Can't sleep

[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.

[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.