How do I stop waking up in the early hours?

[LivingDeadGirlUK]

I keep waking up at 4am, its really annoying, sometimes I get another hour or so, sometimes I just toss and turn. Its been weeks if not months. I'm not particularly stressed I don't think.

What do I do? :(

There was another thread very similar to this & off the back of that I started taking the Nutrition Geeks magnesium (combination of different types). Well it worked brilliantly for a month or so but now I’m back to the same problem again though maybe not quite as bad. Has anyone else had this experience? It feels like the effects have worn off.

I bought the magnesium glycinate recommended up thread. It arrived yesterday so I took two last night. It’s the first time I’ve slept through the night for years. It may of course just be a coincidence.

I have contacted my GP today to see if there is anything they can suggest. I don't want to be put back on Amitriptyline because I am worried about the long-term health implications, however, this did work amazing for my sleep. I am already on HRT but I am waking at 3 am feeling far too hot.

I sincerely hope you have the same tonight!

Has anything else changed in that month? work or family drama?

I find being totally knackered helps! I've never slept better than I do now at 48. I do a minimum of 30,000 steps a day. Live on a smallholding, so am outside for several hours regardless of the weather. Have children at home, including a 3 yr old and just don't stop from 4:30 when I get up until 9 pm when I go to bed. I'm asleep by 9:45 and if it weren't for the youngest would sleep until my alarm goes off. So my advice would be - get lots of exercise and sunlight.

How old are you OP? Don't be fobbed off by the GP.

I started getting this type of insomnia a year ago at the age of 45. I just started hrt and the insomnia has disappeared after a week… plus some other peri symptoms

I have been in touch with the GP and they have increased by oestrogen gel from 2 x pumps per day to 4 x pumps per day (1.5 mg to 3 mg per day) - hopefully this will help with my sleep.

Thank you for asking, It’s all a bit complicated as I’m also having long term cancer treatment, have chronic pain & am on various types of medication. But I’m mid 40’s & even with the cancer stuff I was sleeping fine a few years ago. I just suddenly started waking up all the time & the magnesium really seemed to help for a time. It might be worth me trying melatonin to see if that makes any difference. Hope you find something that works OP, it’s exhausting!

I've seen some women saying their doc said to try splitting the dose to take one pump in the evening for better sleep. Maybe worth asking about or just trying.

I think this is key. I find even if you get outside for an hour first thing in the morning it has a huge effect on sleep quality. There was a huberman lab podcast about the impact of early morning light on regulating the circadian rhythm.

That does sound tough but yes odd it was working well and now suddenly doesn't. Hopefully its just a blip!

I'm 41.

I found that no alcohol whatsoever, sleep headband and the breathe in for 4 hold for 7 breathe out for 8 works , something to do with resetting the vagus nerve .

This

this tea is really good. I use two bags at once. doesn't taste very nice but it works.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G29FASK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I would agree with everyone this is perimenopause. I think trying so hard to do everything right will inevitably make you stress more about it and has that knock on effect. It was my friends only peri symptom but going on hrt made a huge difference.

Night 3 of the magnesium and I woke up at 6! Did go to bed a bit later at 11 too. Still feel tired.

Small achievement for me - fell asleep at 12 awake at 6. I will take any positive at the moment no matter how small. It’s really weird because I can actually tell whether I am going to sleep that night or not by the feel of my body. It either feels wired and jittery or just very, very drowsy and heavy.

I take small dose (125mg) of magnesium citrate when wake up at 4-5 am. Then go to bed and fall asleep in 20 minutes. If I take magnesium in the evening, effect doesn't last till 7 am - I wake up at 5 am and that's it.
Bigger doses of magnesium make me lazy and give foggy brain during the day.

https://amzn.eu/d/14sfk9Z

Also cetirizite (antiallergy - hay fever tablets) helps me sleep through the night, but I think it makes me feel irritated during the day.

I've been sleeping 10am - 4.30am all this week. 6.5 hours, so functioning but tired and irritable. Better than past years (closer to menopause) of just 5 hours sleep.

I tried to cheat the system last night and went to bed at 9am. With the result of waking at 3.30am.

I'm already on HRT, have taken magnesium for years etc. Am mildly stressed and it's enough to wreck my sleep, I don't know how I would cope with proper stress. I'll try PP's suggestion of taking some magnesium on waking.

Another 4 am wake up 🙄. Put a podcast on and think I did manage to sleep a bit more, but then DS came in at 5 with a soaking nappy and wet pyjamas, so after all the hassle of changing him and stripping the sheets off (I ended up putting him in our bed and I went to the sofa) I was pretty much awake and couldn’t get back to sleep.

I’ve ordered magnesium from Beauty Pie, which was the first brand I tried and I did find they’re pretty good quality. I should have kept taking them but they are a bit pricey so I dropped to cheaper ones. They should arrive today and I’ll try the trick of taking a dose if (when!) I wake in the night.

@SydneyCarton I've tried different brands while trying to adjust the dose and they work pretty much the same for me.