you think? Yeah, I’m not doing any breathing that makes my belly look any bigger than it already does! So thanks but no thanks.
Next on the list was: Get a good night’s sleep. Need I say more? How the hell much luck have you been having with that lately? And how easy is that to change?
His third point was finding time to relax while you’re awake; with my energy level being what it is and my ability to take a minute to sit still probably similar to yours. The best luck I HAVE with sleeping is when I’m trying to relax while awake.
So let’s recap the sleep issue: I can’t when I need to at night, I can’t NOT when I sit down to relax.
The final issue that he brought up is to wear relaxing and non-constricting clothing. Oh crap. I have three kinds of clothing: 1. Chico/JJill soft dress clothing – I wear it a lot – but you can’t wear it exclusively, 2. Comfortable, hang around the house clothing – which I do wear – but only around the house, and 3. Regular clothing – which may be comfortable on Monday and so tight it strangulates me on Tuesday – so sue me, I bloat!
So, in summary, we’re screwed!
Does anyone out there have some suggestions that will work for us?
Yes I have thick legs with thick ankles, my Dad's! Tights the same color as the dress or bone shoes with bare legs. Not a straight skirt and never patterned stockings or leggings!
Two issues (I hope). I must must take umbrage with the phrase "be ashamed until....." BE ASHAMED??? of what, when, where?? Never. It is impossible to be a child of God -- whole and perfect and be ashamed. When has shame ever 
Sleeping medication, melatonin, anti-depression meds, aquasize (or paddling around), vitamins that supplement “mood disorders”, and — oh yes — “just say NO”. And after 25 years the flashes are infrequent. It took forever. Time them like labour pains and notice they come at nearly the same time each day.
Hi Robin, I am not a big posted, but here goes on this one. Cut back on caffeine and no caffeine after a certain hour, let’s say 5:00 pm, gives body time to reset, get your water intake in to help flush the kidneys some. Have thyroid levels checked, could be a little high, meaning too much, do you walk some for exercise, that would help, no marathon here. Hormone levels checked when getting thyroid test, the low dose estrogen patch is something to discuss with your doc, would need some progesterone for balance. Your body is telling you by way of symptoms, let “us” know your out come in a few months and goodluck!
I agree with Darcy and Aleeh! I do not drink caffeine. I do not drink alcohol. Before I sound too virtuous it is all about sleep! I did turn out to have a thyroid issue so now on medication and I take Lunesta, a prescription drug for sleep. Of course you know I wear Haralee.Com Sleepwears for wicking my night sweats. It seems like a lot but I sleep 8 hours a night. Still have to get up at least once but then wonders of wonders I can fall back to sleep!
When my sleep cycle gets wonky I take Tylenol Simply Sleep an hour or two before bed and that does the trick. If your sleep cycle is off, you may need to take it for a few nights to get the cycle re-geared.
If it is stress related lack of sleep you might need something else.
Anyway, if you do try it, make sure you go to bed early enough to get 8 hours of sleep, because, at least in my case, you go down for a good EIGHT hours.
Taking a whopping dose of magnesium before bed and sleeping on an earthing mat has sure helped me. Also, when my husband offered to sleep in another room I took him up on it. Just knowing that his snoring was going to wake me in the night was enough to make me too anxious to sleep.
I’ve found that if I do the relaxation and breathing when I go to bed it helps me fall asleep and stay more relaxed during the night. I taught myself to relax by body completely by allowing myself to sink into the bed, then sink more, then more; sink, sink, sink. I’ve been amazed at how much tension there still is in my body even when I think I’m totally relaxed. I even practice relaxing my ears and forehead, shoulders, feet, neck, jaw and upper chest.
When I wake up in the night I plug my MP3 player in one ear on the lowest sound setting and listen to Bible teaching. It’s interesting enough to focus my mind and stop the mental anxiety. It doesn’t take long to drift back to sleep and in the meantime, I learn something valuable. And it drug-free.