Insomnia during perimenopause

[TellySavalashairbrush]

I am desperate for a solution to my insomnia which has been an ongoing issue for the last 2 years. I am 48 and definitely perimenopausal. I was taking Femoston 10mg, but suffered with such bad breast pain that I had to stop.
I am lucky if I get 4 hours per night, which is just not enough sleep for me. I have taken over the counter tablets (phernagan, sleepeaze) and while they do help a bit, they are not really that effective.
Has anyone else found a solution for their insomnia? I have tried ALL the sleep hygiene tips, but to no avail.

Following with interest. I tend to go to sleep at 1am as then I'll sleep through. If I go to sleep much earlier I'll wake at 3am and then be awake for hours.

It's definitely a peri thing.

Is there anything especially keeping you awake? For me it was leg pains. A lot of people swear by magnesium for sleep issues - either in the bath as epsom salts or via a magnesium spray.

I found light bedding in natural fibres, a well-ventilated room and nothing caffeinated after 6pm was of some help.

HRT - I am on gel and patches - was the only thing which stopped my insomnia.

I used to wake at 3am with a thumping heart and couldn't get back to sleep after that. I could not function like that at all.

Sad to report that cutting chocolate/cake / biscuits had correlated with better sleep

I'm on HRT but still had bad insomnia for about a year, as I had zero resilience to any kind of stress so would get the 3am panic surges.

For me the routine that worked was - no caffeine after 11am, no screens after 9pm, a hot bath before bed, keeping a window open, 2 light 2 tog duvets so I could add and subtract as needed, 2 'chillows' - not for my pillow, I lie my back/stomach on them (and have 2 so i have one that is cooler when needed), lavender pillow spray, Nytol when desperate (over the counter rather than the herbal one on the normal shelves), a meditation app - not to actually meditate during day but for when I wanted to get back to sleep when had the 3am awakenings. Low carb also helps, and no alcohol.

There is a way through so take heart - I sleep fine 90% of the time now with the odd 9 hour stretch on occasion!

Oh and magnesium citrate, forgot that one.

I had exact same issue as you. Felt I was losing my mind. I started on Oestrogel and Utrogestan (taken at bed time specifically) and my sleep is now back to normal. And I feel much less anxious. Hope you can find what works for you. Hormonal imbalance is no joke.

I've been the same for the last 2/3 years. I think I get by on 4 hours a night. 5 hours is classed as a great nights sleep!! I waken and worry about everything which means I rarely get back to sleep. Weirdly I don't feel I suffer from it in that I'm not exhausted or struggling to keep my eyes open. It's like that's the sleep I need. There are things I know I could do to make it better like no screens after 9, no caffeine etc but I definitely think I'm perimenopausal. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks with doc to discuss.

I take Euphatose which helps. I still wake in the night but I take another one and normally get back to sleep.

I had this problem, eventually a Dr prescribed me amitryptaline... Its a fucking miracle. Its saved my life. I'm sleeping well, every night, for the first time since this peri nightmare began. Go and request it, insist on it, beg for it, anything, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Tbh I was on the brink of emotional collapse from my insomnia until I got this and its really sorted me out.

Just to add I'm also on hrt but was on for months without it helping my insomnia, the effect from amitryptaline was immediate and amazing. Hrt helped me with many other symptoms though. So basically I need both!

Sleepeeze worked like a dream for me. I didn’t use it too often as it won’t work if you do. I was ok having a few sleepless nights if I could have a good nights sleep a couple of times a week. I didn’t even have to take a whole pill.
When you used sleepease how often did you use it.
I could literally go the whole night without sleeping at all. I felt awful.
I’m still perimenapausal but the insomnia has gone. I’ve no idea why.

Thank you all so much for these suggestions. Some great ideas for me to consider. My anxiety has gone through the roof during peri, so like many of you I wake at 3am and sit worrying over everything. Going to try all these if I can.

Op amitryptaline lessens anxiety too, I highly recommend you request some from your gp. Good luck.

Someone recommended the Nothing Much Happens podcast to help you get off to sleep on another thread. I’m finding it helpful but also need to speak to my GP.

Joining this thread following advice from another.

Sudden horrendous insomnia for last 3 nights, difficulty falling asleep, then waking 4/5 am and that's it. Feel dreadful. Also worried as i need about 9 hrs a night to stay mentally well (ptsd, depression). Never had trouble sleeping esp with the 50mg Trazodone I take at night, until this week. Am in second half of cycle, but period not due for 10 ish days, can't stay like this that long.

GP overwhelmed as massively short staffed so while I can ring for a phone appt it won't be for weeks.

Might have to go drastic and cut alcohol and sugar.

Any other suggestions v welcome. My sleep hygiene is already pretty good (no caffeine after midday. Cool dark room, light wool duvet, read and/or calm app in bed...

Oestrogel and progesterone (Utrogestan and then a Mirena) HRT really helped with my insomnia and anxiety. It was the only thing that did. I'd tried magnesium, wool duvet, very, very cold room, etc.

I sleep well now. And my anxiety seems better.

Another struggling here. My heat intolerance is increasing which is partially medication related too but of late it means on above 13 or 14 and if there's no breeze I don't get to sleep until around 4am because its just not cool enough. Using fans, ice packs etc makes little difference. An airy weighted blanket does help when dh is away but the blanket isn't practical if we are in the same bed.

I take Utrogestan and Oestrogel and upping the latter hasn't helped. I sleep better on calendar days 1-12 when I also take Utrogestan but its not a permanent solution.

I'm so tired of being tired.

Exercise, both cardio and weights also helps as I have a better chance of sleeping when I'm physically tired. Being home much more because of lockdown has meant if I use less energy sleep will be worse.

@Sleepy247

Another struggling here. My heat intolerance is increasing which is partially medication related too but of late it means on above 13 or 14 and if there's no breeze I don't get to sleep until around 4am because its just not cool enough. Using fans, ice packs etc makes little difference. An airy weighted blanket does help when dh is away but the blanket isn't practical if we are in the same bed.

I take Utrogestan and Oestrogel and upping the latter hasn't helped. I sleep better on calendar days 1-12 when I also take Utrogestan but its not a permanent solution.

I'm so tired of being tired.

At some point you'll be able to go onto continuous HRT, won't you? And take Utrogestan every day?

@oneglassandpuzzled yes but then the dose is lower so it may not be enough

OP try this meditation too

I recommend the Calm app for help falling asleep. It has loads of sleep stories about 30 mins long. A bit interesting but not exciting. Read in slow, gentle voices. I very rarely make it to the end of one. It's about £25pa but has been worth every penny.

Vagifem - stopped my peri insomnia overnight

ADs sorted my anxiety, HRT sorted my insomnia.
Giving up caffeine or drastically reducing it helps a lot, too.
Melatonin can help with sleep.