I'm waking up really early (4.45/5am) and can't get back to sleep.

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

I've been on HRT for nearly 3 years now.

I've never been a great sleeper but this is a new thing. I seem to remember years ago a Pilates teacher having the same problem around about this age (I'm 55) and she attributed it to the menopause. Is there anything I can do to stop it happening? I'm so tired

TIA

I have this problem too, not on HRT. I can get to sleep fine, but wake so early. It's got worse during the pandemic. I don't have any advice, though, so watching with interest!

Watching too! This hot weather isn't helping either.

Me too OP, really annoying isn’t it. Got up the other morning to use the loo and thought why is my nightie cold and damp, I had had night sweat I am nearly 50.

I am not on HRT, but have a mirena coil, I also take a disease modifying drugs as I have Multiple Sclerosis. MS has messed with my sleep pattern. I am often in bed by 8:30-9:00pm at night.

I take evening primrose oil to help with breast pain symptoms, have black out curtains, try to avoid caffeine in the afternoons, but last night I fancied a cup of tea and had one, and slept well, so no rhyme or reason.

The menopause is making me so bloody moody, like pmt x10.

I hope you sleep better tonight

This is happening to me too, I'm also on HRT and 50. Watching with interest as it's driving me crazy. I assumed it's just a part of the ageing process, I have never been an early riser or a morning person.

Thanks for all the posts although you've been no help what so ever .

I'm really careful re caffeine, having a good bedtime routine etc as I know sleep doesn't come easy to me but this early waking, this is new.
I'm not hot and I'm not sweating. I'm just awake

Yup me too. I've just started on HRT to see if that helps. I also use Cherry Night powder which helps a bit.

No HRT but dreadful nights. I reckon it's the menopause and wonder whether I will ever sleep well again. Too warm, restless legs, the list goes on. It affects my quality of life.

Same here

No HRT but awake early almost every day

I give in to it and listen to the radio (on my iPad under my pillow so I don't disturb dh) and enjoy the peace and quiet and time to myself

I go to bed early and that definitely helps

Same here! The only thing that works for me is the 4-7-8 breathing technique. I really never believed in anything like that as I'd never struggled to get to sleep, stay asleep or had anxiety - wow, the menopause has certainly showed me. It took a while for me to really get it right, but I can wake up now and tell myself I am going to go back to sleep, do the breathing technique and I nod off in under 5 minutes, it's amazed me.

No answers really, but I often wake very early and sometimes manage to go back to sleep. My natural sleep pattern seems to be (ideally) 10pm- 6am. I'm a lark!

Have you tried re-setting your sleep pattern by either going to bed an hour later, or going to bed earlier to allow for the early waking? Also, what about light coming in the window? I'm afraid that in the summer, I wake really early the minute the sun's up and the birds sing , even with blackout curtains, but cutting out as much light as possible does help me.

Have you tried magnesium spray or Epsom salt baths? Sometimes they help me stay asleep. But mostly I'm awake by 5. I'm 47.

Sometimes waking early but more usually, dreadful sleep patterns. Exhausted by 9. Need to go to bed early for any chance of good sleep but most days I'm exhausted despite that.

New thing since my 40s. Prior to that I was a poor sleeper, found it difficult to go to bed early but this is entirely different & so debilitating.

In discussions with my GP re HRT at the moment.

I’d embrace it. Start going to bed at 9pm, then jump up at 5am to start your day like entrepreneurs do.

I wish I could do that OtherPoster. Even tho I have to go to bed early to survive, and I'm up quite early by necessity, the extra hours only allow me to function rather than be full of energy. I get tearful just thinking about it all - if HRT helps even this it would be amazing.

Slow release melatonin is the answer. You can get it prescribed as Circadan.

However that dose wasn’t enough for me. Pyschiatrist said it’s fine to buy it to add in, I get mine from Biovea. I take 8mg. Slept till 9:45 am this morning😮. Unheard of!!

It takes time to build up though. Doesn’t work straight away.

I recommend an sleep mask (deep / silk) AND blackout blinds. And possibly some ear plugs for the birds

Oh, the joys of getting old..

57 and menopausal. I wake at 4ish to go to wee, then cannot get back to sleep til about 5.30, then up at 7. Getting used to it now. 2 years and counting... who needs drugs when your head is always away with the fairies in the clouds...

Think you need a prescription for melatonin in the UK?

I've had this on and off for several years now (sorry!) it lasts a few weeks then goes away again. I read my
Kindle and if I'm tired I fall asleep again, if I'm not then I try to reassure myself that I don't need any more sleep and will be fine

Definitely get a sleeping mask, and if you want to try listening to relaxation podcasts as well to get back to sleep buy one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/s?ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_12&crid=2KZEOQNQB38DP&sprefix=Bluetooth+ey%2Caps%2C196&k=bluetooth+eye+mask&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I found that a higher dose of progesterone helped me stay asleep.

Same here. I seem to wake up at 4:30 most mornings these days. I'm 49 and only beginning to get a few signs of perimenopause. Stupidly a sleep mask never even occurred to me. Just ordered one!

I've always been a morning person but at this time of year I wake up even earlier - I honestly think it's just what spring and summer do to me and I go with the flow. It's a lovely time of day, and I'm able to go to bed early enough for it not to be a massive problem.

And I'm a similar age to you OP, and on hrt which has been brilliant for my sleep, I was waking every couple of hours and having horrible surges of anxiety when I tried to sleep for a while ages before I started on it.

You could try increasing your progesterone, I've done that when peri symptoms returned and they've gone