Tips for shaking off the ‘chased by a tiger’ feeling at 3am

[WhatNextImScared]

I’m 44 in a couple of weeks and definitely in peri but symptoms still wax and wane. My luteal phase seems to be worst.

I am just getting over a migraine and a uti so feeling awful generally but once again awake at 3am feeling shaky and anxious as if something scary has happened. Sometimes I will have intense dreams but this feeling happens even if there’s no dream, or a good dream. It feels very hormonal. Reminds ne of when I took a pill that didn’t suit me once.

I get this regularly now. Once I’m awake at 3am I can struggle to get back to sleep (and end up on here - not good due to sleep hygiene!)

Does anyone further down this journey have tips about how to shake off that feeling that you’ve just been chased down a hill by a sabre toothed tiger and calming your whole system down at 3am? I tend to just get up, go to the loo and make a herbal tea and drink water, then try to resettle but sometimes it takes hours.

Magnesium Biglycinate, Ashwaganda and LTheanine. First two seem to help me get to sleep better and the LTheonine definitely reduces the 3am cortisol. I still wake sometimes but mostly am still relaxed and can go back to sleep quickly

Breathing is incredibly powerful. I experience the same issue, and if I breathe in for 4 and out for 6, repeatedly it gets me back off. I also listen to podcasts on my phone if my mind is racing - something interesting enough to divert from worries but not gripping to keep me awake.
The breath work is life changing - I have a health condition affecting my nervous system, and this is a proven method of shifting from “fight or flight” sympathetic stress response to “rest and digest” the parasympathetic side.
key is to exhale longer than inhale

Bedtime yoga
breathing exercises
Vagus nerve exercises

everyday. Even after feeling better, or it comes back.

The guidelines are that if menopause is started before 45, you should be on HRT until at least 51? You definitely should be on HRT, if you have symptoms, your bone and heart health will be suffering.

I'm 47 and have dealt with the night waking and anxiety since turning 40. (Better since starting HRT, reducing alcohol, and taking magnesium.)

What has really worked for me is imagining a safe, beautiful little cabin. I know its layout in detail, and it is a perfectly safe place in a beautiful setting. To go to sleep, I imagine arriving at the cabin, and I think slowly through the details of opening the door, putting down my things, filling the bathtub, setting out a robe, taking a bath. Maybe even boring details like putting in some laundry or putting some nice food away in the refrigerator. I imagine that it's softly raining and sometimes put on a rain sounds app so it's really convincing. I imagine myself alone there, but I know people in the cabins nearby, and I have pet dogs with me, so I'm not lonely.

So when I wake with anxiety, I tell myself that these are just passing thoughts, and anyway nothing can be solved in the middle of the night, so I can put that aside for now. Then I simply put on my rain sounds app, return to the cabin in my mind and go through little peaceful tasks until I fall asleep. Sounds a bit mad to write this out, but sharing because it is really soothing and effective for me. I think over time you build the association with the rain sound and the cabin (or whatever your imaginary happy place may be) and your body just relaxes.

My GP said she would only prescribe testosterone if you have a low libido.

I started with this around this time last year and my waking gradually got earlier and earlier until I was down to 2 hours sleep a night. I tried all the tips and supplements and was prescribed drowsy antihistamines and antidepressants by a GP. The drowsy antihistamines were the worst thing ever- laid in bed super tired and supremely anxious. I was broken by the time I finally saw the menopause practitioner at our practice. HRT is the only thing that has properly sorted it. I do still use some of the techniques I picked up if I wake up, but they actually help now as I don’t have so far to ‘come down’. Imagining yourself comforting you- maybe like a parent would have done when you were younger, stroking your hair maybe. Emotional freedom technique teaches you to acknowledge the physical feelings and can help calm you. Lavender oil helps me take some deep breaths. White noise helped block out all those little noises that can help keep you awake. Magnesium at night just made me need the loo in the night!
definitely worth asking if there is a menopause specialist at your GP and having a chat. Good luck, it’s absolute hell not sleeping x

Id ask for estrogen patches while you have mirena in and see if that makes a difference

I’m progesterone intolerant too. When I was on HRT and taking the progesterone orally at night I would wake up during the night having massive panic attacks. It’s hard to know if yours is a side effect from the Mirena or if it’s a peri symptom in itself.

Yes, this seems like a logical first step. Add the estrogen so you’re on an HRT regimen and see if that calms the anxiety.

Cold room

Breathing
yoga nidra (insight app works here)
podcasts
for me anything by Stephen fry on audible!

So sorry, see my thread

Can you give the details of the L theanine you take please? Do you take it with the magnesium or instead?

Agree with all the people suggesting breathing.
Look at meditation, both before you go to sleep at bedtime and options for the middle of the night.

It can't hurt and improves all stress/anxiety in general.

@Clara27 i take this L Theanine Enriched with Vitamin... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CXF33DB8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share and magnesium glycenate about an hour before bed. After 4 days I was sleeping through apart from
an overnight wee.
My friend was looking at things to help him sleep having recently got an ADHD diagnosis and he came across studies about magnesium, l-theanine and one other vitamin. The article was around ADHD but also recommended the combo for peri / menopausal women. I was dubious but it’s worked for me. I haven’t explored the third element as I don’t feel the need to.
Other ‘peri’ symptoms have lessons slightly as I am more rested. Still experiencing them though just not as bad.
I tried magnesium from H&B but it was expensive and did nothing. Nutrition geeks seems good though

Taking a regular antihistamine before bed helps me along with HRT and when it’s really bad yoga calm breathing hand on belly and one on heart counting back from 10. If all else fails I often fall asleep again at 5am but get up at 7am to walk dog and fresh air exercise really helps reset my head. It’s not easy though and sadly it’s been like this for 10years as I started HRT at 43 I also had my children later so living through it still with teenagers.

You’ve reminded me that the XX brain book covers yoga nidra as being evidenced for helping menopause issues; specifically sleep. What helps sleep helps the other symptoms in my experience.

I did take l theanine yesterday and some magnesium l threonate as instructed and did sleep really well. Much better than for a whole.

But in all honesty it’s much more likely that it was the resistance training I did yesterday morning, eating a ton either side of it and then walking 18000 steps on a very sunny day. Im very hypermobile and menopause has really made that quite hard. I can get very strange sensory sensations which can move to horrific whole body pain at worst. I’ve noticed that regular resistance training really helps all round and when I’m on top of it I sleep so much better.

HRT and.mirena
Im 45 had exactly the same plus life debilitating anxiety , tried absolutley everythinh
Ostregeonngel worked within a week ! Was actually a miracle

There is a lot of good advice here but additionally, as you say:

" I’m on the Mirena but it isn’t working for me (had it over 18 month and still bleeding for over half the month every month, albeit lightly now)"

Could you also be anaemic? I have always had increased anxiety when I am low on iron.

@WhatNextImScared You should not have to 'fight' for HRT.

If you have symptoms at 44 that is no reason to wait to the 'magic 45'. There is no lower age for HRT. All NICE does is suggest blood tests pre-45 to rule out other diseases that may give similar symptoms. There is no 'rule' about not using HRT before 45.

It shocks me that so many women experience this. GPs appear to act as the gatekeeper. This is in contrast to experienced consultants who know more and are far more willing to treat women as individuals.

My advice is you go to your GP, list your symptoms and say you want to try HRT.

@Ponoka7 The guidance is menopause before 45, not peri before 45.

Menopausal means the last period ever, and in the UK the average age is 51.

OP isn't there yet but yes, she has symptoms that may be helped with HRT.

I get this, it goes away when I’m on the progesterone part of the month (I’m on oestrogen patch and cyclical progesterone).

I love this, this is definitely a technique that works, some call it making friends with fear. Sort of like ‘ah yes, thank you brain for the alarm call. This is just a drill’ 🤭 I’ve dealt with panic attacks on and off my whole life and this is one of the techniques that helped most. Almost like it defangs the response.

@Idontgiveagriffindamn thanks for the links. Looks like that one is out of stock 🙁. I had a quick look there and other brands are a lot more expensive and some are much higher doses. I’ll have to do some research!