Headache and generally feeling like shite on waking - anyone else?

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

Waking up every morning feeling like shite. Almost always a headache. And just generally...ill. Been going on for a couple of months and trying to establish what it might be.

It's not dehydration, as I'm making sure to drink enough during the day. Heating isn't on at night. Windows open all day but can't be left open at night due to noise.

Have considered the pillows, but I have three different types and have tried all of them. I sleep better on my front or with a flat pillow.

I sleep terribly anyway so for a while was taking antihistamines to help with sleep. Last three nights have done without them and have tossed and turned for hours.

I'm peri-menopausal but even before this I slept terribly. Didn't wake up feeling so crap though.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this, any advice? If you've experienced similar yourself and has it improved after taking certain steps? Is this part of the peri monopausal experience? I know that poor and disrupted sleep can be, but feeling this ill during latter part of sleep and on waking?

Any thoughts gratefully received!

I think it's probably part of the perimenopause joys. Even when I do sleep well I often wake up feeling like I'm starting flu.

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/health/female-health/a44517102/period-flu/

I've changed to hypoallergenic pillows, wool duvet and dusted the bed thoroughly so I don't think it's allergies.

I'd get flu like symptoms before my period too.

@BarrelOfOtters - oh, fucking hell. It really is all downhill from here! That's what it's like - a flu-ey feeling. My head, when it's not an actual headache requiring painkillers, is heavy and achy.

So sorry to hear you've got this too - it's bloody awful.

To be honest it got a lot better with HRT, still got it but not as much, unfortunately I've had to come off the HRT and I can feel it starting up again but not as badly as before.

Keeping hydrated, eating well, (protein and veg) trying to avoid alcohol and sweet stuff seems to help. Exercising helps with the sleep.

I felt exactly like this for years. Turns out I clench my teeth at night, that caused the headaches and neck pain and general unwellness as I wasn't getting enough sleep, despite being completely unaware.

Have you got a carbon monoxide detector?

can I ask how you stopped clenching your teeth at night I have exactly the same symptoms but did not link it

I felt the same. Bought better earplugs and started taking Vitamin D, C, multivitamin and evening primrose oil. Plus got some testosterone from the gynae to go with my HRT.
No idea which of the above helped but I am not waking up feeling like death every morning.

@Twins3007 you might need to get a mouth guard from the dentist- expensive- or you can get cheap ones on Amazon that you mould yo your teeth.

I’m exactly the same. I also sleep on my front, I don’t think it helps. I’ve been to the Dr numerous times he said as I was over 50 it would most probably arthritis in my neck, I do have a clicking jaw too.
The dentist said there’s no teeth clenching. If you ever find out please let us know I’ve had it 12 year now !

@BarrelOfOtters - unfortunately, I can't take HRT as my hair falls out. If it wasn't for that, I'd be on it like a shot. That pisses me off. Most things piss me off these days.

@aitchteeaitch - yes, have one in the boiler cupboard. It's a housing association property and they're big on fire prevention and such. Should they be elsewhere?

@Newtrix - you've just reminded me of something....the dentist asked if I ground my teeth at night. I said I didn't think so. He made me a mouth guard to wear when I sleep, just in case (he must've seen something). There's NO WAY I can wear it, it feels like I'm choking. There's a possibility it could be made of a different material, thinner, so will ask in February at next appointment. Thanks for the reminder!

@Bigminnie1 - cross post!

You ought to try and rule out if you have sleep apnoea - a key sign of that is waking up with a headache. Ask your partner if they hear you stopping breathing while sleeping, or gasping slightly in your sleep. You should speak to your GP. Or get a private referral to a sleep clinic. Or purchase a pulse oximeter (like an Viatom Checkme, anround £100 on Amazon) to do an diy sleep study at home. And yes, I agree with a pp, have you got a carbon monoxide detector?

You're going to think I'm absolutely mad but... I couldn't get on with a mouth guard so decided to sleep with one finger in my mouth, kind of along my teeth with thw end of my finger by my wisdom tooth. As soon as I started clenching the pain in my finger woke me up. Almost became like a learned response to stop.

@Stoufer - I don't sleep with my partner at the moment, separate homes. We only sleep together on holiday (overnight). He's never mentioned anything like that, has even said that I don't snore. Though that's not entirely true as sometimes I've woken myself up with a massive snort....

And I do have a very stiff neck...

Are you taking a lot of painkillers for your head. If you are taking them for more than eight times a months you could be in an overuse cycle.

I had similar and it was 2 things in my case:

1. being overweight - how's your general health and fitness? You might be having a bit of sleep apnea and not realising it. Are you getting enough fresh air in the day? Small things really do matter... especially in perimenopause.

2. Teeth grinding. Maybe persist a bit more with the mouthguard - they do always feel weird at first, but it has completely changed things for me and I feel a huge difference in my head/ mood when waking if I wear it.

Perhaps you should investigate sleep apnoea then - as waking yourself up with a massive snort could be part of it. Perhaps make a GP appointment to talk it through? Do you sleep easier if you use lots of pillows (with head raised up)? Sleep apnoea is usually worse the closer your head is to the mattress.

Could it be low iron? I get a lot of headaches and generally feel pretty rubbish when my levels are low.

I'm 41 and almost certain that I'm perimenopausal, but feeling like this is one of my signs that my thyroid, ferritin or other vitamin levels are off. I've got Hashimotos and anaemia and feeling very groggy and unwell on waking is a sure sign that something is awry and they're not well managed.

Once I address any issues with my thyroid meds, b12, folate, ferritin and vit D (for me these all seem to fluctuate occasionally and seem to be more prone to fluctuating now I'm in peri) things vastly improve.

It can never hurt to get those things periodically tested so you could give it a go.

@viridiano - I'm about a stone and a bit overweight. I go to the gym and move as much as possible, but due to having ME, I'm limited. I didn't mention the ME before as this is a relatively new new thing so have discounted that as being responsible.

I'm not moving as much as I feel my body needs though, am going to address that with more walks, replacing gym now and again. Diet overall acceptable though always room for improvement. No alcohol, smoking or fast food. Too much chocolate.

@ChaseTheSun - no, iron is ok. Am actually working on getting it up as was having hair loss and that can be a factor. It was 58 and would guess, as I've been diligent with the ferritin supplements, it's probably over 70 now. My aim is to be over 100.

@PunishmentRoundupWithJoon Considering what you said about waking up with a snort and being a bit overweight, you might have sleep apnoea and just not be getting enough oxygen in your sleep. It's probably worth talking to the GP. They can do a sleep study. But it will likely come down to losing the excess weight.
(No shame btw - I was exactly the same!)

@viridiano - yes, there's no doubt a smidge of weight needs to be lost. My chocolate habit is a bit of a problem, but am working on it. May indeed speak to the GP at some point - can't go on feeling this crap. Will be seeing dentist in February so will get a new mouth guard to begin with and try that.

Decided to give the cumbersome mouth guard another go. Tried it for a bit before bed to get used to it and was actually able to wear it all night. Didn't feel QUITE as bad this morning, so who knows if I am a teeth gnasher? Then again, I did take an antihistamine so that may have helped. Will continue to use the mouth guard for a bit to give it a fair go and monitor how I feel.

Need to work out how to sanitise the mouth guard now...