Nature laughs at the menopausal woman?

[CosmopolitanCocktail]

It’s Saturday morning- I have been wide awake since 5am (thanks menopause).
I have two slumbering teenagers and a husband. They will sleep in for hours today left to their own devices and they all deserve it as they all have worked hard this week.

But bloody hell I’m JEALOUS. I’d love that really deep and relaxing sleep of old.
Its like nature truly kicking you in the teeth- when the kids were young and I wanted to sleep I’d be up at 6am bleary eyed and have to go down stairs on Saturday morning (hello CBeebies).
Now kids sleep in and I’m totally incapable of sleep.

So apart from the whinge (thanks for reading) what does anyone else do on weekend their mornings whilst waiting for their house to wake up?

My HRT has nipped the early waking into the bud hopefully forever more because without it I would be a bundle of murderous rage. OP can you ask your GP to adjust your doses? I think it’s the progesterone that ensures improved sleep.

Downstairs to make coffee and do some kitchen cleaning waiting on kettle then settle down for a snuggle with the dog, my coffee and a watch of the news/scroll on the phone. Before second coffee I put on the laundry and then open curtains and things so it is officially morning so to speak, coffee and more snuggling with dog and read a few chapters of book. If nobody awake like this morning I bring dog for walk and when home then start making 'wakey wakey' sounds around the house and then up to grab a shower before they all descend on the kitchen for food.

Some mornings I take myself into the homegym which I appreciate we are lucky to have and watch something on netflix while I work out, some mornings I might just take myself off out for a coffee or to a shop when they are open. I appreciate I have no other half so nobody in the bedroom to be mindful of so I can be organising my wardrobe or anything and the teenagers sleep through anything. I have to say I love that time of a morning when its silent, it is bliss cos we are up for work and school from 5am during the week and honestly by Friday morning I am sick sharing the kitchen with these people and by that I mean my own fecking kids.

It doesn’t have to be hell! Go on HRT if you can! Were you always a bad sleeper?

Have you tried treating yourself to an occasional drowsy antihistamine?

I am the same but now love the early mornings. I treat it as my evening. I exercise and do other productive things round the house. I get to work and feel good that I have done something for myself
Maybe find an early morning exercise class or something?

This is me - asleep by 10 awake at 5. It’s been my natural pattern for the last 2 years now and I don’t suffer with daytime tiredness.

Hi. I have the same issue, I’m awake around 4ish normally. In the summer, I was getting outdoors around 5:30 for a walk/run (did couch 2 5k) which did wonders for my mental health. Now with the dark mornings I’m missing it but intend to start again in the spring. So now I curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book, it’s ace! It’s like ‘me time’ which I wouldn’t get otherwise.

Get a dog, walk it in the mornings. Take an afternoon nap
(I have terrible insomnia, I probably fall asleep about the time you wake up).

If you have a window you can stare out of, I'd recommend that.
In the very early morning, when no-one else disturbs, it's one of life's wonderful gifts.
Don't do anything. Just stare out of the window.
It's an extra bonus if the sky is blue.

But even grey skies and the rain are blessings, when there is nothing else you need to do, nowhere else you need to be.

If you have a bird-feeder in view, that may be an extra joy.

Itchy bastard ears and constantly irritated eyes drive me fucking mad

@Pottersciderbar82 If this is a fun (not!!!!) menopause thing, try Sea Buckthorn capsules. They don’t work immediately as you have to build up the amount, but they helped me. Not cheap but worth a try maybe?:

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/pharma-nord-omega-7-sea-buckthorn-oil-capsules-60032631?skuid=032631&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22492207421&gbraid=0AAAAAD96OoLQ1gS4GDdqlJ9p0UNGWYam6&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1ZCtx-PlkAMV4KRQBh2tGCm8EAQYASABEgIxO_D_BwE

Sorry for the novel-length link!

As my dear friend used to say, nature is a cunt.

I get up every morning at 5am, 30 mins exercise vid, 15 mins diary, 30 mins read, 15 mins straightening the house, 10 mins shower, back to bed with coffee at 6.40am, in bed sorting emails etc until 7, by which time my dh had had his shower, then we go for a 45 min walk before breakfast at 8. He's out of the door at 8.15am, I WFH, starting at noon.
It has taken many, many years to be so organised.

I have a very boring life but still have so much "noise" in my head when I'm trying to sleep. Drives me nuts. OH can sleep on demand, lol.

Honestly, I put on 15kg after menopause. The poor sleep makes it difficult not to eat crap. I lost motivation to exercise. When I did start I injured myself probably because of menopause affecting my joints and connective tissue. So been lifting weights at the gym, now I ache like a bastard afterwards - because of menopause. My memory’s pretty bad. Concentration has gone too. And I’m on HRT. Bloody Mother Nature!!

Magnesium hasn't helped me, have teied different types and the expensive ones with no luck.

My daughter is menopausal & I envy her ability to sleep. She came to visit me in hospital recently & at one point, I had to wake her up! I don't know much else about the m/p because I had such a hideous job & so many money worries at the time time, I didn't have any time left to worry about it.

I get up, do the washing and do some other chores then go up and have sex with my partner when he wakes up! Luckily peri hasn’t stolen my libido yet!

I envy you all who can exercise after a 4/5 am wake up, i have barely energy to make a coffee. I used to be at the gym at least 5 days a week before my early waking started ,now i can barely function.

I get up, make myself a cup of coffee and read for a while or put on the radio or an audio book and get on with a pile of ironing.

errands, planning, gaming, social media, emails, repairs, runs, cleaning, life admin, read a book, cuddle the cat, cups of tea & staring into space which is nice too.

MNers often sound like I should have started HRT 55 yrs ago since that's when my insomnia started.

Just remembering that my mother who had a natural 9pm-5am sleep cycle most of her life, finally learned to sleep in when she was in her 50s. It was so weird that she would stay in bed until 7am or later. She couldn't function after rising at all without coffee at any time I knew her, though. + Cigarettes as she got older.

Magnessium

I had the most shocking night up from 4am ended up scrolling on my phone. I did go back to sieep from 6am to 8am. Thank god I wfh most days.

Another vote for Magnesium (Glycinate) and Ashwaganda. I also use Melatonin sometimes. But I still don't sleep super late on a weekend. I get up and read, snuggling with the dog. Weekdays it means I can go for a swim before logging on for work. I've learnt to appreciate and use the time constructively.