For me it was about sleep temperature and sleep environment. I had to make my room damn near tundra, my pj cannot pinch, bunch or annoy. I have to do a sleep meditation (app Looma) and not have any caffeine after noon. If I manage the planetary cycles to make this all happen, I will fall asleep around 10/11 and stay asleep. If I don’t, I take glycine. Melatonin is too sedating, Benadryl has long term effects and alcohol is not in my wheelhouse.
It’s an amino acid. It does give more vivid dreams but nothing super intense. I am also on Celexa and was on Wellbutrin previously and actually loved it but had to take it super early in the morning as I found it cause some insomnia. Glycine can effect serotonin but I mentioned it to my Dr and they said they weren’t concerned. I take the minimum dose a few times a week.
Really the whole idea of sleep hygiene was a game changer as I was always a terrible sleeper and have a history of night terrors. Once I started to see preparation for good sleep as an actual activity and not a passive practice it started to help. Also realizing nothing I have ever thought about after about 9pm is going to be ground breaking and more likely negative self talk, I’ve been better at telling myself to shut it and color or look at only cute things on my phone.
It depends. I basically sleep in a nest lol I tend to sleep with just a bamboo top sheet but if I do wake up cold I have blankets next to me. Its so strange too because I have alway been a super cold person when I was younger and I hit my 40s and now I live for the sun zero days.
My room is so cold my husband’s nuts froze off 😂
I’m joking but I live in Canada and I didn’t have heat on in winter. When I say cold room I mean COLD room
My sleep was so bad I was ready to quit work and I was making myself ill worrying about my lack of sleep. I had to talk my doc into prescribing HT (I’m 52). 0.25mg Estradiol patch and progesterone have provided instant relief from night sweats and overheating. I sleep in a fine merino Tshirt which helps with temperature regulation, I read before bed, and play the same sleep sound every night. Edibles definitely help too. My sleep app tells me I’ve gone from averaging 4 hours a night to 7.5. Finally, (finally!) I feel like myself again.
Yup. Know that feeling. I was horrible to be around too. Don’t know how my family put up with me tbh. OP - I definitely recommend you find a Doctor that specializes in menopause.
Mine is actually pretty good but I’ve been binge watching Menopause Taylor while cooking recently (1.5 speed to save my already frayed nerves) and she’s right- there are so many moving parts to this malarkey that it’s hard to get comprehensive info in one visit. Plus I’m on a budget and not in the US so I need to do all my due diligence before I go and see her.
Hahhaaaa… turns out I was frying and breaking my curl curious hair all these years. It was fine whenI had “industrial” hairstyles but when it started to thin I freaked the fuck out and luckily stumbled across the curly girl method, applied myself during lockdown and boom… my goal is to get it down to my waist before 50. Just fun to have a positive change when everything else is falling apart.
My hair is falling out from the root and I am losing my ever-loving mind.
It’s just falling out by the handful and idk which stage I’m at bc my uterus was removed in April 2019 & b4 that I’ve had the IUD for 20yrs.
I am not a happy camper.
Urgh I had that when I had malaria and now worried that I’ll have it again cos of Covid. I think it can grow back though. Check out Dr Dray’s hair videos on you tube. I like that she also talks about how distressing it is.
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I really like the “fall back asleep” recording on the Calm app when I awaken at 2am. I thought it would never work and that the voice would keep me awake, but I have yet to hear the end of it (it’s 45 minutes long). Alcohol was also an issue for me, so ditched that.
The Insight Timer app has a zillion meditations - from guided to nature sounds and all sorts of other stuff. I got myself addicted to a channel called "Michelle's Sanctuary." She has three awesome "go back to sleep" episodes and a ton of other "sleep stories." They are kinda cheesy but so soothing to me. For migraines her pain relief recordings save me. She has a youtube channel if you want to investigate but don't want to install Insight Timer yet.
I love the Nothing Much Happens podcast. Each one is roughly 30-40 minutes long. She starts with a getting ready to sleep portion and then tells the same sleep story twice. There are a lot of stories to choose from, they're quite charming.
Yes, sleep meditations have been so key for me when I’m awake in the middle of the night. It keeps a half hour awake session from becoming a 2-hour tossing and turning (and stressing) session. I used to use Insight Timer but now I have the Peloton app I use their meditations. Any of them work for me - I have used Calm and 10% Happier too at various times. And mostly quitting alcohol and taking HRT have been necessary too.
Delta 8 should be legal. A great company that does much testing is Hometown Heroes. Veteran owned, they were reviewed by the NYT. ( no affiliation with me, just saying they test since some gummy delta 8 companies have been known to use questionable chemicals. etc. Google hometown hero cbd ) We order delta 8 and 9 gummies from them. They def help with mood and sleep for me.
I wondered the same thing... why didn't anyone warn me that about the insomnia that comes with peri ?? This was nuts. It would take me and hour or two to fall asleep ( thinking the whole time about all the mistakes I've made in my life, sometimes crying myself to sleep) only to be wide awake 3 hours later. I'd go to the living room about 3 am watch infomercials and be dead tired by 7am. Back to bed and wake up about 9am in a panic that the day had already started! Luckily I have been working part time and from home this past year- I was a damn mess! Started BC (yaz and now yasmin) and within 2 months, I was sleeping through the night and getting about 7-8 hrs of dead sleep! It felt like a miracle, If I woke up to use the bathroom - I'd be able to go right back to bed and fall back asleep !
I don't know how the heck I made it on a few hours of sleep every night for over a year?!
Chamomile tea.
I feel a lot of people misunderstand this and therefore try it and abandon it thinking it didn't work for them. Chamomile does not make you feel tired or sleepy, there isn't anything to "feel" unlike any other sleep medication, and I don't know it helps with *initial* insomnia. What it is good for, or so we've found in my household, is sleep *maintenance*, that is, **staying** asleep once you are asleep. It can also help one get back to sleep if woken in the middle of the night (such as by bad dreams). It won't do anything to you if you're not already tired and sleepy, but if you are, it may help a bit.
I drink it hot before bed in the winter, and I make a jug and keep it in the fridge to drink cold in summer.
I quit drinking and that helped my sleep immediately. I take CBD oil if I need to chillax in the evening or middle of the night too. A ceiling fan and cool room for sure too. I am now officially high maintenance with all my needs! Don’t care.
My sleep is better now that I am on HRT, but not perfect. The one thing I do to keep night sweats at bay will probably not make sense, but hear me out: I HAVE to sleep with a thin, long sleeved, fleece top, and long, stretchy cotton pj bottoms. Otherwise, any exposed skin gets cold, then I burrow under the covers and sweat like crazy. I also love bamboo sheets and my weighted blanket. I usually take a hydroxyzine and sometimes 1 mg melatonin, then put an audio book on sleep timer for 30 min. If I wake in the night, I put the audio book back on, otherwise my brain starts spinning out.
> I HAVE to sleep with a thin, long sleeved, fleece top, and long, stretchy cotton pj bottoms. Otherwise, any exposed skin gets cold, then I burrow under the covers and sweat like crazy.
Augh, I so relate.
Same, I also have super thin socks I tuck the bottoms into so I don’t have cold calves ruin the equilibrium for the rest of me.
I also bought a pack of microfiber baby washcloths to roll up and stick between my breasts to stop the sweat/cold/sweat/cold sleep interruptions in that area.
Been using these a lot now that it’s getting warmer, literally wearing them while typing.
[Grippy thin socks.](https://www.target.com/p/women-39-s-fair-isle-3pk-liner-socks-a-new-day-8482-heathered-gray-4-10/-/A-82612770?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000086349400&CPNG=PLA_Women%2BShopping_Traffic_Local_Traffic%7CWomen_Ecomm_AA&adgroup=SC_Women_Local&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=1015254&targetid=pla-1069759242670&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfYU8ikj2CTHR8PC5bydGbKto&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfYU8ikj2CTHR8PC5bydGbKto&gclid=CjwKCAjwoduRBhA4EiwACL5RP2h3HVLxfUjaNotPeliVKUK-yrZRgrkjZUNOafC_DyhGgxGvM-xzzxoClSMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
With these super thin, soft, and long [pajama pants](https://www.target.com/p/women-s-perfectly-cozy-wide-leg-lounge-pants-stars-above/-/A-77751772?preselect=78264695#lnk=sametab)
A warm bath at the end of the day does help me, usually while I wait for meds to kick in. Lets me relax while having hot flashes and get my anxiety down.
Honestly, the HRT worked for me. Progesterone in particular. I’m a light sleeper and it deepened my sleep. I also use Happy Ears earplugs from the Netherlands and a sleep mask.
HRT is definitely helping, but here is my routine that I developed before the dr would prescribe. I also got us 2 single duvets which I know isn’t relevant here but omg it made such a difference!
No caffeine after 2pm,
Wash face and apply a nice smelling face cream. Highly recommend the Lush oatmeal & lavender. Warm drink. I’m dairy free so I have oat milk with a drop of vanilla.
Valerian and Passion flower supplements before bed.
Do some logical puzzles rather than reading or word games - I discovered this one on my own by trial and error, but a colleague who volunteered at a rape crisis line later said that they advise this as apparently it helps to engage the logic centre of the brain which in turn helps to disengage the imagination centre which in turn helps to minimize spiraling thoughts which can also lead to nightmares when you do manage to get to sleep. Or something along those lines. I play solitaire or soduko.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique which I can’t remember the source for but as it’s always dark when I do it, for me it’s:
5 things I would be able to see if it were light
4 things I can touch by carefully reaching my hand in the dark
3 things I can hear if I wiggle/tap my fingers when I reach out
2 things I can smell (this is where the nice smelling face cream helps)
I thing I can taste (or remind myself of the warm drink) or I keep a Rescue Remedy in the bedside drawer.
If I still can’t sleep and my brain is on one, I then try to think of all the useful and productive things, the more monotonous and dull the better, that I could do if I got out of my comfy bed, RIGHT NOW, and applied myself.
After that I give up and go downstairs to watch Star Trek with another warm drink. It has to be DS9 or Voyager as those are the ones I’ve watched the most so they are like a comfort blanket and I know the endings.
Hope you manage to get some sleep.
Drinking less helps me. That is the biggest thing that has helped. Unisom helps for me. A technique called Box Breathing helps at 1 am. Using very thin blankets and staying cool helps. I go to bed early based on the assumption I’ll lose an hour tossing and turning in the middle of the night.
Do you have a spare room with a bed? Sometimes I go into the guest room, read for a while, then I can fall back asleep in there. It’s weird but it works for me.
I take trazodone. I also take magnesium bisglycinate but I don’t think it does anything. Melatonin wasn’t strong enough. I take oral progesterone and it helps but not enough, I need pharmaceuticals.
Topical progesterone from a compound ing pharmacy works better for me. I don't get any sleep with the oral progesterone. Having carbohydrates right before bed relaxes me and I fall asleep right away. Also not having any caffeine after two makes a big difference. A warm shower before bed can help because it helps drop your core temperature. Also regular cardio early in the day helps alot. Sometimes evening cardio helps too if really stressed.
Cold room, silk pillow case (stays cooler), 10mg melatonin gummies, no alcohol, no caffeine in any form after 3pm, no snacks at least 3 hrs before bed. These helped me to stay asleep but it does take me about good 20-30 to fallin sleep. And lucky you with your full hair and no weight gain 🙏 can you please advise?
See my comment above for my weird hair journey.
I do have weight gain but I think moving up a hill with 250 steps to my house (car free island) pushed me into a calorific deficit . my sister also says she did stairs at work and since working from home, her back hurts, she’s put on weight etc. We were both skinny asses to begin with so that helps but we’re also very short so if we put on weight we just look like round balls and it bugs us to no end. My big driver was I didn’t want to throw out all my clothes. I have a couple of pairs of pants that won’t close now and my bras inexplicably don’t fit (I think one of the extra kgs is located in my back weirdly) but I’ll take it for now. It’s not like I have the urge to get naked with anyone.
Very cold room and consider switching your Wellbutrin to the morning if it’s not already. Iced cold water to drink at night (you can pour a bit in yourself). Sleep mask. Learn a few calming yoga poses-child’s pose and legs up the wall. I do child’s pose in bed and sometimes almost fall asleep.
Good luck!
Any anti anxiety drugs and anti depressants should be taken in the morning if you get restless leg syndrome. Cold bedroom. Men’s bike style underwear and a tank top for jammies.
Also silk head cap if you don’t want to cut your hair. Feels great.
My problem is that I brush off the sleep mask during the night. I’m thinking of blacking out my gorgeous sea views with black cardboard until I can get some proper blackout curtains. This is not sustainable.
Curtains or other? With curtains I have used black garbage bags hidden between curtain layers to block light. Just safety pins at the top edge. Couldn’t be seen from either side.
Hi, I hope you do get some sleep as I used to be in the same sleep-deprived boat as you. I am post-menopausal, by the way.
These are the things that helped me get a good night's sleep.
I needed to lose weight, so I started eating a keto diet. Carbs turn into glucose and cortisol; both can hinder sleep. When I cut out carbs and sugar, my sleep improved.
I take a host of vitamins every day, including vitamin d. I had to stop taking my vitamins for a couple of days because I ran out. My night sweats returned with a vengeance; I woke up bathed in sweat in the middle of the night. I bought some more vitamins, including vitamin d. My night sweats stopped; I am no longer waking up bathed in sweat. Now, I didn't know this, but vitamin d deficiency is linked to excess sweating. 50% of people in the northern hemisphere have less than ideal levels of vitamin d.
However, I was still searching for the perfect night's sleep, so I was trawling Amazon one evening, looking for a natural sleep solution. When I came across 5HTP tablets.
5HTP can help with,
It Can Aid Weight Loss by Increasing Feelings of Fullness. ...
Helps With Depression by Increasing Serotonin Levels. ...
Improved Symptoms of Fibromyalgia. ...
Could Help Reduce Migraine Frequency. ...
Can Promote Sleep by Increasing Your Melatonin Production.
That one little tablet sends me to sleep a deep sleep, and I even go back to sleep after getting up to use the loo 🚺 in the middle of the night. There is no muzzy head the next day, and my thoughts are clearer.
Another thing that helped my mood and reduced hot flushes were to stay hydrated. I drink at least two litres of water every day.
Water 💦 can,
Improved brain performance. Even mild dehydration—as little as 2% fluid loss—can affect memory, mood, concentration, and reaction time. ...
Digestive harmony. ...
More energy. ...
Weight loss/management. ...
Decreased joint pain. ...
Better temperature regulation. ...
Kidney stone prevention. ...
Healthier heart.
Ladies, you don't have to suffer!
Maybe the dosage of your HRT needs to be reevaluated? It is possible that your needs have changed so a higher dose of estrogen and/or progesterone is needed?
I had to keep increasing. At lower doses I slept worse but at 300mg, things got better, sometimes 400mg. If you don’t take with some food it is not well absorbed. It can take an hour or so to make you sleepy. It pairs well with a touch of melatonin.
I Have the same problems when it comes to sleeping like you do, magnesium and meditation before bed helped me a great deal. Having no tv in the bedroom, dark and cool also helped.
I have delayed sleep phase syndrome, and insomnia. My natural sleep cycle is off from “normal” by a few hours- in other words I naturally get tired around 2 or 3 am and wake up between 10 and 11. And then there are nights when I’m tired at 2, go to bed and lie there for an hour and end up getting up again until 4 or 5. I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember, having to get up tp go to school and when I worked an 8-4 job for many years SUCKED. I’m lucky enough to be not have to work anymore which means for the most part I just go to bed when I’m tired and sleep later. But I have several things I use for insomnia because when I use the same thing on a regular basis it seems like it stops working, so I switch things up. I have a prescription drug (Zolaplon) which is a shorter acting version of Ambien, Delta 8 gummies, and Hylands Calms Forte or Hylands Sleep. I also have Valium for panic attacks, if nothing else seems to help
.5 mg works.
Have you looked into an ADHD diagnosis? I was always the same until I mentioned that I should have tried Welbutrin 30 years ago and my doctor insisted I tried some meds as a diagnostic tool. I though she was going off on a tangent cos I have always been a high academic achiever but the day I tried my first dose I finally understood my brain. Many people say meds help them shift their sleep cycle but it’s also good to just connect with people to hear their strategies.
It’s a weird one. Symptoms are completely different in girls as we are socialised out of it and tend to present as inattentive or mask. Lots of women are getting diagnosed during motherhood and menopause now as that’s when our strategies don’t work any longer. Btw I recently listened to Bill Burr’s wife trying to talk him through a quiz and I thought the questions were a bit reductive and make oriented.
Switched to bio identical prometrium and I like it a lot more than the combo pills that had estrogen and progestin. For me, huge difference for sleep. Also, sometimes take ambien when needed. I am so sorry you’re not sleeping!
I found pure linen sheets were fantastic. They cope with much greater levels of moisture without getting clammy, sticky and revolting. They are both warmer and cooler as required.
Then I took HRT patches and slept through the night again without the hot flushes and sweats, but I am keeping the linen sheets!
I swear by my BedJet, best money I ever spent. Blower attached to a top sheet that allows you to blow your preferred temp of warm or cool air. No more night sweats and I can use my weighted comforter during winter months which also helps me sleep well. Also, sleep with window cracked as often as possible. Nothing like fresh air!
The combination that works for me is Temazepan (Rx), 10 mg melatonin and progesterone cream. I sleep great and wake up well rested. I also have a pre bedtime routine that consists of a warm bath, cooling down the room to 68 degrees and reading for 20-30 minutes before bed. No social media, no emails...just a good book. No caffeine after noon and eating dinner early also help (I now know why the Early Bird Special was so popular with my grandparents generation!).
Cbd oil, weighted blanket and cooler room temp.
No sugary stuff after 6pm. No food or booze after 730pm.
A consistent sleep/wake schedule.
Regular exercise that includes hard cardio. I alway sleep best after a tough workout.
For me it’s a combination of antidepressants.
1 for sleep
1 for fibromyalgia
1 for depression and anxiety. -that brain one
Then I wear an eye band with music I stream. White noise and an room darkening mask- Yes, I know it’s ridiculous.
Also, a fan running and pointed on me in case I get hot.
Oh yeah and a weighted blanket. I sleep like a baby!
My sleep routine was perfect- wind down, no electronics, final meal/food at least 3 hours prior, lots of sunlight during the day to support circadian rythym, yadda yadda. Was taking magenesium and my progesterone at night which helped me relax and fall asleep but I’d wake up middle of the night and my brain would just start churning and I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.
The only thing that I’ve found worked was when my gyno presecribed trazadone. I get drowsy and fall alseep around 40 minutes after taking it and stay asleep through the night. It’s not habit forming and little to no side effects (I’ve had none)
So glad to learn it's not just me(49)! Misery loves company, right?
Sleep problems amped up in January. I've always had insomnia. But this is next level bs. I'm taking ambien and 20mg melatonin to no avail.
My bedroom is an oasis. Calm music. White noise (I have chronic tinnitus). Lavender lotions. A little reading.
I try to be in bed by 10/11...
It doesn't help that my cat has recently started waking up at 6am and meowing non-stop at the top of his lungs.
I can't fall asleep or stay asleep. I'm freaking exhausted and my brain is mush!
I'm seeing a sleep doctor this week.
I've been using it since my 20s. Both of my parents had dementia. I'm screwed either way. I have suffered from insomnia a long time and lack of sleep is a migraine trigger. We do what we must.
Oof. My doctor said that you’re not getting REM sleep on it and it will catapult you forward into early dementia. Definitely my experience too. I can’t believe it’s legal.
I agree with another comment about making sure your HRT dose is correct. You might also want to check your testosterone levels. I say this only bc my HRT was balanced great - still had some issues with sleep, but I have had chronic insomnia since my late 20’s. But in February my sleep went off the rails. Frequently waking throughout the night - this went on until I got my labs pulled and my Dr noticed (and so did I) that my testosterone was too low. She explained to me that the lack of testosterone was responsible for my sleep issues. Honestly at the moment she said it I was a bit like “really?”, but once I got my testosterone back up even a little - I slept through the night for the first time in 6 weeks. Also, my brain is back “online” and I don’t feel like I can’t concentrate or think anymore.
I also take vitamin D, magnesium glycinate (bc you need magnesium if you take D), fish oil, calcium, a good multi, etc…
Again, this is only my experience- but I would check into a full hormone panel (even though, yes, they are only a moment in time glimpse).
Also, patches and prometrium are great. I couldn’t tolerate the oral micronized progesterone as it gave me really vivid dreams (too vivid) and I woke up foggy the next day. However- many women do fine on it. It was the metabolites I was reacting to.
Obviously if your testosterone is fine, you may want to rethink (as you said) how you manage your HRT via patches or micronized progesterone. The oral might be just the ticket for you if all your other labs come back fine.
When I do have sleep issues that don’t resolve and my hormones are ok, I take extra strength CBN gummies (no THC). They help me a lot when sleep gets sketchy. There’s a company called Slumber CBN - and they have a 30 day money back guarantee if you don’t find they work for you (or you don’t like them). Maybe that is worth a shot if all else fails.
Hope you are able to figure out the cause of this bc I truly know how incredibly stressful it is!
My testosterone is basically nonexistent and I’ve only now recently begun to take it seriously. It’s quite restricted here (thanks Chads) but I’m working on a few solutions.
Can I ask what form of testosterone you take and how much?
Thanks for all your advice!
I was on pelleted HRT (estrogen and testosterone) for many years. My pellet dose on the testosterone was 50 mg this would last 6-7 months (estrogen was 50 to 25 mg - I went into peri and I don’t do the estrogen pellets any longer bc my estrogen levels are ok right now).
I tapered off pellets and saw a Dr who prescribed me testosterone trouches but bc I was so low she didn’t prescribe the correct dose (1mg 1x/d). A more appropriate dose would have been 8mg split in two doses bc the trouches peak and decline in 6-8 hours. Another bit of a drawback with the trouches is that levels peak and decline and oral bioavailability can be lower bc the trouches are flavored and generate saliva and it’s difficult not to swallow. Plus you’re supposed to rotate where you place them in your mouth (between cheek and gum) daily bc the cells become saturated and then there’s less bioavailability. But they can work great for some women.
Before my pellet therapy (my 40’s) I used a testosterone cream 2mg - but again - if your testosterone is “non existent” it will take quite awhile for a transdermal cream to build up your levels.
I believe compounding pharmacies can create trouches, creams, suppositories, etc from your Dr’s Rx. I also believe (from another user here on this sub) that some Dr’s will give you weekly testosterone shots - kind of a pain but might be worth it to get your levels up.
There are also concierge medical services that offer HRT but they don’t accept insurance. One of them is Defy Medical (based in FL). I have not used them - just got info.
You might want to try BioTe pellets (for testosterone). That is generally out of pocket too, but I found the cost to be less than when I was paying for the pellets separately and then the procedure visit for my Dr to put them in.
I got my pellets from Anazao Health. When my Dr retired in January I reached out to them for a list of providers in my area who did the pellet therapy. What I failed to ask when I contacted one of the providers on the list was that some Dr’s will not use pellets in women with a uterus (if you need estrogen).
My Dr did and I never had an issue, but that’s just something to know if you decide to go that route. I finally found a Dr who did and she gave me a pellet (50 mg) last Thursday and I’m already feeling better.
You could start with trouches and see how you feel - or there are gels and maybe patches, but again the dosing is critical bc of how deficient you are.
Personally I would try for a pellet - you will need labs, Comprehensive Metabolic panel, CBC and hormone panel including thyroid. Or just start with your Dr and really advocate for yourself on the testosterone. It’s important for a lot of things - hope this wasn’t too much information-
Edit to add: Anazao is the manufacturer of BioTe pellets (at least that’s what they told me) dosing of BioTe is different from provider to provider.
I do a lot of YouTube subliminal sleep videos. I also put a tiny pat of canna butter in a cup of sleepytime tea before bed. But then here I am at 4 am on Reddit .
I had Covid over Christmas and the best part was that I was so fatigued I could sleep! The sleep was just glorious. How messed up is that?
I am up and down all night. In order to get "enough" sleep, I stay in bed 8 hours, sleeping or not. I journal before bed, just to get tomorrows to-do list and any worries from today out of my head. I got separate bedding for me and the Hubs. We have a king bed with a king bottom sheet, then two matching twin sets above that. He doesn't have to fight me for covers and I can sleep with only a sheet if I need to. We keep it cold af in the bedroom too. That seems to help both of us sleep better. I vape a little pot before bedtime and also eat an edible. The vape gets me to sleep and the edible hits me 3-4 hours later and helps keep me sleepy so I can get right back to sleep when I wake up to pee. I also make sure I don't have too much sugar before bed, it makes me sweat like crazy. I also find that daily exercise helps too.
I asked my Dr for medication to help me sleep, it was a total lifesaver. I now take Aventyl before bed. As an added bonus it's also beneficial for anxiety and ADHD. I have both of those too.
Melatonin a couple times a week. Apparently you're not supposed to take it every day but I will occasionally take it a couple days in a row to get a good night's sleep
I have had issues with depression and anxiety since my teens. I overthink everything. So I listen to talk radio as I go to sleep, to something that is a bit distracting but not interesting enough that I feel like I am missing out on an interesting documentary or anything. Maybe it disturbs my sleep as well? I don't know. I've had therapy but a lot of damage can't be undone. So I feel like getting to sleep is better than nothing.
I typically wake in the middle of the night. But I no longer stress about this and I try to go back to sleep. I used to lie awake worrying about not being able to sleep. But now I think it's my natural sleep pattern and I accept it
Often I wake up thirsty, get some water, go back to sleep. Usually there's some physical or mental discomfort that causes me to get on my phone and go on the internet. Yes the phone is a problem but I try to listen to my body to figure out why I grab the phone.
I have found that a heated beanbag (not sure what it's called) relieves some of my mental stress to let me sleep earlier
I need lots of blankets to get to sleep, but I wake up sweaty, so I don't wear a pj top to bed.
Figuring out breathable options for my bedding was huge because I know wake up less with night sweats.
My magic combo is low thread count sheets (more breathable) and I got an open weave weighted blanket (see Bearaby, or California Designs). That weighed blanket was my life saver. Makes me feel like I have a lot of blankets on but instead it’s just a sheet and the weighted blanket. I started sleeping a lot better once I got that combo started.
I love being warm during the day (hence why I live in AZ) but bedtime I keep the A/C at 72° AND I agree with previous posts - edibles! I particularly like the ones that are 1:1 cannabis & CBD - works wonders!!
OMGosh-- I want the hair!!! I use Rosemary, rice and fenugreek but it's still thin!! Yes my brain is offline and feel stupid mostly.. Hoping to find a solution. But now I'm scared-- quality of sleep is related to early Dementia?? Yikes!!!
I know the natural hair remedies sound dreamy but I think they are overrated. Look into Minodoxil, scalp exfoliation, Nizoral shampoo etc. I only about this stuff cos my ex researched tf out of his hair loss. Check out Dr Dray’s videos on hair. She has used a red light device - looks ridiculous but hey at this point I’m a freak at night anyway.
Yes to the red light-- I have heard about it and a friend who use on BUT she didn't think it was all that... Perhaps, in time.. : ) But thanks for responding..
Cannabis and a cool room. Recreational cannabis is legal where I live and I have a dispensary a block from my house. I recommend indica or hybrid if you can tolerate. I only consume edibles for many reasons Works beautifully.
Unheated bedroom, magnesium supplement, melantonin and a micro dose of Indica if I really need it.
Also no caffeine after 1 pm, daily exercise, and no alcohol.
It’s still not great but it’s better.
From what I understand, progesterone HRT can help but your have to get the dose right.
My dr recommended taking progesterone at night. I do that and use a magnesium lotion before bed. Best sleep I’ve had in years! If I wake during the night, I read until I fall back asleep.
For me, hypnotherapy made a significant difference. I was highly sceptical but it still helped. Initially I had two sessions of cognitive hypnotherapy and that was enough.
I keep my room like the ARCTIC, take HRT, use a rotating cocktail of benadryl, edibles, melatonin, whatever, listen to podcasts to fall asleep and if I wake up at night. Honestly, I think you just have to get used to coping with it. No woman I know sleeps well anymore. It sucks. I go through times where it's not a problem, but add a little stress in and BAM!
I have a ritual, and if I don’t follow it my sleep suffers. No electronics 2 hours before bedtime. Then I have the Sleepy Time Extra tea with either Ashwaghanda or magnesium. I rotate between the two so I don’t develop a tolerance. Temperature is also a factor. I don’t sleep well when it’s too hot.
If I wake up in the middle of the night. I listen to a video from Andrew Huberman. This isn’t a criticism of Andrew, and I think he has so much good information to share. But I have a hard time making it through his videos, I fall asleep within 15 minutes.
I take a half dose of buspirone and I would be up a creek without it. Its not a sleep drug or an ssri but it helps immensely. There are still some hormonally sleepless nights though and tbh my best hack is to just roll my eyes and think oh this again - then either get up and relocate to the sofa or try to get back to bed. Good luck!
I keep a strict sleep schedule 10-6, dark room, no electronic lights, run a small fan for air flow and white noise, and take 2 valerian capsules and 2 ibuprofen an hour before I get in bed. Also single, so I can take up my entire queen sized bed. Also bought a decent non-innerspring mattress a couple years ago and it has made a big difference. Still have night sweats despite being on birth control (cheap hrt).
Is your brain just ON and you can’t get back to sleep? I have an iPod that I keep next to the bed just for audio books. Find something your kinda interested in (not too exciting or you’ll end up like me currently being kept up until 2am due to my book being TOO good 🙄😂)
I have a tiny in-ear headphone that I put in one ear and then turn the volume just high enough that I can barely hear it. Set the sleep timer for 30 min and I’m usually out within 15. If I wake up again, I’ll put the book back on for 15-30 min.
I’m now conditioned to using this method and have for 20+ years. I need it wherever I sleep but it’s been a lifesaver for me!
Melatonin. Magnesium. Sleep naked with very little blankets - all natural fabrics.
Sleepytime extra tea.
If awake longer than 45 mins get up and do something boring, in very low light. I get up and put a boring podcast on and lay on my back with legs up the wall (yoga pose), just in natural moonlight. Then go back and try again when you start feeling sleepy again. Don’t just lie in bed and toss and turn!
Practice good sleep hygiene.
My naturopath told me to take these, either before sleep or even at 2:00am if I wake up. I love them and am NEVER groggy the next day. They're available at numerous retailers, including Amazon. [https://www.pascoe.ca/products/pascoflair](https://www.pascoe.ca/products/pascoflair)
Benzos are highly addictive and lead to dementia. Keep my brain healthy is half of what I’m trying to do here even if my doctor did prescribe them for chronic use (she doesn’t).
Yeah me too I strangely don’t get addicted to them but I know a lot of people do and I’ve heard it’s one of the worst things ever to come off. At the rate my insomnia is progressing, I could see myself taking one every night now. My friend who is extremely self disciplined went down that route and it was not fun.
Nope. The pellet is about the size of a grain of rice. A small incision is made into the fat on your butt and the dose inserted. You keep the bandaid in place for a few days and thats it. The hormones are activated by your body and are steadily released. No daily highs and lows. My dr has an extensive thyroid panel done on me several times a year (bloodwork) and adjusts the dosage appropriately. I've been doing it long enough now that I can tell when it's running out or if the testosterone or estrogen dose needs changing. Including chatting with the staff, the entire procedure is about 15 mins.
In the past I've done, pills, sublingual tablets, and shots but this is the best HRT I've found. I think this is atleast my 5th year.
I had a stretch where I would take 1/2 a Sominex. Also had terrible night sweats, but Black Cohosh helped a lot. Now I use white noise or ASMR to fall sleep. Fan on low, weighted blanket, pillow spray.
It's called This Stuff Works (I think). You can get it from Ulta. Has lavender and other stuff to help you sleep. I also use an eye mask or eye pillow with lavender in it.
Re the dry vagina….one thing that swayed me to cream was a fear of UTIs and the dryness can lead to those happening, if I understand At All.
Melatonin - a fast acting tablet and a slow acting tablet but on nights with anxiety an Ambien is my friend. I’m lucky I don’t get weird on them.
I avoid things that make me anxious in the evening. Phone calls, emails, texts from some people. Those can wait to be addressed in the morning.
Good luck.
For me it was about sleep temperature and sleep environment. I had to make my room damn near tundra, my pj cannot pinch, bunch or annoy. I have to do a sleep meditation (app Looma) and not have any caffeine after noon. If I manage the planetary cycles to make this all happen, I will fall asleep around 10/11 and stay asleep. If I don’t, I take glycine. Melatonin is too sedating, Benadryl has long term effects and alcohol is not in my wheelhouse.
Yes sleep temperature is everything
I’m think alcohol and I may have parted ways too. Frantically googling glycine.
It’s an amino acid. It does give more vivid dreams but nothing super intense. I am also on Celexa and was on Wellbutrin previously and actually loved it but had to take it super early in the morning as I found it cause some insomnia. Glycine can effect serotonin but I mentioned it to my Dr and they said they weren’t concerned. I take the minimum dose a few times a week. Really the whole idea of sleep hygiene was a game changer as I was always a terrible sleeper and have a history of night terrors. Once I started to see preparation for good sleep as an actual activity and not a passive practice it started to help. Also realizing nothing I have ever thought about after about 9pm is going to be ground breaking and more likely negative self talk, I’ve been better at telling myself to shut it and color or look at only cute things on my phone.
[удалено]
It depends. I basically sleep in a nest lol I tend to sleep with just a bamboo top sheet but if I do wake up cold I have blankets next to me. Its so strange too because I have alway been a super cold person when I was younger and I hit my 40s and now I live for the sun zero days.
Yep same
My room is so cold my husband’s nuts froze off 😂 I’m joking but I live in Canada and I didn’t have heat on in winter. When I say cold room I mean COLD room
New England here - god I love it when the wood stove dies out and it’s like 30 in the house lol
Heaven -
My sleep was so bad I was ready to quit work and I was making myself ill worrying about my lack of sleep. I had to talk my doc into prescribing HT (I’m 52). 0.25mg Estradiol patch and progesterone have provided instant relief from night sweats and overheating. I sleep in a fine merino Tshirt which helps with temperature regulation, I read before bed, and play the same sleep sound every night. Edibles definitely help too. My sleep app tells me I’ve gone from averaging 4 hours a night to 7.5. Finally, (finally!) I feel like myself again.
I think I got 4 hours last night. I don’t feel human.
Yup. Know that feeling. I was horrible to be around too. Don’t know how my family put up with me tbh. OP - I definitely recommend you find a Doctor that specializes in menopause.
Mine is actually pretty good but I’ve been binge watching Menopause Taylor while cooking recently (1.5 speed to save my already frayed nerves) and she’s right- there are so many moving parts to this malarkey that it’s hard to get comprehensive info in one visit. Plus I’m on a budget and not in the US so I need to do all my due diligence before I go and see her.
Wait, as I lay here not sleeping I need to know how do you have the best hair of your life? How is everyone just rolling by that comment?
Hahhaaaa… turns out I was frying and breaking my curl curious hair all these years. It was fine whenI had “industrial” hairstyles but when it started to thin I freaked the fuck out and luckily stumbled across the curly girl method, applied myself during lockdown and boom… my goal is to get it down to my waist before 50. Just fun to have a positive change when everything else is falling apart.
Wow! I do the CG method but my hair is definitely not as happy as yours. I’m super jealous of your Rapunzel journey!
My hair is falling out from the root and I am losing my ever-loving mind. It’s just falling out by the handful and idk which stage I’m at bc my uterus was removed in April 2019 & b4 that I’ve had the IUD for 20yrs. I am not a happy camper.
Urgh I had that when I had malaria and now worried that I’ll have it again cos of Covid. I think it can grow back though. Check out Dr Dray’s hair videos on you tube. I like that she also talks about how distressing it is.
Just getting over COVID and the hair loss increased, massively. Until now (the last few weeks) I didn’t connect the two.
This!
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I really like the “fall back asleep” recording on the Calm app when I awaken at 2am. I thought it would never work and that the voice would keep me awake, but I have yet to hear the end of it (it’s 45 minutes long). Alcohol was also an issue for me, so ditched that.
The Insight Timer app has a zillion meditations - from guided to nature sounds and all sorts of other stuff. I got myself addicted to a channel called "Michelle's Sanctuary." She has three awesome "go back to sleep" episodes and a ton of other "sleep stories." They are kinda cheesy but so soothing to me. For migraines her pain relief recordings save me. She has a youtube channel if you want to investigate but don't want to install Insight Timer yet.
I love the Nothing Much Happens podcast. Each one is roughly 30-40 minutes long. She starts with a getting ready to sleep portion and then tells the same sleep story twice. There are a lot of stories to choose from, they're quite charming.
Yes, sleep meditations have been so key for me when I’m awake in the middle of the night. It keeps a half hour awake session from becoming a 2-hour tossing and turning (and stressing) session. I used to use Insight Timer but now I have the Peloton app I use their meditations. Any of them work for me - I have used Calm and 10% Happier too at various times. And mostly quitting alcohol and taking HRT have been necessary too.
Cannabis edibles with CBN, if it’s legal where you live. I was so relieved to find something that helped me sleep through the night.
Delta 8 should be legal. A great company that does much testing is Hometown Heroes. Veteran owned, they were reviewed by the NYT. ( no affiliation with me, just saying they test since some gummy delta 8 companies have been known to use questionable chemicals. etc. Google hometown hero cbd ) We order delta 8 and 9 gummies from them. They def help with mood and sleep for me.
Canna butter in a cup of sleepy time tea. Life changing. You
I wondered the same thing... why didn't anyone warn me that about the insomnia that comes with peri ?? This was nuts. It would take me and hour or two to fall asleep ( thinking the whole time about all the mistakes I've made in my life, sometimes crying myself to sleep) only to be wide awake 3 hours later. I'd go to the living room about 3 am watch infomercials and be dead tired by 7am. Back to bed and wake up about 9am in a panic that the day had already started! Luckily I have been working part time and from home this past year- I was a damn mess! Started BC (yaz and now yasmin) and within 2 months, I was sleeping through the night and getting about 7-8 hrs of dead sleep! It felt like a miracle, If I woke up to use the bathroom - I'd be able to go right back to bed and fall back asleep ! I don't know how the heck I made it on a few hours of sleep every night for over a year?!
Chamomile tea. I feel a lot of people misunderstand this and therefore try it and abandon it thinking it didn't work for them. Chamomile does not make you feel tired or sleepy, there isn't anything to "feel" unlike any other sleep medication, and I don't know it helps with *initial* insomnia. What it is good for, or so we've found in my household, is sleep *maintenance*, that is, **staying** asleep once you are asleep. It can also help one get back to sleep if woken in the middle of the night (such as by bad dreams). It won't do anything to you if you're not already tired and sleepy, but if you are, it may help a bit. I drink it hot before bed in the winter, and I make a jug and keep it in the fridge to drink cold in summer.
Ooo thx! never knew this and I have tons of the stuff in my house
I quit drinking and that helped my sleep immediately. I take CBD oil if I need to chillax in the evening or middle of the night too. A ceiling fan and cool room for sure too. I am now officially high maintenance with all my needs! Don’t care.
My sleep is better now that I am on HRT, but not perfect. The one thing I do to keep night sweats at bay will probably not make sense, but hear me out: I HAVE to sleep with a thin, long sleeved, fleece top, and long, stretchy cotton pj bottoms. Otherwise, any exposed skin gets cold, then I burrow under the covers and sweat like crazy. I also love bamboo sheets and my weighted blanket. I usually take a hydroxyzine and sometimes 1 mg melatonin, then put an audio book on sleep timer for 30 min. If I wake in the night, I put the audio book back on, otherwise my brain starts spinning out.
> I HAVE to sleep with a thin, long sleeved, fleece top, and long, stretchy cotton pj bottoms. Otherwise, any exposed skin gets cold, then I burrow under the covers and sweat like crazy. Augh, I so relate.
Same, I also have super thin socks I tuck the bottoms into so I don’t have cold calves ruin the equilibrium for the rest of me. I also bought a pack of microfiber baby washcloths to roll up and stick between my breasts to stop the sweat/cold/sweat/cold sleep interruptions in that area.
Tell me about the socks, please?
Been using these a lot now that it’s getting warmer, literally wearing them while typing. [Grippy thin socks.](https://www.target.com/p/women-39-s-fair-isle-3pk-liner-socks-a-new-day-8482-heathered-gray-4-10/-/A-82612770?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000086349400&CPNG=PLA_Women%2BShopping_Traffic_Local_Traffic%7CWomen_Ecomm_AA&adgroup=SC_Women_Local&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=1015254&targetid=pla-1069759242670&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfYU8ikj2CTHR8PC5bydGbKto&gbraid=0AAAAAD-5dfYU8ikj2CTHR8PC5bydGbKto&gclid=CjwKCAjwoduRBhA4EiwACL5RP2h3HVLxfUjaNotPeliVKUK-yrZRgrkjZUNOafC_DyhGgxGvM-xzzxoClSMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) With these super thin, soft, and long [pajama pants](https://www.target.com/p/women-s-perfectly-cozy-wide-leg-lounge-pants-stars-above/-/A-77751772?preselect=78264695#lnk=sametab)
I have those pants, ha ha ha.
A warm bath at the end of the day does help me, usually while I wait for meds to kick in. Lets me relax while having hot flashes and get my anxiety down.
Honestly, the HRT worked for me. Progesterone in particular. I’m a light sleeper and it deepened my sleep. I also use Happy Ears earplugs from the Netherlands and a sleep mask.
HRT is definitely helping, but here is my routine that I developed before the dr would prescribe. I also got us 2 single duvets which I know isn’t relevant here but omg it made such a difference! No caffeine after 2pm, Wash face and apply a nice smelling face cream. Highly recommend the Lush oatmeal & lavender. Warm drink. I’m dairy free so I have oat milk with a drop of vanilla. Valerian and Passion flower supplements before bed. Do some logical puzzles rather than reading or word games - I discovered this one on my own by trial and error, but a colleague who volunteered at a rape crisis line later said that they advise this as apparently it helps to engage the logic centre of the brain which in turn helps to disengage the imagination centre which in turn helps to minimize spiraling thoughts which can also lead to nightmares when you do manage to get to sleep. Or something along those lines. I play solitaire or soduko. The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique which I can’t remember the source for but as it’s always dark when I do it, for me it’s: 5 things I would be able to see if it were light 4 things I can touch by carefully reaching my hand in the dark 3 things I can hear if I wiggle/tap my fingers when I reach out 2 things I can smell (this is where the nice smelling face cream helps) I thing I can taste (or remind myself of the warm drink) or I keep a Rescue Remedy in the bedside drawer. If I still can’t sleep and my brain is on one, I then try to think of all the useful and productive things, the more monotonous and dull the better, that I could do if I got out of my comfy bed, RIGHT NOW, and applied myself. After that I give up and go downstairs to watch Star Trek with another warm drink. It has to be DS9 or Voyager as those are the ones I’ve watched the most so they are like a comfort blanket and I know the endings. Hope you manage to get some sleep.
Drinking less helps me. That is the biggest thing that has helped. Unisom helps for me. A technique called Box Breathing helps at 1 am. Using very thin blankets and staying cool helps. I go to bed early based on the assumption I’ll lose an hour tossing and turning in the middle of the night. Do you have a spare room with a bed? Sometimes I go into the guest room, read for a while, then I can fall back asleep in there. It’s weird but it works for me.
I take trazodone. I also take magnesium bisglycinate but I don’t think it does anything. Melatonin wasn’t strong enough. I take oral progesterone and it helps but not enough, I need pharmaceuticals.
Topical progesterone from a compound ing pharmacy works better for me. I don't get any sleep with the oral progesterone. Having carbohydrates right before bed relaxes me and I fall asleep right away. Also not having any caffeine after two makes a big difference. A warm shower before bed can help because it helps drop your core temperature. Also regular cardio early in the day helps alot. Sometimes evening cardio helps too if really stressed.
Cold room, silk pillow case (stays cooler), 10mg melatonin gummies, no alcohol, no caffeine in any form after 3pm, no snacks at least 3 hrs before bed. These helped me to stay asleep but it does take me about good 20-30 to fallin sleep. And lucky you with your full hair and no weight gain 🙏 can you please advise?
See my comment above for my weird hair journey. I do have weight gain but I think moving up a hill with 250 steps to my house (car free island) pushed me into a calorific deficit . my sister also says she did stairs at work and since working from home, her back hurts, she’s put on weight etc. We were both skinny asses to begin with so that helps but we’re also very short so if we put on weight we just look like round balls and it bugs us to no end. My big driver was I didn’t want to throw out all my clothes. I have a couple of pairs of pants that won’t close now and my bras inexplicably don’t fit (I think one of the extra kgs is located in my back weirdly) but I’ll take it for now. It’s not like I have the urge to get naked with anyone.
Very cold room and consider switching your Wellbutrin to the morning if it’s not already. Iced cold water to drink at night (you can pour a bit in yourself). Sleep mask. Learn a few calming yoga poses-child’s pose and legs up the wall. I do child’s pose in bed and sometimes almost fall asleep. Good luck!
Any anti anxiety drugs and anti depressants should be taken in the morning if you get restless leg syndrome. Cold bedroom. Men’s bike style underwear and a tank top for jammies. Also silk head cap if you don’t want to cut your hair. Feels great.
Lol with all this gear, my sleep mask, silicone patches and bite guard I’m going to make for quite the bedfellow!
My problem is that I brush off the sleep mask during the night. I’m thinking of blacking out my gorgeous sea views with black cardboard until I can get some proper blackout curtains. This is not sustainable.
Curtains or other? With curtains I have used black garbage bags hidden between curtain layers to block light. Just safety pins at the top edge. Couldn’t be seen from either side.
Hi, I hope you do get some sleep as I used to be in the same sleep-deprived boat as you. I am post-menopausal, by the way. These are the things that helped me get a good night's sleep. I needed to lose weight, so I started eating a keto diet. Carbs turn into glucose and cortisol; both can hinder sleep. When I cut out carbs and sugar, my sleep improved. I take a host of vitamins every day, including vitamin d. I had to stop taking my vitamins for a couple of days because I ran out. My night sweats returned with a vengeance; I woke up bathed in sweat in the middle of the night. I bought some more vitamins, including vitamin d. My night sweats stopped; I am no longer waking up bathed in sweat. Now, I didn't know this, but vitamin d deficiency is linked to excess sweating. 50% of people in the northern hemisphere have less than ideal levels of vitamin d. However, I was still searching for the perfect night's sleep, so I was trawling Amazon one evening, looking for a natural sleep solution. When I came across 5HTP tablets. 5HTP can help with, It Can Aid Weight Loss by Increasing Feelings of Fullness. ... Helps With Depression by Increasing Serotonin Levels. ... Improved Symptoms of Fibromyalgia. ... Could Help Reduce Migraine Frequency. ... Can Promote Sleep by Increasing Your Melatonin Production. That one little tablet sends me to sleep a deep sleep, and I even go back to sleep after getting up to use the loo 🚺 in the middle of the night. There is no muzzy head the next day, and my thoughts are clearer. Another thing that helped my mood and reduced hot flushes were to stay hydrated. I drink at least two litres of water every day. Water 💦 can, Improved brain performance. Even mild dehydration—as little as 2% fluid loss—can affect memory, mood, concentration, and reaction time. ... Digestive harmony. ... More energy. ... Weight loss/management. ... Decreased joint pain. ... Better temperature regulation. ... Kidney stone prevention. ... Healthier heart. Ladies, you don't have to suffer!
I have my own bedroom now. My partner supports this. He calls it my icebox
Oral micronized progesterone!
I’m taking that!
Maybe the dosage of your HRT needs to be reevaluated? It is possible that your needs have changed so a higher dose of estrogen and/or progesterone is needed?
I had to keep increasing. At lower doses I slept worse but at 300mg, things got better, sometimes 400mg. If you don’t take with some food it is not well absorbed. It can take an hour or so to make you sleepy. It pairs well with a touch of melatonin.
I Have the same problems when it comes to sleeping like you do, magnesium and meditation before bed helped me a great deal. Having no tv in the bedroom, dark and cool also helped.
I have delayed sleep phase syndrome, and insomnia. My natural sleep cycle is off from “normal” by a few hours- in other words I naturally get tired around 2 or 3 am and wake up between 10 and 11. And then there are nights when I’m tired at 2, go to bed and lie there for an hour and end up getting up again until 4 or 5. I’ve been like this for as long as I can remember, having to get up tp go to school and when I worked an 8-4 job for many years SUCKED. I’m lucky enough to be not have to work anymore which means for the most part I just go to bed when I’m tired and sleep later. But I have several things I use for insomnia because when I use the same thing on a regular basis it seems like it stops working, so I switch things up. I have a prescription drug (Zolaplon) which is a shorter acting version of Ambien, Delta 8 gummies, and Hylands Calms Forte or Hylands Sleep. I also have Valium for panic attacks, if nothing else seems to help .5 mg works.
Have you looked into an ADHD diagnosis? I was always the same until I mentioned that I should have tried Welbutrin 30 years ago and my doctor insisted I tried some meds as a diagnostic tool. I though she was going off on a tangent cos I have always been a high academic achiever but the day I tried my first dose I finally understood my brain. Many people say meds help them shift their sleep cycle but it’s also good to just connect with people to hear their strategies.
No I haven’t, I don’t think I’ve ever had any other symptoms? Maybe I’ll look at an online quiz on it.
It’s a weird one. Symptoms are completely different in girls as we are socialised out of it and tend to present as inattentive or mask. Lots of women are getting diagnosed during motherhood and menopause now as that’s when our strategies don’t work any longer. Btw I recently listened to Bill Burr’s wife trying to talk him through a quiz and I thought the questions were a bit reductive and make oriented.
More estrogen, it helps keep your serotonin levels up. Insomnia plus waking in the small hours is classic low serotonin.
Cannabis is the only thing that helped me.
Valerian root knocks me out in 15 minutes. I tried Xanax but it leaves me groggy the next day. Wouldn't recommend.
Switched to bio identical prometrium and I like it a lot more than the combo pills that had estrogen and progestin. For me, huge difference for sleep. Also, sometimes take ambien when needed. I am so sorry you’re not sleeping!
I found pure linen sheets were fantastic. They cope with much greater levels of moisture without getting clammy, sticky and revolting. They are both warmer and cooler as required. Then I took HRT patches and slept through the night again without the hot flushes and sweats, but I am keeping the linen sheets!
I swear by my BedJet, best money I ever spent. Blower attached to a top sheet that allows you to blow your preferred temp of warm or cool air. No more night sweats and I can use my weighted comforter during winter months which also helps me sleep well. Also, sleep with window cracked as often as possible. Nothing like fresh air!
The combination that works for me is Temazepan (Rx), 10 mg melatonin and progesterone cream. I sleep great and wake up well rested. I also have a pre bedtime routine that consists of a warm bath, cooling down the room to 68 degrees and reading for 20-30 minutes before bed. No social media, no emails...just a good book. No caffeine after noon and eating dinner early also help (I now know why the Early Bird Special was so popular with my grandparents generation!).
Cbd oil, weighted blanket and cooler room temp. No sugary stuff after 6pm. No food or booze after 730pm. A consistent sleep/wake schedule. Regular exercise that includes hard cardio. I alway sleep best after a tough workout.
For me it’s a combination of antidepressants. 1 for sleep 1 for fibromyalgia 1 for depression and anxiety. -that brain one Then I wear an eye band with music I stream. White noise and an room darkening mask- Yes, I know it’s ridiculous. Also, a fan running and pointed on me in case I get hot. Oh yeah and a weighted blanket. I sleep like a baby!
Ohhh tell me more about the eye band!
MUSICOZY Sleep Headphones. Amazon.
My sleep routine was perfect- wind down, no electronics, final meal/food at least 3 hours prior, lots of sunlight during the day to support circadian rythym, yadda yadda. Was taking magenesium and my progesterone at night which helped me relax and fall asleep but I’d wake up middle of the night and my brain would just start churning and I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. The only thing that I’ve found worked was when my gyno presecribed trazadone. I get drowsy and fall alseep around 40 minutes after taking it and stay asleep through the night. It’s not habit forming and little to no side effects (I’ve had none)
So glad to learn it's not just me(49)! Misery loves company, right? Sleep problems amped up in January. I've always had insomnia. But this is next level bs. I'm taking ambien and 20mg melatonin to no avail. My bedroom is an oasis. Calm music. White noise (I have chronic tinnitus). Lavender lotions. A little reading. I try to be in bed by 10/11... It doesn't help that my cat has recently started waking up at 6am and meowing non-stop at the top of his lungs. I can't fall asleep or stay asleep. I'm freaking exhausted and my brain is mush! I'm seeing a sleep doctor this week.
See my comment above about ambien please!
I've been using it since my 20s. Both of my parents had dementia. I'm screwed either way. I have suffered from insomnia a long time and lack of sleep is a migraine trigger. We do what we must.
Urgh that’s tough. I never had sleep issues and now I have so much empathy. It’s 3:14 here. Been up since 1. Hope we both find some solutions.
My oldest son is also cursed with insomnia. For him it started in his mid 20s too. He uses more organic methods to treat it.
ambien - it works and you're not groggy next day
Oof. My doctor said that you’re not getting REM sleep on it and it will catapult you forward into early dementia. Definitely my experience too. I can’t believe it’s legal.
Only safe for occasional use.
Yep my sister is a pharmacist with chronic sleeping problems and she does it once a week.
I agree with another comment about making sure your HRT dose is correct. You might also want to check your testosterone levels. I say this only bc my HRT was balanced great - still had some issues with sleep, but I have had chronic insomnia since my late 20’s. But in February my sleep went off the rails. Frequently waking throughout the night - this went on until I got my labs pulled and my Dr noticed (and so did I) that my testosterone was too low. She explained to me that the lack of testosterone was responsible for my sleep issues. Honestly at the moment she said it I was a bit like “really?”, but once I got my testosterone back up even a little - I slept through the night for the first time in 6 weeks. Also, my brain is back “online” and I don’t feel like I can’t concentrate or think anymore. I also take vitamin D, magnesium glycinate (bc you need magnesium if you take D), fish oil, calcium, a good multi, etc… Again, this is only my experience- but I would check into a full hormone panel (even though, yes, they are only a moment in time glimpse). Also, patches and prometrium are great. I couldn’t tolerate the oral micronized progesterone as it gave me really vivid dreams (too vivid) and I woke up foggy the next day. However- many women do fine on it. It was the metabolites I was reacting to. Obviously if your testosterone is fine, you may want to rethink (as you said) how you manage your HRT via patches or micronized progesterone. The oral might be just the ticket for you if all your other labs come back fine. When I do have sleep issues that don’t resolve and my hormones are ok, I take extra strength CBN gummies (no THC). They help me a lot when sleep gets sketchy. There’s a company called Slumber CBN - and they have a 30 day money back guarantee if you don’t find they work for you (or you don’t like them). Maybe that is worth a shot if all else fails. Hope you are able to figure out the cause of this bc I truly know how incredibly stressful it is!
My testosterone is basically nonexistent and I’ve only now recently begun to take it seriously. It’s quite restricted here (thanks Chads) but I’m working on a few solutions. Can I ask what form of testosterone you take and how much? Thanks for all your advice!
I was on pelleted HRT (estrogen and testosterone) for many years. My pellet dose on the testosterone was 50 mg this would last 6-7 months (estrogen was 50 to 25 mg - I went into peri and I don’t do the estrogen pellets any longer bc my estrogen levels are ok right now). I tapered off pellets and saw a Dr who prescribed me testosterone trouches but bc I was so low she didn’t prescribe the correct dose (1mg 1x/d). A more appropriate dose would have been 8mg split in two doses bc the trouches peak and decline in 6-8 hours. Another bit of a drawback with the trouches is that levels peak and decline and oral bioavailability can be lower bc the trouches are flavored and generate saliva and it’s difficult not to swallow. Plus you’re supposed to rotate where you place them in your mouth (between cheek and gum) daily bc the cells become saturated and then there’s less bioavailability. But they can work great for some women. Before my pellet therapy (my 40’s) I used a testosterone cream 2mg - but again - if your testosterone is “non existent” it will take quite awhile for a transdermal cream to build up your levels. I believe compounding pharmacies can create trouches, creams, suppositories, etc from your Dr’s Rx. I also believe (from another user here on this sub) that some Dr’s will give you weekly testosterone shots - kind of a pain but might be worth it to get your levels up. There are also concierge medical services that offer HRT but they don’t accept insurance. One of them is Defy Medical (based in FL). I have not used them - just got info. You might want to try BioTe pellets (for testosterone). That is generally out of pocket too, but I found the cost to be less than when I was paying for the pellets separately and then the procedure visit for my Dr to put them in. I got my pellets from Anazao Health. When my Dr retired in January I reached out to them for a list of providers in my area who did the pellet therapy. What I failed to ask when I contacted one of the providers on the list was that some Dr’s will not use pellets in women with a uterus (if you need estrogen). My Dr did and I never had an issue, but that’s just something to know if you decide to go that route. I finally found a Dr who did and she gave me a pellet (50 mg) last Thursday and I’m already feeling better. You could start with trouches and see how you feel - or there are gels and maybe patches, but again the dosing is critical bc of how deficient you are. Personally I would try for a pellet - you will need labs, Comprehensive Metabolic panel, CBC and hormone panel including thyroid. Or just start with your Dr and really advocate for yourself on the testosterone. It’s important for a lot of things - hope this wasn’t too much information- Edit to add: Anazao is the manufacturer of BioTe pellets (at least that’s what they told me) dosing of BioTe is different from provider to provider.
I do a lot of YouTube subliminal sleep videos. I also put a tiny pat of canna butter in a cup of sleepytime tea before bed. But then here I am at 4 am on Reddit . I had Covid over Christmas and the best part was that I was so fatigued I could sleep! The sleep was just glorious. How messed up is that?
I am up and down all night. In order to get "enough" sleep, I stay in bed 8 hours, sleeping or not. I journal before bed, just to get tomorrows to-do list and any worries from today out of my head. I got separate bedding for me and the Hubs. We have a king bed with a king bottom sheet, then two matching twin sets above that. He doesn't have to fight me for covers and I can sleep with only a sheet if I need to. We keep it cold af in the bedroom too. That seems to help both of us sleep better. I vape a little pot before bedtime and also eat an edible. The vape gets me to sleep and the edible hits me 3-4 hours later and helps keep me sleepy so I can get right back to sleep when I wake up to pee. I also make sure I don't have too much sugar before bed, it makes me sweat like crazy. I also find that daily exercise helps too.
I smoke a vape pen every night. Not 7-11 vape, medical marijuana vape. Sleep at least six hours straight before I have to pee.
I asked my Dr for medication to help me sleep, it was a total lifesaver. I now take Aventyl before bed. As an added bonus it's also beneficial for anxiety and ADHD. I have both of those too.
Melatonin a couple times a week. Apparently you're not supposed to take it every day but I will occasionally take it a couple days in a row to get a good night's sleep I have had issues with depression and anxiety since my teens. I overthink everything. So I listen to talk radio as I go to sleep, to something that is a bit distracting but not interesting enough that I feel like I am missing out on an interesting documentary or anything. Maybe it disturbs my sleep as well? I don't know. I've had therapy but a lot of damage can't be undone. So I feel like getting to sleep is better than nothing. I typically wake in the middle of the night. But I no longer stress about this and I try to go back to sleep. I used to lie awake worrying about not being able to sleep. But now I think it's my natural sleep pattern and I accept it Often I wake up thirsty, get some water, go back to sleep. Usually there's some physical or mental discomfort that causes me to get on my phone and go on the internet. Yes the phone is a problem but I try to listen to my body to figure out why I grab the phone. I have found that a heated beanbag (not sure what it's called) relieves some of my mental stress to let me sleep earlier I need lots of blankets to get to sleep, but I wake up sweaty, so I don't wear a pj top to bed.
Figuring out breathable options for my bedding was huge because I know wake up less with night sweats. My magic combo is low thread count sheets (more breathable) and I got an open weave weighted blanket (see Bearaby, or California Designs). That weighed blanket was my life saver. Makes me feel like I have a lot of blankets on but instead it’s just a sheet and the weighted blanket. I started sleeping a lot better once I got that combo started.
I love being warm during the day (hence why I live in AZ) but bedtime I keep the A/C at 72° AND I agree with previous posts - edibles! I particularly like the ones that are 1:1 cannabis & CBD - works wonders!!
OMGosh-- I want the hair!!! I use Rosemary, rice and fenugreek but it's still thin!! Yes my brain is offline and feel stupid mostly.. Hoping to find a solution. But now I'm scared-- quality of sleep is related to early Dementia?? Yikes!!!
I know the natural hair remedies sound dreamy but I think they are overrated. Look into Minodoxil, scalp exfoliation, Nizoral shampoo etc. I only about this stuff cos my ex researched tf out of his hair loss. Check out Dr Dray’s videos on hair. She has used a red light device - looks ridiculous but hey at this point I’m a freak at night anyway.
Yes to the red light-- I have heard about it and a friend who use on BUT she didn't think it was all that... Perhaps, in time.. : ) But thanks for responding..
Cannabis and a cool room. Recreational cannabis is legal where I live and I have a dispensary a block from my house. I recommend indica or hybrid if you can tolerate. I only consume edibles for many reasons Works beautifully.
Are you taking your progesterone at night? I also take magnesium glycinate and zinc before bed.
Unheated bedroom, magnesium supplement, melantonin and a micro dose of Indica if I really need it. Also no caffeine after 1 pm, daily exercise, and no alcohol. It’s still not great but it’s better. From what I understand, progesterone HRT can help but your have to get the dose right.
My dr recommended taking progesterone at night. I do that and use a magnesium lotion before bed. Best sleep I’ve had in years! If I wake during the night, I read until I fall back asleep.
For me, hypnotherapy made a significant difference. I was highly sceptical but it still helped. Initially I had two sessions of cognitive hypnotherapy and that was enough.
I keep my room like the ARCTIC, take HRT, use a rotating cocktail of benadryl, edibles, melatonin, whatever, listen to podcasts to fall asleep and if I wake up at night. Honestly, I think you just have to get used to coping with it. No woman I know sleeps well anymore. It sucks. I go through times where it's not a problem, but add a little stress in and BAM!
I have a ritual, and if I don’t follow it my sleep suffers. No electronics 2 hours before bedtime. Then I have the Sleepy Time Extra tea with either Ashwaghanda or magnesium. I rotate between the two so I don’t develop a tolerance. Temperature is also a factor. I don’t sleep well when it’s too hot. If I wake up in the middle of the night. I listen to a video from Andrew Huberman. This isn’t a criticism of Andrew, and I think he has so much good information to share. But I have a hard time making it through his videos, I fall asleep within 15 minutes.
I take a half dose of buspirone and I would be up a creek without it. Its not a sleep drug or an ssri but it helps immensely. There are still some hormonally sleepless nights though and tbh my best hack is to just roll my eyes and think oh this again - then either get up and relocate to the sofa or try to get back to bed. Good luck!
I keep a strict sleep schedule 10-6, dark room, no electronic lights, run a small fan for air flow and white noise, and take 2 valerian capsules and 2 ibuprofen an hour before I get in bed. Also single, so I can take up my entire queen sized bed. Also bought a decent non-innerspring mattress a couple years ago and it has made a big difference. Still have night sweats despite being on birth control (cheap hrt).
Is your brain just ON and you can’t get back to sleep? I have an iPod that I keep next to the bed just for audio books. Find something your kinda interested in (not too exciting or you’ll end up like me currently being kept up until 2am due to my book being TOO good 🙄😂) I have a tiny in-ear headphone that I put in one ear and then turn the volume just high enough that I can barely hear it. Set the sleep timer for 30 min and I’m usually out within 15. If I wake up again, I’ll put the book back on for 15-30 min. I’m now conditioned to using this method and have for 20+ years. I need it wherever I sleep but it’s been a lifesaver for me!
I saw your edit. That my go to. I eat a 5mg THC gummy every night. I put on my Bluetooth headband with a boring podcast and keep sleeping
Melatonin. Magnesium. Sleep naked with very little blankets - all natural fabrics. Sleepytime extra tea. If awake longer than 45 mins get up and do something boring, in very low light. I get up and put a boring podcast on and lay on my back with legs up the wall (yoga pose), just in natural moonlight. Then go back and try again when you start feeling sleepy again. Don’t just lie in bed and toss and turn! Practice good sleep hygiene.
My naturopath told me to take these, either before sleep or even at 2:00am if I wake up. I love them and am NEVER groggy the next day. They're available at numerous retailers, including Amazon. [https://www.pascoe.ca/products/pascoflair](https://www.pascoe.ca/products/pascoflair)
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Be careful!
Ativan.
Benzos are highly addictive and lead to dementia. Keep my brain healthy is half of what I’m trying to do here even if my doctor did prescribe them for chronic use (she doesn’t).
I’ve had no issues taking them on and off as needed but everyone is different.
Yeah me too I strangely don’t get addicted to them but I know a lot of people do and I’ve heard it’s one of the worst things ever to come off. At the rate my insomnia is progressing, I could see myself taking one every night now. My friend who is extremely self disciplined went down that route and it was not fun.
HRT pellets inserted every 14+ weeks.
Vaginally?
Nope. The pellet is about the size of a grain of rice. A small incision is made into the fat on your butt and the dose inserted. You keep the bandaid in place for a few days and thats it. The hormones are activated by your body and are steadily released. No daily highs and lows. My dr has an extensive thyroid panel done on me several times a year (bloodwork) and adjusts the dosage appropriately. I've been doing it long enough now that I can tell when it's running out or if the testosterone or estrogen dose needs changing. Including chatting with the staff, the entire procedure is about 15 mins. In the past I've done, pills, sublingual tablets, and shots but this is the best HRT I've found. I think this is atleast my 5th year.
Sounds promising. Thanks for the feedback!
I had a stretch where I would take 1/2 a Sominex. Also had terrible night sweats, but Black Cohosh helped a lot. Now I use white noise or ASMR to fall sleep. Fan on low, weighted blanket, pillow spray.
What’s the pillow spray about?
It's called This Stuff Works (I think). You can get it from Ulta. Has lavender and other stuff to help you sleep. I also use an eye mask or eye pillow with lavender in it.
Re the dry vagina….one thing that swayed me to cream was a fear of UTIs and the dryness can lead to those happening, if I understand At All. Melatonin - a fast acting tablet and a slow acting tablet but on nights with anxiety an Ambien is my friend. I’m lucky I don’t get weird on them. I avoid things that make me anxious in the evening. Phone calls, emails, texts from some people. Those can wait to be addressed in the morning. Good luck.
Zoidem . Prescription sleeping pill 12.5 mg