Sudden insomnia and belly fat at 41

[Anonymous]

As of two weeks ago, I have been waking up every night between 2-3 am and cannot fall back asleep for atleast an hour or two. I’ve also noticed in the last 3 months or so that I’m specifically getting larger in my midsection, and have gained 8 pounds. Haven’t changed anything in terms of my diet or lifestyle, and work a stressful job but have been there for 10 years so nothing new there. Is this premenopausal? I’ve been reading about cortisol and how it may be that. What are the easiest ways to drop this quickly? I walk most mornings and get atleast 10k steps per day. Any advice from someone who’s experienced the same is appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Thyroid

[Anonymous]

Eat half your food at all meals.

[Anonymous]

Get your thyroid tested. Weight gain and insomnia are big symptoms.

[Anonymous]

Welcome, friend, to midlife. You could either be pregnant or perimenopausal.

[Anonymous]

Perimenopause and thyroid function - they are partners in your new body. Welcome to the club that is not fun.

[Anonymous]

I really can’t stand the narrative that you should just expect insomnia and weight gain at perimenopause. So many women suffer unnecessarily due to this. Please go get a blood work up to find out what is going on.

[Anonymous]

If it's thyroid, do you just take medication? Forever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's thyroid, do you just take medication? Forever?

Yes, in most cases. My symptoms were resolved in 3 weeks after starting Synthroid and I take them daily. Your thyroid doesn't have the ability to just start working again. In some more severe cases, people have to kill their thyroid function with radioactive iodine but even in that case you take meds everyday to replace the thyroid functions.

[Anonymous]

I had this problem a year ago. What's worked for me is 1) reducing alcohol intake and 2) increasing intense exercise (a bit of cardio and weights).

There was nothing wrong with my hormones or other levels - I just needed to start taking better care of my body in middle age.

[Anonymous]

Stress and cortisol.

[Anonymous]

I am 39 and had this happen last year. Bloodwork was normal so it was attributed to stress from starting a new job and/or perimenopause. I have cut way back on food but that's still only maintaining this new weight, there's been no loss at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's thyroid, do you just take medication? Forever?

Yes, in most cases. My symptoms were resolved in 3 weeks after starting Synthroid and I take them daily. Your thyroid doesn't have the ability to just start working again. In some more severe cases, people have to kill their thyroid function with radioactive iodine but even in that case you take meds everyday to replace the thyroid functions.

Thank you for the kind answer.

[Anonymous]

I had the same happen at 41. The insomnia was strange, a lot of my friends had the same phase around same age. What I did that felt like it may have helped :less alcohol, better sleep hygiene (colder room, stress management, learning how to manage the 3 am monkey brain/invasive thoughts..) and more cardio (I started running a couple times a week on top of my regular walks and Pilates/ weight training type of exercise).

For the weight gain, no fun answer : reduced quantities permanently and cut carbs even more drastically (I already ate a very healthy Whole Foods diet).

Not sure if all this worked or if the phase just ended but after a year of bad insomnia it went away and now I sleep ok. But after that phase a lot of things changes suddenly : my blood sugar metabolism, sudden increased skin sogginess on my face and neck, can’t metabolize alcohol as well as a couple years ago, memory took a hit, my eyesight too.

I am 44 now and I understand from others that I look on the younger side (barely), I am thin and athletic and don’t have wrinkles. But damn, I clearly took a hit the past 2 years. When I read the articles this summer that talked about how we age in burst and not continuously I had an aha moment. I def felt the 42-43 cliff.

Anyway : good luck op, I hope you do better than me. But silver lining if the insomnia is indeed the starting point of the downfall : it goes away !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stress and cortisol.

This! Please follow Dr Amy Shah! A few things worked for me:
Eat within 90 min of waking up, first meal includes 30g of protein.
Take magnesium supplements.
Daily exercise - 2 strength session per week plus 3 random class off class pass, walk whenever possible.
Don’t half your meals, you will end up weak and miserable and regain the weight. Just focus on sunlight, light cardio and quality movements (hinge squats push and pull).

It’s ok to have a bigger waist compared to your 30s but it shouldn’t be flabby.