Sleep problems are peri?

[CyberPixie]

So for several months now I'll go to sleep around 11.30pm but always wake again at 12.20-12.30am every night for no obvious reason.

Some nights I then start waking every 30 or 60 mins until about 2.30am and I'll mostly sleep through the rest of the night.

Then there's nights of waking every 1 1/2 - 2hrs all night, again no obvious reason.

I'm exhausted. I follow all the sleep hygiene tips already.

I'm 44, periods started changing 2-3yrs ago so was wondering if this type of sleep pattern may be peri as well?

Me too. Except I go to sleep earlier and usually sleep until 2 or 3 and then wake up every hour or just stay awake until the alarm goes off. I'm broken. I have no energy at all.

I was hoping it wasn't peri and something else as I don't think I'm a candidate for HRT. I have POTS with unstable blood pressure, swinging between high and low.
Good sleep is what helps keeps my POTS stable.

I feel like I'm going mad with the lack of sleep and then I'm irritable. I don't even like myself when I don't sleep!

I hadn't heard of POTS until you mentioned it @Cyberpixie and now I'm worried I've got it too (peri related anxiety may be turning me into a hypochondriac!). I get very dizzy when I get up from lying down and I fainted last week. My blood pressure is generally quite low but has been veering up and down recently. Does that sound like POTS?

@wherearewenow

POTS is defined by a raise in pulse by at least 30bpm and/or over 120bpm on standing within 10mins for at least 30 seconds.

You can check yourself by laying down for 10 mins, check your pulse. Stand up and check straight away, at 2mins,5 mins then 10mins. Does it go up at least 30bpm from laying to standing and does it do it consistently?

Otherwise there is something else called orthostatic hypotension meaning your BP falls on standing which can make you pass out. POTS can affect your BP too but isn't part of the diagnosis.

It's hard to tell but if you have other symptoms it might be worth trying HRT and seeing if it makes a difference. I've not long started HRT and my sleep does seem to be improving - I've several times slept through until 6.30 which I don't think I'd done in months prior to starting. I was waking up too hot which I suspect was definitely hormonal. Another clue for me was tracking symptoms across the month - I was definitely worse in the days before and just after my period started which is when hormones are naturally lowest.