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[Taz2]

CubaGirl - one of my sons has been given antihistamine to help him sleep. It's working well. I can't remember what the name is now though but definitely it's one of the drowsy ones 

Taz x

[Ju Ju]

Since starting HRT, I do sleep better. However, I do get disturbed by my lovely DH. I don't know whether he gets more restless now he is older or whether I sleep more lightly from the middle of the night. I usually sleep well the first half of the night. When I was very poorly last year, my DH started going to sleep in the spare room after getting up to go to the loo. So we start the night together. This suits him as well as me. However, when we have guests or go away, there is no comfy bed to escape to if need be. I volunteered to be the one to go elsewhere.......the settee in the lounge, but by the time I got here, I was so wide awake! No chance of further sleep! I shall have to think how to approach this for the next few nights. But the good news is my son has come to stay!

[Joyce]

Taz 

[kerrieann]

oh dear had an awfull night again waking every 2 hours, then at half 5 full of anxiety, i keep trying to ask myself what iam am anxious about and i really dont know    a question that i want to ask but dont know if anyone will have an answer is how do i know if its hormones or anxiety and depression, dont know wether to ask doc for anti depressants oe hormones    help anyone  kerrie

[Greenfields]

Kerrieann - the anxiety could be hormonal. The Dr confirmed to me this morning that anxiety can be hormonal at menopause. In my case, I had panic attacks in my twenties and thirties and resolved them with yoga and meditation practice. However the Dr told me that if you have a history of panic attacks, it makes one more susceptible to them occurring at menopause.

I had had no problems with panic attacks for years (I'm 51) but over the last few months my anxiety sky rocketed. However I put it down to the stress of an impending move to another country (which fell through when all this happened) and I didn't realise that there was an underlying medical reason for the way I felt - I really wish I had known as I just put it down to the stress I was under in organising a move and taking on another college course.

If you can, I would go and see if you can get some medical checks with a Dr. And I keep my fingers crossed that your Dr is a good one.

When I can't sleep, I play a relaxation CD - a guided body scan meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn - it helps enormously. I also do loving kindness (metta) meditation for every part of my body.  I start with my little toe and I silently say "may my little toe be safe and well, may my little toe be peaceful and happy" - and I do this for every single body part I can think of and then go on to muscles, bones, nerves, organs etc - it really helps me mentally. 

Traditionally loving kindness meditation was taught by the Buddha as an antidote to fear and I've found it very helpful - it gives my mind something to do/focus on other than ruminate and make me feel worse. I also focus on my breath - I say calm as I breathe in and relax as I breathe out (silently to myself) - basically I think it's about trying to find ways to bring one's attention to body sensations as opposed to allowing the mind to go over and over and get caught up in thoughts.

Sending hugs xx

Also, just to add, my sleep was profoundly affected by hot sweats and when I went on HRT it has improved a bit which has helped - that said, I think the progesterone I was given in Nuvelle Continuous was too high for me as it has, at times, made me hyper alert and I've had difficult falling asleep. But I'm changing medications tomorrow and keeping my fingers crossed.

[dazned]

Kerrianne I had terrible insomnia,panick attacks,palpitations,annxiety through the roof 4 years ago, started hrt and it all stopped !
It started to return about november last year and struggling to find new regime to suit. Getting there slowly and mirtazapine has helped with all that too as I said elsewhere. Many on here use both hrt and ADs hope you get settled soon.

[Sunnydays]

Lack of sleep has to be my worst meno symptom. As you say, it's draining and I find no routine with it. I can just about sleep fine for a couple of nights, and so I try to follow exactly the same pattern (like wearing lucky knickers to an exam!) but to no avail. I've tried different herbal things which make not a bean of difference; one night I might have a cup of tea later in the evening than I should and I have the best of sleeps.
I'm aware that I constantly fidget which makes me feel guilty for disturbing my husband although having said that, he sleeps as soon as his head touches the pillow! He also snores which I've realised has woken me at night.
AAAAgh! All I want to do is sleep at night!

[pepperminty]

HI, I can identify with so many of the ladies here. I have not slept well for years. I wake between 3am and 5.30am everyday. I have been zombie like and unable to focus or speak without slurring. Dark circles under the eyes , clumsy and nauseous. I didn't realise it when it started but it's the peri menopause.
 It appears to have improved somewhat on HRT .  I think it is one of the worst symptoms as it is so difficult to function when you are sleep deprived.  xx

[babyjane]

Oh ladies, I could have written your posts over the last few years, word for word.  Taking ages to go to sleep then waking every 90 minutes, sometimes being awake for an hour or two.  I got so tired I couldn't function some days.  I would get episodes that lasted for a couple of months then it would come right and I would sigh with relief only for it to start up again a few months later.  I though that was my life now.

I can honestly say that since the start of this year it has improved.  I go to sleep quite quickly, I wake up around 1am and 5am but go back to sleep within a few minutes.  On rare occasions I get 6 hours unbroken and if my husband is being snorey I go in the spare room.

I know it won't help how you are feeling now and I got so depressed with the lack of sleep but it does seem to improve.  I am 58 now.