She’s certainly not one shy away from opening up, and now Nadia Sawalha has revealed all about how far the menopause is currently affecting her day to day life in a candid chat.
Live on Loose Women, Nadia – who has spoken about incontinence and hair loss as a result of the menopause before – waded in on a chat about lack of sleep.
The panellists were discussing their experiences with fatigue and insomnia, and, giving her opinion, Nadia seemed to suggest how much her lack of sleep is affecting her sex life with husband Mark.
“I feel pretty rubbish. It’s just night after night, lying in bed and nothing happens – it’s causing problems between me and Mark,” she suddenly admitted to the audience.
“There’s a bit of stress and anxiety and it’s almost physical, you know, the ramifications of it. I’m getting frustrated and stressed.
Nadia’s searingly honest answer left the panellists shocked, with Andrea McLean admitting “I didn’t expect that answer”.
However, the Loose Women star admitted that she was partly joking with the ladies, and stated that her lack of sleep was actually a result of her menopause.
The presenter confessed that her symptoms are so severe she often finds it difficult to nod off at night at all.
Nadia revealed, “I have no sleep. My life that you see is all fake. I was in make up for hours this morning, looking like this, doing this, when in fact I’m absolutely exhausted.”
Mum-of-two Nadia even admitted that whatever technique she tries to help her sleep, nothing seems to work.
“I’m just so tired, I keep waking up, I feel nausea. I’m an eight hours a night person, always have been.
“I can’t move in case I wake anyone up at night. And I’m doing mindfulness and concentration and my breathing but I just – and I know loads of women will feel the same – I feel like a ghost walking through life.”
Heartbreakingly, she then admitted, “I feel isolated and lonely.”
Menopause insomnia
Sadly, Nadia isn’t the only woman going through these kind of menopause symptoms. Menopause insomnia is common fall-out of the condition, with the Sleep Foundation reporting that as many as 61% of women report insomnia symptoms in that life stage.
Often, issues with sleep can sometimes cause or exacerbate conditions such as anxiety or depression. Chronic tiredness is well-known to have an impact on our mental health, so it’s vital to seek help if you can.
It’s important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regime in order to aid with sleep, and ensure that all technology distractions, such as a phone or an iPad, are kept out of the bedroom before it’s time to sleep.
