Insomnia

[Fontella]

Read any menopause forum and you'll see that women deal with hot flushes and mood swings and weight gain and all the rest of it, but the 'killer' symptom for a large percentage of them is the insomnia.

I have been dealing with the latter for the best part of a year now, and despite trying all the various remedies - herbal and otherwise nothing seemed to work. I stay up most nights on the internet reading, or watching youtube or the TV players - sometimes until 4am, sometimes it's daylight before I finally doze off for a fitful couple of hours sleep. Other nights I may attempt to go to bed earlier but always wake up in the night and end up reading books or watching films again. It's a pattern I've grown used to and have just accepted as part of the peri ride.

Last night I fancied something sweet, and as I don't keep anything in the house like biccies or confectionary or anything, I hunted through the cupboards and found an old tin of hot chocolate. Made myself a huge mug with semi-skimmed milk and sipped it to cure the sweet craving.

I felt a bit sleepy (it was about 10.30pm) so put on a film and got into bed. Next thing I know it 9am!!! I have just slept ten and a half hours without waking up once.

I am in complete shock. Could it be that the old wife's tale of the sweet milky drink at bedtime really does help you sleep? It certainly seems to have worked in my case.

[DancingHippoOnAcid]

Milky drink does definitely help anyone feel sleepy. Something about tryptophan in the milk which is a natural sedative I think?

Glad you have found a simple solution to this and hope you have lots more restful nights!

[purplepeony]

sleep problems were the main reason I asked for HRT.

[Starbear]

I have had insomnia since my 30's due to stress of work. Now I have changed jobs but sadly due to age still have the insomnia. Biggest tip is get a Roberts radio sort of headphone that goes under your pillow. I wake up (now hot and sweaty) go to the loo then put it on to radio 4 or 7. If I don'e sleep at least I've heared a strory or caufght up in some news. Sometimes I have the lovely surprise of knowing I have slept because I haven't hear the end of the drama. Yes and milky drink helps too

[cabbageroses]

I am a bit surprised at why a lot of women here seem quite anti HRT.

I know there are risks, but if you are fit and have no risk factors, taking it for 5 years is considered safe.

It really can help with sleep.

That is the main reason I take it- i am just not prepared to go for years without a proper sleep!

I did everything I could before asking for it- I have a very healthy diet and because of other medical conditions I cannot drink tea or coffee or alcohol. I also walk/hill climb 3 miles a day and eat all the phytoestrogens- pulses daily is quite normal for me.

You could try taking a magnesium supplement which helps with sleep- especially if combined with calcium.

[vesela]

That must be very tough. I hope you're on to something with the milky drink, though.

I have bad insomnia for a few days before I get my period. It's only been for the last six months or so, so I'm assuming it's a perimenopausal sort of thing - hormones crashing more than before. (I got bad insomnia in the first tri when I was pregnant, too). I seem to be all right the rest of the month, though, for now.

[claudiafox1993]

I know this is an old thread, but i stumbled across it, so hopefully i could help someone if they find this thread again. I couldn't sleep after having my girl, i tried everything, herbal tablets, lavender oils etc. The only thing that has worked is a book called 'Six Steps to Sleep', its bought online, and comes with audio files too, really relaxing and obviously 100% natural. I should have bought this before I even had the baby, it's amazing! This is the link i bought mine through, it was a blogger that recommended it- www.sixstepstosleep.com/six-steps-to-sleep-now/?hop=jesssmith1