Sleep issues

[Dreamerinme]

I’m 51 and in perimenopause and one of the main issues is intermittent sleep issues - I always fall asleep fine, but I seem to go through patterns of having several nights to maybe a week of waking at around 2am and not able to sleep again until 4-5am. Then my alarm for work goes off at 6.30am.

I usually go to bed around 10.30pm but even if I go at 9pm I’ll still wake at around 2am. Going to bed at 9pm regularly is not feasible and just far too early for me.

When I’m awake I usually just lie there and try to sleep, or sometimes get up and sit on the sofa in the dark with the cat. Sometimes make a cup of tea and read the news, although I’m aware this isn’t ideal because it might make you feel too alert but I don’t feel it does. Plus am I supposed to sit and stare into space for 2-3 hours very night?!

In winter I often have a bath before bed but in summer this is an absolute no. Lavender pillow spray does nothing. Bedroom is cool, not too warm.

Does anyone have any non-drug tips please?

Magnesium supplements might help. I've had insomnia my whole life but, in the past year like you, I can't go to bed and stay asleep past 2 or 3 in the morning. Unlike you, though, I can't fall asleep again at all. It's a real struggle but I have a lot of other things going on so not sure if mine is hormonal related or not.

I know you asked for drug-free but what about HRT? Would you think about it?

It was one of two main reasons I went onto HRT over 15years ago (I've had a couple of trials stopping or reducing the dose for a few weeks and my sleep goes to pot.)

My consultant is adamant that HRT for sleep is right because lack of sleep long term is a high risk for all kinds of things such as heart disease, weight gain, etc etc.

Have you any other peri symptoms?

HRT was the only thing that helped. I tried loads of other supplements.

If you do go down the hrt route, go transdermal there are less risks. And if you go with patches, you can cut them up so you'll have an even smaller dose.

It is a drug but an antihistamine taken in the afternoon makes me sleep through. When I don’t take one I sleep much lighter and every noise after about midnight seems to wake me up, or I’ll wake for no reason and be awake for hours from about 2 -4 am onwards. It’s been brilliant. Have just started HRT and it’s not working as well when I’ve tried not taking one- yet- will keep trying.

I struggled with this for about 8 years! The minute I went on HRT it was solved and I sleep so much better. If it’s hormonal then you can take all the magnesium in the world and practice good sleep hygiene but you will still wake up in the middle of the night for hours.

I have this and HRT hasn't helped. Will usually fall aslpee really easily, then wake up in a panic either half an hour later or around 2/3 am. I've mostly just accepted it now, though it's so frustrating. I make sure I have very little to drink after about 7pm, to try to avoid a full bladder waking me up. I used to scroll on my phone in the early hours, but now I take earphones to bed and put on something like radio 4 and usually drift off again. I can't wait to retire so at least I can sleep in after a bad night!

Sometimes the HRT needs tweaking. Also Ustrogestan in a pill form is what helps me sleep (and I take it every night). The progesterone in the Mirena coil for example wouldn’t necessarily help with sleep but would protect the womb. Sometimes oestrogen needs to be a higher dose to help sleep. My friend only finally slept once she went up to a 75 patch.

Waking in a panic is what I remember very well! I find the right dose of progesterone is calming.

I was waking at night either because of hot flashes/too hot or being woken needing to pee.

Since starting HRT, including vaginal estrogen, I no longer get hot flashes and the need to pee has gone too.

I do find it difficult to get off to sleep as mind can overthink things, for that I take magnesium and also listen to sleep music to help me drift off.

Also dh and I sleep in separate rooms now as I am so easily disturbed and cannot get to sleep with him breathing, snoring, moving or just existing next to me. Bliss.

For me at the moment no matter what I do, I nod off quite easily and then wake up with restless legs after an hour. I'm then up for a bit listening to podcasts, or in and out of sleep, till gone 4am, then the comforting sounds of the world waking up let me drift off again (live on a main road). DH is also a factor (all of the above usual reasons) but a) we don't have a spare room, b) he has sleep apnoea and a tendency to fall out of bed so needs keeping an eye on, and c) he's a romantic and finds it dreadfully upsetting if we have to sleep apart for any reason.
Haven't tried anything yet, it's quite new, and am waiting for medical advice (appointment a month away...)

Melatonin is the only thing that's worked for me. I buy it online from Piping Rock. If I run out or miss a few days I soon see the difference.

I personally wouldn't go on HRT just for sleep issues. If you're having more symptoms then yes. I took it for about 3 months hoping it would help with brain fog but it didn't.

A different idea helped me. I asked chat gpt why I kept waking up at 2am. It said that maybe my levels dipped at that time. So have something to eat about half an hour before bed. Like crisp breads or a banana. Actually solved the issue for me.

I do exactly the same apart from the going back to sleep.
I take magnesium and melatonin which has helped a little (it’s 4am rather than 2 now).

Posters above have mentioned magnesium and melatonin, but also consider increasing your protein intake from fatty meat and fatty fish. Hear me out. Melatonin is made in the body from an amino acid found in protein found in meat, eating more meat will mean more of the amino acid is available for conversion to melatonin. Fatty meat also has fat in it, and many female hormones are made in the body from dietary fat. A low fat diet is not good for women.

Best wishes.

I go through the same. The only thing that seems to help is the slow release melatonin. Otherwise it's just luck what kind of night I have.