My lack of sleep - anyone else?

[ChillWith]

I'm in my late 40s and am really struggling with sleep these days. If I get four hours a night that would be great but it's fractured. So, I go to bed at 11pm but will be awake by 1.30am, can't sleep, start overthinking, next thing it's 3am and I somehow get back to sleep but wide awake again by 5am. Other nights, I go to bed at midnight and sleep until 4/4.30am. I have an awful lot on my mind just now and am mum to teen (who doesn't give me problems - thank God!). I have thought it could be perimenopause but that seems such a catch all to me and I am still regular like clockwork.
So I guess this ramble is really asking is anyone else suffering in the same way? What have you done that has worked to alleviate it?
Should say, I try to do 10k steps a day, don't drink caffeine after midday and limit myself to one cup of coffee, try to journal when stuff is on my mind. But I often find that my mind is racing when I wake and it's proper doom stuff... Thank you if you have got this far.

It sounds like perimenopause to me. I’m only 44 but I am starting to see symptoms emerge. Including struggling with sleep. I spoke to the GP who essentially said that the effects of perimenopause could fill a book. Periods are often the last thing to go.

You could try supplements like ashwagandha or magnesium as both can help with sleep.

Almost certainly peri-menopause. You could ask to try get, then if you find you can sleep in her, you know the answer. Up to you then if you carry on with it.

@Whatanidiot123 thank you. Yes I saw my GP in Spring with a few additional symptoms (night sweats and anxiety mainly) but as I was still within the 3-month post covid period I was told it could be that and had to wait. She was right as I was ok for quite a while after that. I have had bouts of insomnia since my early twenties but this is really affecting me. I've become snappy, which is unlike me, although it is helping with assertiveness at work. I have been taking magnesium glycinate but it isn't helping. I will try ashwagandha. Thanks!

@Bizarred, thanks. Do you mean HRT? I'm a bit reluctant to use until I really need to ie have other symptoms.

[waves] hello

that's me too

Always a bit hit and miss for sleep. Last night was as you've described. Luckily not at work today.

I am not sleeping well due to a particularly tragic bereavement. I am finding magnesium spray and Bach rescue remedy night gummies help.....I'm sleeping 10 till 5 now ...still waking at 2/3 but going back.
Lack of sleep is awful.

The awful sleep was the most evident part of peri-menopause for me. It seemed to come in cycles - awful sleep for a while, then improved for a bit and then back to being exhausted with crap sleep again. I felt the same as you, didn’t go down HRT route until other symptoms kicked in. Tried lots of natural remedies not sure anything particularly helped me with that. Sending sympathy to you

Another vote for perimenopause. I'm mid 50s and have tried everything to stop the 2am insomnia and 5am wake for the day to no avail. I'm lucky to get 6 hours a night and it's always broken. Been like this since late 40s. It's an absolute fucker.

Trying and get yourself some melatonin and see how that works and also start taking magnesium. They both really help me.

The anxiety and snapping can be a symptom itself not just due to the lack of sleep. I wouldn’t be surprised if the post Covid time period was just a coincidence too - symptoms definitely can come and go in perimenopause- it’s not linear as others have said.

The brain fog is the most debilitating thing I’m going through right now. Plus struggling with weight that won’t shift.

I should preface this by saying I'm not in the UK. I am 49, still quite regular, and apart from the awful sleep have few symptoms. I had some hot flashes and headaches, but they come in bouts, not regularly, and were not bothersome (ibuprofen worked for the headaches).

My awful sleep is sometimes unpredictable, except for about 10 days before my period starts when it was reliably terrible. My cycles had been about 22/23 days and, when I knew I wouldn't be sleeping well for at least 10 of those, it was really dispiriting. It was making me anxious and depressed during the day, losing patience with my DH and teen. The fractured sleep pattern is very similar to yours.

I am now on utrogestan (progesterone) for 14 days in the latter part of my cycle to extend it to 28 days, which mostly works, and it does help with sleep. I still take a sleeping pill for the four days on days 25-28. It's not perfect, but it is much better than it used to be. My gynecologist has not prescribed estrogen.

To answer your question: I am definitely in perimenopause, but whether it is the only factor causing my sleep problems, I have no idea; my ferritin was also very low, and it could affect the sleep. I've had a bereavement in the meantime, which would not have helped; however, my sleep problems precede it. Spacing out the periods seems to help, and progesterone makes me sleepier. I've also been supplementing iron because of the ferritin/iron reserves situation.

Yes, sorry - hrt - typing without my glasses on!

I had made peace with the ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead vibe’ but it’s Halloween so am thinking I’ll keep the same schedule and terrorise the fuck out of those left behind

👻

(I advise getting a soh about insomnia - you hope it’s an anomaly that can be fixed but best to be prepared to sleep with one eye open for the foreseeable like all the ppl who fucked me off)

some light music might help?

m.youtube.com/watch?v=9GTTwVSr2sM

Ladies, honestly, I'm blown away by these responses and am 'glad' not to be alone. It's so fricking hard, right? How the hell are we functioning?! I am so sorry for those of us suffering bereavements too.

I was so emotional today, v unlike me, and close to tears (all while running a big function!). I used to be able to switch on the confidence and cansome days, but today I just thought why should I. So not like me.
Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm going to try a few but will also make an appt with my GP.
@Slavica our symptoms are almost identical 😥
I'm thinking I might get a private blood test done to see what I'm really deficient in and build that up to see what impact it has.
@WellOwlBeDamned I'll be listening to that at 1am and 3am tonight 🙃

erm, careful with the volume 😂

I also have wake/funeral in next couple of days so thoughts with all 🕯️

my person was feisty til the get go and have no doubt is bending the ear of the Reaper giving out about the bloody wait thanks to Halloween and the weekend

good luck to medical stuff folks, bereaved remember the passed might be going where they deserve, and to all who get sleep tonight:

may your dreams at this raising of the veil contain a revelation to help guide you toward the light 🌕