Can't sleep

[ACG]

I have been having this problem for a few months now and on/off for the last five years.

It used to be that I'd wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep the 6-24 hours before I get my period.

Now that I'm 49, my body is maybe in peri-menopause maybe? Anyway I wake up every 2 hours, ofcourse the minute I'm awake I have to pee. Then I can't get back to sleep. This happens 2-3 days in a row. On the 3rd or 4th day I'm just exhausted and I sleep better for 1-2 nights and then we are back to the same sleepless routine.

I've tried all the suggestions/ready all the articles: No caffeine, increasing my magnesium, not eating anything heavy late at night or excersizing late, reducing water intake so I don't have to pee. Making my bedroom truly a bedrom. Yoga. Consistenly watching and writing down my food intake, watching my food intake closely. Getting up and sleeping in another room, etc. I've read every single peice of literature and tried everything that I can think of.

The herb Valerian does help, but it only helps me slightly. I've been using the Valerian for about 2 months now.

It is hard to get up and exercise if you didn't get any sleep, the only time I have to exercise is in the mornings. On the weekends, if I don't sleep well I still go on a bike ride, but when I get home I'm ready for a nap.


Suggestions are welcome no matter how silly.

[Aggie_Ama]

I have to take Trazadone. Ambien made me a zombie, melatonin did nothing, Lunesta I woke up. I also get relief from having my room very cool. Maybe because I have always liked to burrow down in the covers. I also like using lavender scents in my bedroom. I started having insomnia after my Nanny died in 2009. I thought with my depression under control it would subside but it hasn't.

[KathiCville]

I'm about three years older than you are and suspect that you might be right about the perimenopause, at least in part. I'll be 53 this month and went into full-on menopause about 18 months ago. Having trouble sleeping is, according to my gyno, a pretty typical side effect of perimenopause (and onward into menopause, bleagh.) So is "brain fog"---the inability to concentrate as well as you used to. Not to mention simply not having quite as much natural get-up-n'-go. (Can't wait for the post-meno zest!! :D)

Have you tried melatonin yet? I use it occasionally when I think I'm likely to have a restless night. The only side effect that I'm not crazy about is a slight groggy feeling in the morning. But that might just be me; YMMV!

A little lavender on your pillow might help too. The scent has a relaxing effect.

I'm wondering if you have any aches or pains that are waking you up? I've found that since about age 45 I've had a heckuvatime getting really comfortable at night. I did the usual: changed mattresses, pillows, etc., in search of relief. I also started sleeping with a pillow between my knees, which helped some, but didn't solve the problem. I finally recognized that I was often waking up because I was in pain, particularly if lying on my side. (My favorite sleeping position.) In my case, it was a deep burning achiness that at first I couldn't identify. After digging around online here on TE and elsewhere, I finally realized that the source of the pain appeared to be mainly tight IT bands, with tight quads and hamstrings thrown in.

I started doing pigeon pose and other IT band "stretches" religiously (including foam roller stretches) and within a month a pain that had been keeping me awake every night for MONTHS on end virtually disappeared. I'm sleeping better now than I have in probably five or six years. (Not perfectly, mind you, but MUCH better.)

I'm sure other TE'ers will have plenty of insights to share! Good luck!

[Chicken Little]

I'm 48, and have the exact symptoms you do. I'm just putting up with it. Books on tape, organizing the office at 2 a.m., etc. I'm lucky my job is flexible, and I don't mind riding in the dark evening or morning hours. I'm not fighting this.
Yet.
I am reminded that there is no word for menopause in over half of the known languages.

[malkin]

From my grandmother:

Velma's Law: If you can't stay awake, go to bed; if you can't sleep, get up.


When I'm breaking Velma's Law, I lie in bed and listen to the BBC World Service. It's not as sweet and boring as it used to be when they'd play Big Ben clanging out the hours and present hours long documentaries on efforts to build tunnels to save frogs from the dangers of motorways, but its still usually more subdued (boring) than modern US radio. If it doesn't put me back to sleep, at least it is interesting.

[OakLeaf]

Are you getting enough natural light during the daytime? That will play havoc with my sleep cycles if I don't. Full spectrum bulbs help a lot if you have to work somewhere without a window.

[Crankin]

I occasionally have sleep issues, but since I've been in menopause (that's when you actually have not have a period for a year), it has been better. I've always been a light sleeper, though. What really helped me is a new sleep schedule because of my daytime schedule. I go to bed later and sleep just a little later. I've had years of getting up at 4:30-5:00 AM. Now I sleep until 6 or 6:30, unless i naturally wake up earlier, which does happen when the sun comes up early.
And most of sleep issues had to do with stress.

[marni]

I suffered from insomnia for years and finally learned to accept that if I couldn't sleep, there was no sense fighting it so I would get up and do something non stimulating and repetitive, dusting, folding laundry, cleaning cupboards,reading and or hot milk with sage (soporific) and honey. Now I have found trazadone which helps to shut up the mind monkies, and if worse comes to worse, I take an,a, one advil liquigel which lets me sleep and takes care of any aches and pains.

That and two hours of vigorous exercise seem to help more than melatonin ever did. Vitamin C is also supposed to be a soporific, but I have grown to love hot mile with sage and honey.

Good luck with finding a solution. I know it ain't fun.

[jelee1311]

I'm sorry you can't sleep,insomnia sucks. I see an accupuncturist and she has given me a few formulas that worked. I like the chinese herbs because they don't make me wake up groggy. I would love to tell you what they are but I can't pronounce them. I do seem to sleep better on the days I ride or swim. Good luck

[KnottedYet]

Isn't perimenopause FUN?!?!?

I don't fight the waking up much, and just assume I'm going to be awake at least once a night with a hot flash and probably a time or two just waking up for no reason.

My iPod is loaded with some very boring economics texts and essays set for white text on black background so I don't get too much light. Read in the dark until I fall asleep again. At least my body gets a rest even if my brain is hungry for the thrill of economics... :rolleyes:

If you are waking to pee every 2 hours, that's a bladder training issue you might want to nip in the bud before it becomes a habit. Do NOT limit your fluids, that will force your kidneys to produce concentrated acidic urine which irritates the lining of the bladder and makes you urgently need to pee. Keep track of your daytime bathroom trips: if your bladder flips schedule and only pees a couple times during the day and then goes every 2 hours during the night, then you really might want to contact a urologist to help you flip it back.

[marni]

knotted yet,

post menopausal but going through it again because of tamoxifen (chemo for breast cancer) causing estrogen withdrawal. I love books on tape on my ipod. Granted it may take me a month to get through a long book, but I plug in one earphone when I get into bed and turn it off and back on as I drift in and out of sleep. Nice white noise and something more soothing about words than music, and I usually drift off withing 5-10 minutes which means that during the day I need to rewind or go back to about 10 minutes later than when I started the night before.

Whatever it takes.

[myjas]

I had to cover my clocks to block any light in my room. My doctor said any light source can mess with your chemical balance. Street light, clock, night light, etc. If you can't avoid it, try a mask.

[Artista]

Artificial sweeteners, (NutraSweet & Spenda types), and/or too many carbs interfere with my sleep. It's easy to avoid the artificial sweeteners in homemade, organic, food but it's hidden in tons of conventional foods & medications.

Food dyes can also cause sleeping problems. I sometimes take 1/2 benadryl when I have trouble sleeping. I rinse the pink coating off of the pill before I cut it in 1/2 to get rid of the dye & any artificial sweetener. Amazingly, it's twice as effective without the coating.

[Catrin]

I have found that I need to have 3 hours between bike and sleep - or I don't (sleep, that is). I also have to eat something before bed, or I wake up starving at 1am and can't get back to sleep until I eat - but I do have issues with blood sugar.

[Biciclista]

you'd be surprised at how much you can do when you are sleep deprived. I know it's hard to get rolling, but once you get on your bike, or on your walk or whatever, you will feel better.

And the nights after you have exercised you will sleep better!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Not saying this applies to anyone here-
To add one more possible cause of disturbed/interrupted sleep- too much alcohol can easily do that. Though one glass of something actually helps some folks get to sleep and sleep well, too much can really mess up your ability to get restful deep REM sleep. It causes restlessness, weird and unpleasant dreams, waking up multiple times during the night and not being able to get back to sleep. Needless to say, those who drink too much regularly often feel strongly that their sleep problem is due to something else.

[GLC1968]

OK, if you are willing to listen to anything even though it sounds ridiculous - how about being barefoot? The earth has a natural resonant frequency that shifts as the day shifts. Being in touch with frequency that helps our natural circadian rhythms reset. Too much insluation in the form of concrete, high-rises, tires and such keep us separated from it and too much interference from the prolific wireless devices in our lives can mess with our ability to 'hear/feel' these rhythms.

I've always been a lousy sleeper, but I swear that when I spend time in our garden (ie the dirt!) barefoot during the summer, I feel calmer. I sleep way better at night in the summer than I do in the winter. Since this is counter-intuitive from every other angle (temperature, light, rain/weather, etc), I attribute it to being barefoot MUCH more during the summer months.

You said kooky was ok! ;)

[Biciclista]

OK, if you are willing to listen to anything even though it sounds ridiculous - how about being barefoot? The earth has a natural resonant frequency that shifts as the day shifts. Being in touch with frequency that helps our natural circadian rhythms reset. Too much insluation in the form of concrete, high-rises, tires and such keep us separated from it and too much interference from the prolific wireless devices in our lives can mess with our ability to 'hear/feel' these rhythms.

I've always been a lousy sleeper, but I swear that when I spend time in our garden (ie the dirt!) barefoot during the summer, I feel calmer. I sleep way better at night in the summer than I do in the winter. Since this is counter-intuitive from every other angle (temperature, light, rain/weather, etc), I attribute it to being barefoot MUCH more during the summer months.

You said kooky was ok! ;)

I like it!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I always sleep better when i've been out working in the garden in the sun for a little while. :)

[ACG]

All the postings are great. Within a few days of my posting, I started to sleep better.

I literally stopped taking all my normal supplements, flax seed (started using the liquid kind), vitamin E (my doctor recommended this a year ago), magnesium, etc. Again all recommended by the DOC. I also stopped taking one of my prescriptions, never liked the stuff anyway. And I started sleeping in just my panties :eek: the boyfriend is loving this. I still wake up but I go right back to sleep. And I only wake up twice, no longer the 4 times a night.

I don't drink alcohol so that isn't an issue. My bladder seems happier too, I don't have the urge as much.

And the thing about walking in dirt barefoot, yeah, I've hear that it is supposed to be good for you. I work in my garden a lot anyone, so I've got dirty feet.

I have an appt with my gyno in about 3 weeks, so we'll see what she says about the perimenopause thing.

I made an appt with my allergist, since I stopped taking her pills I figured I'd clue her in on my problem and that I stopped her pills.

So for now sleeping almost naked, walking in the dirt, and cutting out all types of medication, supplements seems to be working. For now.

[Miranda]

I have to take Trazadone. Ambien made me a zombie, melatonin did nothing, Lunesta I woke up. I also get relief from having my room very cool. Maybe because I have always liked to burrow down in the covers. I also like using lavender scents in my bedroom. I started having insomnia after my Nanny died in 2009. I thought with my depression under control it would subside but it hasn't.

Just a thought...

Do you have anything from your Nanny in your bedroom that holds a strong memory?

OK, while we are entertaining anything cooky here lol, I say this because of a book I recently read. I posted a thread on it regarding spring cleaning and getting rid of your clutter.

Probably one of the best books I've read. But, the author goes thru some of his clients cases. If insomnia is an issue, he looks at what clutter is the your bedroom. Basically he says all our outter clutter stems from our inner clutter.

For our bedrooms, he says things should be perfectly clutter free, simple, soothing. Nothing even stored under the bed.

I ditched alot of my junk. Got more to go. But, my bedroom feels calmer.

However, I've been an insomniac for a while. Perimenopausal also. The hormones gotta be big thing I think.

[Aggie_Ama]

Miranda - Nothing from Nanny but the thing after her death that scared me the most was how my Pawpaw and her were hoarders. It was just so much stuff to sort through. Our master bedroom is cluttered and it might be causing anxiety. My doctor diagnosed me with depression and anxiety before my Nanny died. So that is actually very helpful. My goal once race season is over next month is to start throwing things out. My grandparents, my husband's whole family are hoarders and as I get older I don't want to be! What is the name of that book?

[macopagirl]

Have you tried any serotonin supplement? I think you should ask that for a pharmacist. The one that my auntie take before is the MX 5-HTP. It helps to aid in stress relief and help balance sleep patterns. So i think serotonin supplement is the solution on your concern.

[grey]

I go through long periods of insomnia from time to time. Have been a bit insomniac for a week now. Stress is what it boils down to right now, some struggles with my parents, my new business, etc.
I'm a backyard herbalist and grow a lot of my own meds, have a friend who is a real herbalist and grows everything. She gave me skullcap, which seems to help.
Getting up is a huge mistake for me. If I get up, I am guaranteed to just be up the rest of the night. I do have some books set to reverse type on my iPod to limit light, as I'm very light sensitive. I have blinds and curtains, my winter curtains are lined.
Temperature plays in also. Been so hot for months, we've been sleeping with only a sheet and I really miss the weight and comfort of a blanket.
Sometimes a good workout helps. Not always. I slept pretty well after my metric century, but since then I'm back to being awake until 1am, awake at 3am, then just dozing the rest of the night.
I'm not menopausal. Won't be for a while yet. I think my cause is just stress.
Other than the skullcap I haven't said anything that others have suggested. Hope you are able to get some sleep soon.