Still struggling to get a decent nights sleep, can you share what’s worked for you?

[Strumpetpumpet]

I haven’t slept properly in years, but this week has been horrendous. I don’t usually have a problem getting to sleep, but staying asleep for more than 4-5 hours is almost impossible. This week I’ve been in bed by 10.30 every night and have woken up and been unable to get back to sleep somewhere between 2 and 3 am every night since Sunday. I’m on HRT (gel and utrogestan) and I’ve tried cbt, cbd oil, relaxation apps, magnesium, amitriptyline and nothing has worked. Does anyone have any suggestions please ? Thank you x

@Chesneyhawkes1

Yes I have only ever been given 14 days worth of zopiclone so I try not to use it. Is melatonin any good?

oral HRT - Zumenon, utrogestan, 10mgs of amitriptylene, 20mgs of promethazine. The only combo that allows me to sleep.

I slept so well before menopause and now I need drugs!

Not sure what the official term is but I use 5-4-3-2-1. Concentrate on:

• 5 things you can see (this is problematic in the dark, only so many times you can say ‘lampshade’, ‘outline of curtains’ etc. I visualise 5 things on a theme eg 5 beaches, 5 sets of stairs, 5 lighthouses
• 4 things you can feel (my head on the pillow, my arm against my body, my legs at the foot of the bed etc
• 3 things you can hear (a car going down the street, my breathing …)
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

I’m usually asleep before the last 2.

Caveat: this didn’t work for me when I was in a very stressful job. Then, I didn’t have time for relaxation techniques. I wanted to be relaxed and it wanted it NOW! But in less stressful times I have found this useful in distracting my mind and helping sleep to come.

Worth trying Paul McKenna's tape 'I can help you sleep'. I think you can find it on YouTube or it can be downloaded. It worked for me. Particularly useful for getting back to sleep if I woke in the middle of the night.

@converseandjeans it's ok. Not as good as Zopiclone, but I'm getting much better sleep than I did before I started using it.

Unfortunately due to the nature of my job I'm very limited in what I can take long term. Melatonin is about the best I can use. Even night nurse is a no 🤦‍♀️ the Zopiclone I took when I was off work.

Wow thank you lots of ideas to try there. GP told me I could work my way up ro take up to 5 amitriptyline tabs but they were no help at all. I’ll look into all those suggestions (apart from the sea swimming as I’m in Manchester which is a bit landlocked 😂) DS is away at uni so I have tried sleeping in his room but doesn’t seem to help. I would love to be able to retire so I didn’t have to get up early every morning 😢 maybe I’d find it easier to get back to sleep if I knew I could lie in…
thanks for all your suggestions x

On the sea swimming would a very cold bath do the trick too so you think?

Strumpetpumpet, when you wake up at 2 or 3. What do you do from 2-3am until you get out of bed (and what time is that)?

I always reckoned if I rest my body, that's a good thing. I know that staying quiet, still, in the dark, is my best bet to fall asleep again. However, sometimes the boredom becomes killer so I give up on trying to sleep again.

Or, radical idea here, accept the fact that you only need 4-5 hours sleep a night. I've been doing this for years, I read a lot in bed, or listen to audio books.

You can buy Phenergan (promethizine) over the counter at a pharmacy

Promethazine, you'll need it prescribed

Phenergan/Sominax
They've given me my sleep back.

You can buy it over the counter at a pharmacy. I get mine from Boots. When they sold out of Phernegan, I got Sominax instead. It has the same key ingredient of promethazaine (excuse spelling) Like pp, I've been taking it for a year now.

Zoplicone was great. Prescribed for a fortnight only.
Melatonin did not work for me.

It depends, on a school night I usually just lie there and rest, if it’s a weekend I might get up and have a milky drink and then go back to bed.

I’d love to accept that as true, but as I’m always tired I don’t think it is true for me x

@Strumpetpumpet I genuinely think that often people think they are tired because they think they should have had more sleep. Try resetting your thoughts about this for a while, act as though you have had enough sleep and practice good sleep hygiene. By this I mean going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, no caffeine after 18:00 and plenty of exercise. Also try relaxation techniques. And remember that as we get older we often need less sleep.
This has worked for me, and unless I am ill I only need 4-5 hours of sleep a night.

I'm not on HRT and had sleep issues but no alcohol for the last month is working for me, sleep like a baby so will carry on.

A method I learned about on here: the reverse lie in. I sleep 9 to 5 now, thats 9pm to 5am!

No doubt I sleep better in terms of quality when its cold, and when I've excercised. Getting the anxiety to a manageable level is crucial too.

I believe lemon balm tea is supposed to help.

Just to add check that it does not interact with any medication you are you on.

Exercise. And ditch alcohol and caffeine.

A good nights sleep has been elusive to me for a couple of years too.

I have had a week of in office workshops this week. Leaving the house at 6am and getting back 6pm. I have found being with so many people and also discussing complex technical issues mentally exhausting. But I have slept like a log all week too! Going to bed at 9:30pm and sleeping right through until the alarm wakes me at 5am!

Don't know if it is the change of bedtime/waking earlier or the work, maybe a change might help you to sleep too?

Cut out alcohol
No caffeine after lunchtime
Exercise and 'clean' diet with lots of fresh veg - avoid anything ultra processed
Minimise / eliminate screen use in bed
Do whatever you can to make bedroom feel cosy and haven-like

When you wake up in the night:

Clipper sleepy tea with valerian ( use two or more bags if necessary)
Relaxation and hypnotherapy is a bit woo but does work. Look at the Calm app - lots of soothing sequences and some designed specifically for getting back to sleep

If you get hot flushes

Wool duvet
Nightwear designed to help regulate body temp ( google is your friend here)

If desperate
Night Nurse

All this has helped me through. Meno is no joke. Solidarity with you OP.

Progesterone

Oh yes, and if your routine allows, go with your body clock. I go to bed very early too, like the poster above and get up very early 5 to 530. It really suits me, but might not be for everyone.

Never knew it was called a reverse lie in!