How to get back to sleep- Menopause

[sassafras123]

Anyone else menopausal and finding difficulty in getting back to sleep after waking up at stupid o'clock? Im shattered at bedtime ( around 11.30 -12) go off in heavy sleep for 2 hours then awake with all sorts of crap going round in my head. Finally get in my best time for sleep from 5 till 9.
During the day get overwhelming tiredness around mid afternoon and will drop off for an hour deep sleep. Have arthritis which does not help.

HRT. It cured my insomnia immediately.

Ditto. I had the same problem and HRT fixed it like magic. Though I had a right old fight to get HRT from the GP.

History of breast cancer in family- mum and sister so guess no HRT for me.

HRT has helped (I’ve never been a good sleeper) and more recently I’ve started taking melatonin. I find with melatonin I fall asleep much more easily and usually sleep until 6ish. Occasionally wake around 4, or if DH gets up for a pee and once I’m awake that’s it.

Hmm. Might give it a go. Or give up and just get up and do something.

History of breast cancer in family- mum and sister so guess no HRT for me.

This isn't a necessarily true, at all. You should see a menopause specialist.

Do go and talk to your GP (if available online) about it, and have a look at the MenopauseMatters website. Not all family histories of breast cancer are contraindications for HRT.

Mean time I guess the usual rules for sleep health apply, plus menopausal layering to keep the bed the right temperature (I find a stack of wool blankets rather than a duvet allow me to fine-tune the amount of covering I need).

Also (this is what I used when I was massively stressed and struggling to sleep last year) - identify some "comfort listening" - a book you know and love and are happy to listen to repeatedly on audio book, for instance. Put that on quietly in the background - it keeps your mind off the stuff that's worrying you, but because you know what's happening, there's no problem with falling asleep to it, and you don't need to worry about losing your place and not knowing what comes next.

Magnesium supplements have worked really well for me. One every night just before bed.

Also - this is counterintuitive, but an electric blanket. Get the bed toasty for when you get in (which helps me go to sleep really quickly) then the bed cools as you warm up - hopefully by the first hot flush of the night, you'll be about right.

I can't take HRT (had breast cancer). I use meditation and it does help me. I use Headspace, but others are available.

I'm very antagonistic towards CBT programmes for my insomnia, but they are very popular & there are lots of them, for insomnia. Check your appstore. Seems appropriate for OP because you're talking about your mind racing and worrying which is what those programmes are designed to address.

HRT worked for me too. The main reason I finally went to the GP was because the insomnia broke me (and I've always been an insomniac). I think the night wakings can be utterly debilitating so I sympathise. Something that has worked for me in the past is getting up, having a hot drink (no caffeine) and listening to radio or reading a book, then going back to bed.

I take a magnesium supplements. They’ve really made a difference.

Magnesium works for me too

Any magnesium supplements? I've been waking up at 4am for a while now 😞

The only thing that did it for me was meditation and breathing before falling asleep with melatonin. I then associated it with falling asleep at any time of the night.

Not a short process, hrt better if tolerated but I didn't and it didn't help me with sleep at all anyway.

It doesn't work every time but probably 3 out of 4 instances.

This is me too. I'm so tired and can fall asleep but I keep waking up and can't get back to sleep. I'm waiting for blood results which I think will show I'm anaemic. I got a sleep app which helped for a while but doesn't seem to anymore.
What strength magnesium supplements? How long did you take them before noticing a difference?

I just take regular Holland and Barrett magnesium tablets in the green bottle. 250mg. I think within a few days of taking one every night I was sleeping better.

Magnesium and also ashwagandha.

Do you drink alcohol or caffeine

Also get up earlier than 9, get up at 7. After a week you’ll be so tired you’ll sleep through

Magnesium. Sorted my sleep out completely

I get up at 6.30, go to sleep around midnight. Still wake up at 4am. Hot, despite no heating in bedroom ever and sleep on my own. Will give magnesium a try, sounds like it's worked for a lot of people.

I've started going for a walk every evening after dinner. Not a long walk. since I've been doing that I don't wake up as often and can fall asleep again.

Thanks for the ideas on this thread - another menopausal woman here- I have hot flushes only at night but they seem to be pretty much constant. Still have periods every 24 days or so that last 10 days and the week leading up to it and the 10 days during it I am roasting all night regardless of the room temp. Just ordered magnesium and black cohosh from Holland and Barrett (buy 1 get 1 for a penny) so I'll see how I get on!

I've got black cohosh from H&B but was a bit worried with the emphasis the staff put on my health and reading the leaflet .
I'll look into magnesium as my sleep pattern is terrible .
Those that do take it how heavy do you sleep ?
I'm occasionally on standby for an elderly neighbour ?