Struggling to sleep sleep.pattterns all messed up

[catlover1460]

I lost my job in July I'm 47 I suffer with menopause, ADHD, anxiety and more recently acid reflux
My sleep patterns have been all over
Just lately when I lie down to go to sleep I am not tired I haven't been falling asleep till 5am then waking up at 11am
Struggling to fall asleep, I fidget alot and then legs get restless
I know insomnia can be due to menopause and anxiety
Any advice ?
I tried magnesium tablets and sleeping tabs made acid reflux worse so when I lie down I burp all night

The only thing that helped me sleep was HRT? The progesterone tablet before bed also helped with anxiety..

Then a consistent bed/wake time. Sounds boring but even if you don’t get to sleep until late.

Oh and light in your eyes first thing in the morning. That triggers you to release melatonin at the correct time in the evening.

HRT
Set your alarm for 7 in the morning and just push through it.

Get plenty of fresh air and exercise the day.
Lane swimming in the early evening, followed by a steam or sauna is very relaxing.

For restless legs try and iron supplement. Spatone is good, 2 sachets a day.

Listen to podcasts or auiodboooka to help you drop off.
If you're in oerimenopause get yourself some get. Oestrogen and progesterone which will help you sleep

Thanks I tried hrt made things worse I dot get exercise which probably doesn't help

Feel like losing my job has been th main issue and has really affected me

I’m sorry - I’m sure losing your job has been really distressing and has had a huge impact. Are taking some time out or looking for a new job?

How long did you try HRT for? Were you on the Utrogestan? It does take a while to settle and get the right dose/type but I can completely understand you wanting to stop of it was making things worse.

Another thing to look at temporarily is melatonin. That is good for resetting sleep cycles. I found it didn’t help me stay asleep but some people get on well with it.

I take the following just before bed:
Montgomery Cherry tart powder
L-theanine (this is very relaxing)
Magnesium glycinate
Then the progesterone

I think I completely underestimated the importance of a routine. Getting up and going to bed at the same time even at the weekend has had a huge positive impact on my sleep:

It’s better not to lie in to make up any sleep lost. If you have a bad night keep getting up at the same time. The body loves routine. Then get that light in your eyes first thing.

ADHD unfortunately means you have delayed sleep rhythms and people with ADHD release melatonin later than other people. So we have to do everything we can to release melatonin in the evening and keep to a strict routine.

I feel worse in the school holidays when I don’t work and try and have a lie in!

I found HRT caused my acid reflux - progesterone is know to relax the lower oesophigial splincter. I dealt with mine by elevating my bed, sleeping on left hand side, low acid diet, finishing last meal at 6pm and gaviscon before bed. It is much better now since I switched to mirena coil plus oestrogen patches rather than utrogestan.

What is your diet and lifestyle like? My anxiety and energy vastly improved when I cleaned up my diet and cut out UPF.

Regarding sleep the most important thing is to get in a regular routine, set your alarm for the same time each day and make sure you are exposiing yourself to daylight within 2 hours of waking. Try to have a wind down routine 1 hour before bedtime when you dim the lights and do something relaxing. If you can't sleep try not to worry about it, lie in the dark and listen to a podcast until you drop off. Eventually your body should get used to the routine. I find NSDR podcasts really helpful to lower my resting heart rate before bed which boosts my amount of deep sleep.