How many hours do you usually sleep at night?

[Lovearestfulsleep]

Morning all.

Is it normal that as you get older, you get less sleep or have sleepless nights?
I go to bed around 11ish, but for the last few days, I've been waking up multiple times during the night. I can't go to bed early, or I will be tossing and turning.. I'm not sure if I should take anything.

Maybe 5 hours. But some nights I'm still awake at 2, 3...
I take magnesium every night.
I take melatonin every night.
Routinely like a metronome at 11.
Zopiclone is my friend, my drug of choice, but my GP will only give me 10 every 3 months, so I eke them out for a treat every couple of weeks - one blessed full night of sleep!
She (the GP) says that yes, perimenopause is not helping not that as I've never been a great sleeper, so can't entirely blame hormones.

I'm a pretty good sleeper - once I'm asleep I don't wake until my alarm goes off (well, if I do, it's momentary, and I'm straight off again). Sometimes, if I'm a bit hyped, it can take me a while to switch off when I first go to bed, though.

BUT I'm a terrible night owl, and stay up way later than I should - it's called Revenge Bedtime Procrastination, and means that I don't get as much sleep as I ought to. Generally around 6 hours. I can function perfectly well on that, but do feel a bit worried when I read all these articles about how I'm condemning myself to an early death and/or descent into Alzheimer's if I don't get the full 8 hours a night.

4-5 hrs a night and that's with magnesium before bed. Worse thing is if I go to bed early (10pm) then I wake four hours later and that's it so I go at midnight and wake at 4am. It's definitely perimenopause as the night sweats have become really bad recently. My GP reluctant to start me on HRT.

Find a new gp

Asleep for 11, wake up for the toilet about 2, straight back to sleep and up at 6. Very rare I don't sleep well but when I was younger I would get terrible insomnia. (44 now.)

It's only been the last few days, slow down!

I think most people at different times in their lives find they don't sleep well sometimes, but it often goes back to normal.

I'm with all of you peri ladies. In bed by 10pm usually, asleep by 11pm but then awake multiple times during the night and sometimes struggle getting back to sleep.

For everyone taking magnesium supplements, is it just the standard ones you get from Boots? And do you just take one before bed every night?

@Starlight1979 i take 2 x magnesium glycinate from a brand called Veridian

I average about 7hrs 30, and I’ve always woken around 2-3am, quite often for about an hour. I seem to have always naturally done that “two sleeps” thing.

Im a lark so always asleep by 10 latest unless I’m out and awake by about 5.30.

Nearly 53, not on HRT or other meds, can’t say I’ve noticed any change in my sleep.

Hi. Where do you buy valerian? Do you buy it from Holland & Barrett or online?
Thanks.

Could I ask if those who take magnesium find it gentle on the stomach, like some vitamins?
Thank you.

Usually 6 hours in bed. But I often get an hour on the sofa in the evening.

I really should go to bed earlier.

I'm 51 and sleep around 8 hours a night, but always wake up a wee a couple of times... I don't feel that it's very good quality. I read for at least an hour before I got to sleep around midnight.

My recent 'fitbit' type report said that the average for a woman of my age (based on their users) was 7 hours. I thought that was interesting.

Have you tried magnesium before bed and/or valerian? I find they help if I'm struggling.

It used to be a solid 9 hours, but since I’ve been on Levothyroxine (for an underactive thyroid), I’m getting 4 at most. I am noticing that I’m not healing as well as I used to, and I think lack of sleep is the reason.

I've not had a problem with magnesium and I have a sensitive tummy generally.

Valerian I use the Kalms Night stuff - in any chemist.

Yes, but I find it encourages bowel emptying in the morning, something useful I find but maybe not for everyone. Magnesium foot sprays are useful.

I’m old and usually sleep between 4-6 and wake up about 5 times during the night. This has been the same all my life. It’s always taken me a long time to fall asleep. I can cope with it but if I get really tired I take an over the counter sleeping tablet for one night and that gives me a longer sleep.

I know. But I'm waking up more than 3x a night. I am sensitive to noise and I have tinnitus as well, which is not very good.

9-10

There are different formulations of magnesium which have different effects so it's really important to choose the right one. Have a read up online. I find Magnesium glycinate really helpful for sleep, reducing anxiety etc. magnesium citrate acts as a strong laxative.

I get that but why would you go to the doctors for sleeping pills after just a few days of it?

It's awful but you do need to leave it longer.

Between 6-7 normally but I never sleep through, and that’s with the help of medications

I sleep terribly I also work shifts which doesn’t help with a consistent routine. I average 4-5 hours a night with multiple wake ups and never feel refreshed when I get up.
very occasionally I get about 7hours maybe once every 2 months but it’s extremely rare. I’m always full of good intentions and go to bed for midnight and I’m usually still awake til 3/4
if I’m nightshift I usually run on 2hours sleep snd often think I could collapse from lack of sleep.

Thank you!

Hi again. I'm not going to the drs. The pharmacy may offer something, but I might try herbal remedies or magnesium instead. I've also had some nights last year where I was awake at 4 or 5 a.m.

Anyway, I hate taking meds.. Thanks for your concern.