Can't sleep past 4am
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Anonymous
| If this my new normal? How do you cope? |
Anonymous
| Do you feel like that is enough sleep or would you like to sleep longer because you are tired? |
Anonymous
| I'm exhausted. I've been waking up at 4am no matter when I fall asleep, and the sleep that I do get is interrupted. |
Anonymous
| Welcome to my world. It has been like this for a while now. I'm only 44. |
Anonymous
|
I'm 54 and had my last period at 47.
During my perimenopause which lasted maybe 5 years, I had a lot of trouble sleeping. But with my last period it went away and I now sleep pretty well. So at least in my case - there was light at the end of the tunnel. In other respects, I was lucky - I did not have hot flashes. Anyway - I am thankful for current good sleep. Hang in there! |
Anonymous
| I wake up more during the night but fortunately am able to get back to sleep unless I'm worried about something. What's interesting is that hot flashes perk me up. If I'm sleepy during the day, when I get a hot flash I'm suddenly wide awake. And at night I will wake up before I get the hot flash and then the hot flash will hit. Of course I could be sleeping through other hot flashes. How would I know? |
Anonymous
| I have broken sleep every night. My last period was about a year ago. I'm miserable and tired every day. I take a nap in the afternoons after I pick the kids up from school. I'm a SAHM, so I can do it. If I were working, I don't know how I'd get through the day. It's supposed to get better, friends who have gone through it say. Have you tried taking melatonin about 30 minutes before bedtime? It's supposed to regulate your sleep cycles. I am so tired at night, I fall asleep without even remembering to take it, but then I wake up around 4 a.m., and I can't get back to sleep. I listen to the radio (BBC) on headphones, or I get up and do email or read until I feel a little drowsy, usually around 6:30 a.m. when I have to get the kids up to get ready for school. It's miserable, OP, but try to grab as much sleep when and where you can, and hang in there until this nasty period of sleeplessness passes. |
Anonymous
|
OP, it's probably peri-menopause, but here are some ideas:
1. There is a recent (as in the last week) study that using electronic devices before bedtime can mess with your brain activity and make it difficult to sleep. 2. Second the melatonin suggestion 3. If you have alcohol in the evenings, for example wine, cut back on this because it also messes with your brain activity and makes it tough to sleep. |
Anonymous
| OP, what time are you going to bed? It sounds as if you are in bed in the reclining position too early at night. As you get older you need less sleep, hence the early awakening. You could try sitting up in another room until @ 10--that's what I do. Stay away from the bed until it is time to sleep. Also early awakening is a symptom of mild to severe depression--you may also just need more vigorous activity during the day (as in brisk walking or jogging, stretching, etc.) |
Anonymous
| Seriously, drinking before bed is the worst thing you can do at any age. It will definitely make it harder to fall asleep unless you are hammered. |
Anonymous
|
I got lost, which is why I'm here even though I'm 34. I hope you don't mind me adding an opinion which is, it may not be related to menopause at ALL. Saying this because my sleep is shit too, and has been that way since I was 18, and I've got zero period problems.
I just decided today I need to switch showers to night time because lately I wake up between 3-4, go back to bed around 6, and then wake up around 8 (I need to leave for work at 8) and am EXHAUSTED and don't have time to shower. It sucks. I'm so sorry. |
Anonymous
| Actually taking a shower before sleep can help you to fall asleep - not sure it helps with early waking. |
Anonymous
Good to know! I'm going to try it tonight, and hope my hair looks presentable tomorrow morning. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks for the empathy and all the feedback. This week has been better (I've reduced my caffeine intake significantly and try not to get too involved with work/computer stuff at night.) If it gets worse again, I think I'll try melatonin. And maybe a shower at night! |
Anonymous
| This may not be feasible for you but everything got so much better when I started running, including sleeping through the night and waking to the alarm clock. In perimenopause, dr. recommended weight-bearing activity to prevent osteoporosis. Started small (10 mins) and worked up to a half hour daily. Circulation improved, mood improved, sleep improved, stopped getting the chronic colds. |