Can't sleep

[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...

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.