Bass, you might need more E. 50 is a low dose. IME, it's low or fluctuating E which causes most insomnia. I also think there is some relationship between E and the adrenals, so that when our E gets low or fluctuates weirdly out of sync with a cycle, it makes our adrenals work overtime to try to compensate somehow. Then we are cortisol-ed and adrenaline-d and can't sleep.
I did a 4 point saliva cortisol test which found that I have slightly high cortisol at 5pm and definitely too high before bed. It's fine in the morning. So now I target late afternoon and evening with:
- Ashwaganda
- Holy basil
- PSP (phosphatidylserine)
- Rhodiola
- Relora (made by NOW supplements)
Those are all cortisol reducing and stress balancing supplements.
I increased my estrogen to try to get it to between 400-600pmol. Since I absorb transdermally really badly, this means I am now on 10 pumps of gel. Which is ridiculous. But thank god for the Newson Clinic who helped me get this high when my own GP thought I should be fine on 3 pumps and levels around 230pmol.
And then I also take inositol, glycine and Lions Mane extract in my hot drinks twice a day, plus 1hr before bed I take 100mg of apigenin, 5mg of melatonin and 3000mg of taurine and magnesium l-threonate. Then 300mg of utrogestan just before bed.
I still have nights where things are bad, but usually only 2-3 in a row and then it's bearable again. I have trazodone prescribed by my GP and will take 50mg if I haven't fallen asleep about 2 hours after going to bed.