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[Toodle Pips]

When my anxiety is ramped up like it was a couple of days ago I don't sleep well at all and use Kalms to help me relax.  It if I only get a couple of hours sleep I become a bit of a basket case and get more anxious. When I am calmer in myself, like I am at the moment, I fall asleep quickly but wake up after about four hours needing the bathroom. I normally drop off again easily, but am usually awake properly by 4am, like I am now. But to be honest, my sleeping patterns change all the time. I don't particularly worry about it as long as I have had five or six hours sleep, then I am fine. I can live with that.

I am however having to sleep downstairs at the moment due to this heat, plus I get vertigo when I lie on my left side, but sleeping on the sofa means that I stay lying on my back, and so I don't get dizzy.

Oh the joys of it all!

[Roseneath]

Insomnia has been one of the most difficult and life upsetting aspects for me. It is certainly fuelled by my anxiety and I think hormone/cortisol at certain times and being too hot. I have managed to ' contain' it in the past few months (touch wood). The following have helped.... I ditched the duvet and now have just a folded duvet 'sheet', I have a cold 'wash down' before I go to bed (much to husbands' amusement), I have painted the room a mushroom/taupe from magnolia, new cheap black out blinds on-line, moved bed to a different wall, sometimes use ear plugs, read very 'easy' books before bed (Nancy Drew or Jilly Cooper in my case), no hot drinks or food a good two hours before bed and (I blush to share this with anyone) I sometimes take my sons stuffed gorilla to bed; it seems to calm down the anxiety.   A bit of CBT I got from an App helps too. I picture my fear of not sleeping as a small, silver ' blob' with eyes which I have placed next to my bed. Every time I 'worry' about the fact I am not asleep I think that worry if the ' blob'; not attached to me but just there and not part of me.  If I get a  really bad few nights in a row I now have some GP prescribed sleeping tabs  as having just one ' good' night seems to reset my system for a few months.Lack of Sleep + Menopause symptoms = 

[JaneL]

Me too roseneath - is so difficult to function properly with insomina as an affliction. I'm very impressed with all the things you've tried and done to help with this. I've also been using the shower a lot, though it doesn't work with night sweats all the time.

I love your idea of a gorilla to cuddle, don't be shy! Maybe it would be good decoy for my husband to cuddle when I'm having a hot turn....

[Roseneath]

JaneL. It is funny with the gorilla (or Norman as I call him!). I think it give me comfort in a subconscious way as it reminds me of my son when he was a baby (yes he was very hairy!). Actually my son (now 10) gave me him to sleep with when I had problems sleeping. I was reluctant to share this on the forum as I thought people would think I was nuts taking a soft toy to bed but it is something which has helped relax me in the small hours (and when my husband has had enough of me waking him up).  The gorilla never judges!  I think insomnia is a life wrecking part of  Peri as it has such a knock on effect on everything else and effects the whole family.  So Norman is staying put for now (and my son has bought a panda called Parker for himself!). Good luck. I think you can self help with sleep problems but it takes a bit of work and patience to find the right routine .

[JaneL]

Thanks Roseneath, do whatever you need to do I think - and well done for sharing, I suspect you'll find we'll have done many more loopy things. "The gorilla never judges!"

Actually, I think being open about how we're feeling is very important. There's a tendency to suffer in silence I guess, I know I do it.

[Bluebell1]

Hi all. I struggle to sleep . I can get offto sleep then wake up at 2am with night sweats & night anxiety ..? How can I stop this . I take HRT . This did help initially but now... has stopped. GP just started me on Propanalol. Fingers ctossed..!!

[NaturalMystic]

Propranolol helps reduce the heart rate when pounding so use it.

Me, amitriptine works, helps sleep thus less twighlight hour panics xx

[Tc]

Since my wife died I have taken to cuddling a pillow it doesn't help fall asleep but it seems to comfort me a bit.
Oh and..embaressement alert. I have found myself sucking my thumb. Something I did as a child long into my teens. Again its comfort i guess.Think I might have over shared with that one. Sorry.
I have found that ASMR has helped me nod off even though I don't stay asleep. Also use "headspace". Videos. They don't always work sometimes I'm just too anxious for anything and then I resort to an antihistamine or a travel sickness pill. My doc won't prescribe sleeping tablets. She said they are only a short term solution for 7 days so wouldn't help me!!

[CLKD]

Nothing is over shared on here.  It is what it is  .  Whilst going through a drawer last month I found my very old, very tattered bear.  My maternal gran used to knit one a year  . I also sucked one finger, hence my front teeth are crooked.  Do you have anything that has her scent on it? 

[Tc]

CLKD. So funny cos just like you I have a little monkey she knitted me which is always with me.
Sadly the scent doesn't last. Hence gradually letting go of all the clothes of hers I kept.
She was allergic to perfume but if she had worn onecim sure I'd be spraying it everywhere.
My teeth stick out at the front as well. Thumb sucking a hard one to break. You can take away a dummy but not the thumb. My nan who lived with us used to paint my thumb with this horrible tasting stuff but I just got used to it.
Do you still find yourself doing it sometimes?

[Foxylady]

Hi, I'm new to the site. Poor & lack of sleep along with hot flushes were my first symptoms aged 37 about 3 years ago. After being told by GP not the menopause and investigated for many weird and wonderful things I tried alot of different things including Vallarian, Cherry juice. I am now taking Magnesium supplements along with my Vitamin D before bedtime (as recommended on the forum). Started on HRT 8+ weeks ago, hopeful it helps with the sleep, sweats etc. I've also changed my diet (5:2 fast) and lost 17lb, again to see if this helps with symptoms. Of course the problem with changing so many things is how do you know what works, although I suspect a combination of things will be what most folk find rather than one thing addressing all the issues.

[ali19698]

New on here, but in need of help.  Been taken off HRT as been on for many years.
Still getting the hot flushes at night, just cannot sleep.   Any suggestions anyone please.

[squeaker99]

Hi Ali. Just wanted to empathise with you really. I never gave sleep a moments thought until Peri struck about 4 years ago. Since then I have had 3 or 4 bad 2-3 week bouts. When you are in the middle of it or get a totally sleepness night it is wretched.  After a couple of bad night I was in such a panic last night I didn't sleep at all. I felt terrified the whole night. Today I have tried so hard to carry on buy am dreading tonight. I have ordered a good Kindle Book called the Effortless Sleep Companion by Sasha Banks which is good. I have always been a worrier so can see a pattern since Peri kicked in. Hugs to you.

[kew]

Have been on hrt for about 3 years and it has helped enormously with my sleep, which prior to starting HRT had been very restless, waking several times a night due to being either too hot or too cold, and not helped by waking at 3am each morning, even onHRT.

Now I need to be in bed by 9.30 and definitely be 10am if I am to get enough sleep. I still get disturbed sleep but have found a bedtime tea that is wonderful by Clipper teas, and this seems to give me a less disturbed night though I still wake up early. I use two teabags per cup.

[Miss M]

Since taking utrogestan 100mg (progesterone) every night I have been having a much improved sleep. I don't waken through the night however I do feel a bit groggy although that goes after ten mins. A small price to pay. It is such a relief after 5 years of broken sleep.