If you’re approaching 50 and have trouble sleeping...has anything helped?

[dameofdilemma]

I can get to sleep but increasingly finding I wake between 2-4am and struggle to get back to sleep.

Not sure whether I should be taking magnesium, evening primrose oil or something else entirely....

I do all the usual things to aid sleep, healthy diet, regular exercise, limit caffeine/alcohol and screen time etc.

HRT: poor sleep was a key part of identifying that I was peri-menopausal. It took days/weeks for the HRT to set me back to normal.

Air conditioning, Nytol, exercise, calm app and HRT although I do still have to odd few nights where I get 3hrs a night.

The GP has go en me Xopivlone but it works for about 3 hours!!

Ok so things I’m already doing:
No caffeine after midday
Regular exercise (5k run outdoors most days)
Limit alcohol (although have say I went to bed at midnight squiffy after meeting a friend last weekend and had a great nights sleep!)
Not eating late (I hate, hate, hate eating late)
Eating healthily

I tried Pukka night time tea last night and managed 6 hours straight sleep, awake for around an hour then a bit more sleep, so better, though could just be exhaustion.

Will give Neuro Night a go then HRT as last resort (on basis i expect will be long and tortuous process with GP...).

Oh and am a big fan of audiobooks and calm music type apps.

Valerian extract tablets. A centuries old, herbal insomnia remedy and you can get it from the shelf in a decent sized chemists.

Side effects - you can google the stats but risks are staggeringly low compared to being overweight or alcohol

The poster about anti depressants - that is a classic error by gps. Pls google the NICE guidelines on Peri meno - if over 45 with low mood the advice is to try hrt before antis.

I take 5-HTP after a recommendation and it has been great for me. I also use a magnesium spray at bedtime ( just started in the last couple of weeks) and listen to something on Insight Timer app. If I awake up I listen to something else on the app, always very low so I can just here a murmuring.

I love listening to an audiobook to help me sleep. I also occasionally hit the Night Nurse to knock me out if desperate.

Menopause matters website and forum is excellent for advice and guidance around peri menopause.

Melatonin but I’ll be taking HRT soon as I need to.

The bodys natural hours of sleep are 10-2 so make sure you are in bed before then.

Silk eye mask. Ear plugs. Increase chance of staying asleep. Weighted blanket is good. I have read about earthing sheets and curious to try one. Better You Magnesium and Lavender lotion. Aromatherapy diffuser with lavender. Dairy snack or protein snack before bed.

Food cobtaining b5- flax, eggs, mushrooms- b5 helps produce melatonin.

Magnesium a massive game changer for me but I couldn't manage the skin sprays as irritating.

I get a liquid supplement on amazon - need to be a bit careful with dose or else you can a bit of an unintended detox effect ;) and I found for the first couple of weeks I had to get up to pee but I'd sink straight back to sleep.

Honestly love the stuff and take most nights now. If I take it at about 6pm then I dont have the pee issue. Even dh who is a massive sceptic asks me if i have taken it.

Redpanda - thanks for the Neuro night recommendation, been taking them for ten days now and they’ve really helped.

I can get back to sleep when I wake up and am waking for the day closer to 7am instead of 5.30am.
Not sure of the science behind but the difference is really noticeable.

thats good op, i've just google whats in it
5 htp, magnesium and melatonin.

Sounds like you are making progress. I've been taking omega 3 which seems to have a positive impact on sleep.

Im 47 and had a bad few months of not sleeping a couple of years ago.Dr gave me sleeping tablets but i didnt want to be dependent on them.

I listen to ASMR now,especially if i have had a bad night before.It does help.