Sleep in your 40's

[TiredDub]

OK gorgeous people, can we talk about sleep?. I was awake until 3:30 this morning and this has been a thing for weeks. Every night I’m awake til 2, 3 or even 4 in the morning and lads - it’s absolutely zero craic. I’m not stressed (well no more than usual) and it’s nothing medical - have checked in wth my GP and we’ve tried everything - loads of meds which should send me to sleep but nothing seems to be working.

Other things I’ve tried:

Mindfulness

Meditation

Gratitude

Journalling

Getting sunlight in the morning (I go running)

No devices / TV in my bedroom

No blue light an hour before I go to bed

Getting up after I can't sleep and doing calming tasks like folding clean washing (there’s always washing) or watching old episodes of things I’ve seen a million times like Sex And The City. Sidebar - can we talk about how the best couple is actually Charlotte and Harry? Also - can we all agree that Carrie was a terrible friend? I’m also spending a lot of time talking to the cat.
Cutting out caffeine - I lasted 3 days and thought I was going to die
Watching my caffeine intake - I’m down to 2 cups of tea and a diet Coke a day - and I don’t have caffeine after 7 pm.

Headspace app

I’ve completely reorgansied my bedroom so it’s as zen as fuck.

Writing down action plans/things I need to do/remember for the next day

Melatonin patches and gummies - they made me tired but didn’t help me sleep. I was super tired but wide awake if that makes sense.

Valerian patches - no effect other than when I actually fell asleep at 3 am, I had really weird dreams. I dreamt that I lived in a mansion and I had bats in my kitchen. Dream me is clearly living my best life (apart from the bats).

Magnesium supplements and sprays - had absolutely no effect I even bought the super fancy ones all over insta at the moment - the YLW ones that are bright yellow - they didn’t work and I absolutely don’t look well either. Sidebar - the free night cream that comes with it burns.

Listening to podcasts - this used to work.

Does anyone have any advice at all? I’m not sleeping in the day or having naps.. Oh and I’ve tried calamine tea but it tasted like sadness and didn’t help with the whole sleep situation. Thanks so much if you’ve made it this far xx

Melatonin here…. https://www.biovea.com/uk/productlist/categorydispatch?CID=23699&deptID=22&FiltersObject=%7B%22SortValue%22:%7B%7D,%22PageSize%22:36,%22CompareProducts%22:%5B%5D,%22Brands%22:%7B%7D,%22FormValues%22:%5B%5D,%22PriceRanges%22:%5B%5D,%22Categories%22:%5B%5D,%22objects%22:%5B%5D%7D. Only dam thing that works works works wish I hadn’t spent years wasting money on sleep sprays and meditation apps

100% peri

insomnia and anxiety were my 2 first symptoms. I started HRT at 46, should have started it earlier.

im on HRT but insomnia can still be a pain. I use Sominex or phenergen both available over the counter if I really need to be sure of sleep

My sleep got worse and worse - waking at 5am, then 4am, then 3am - until one day I totally lost the ability to sleep at all, and was signed off for a month with insomnia.

Things which did not help me:

• mindfulness
• maintaining sleep hygiene
• magnesium tablets
• 'sleep' tea
• melatonin
• phenergan
• zopiclone
• hrt
• warm milk
• a relaxing bath
• relaxation videos
• weed gummies
• fucking KIWI FRUIT because I read they help you to produce melatonin

The only thing that did it for me was being put onto 15mg per night of Mirtazipine. I've also all but given up sharing a bed with DH - I sleep in the spare room most nights, as the slightest thing disturbs me.

I'm now getting a decent night most nights, but can't come off the mirtazipine - I get the most horrific anxiety if I try. It's not giving me any side effects at all when I'm taking it though, so I'll stay on it for the forseeable future.

@Attictroll thank you so much! Will get some ordered today.

@Theswiveleyeballsinthesky pwefect thank you! Will try that. I know my triggers for no sleep so maybe with these I just take them early and don’t try and fight without them

Started on HRT via a private clinic at 43 due to my previously robust and sound mental state falling off a cliff suddenly, plus ridiculous insomnia, which didn't help the former.

See a different GP, or a private clinic if you can get the funds together, it's absolutely worth it in the face of a shit dismissive GP. Unless they've taken a personal interest in it, they've had about half an hour of training when they were qualifiying and that could have been moons ago. You need to speak to someone who has some knowledge and that may mean paying for it unfortunately, unless you strike lucky with the NHS.

Hi OP. For me the following worked a treat:

Vaginal oestrogen cream daily so I don't need a wee in the night any more.
Magnesium glycinate off amazon. Take twice the recommended amount.
Mirena coil.

Literally went from waking up every hour, to sleeping like the dead for 6 hrs a night.

@socks1107 that's a really low dose.

I'm 47 and have been on 100mcg of oestrogen (patch) for three years now.

I sleep like the dead.

I use the yoga Nidra lite app. It’s free and was recommended by my doctor.
I also listen to Bedtime Stories where Nothing Much Happens, and listen to the same story every night - in my case, The Willow Tree. The story is told twice, with the second reading slower. I decamp to the spare bedroom which means I can move around and listen to what I want without worrying about waking DH.
I tried melatonin and magnesium glycinate without success

@GoldDuster I use a private GP for my hrt - maybe I should have a chat with them about my dosage. Will arrange that today!

@sixtiesbaby88 I’ve been looking into audio books so that’s really helpful for me thank you 😃

It depends on the HRT. For sleep it’s best to take micronised progesterone (NOT Progestin). Take it in tablet form (usually 200mg) before sleep. It was the only thing that worked for me. It’s made such a difference.

My sleep was horrendous until I got amitriptyline on prescription , 1 tablet half an hour before bed no trouble getting to sleep and if I wake up I’m back to sleep within minutes .

3 things:

1. HRT (absolutely needed at 46 if you have this symptom)
2. caffeine - either none or cut off 12 hours before you want to fall asleep
3. magnesium glycinate

Caffeine is not out of your system for 7 hours.

I had a tea at 5pm and fell asleep at 3am last night.

I don't drink caffeine now so was able to really notice the effects!

How are you getting on OP?
I tried the melatonin gummies and they were useless so I’ve a second night this week on zopiclone. Now in my head it’s everytime I’m due to be working onsite - and I love working in the office!!

I feel such a failure. What do I do just start going cold turkey and have more 40 hour stints of no sleep or hope the gp will give me zopiclone every other month? I’m a bit desperate now

Sleep podcasts were an absolute gamechanger for me.

My current favourite: Sleepy Journeys

Are they stories or are they telling you to imagine things like your legs are asleep etc. I can’t do that my mind wanders everywhere but the podcast!! Stories though I love

They are stories.

They have a variety of shows: History, Music, Myths, Fairytales, Famous Figures etc.

The narrator have a lovely soothing voice and I like the spa-like background music.