Premenstrual insomnia

[SleepyHamster8]

Hi all, I’m new to this forum and wondering if this has happened to anyone else.
When I stopped breastfeeding around a year ago I started feeling anxious. I was already suffering from PND at that point and I’ve always been an anxious person but when I stopped BFing I experienced a couple of nights where I just couldn’t get to sleep. I then started worrying about not sleeping and the situation went downhill from there. I did CBT years before this happened so I did some exercises and tried relaxation techniques to let thoughts go etc. I also started counselling again and things got better from a psychological point of view. However even if I don’t feel anxious I still experience awful insomnia on ovulation day (to a lesser extent) and 9/10 days before my period is due. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I just can’t doze off no matter what. I’ve tried everything under the sun except for sleeping tablets as I’ve been warned about how addictive they are by my GP.
I spoke to two GPs at my local practice, one dismissed my claims as “ok as you only get insomnia once or twice a month” (and this was a female dr!), the other one prescribed some hormonal tests which came back normal (however these were done at a random point during the month, whereas hormones fluctuate I think?).
I have no idea what else to do! As a side note my libido has nearly disappeared (my LO is nearly 2 so not really a normal post partum side effect now!). Any advice please? Many thanks!

So you have 2 predictable nights a month when you get insomnia, only those nights? One is about mid-cycle & the other must be 3-4 days later?

That’s right…ovulation night is a bit hit or miss, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and it takes me a while to go back to sleep, sometimes I don’t sleep at all. 10 days pre cycle is the worst night, I get 0 sleep. I don’t think it’s subconscious, as most times I can’t sleep and then I realise why after checking my period calendar.

I get premenstrual insomnia and am excessively hot, which doesn’t help. I get to sleep ok, but then I’ll wake soon after and can’t sleep for hours, then wake again at 5 something and can’t get back to sleep. I’m 37. It drives me crazy.

I know you can link it to your cycle but I wouldn't call it "premenstrual" unless it was a strong feature of last 3 days before period started.

I wondered if OP could try going on the pill to get a more constant hormone status during her cycle.

@SleepyHamster8 I'm the same! I even went to the doctor's as I was getting rage and emotional 2 weeks before period which is classified as PMT and she offered to give me an anti depressant to stabilise the hormones. I decided against it for now but that's an option. I also couldn't sleep all night literally zero and hot too but that was 2 days before I started. So its different for everyone but it's definitely PMT and I would see the GP! Good luck x

Thanks all for your replies, sorry to hear you’re going through this too.
I did consider going on the pill but have always been afraid of side effects (particularly depressive moods etc) but I’m starting to think maybe it’s time to give it a go… I’m really struggling with this! People may think you can live with it if it only affects you a few days a month but I don’t think I can!

I have been experiencing the exact same since I’ve nearly stopped breast feeding. Zero nights of sleep making me so anxious but no period yet. Know this is an old post but did this improve for you??

I experience a night like this once a month, two or three days before my period. Nothing can make me sleep, I just lay awake. It's happened to me all my life so I'm pretty sure it's normal.

I'm hoping you're still on here. I stumbled across your comment while researching insomnia and other's experiences with it on mumsnet. I've also struggled with it since reducing breastfeeding. Have things improved for you and if so, did this happen naturally or did you take/do something to help?

Hi, this first started when I stopped feeding my baby over night and then again when my periods returned after weaning completely.
I went on the mini pill so I wasn’t anticipating having insomnia around ovulation time. Also went on sertraline as I was so anxious from being awake so much. I also took proper sleeping tablets (Zopiclone) which were impossible to get as doctors are so reluctant to prescribe them but they helped on the nights I was desperate. Things that didn’t help include : melatonin, magnesium supplements, pillow sprays, sleep hygiene etc. I am completely back to normal now and have been since 2-3 months after weaning completely but it was so hard and nobody seemed to have a clue about it.
Are you stopping breast feeding or have you recently dropped a feed? Sorry you’re going through this…I’m due with my second baby soon and curious to know if it will happen again.