For the past two-and-a-half months (I have not had a period during this time), I have been waking up every night, usually after dreaming. I lie there for a minute or so and then I start to feel very warm. I can also change positions and feel the warmth start on my face and then feel it travel down my back until I am kicking off the covers. This usually only lasts about five minutes or so and then when I'm cool or chilled, I seem to go back to sleep. This goes on anywhere from three to six times a night -- every night! I know I must somehow "sense" that I am going to "flash" during my sleep and that is what wakes me. My other thought is that perhaps I have a mild case of sleep apnea, but there is no one sleeping with me to let me know this. Do women start to develop sleep apnea during perimenopause?

I had a bout of this same sleeplessness last year when I missed my periods for two or three months. My doctor gave me some samples of a sleep-aid. I reluctantly took a half a pill because he said that I could. I went to sleep right away, but I still woke in the night. I was hesitant to take a whole pill as I wasn't thrilled with the side-effects I experienced the next day from just half.

The things I have tried to help me sleep pther than the pill-attempt: a glass of wine early in the evening; chamomile tea; relaxing bath early in the evening with some sort of chamomile/valerian shower gel. Nothing has helped. I was delighted, the other night to discover that although I had been awake three times during that night, I had managed to sleep four hours straight without interruption. I felt so refreshed by just this bit extra. I expect some sleep interruption during perimenopause (and menopause) but this is ridiculous. I am at my wit's end! I need a good night's sleep -- even waking once or twice wouldn't be so bad now.

Does anyone have any other non-drug suggestions I could try? Has anyone else experienced sleep apnea during perimenopause?

Same thing here - I consider it a great night's sleep when I can sleep for four hours straight. My pattern is usually four hours plus two hours. A few months ago I was like you, waking up very frequently. It just improved on its own - but last night I had a relapse with anxiety and frequent wakenings. Very discouraging.

I bought lavender pillow spray and lavender body lotion at Bath and Body Works. It was helping and then I stopped it as things got better. I'll have to use it again. I've also tried relaxation tapes. Getting to sleep is not the problem. It's staying asleep.

I don't know if sleep apnea develops during menopause. My brother has it - had a sleep study done. (He was very tired during the day with no known cause.) He now wears a special device at night that seems to help him.

Hope you sleep better tonight! (Hope I do, too!)

Helen

quote name = Simba 2 date = 19th Feb 2008

Dear Polgara,

Welcome to the world of menopause. I'm afraid that this sleep disturbance is one of the classic symptoms of this time of life. I dearly wish that some more research could be done into all of these horrible symptoms that beset us and so reduce the quality of our lives because we women dont deserve this. I used to be able to get off to sleep easily but since my last period at age fifty my sleep pattern completely altered. I was not able to get to sleep and when I did my sleep was interrupted every few hour with night sweats. Several months after all of this started I tried HRT, (an oestrogen patch plus a synthetic progestin, as I still have my uterus). After a couple of weeks on it, I noticed that I could get off to sleep again, so the insomnia is obviously because of the diminishing supply of oestrogen. Unfortunately I have not been able to tolerate the HRT because of side-effects and have been on and off it a few times - it is very frustrating really because it seems to stop the sweating but there is a big downside for me anyway. What I am doing is taking a quarter of a 10mg dose of a sleeping pill called zolpidem tartrate. I seem to have to fight for this off my G.P. here in the U.K. but I cannot tolerate this incessant sleeplessness and such a low dose gets me off and lets me get a few hours sleep till a big hot sweat wakes me about 6 am together with a big dose of anxiety. I do wish doctors in this country would be more understanding, I think it's all about saving money these days.

All the best
Simba

quote name = Simba 2 date = 19th Feb 2008

Dear Polgara,

Welcome to the world of menopause. I'm afraid that this sleep disturbance is one of the classic symptoms of this time of life. I dearly wish that some more research could be done into all of these horrible symptoms that beset us and so reduce the quality of our lives because we women dont deserve this. I used to be able to get off to sleep easily but since my last period at age fifty my sleep pattern completely altered. I was not able to get to sleep and when I did my sleep was interrupted every few hour with night sweats. Several months after all of this started I tried HRT, (an oestrogen patch plus a synthetic progestin, as I still have my uterus). After a couple of weeks on it, I noticed that I could get off to sleep again, so the insomnia is obviously because of the diminishing supply of oestrogen. Unfortunately I have not been able to tolerate the HRT because of side-effects and have been on and off it a few times - it is very frustrating really because it seems to stop the sweating but there is a big downside for me anyway. What I am doing is taking a quarter of a 10mg dose of a sleeping pill called zolpidem tartrate. I seem to have to fight for this off my G.P. here in the U.K. but I cannot tolerate this incessant sleeplessness and such a low dose gets me off and lets me get a few hours sleep till a big hot sweat wakes me about 6 am together with a big dose of anxiety. I do wish doctors in this country would be more understanding, I think it's all about saving money these days.

All the best
Simba

I remember on Oprah someone asked Dr.OZ about this and he said warm milk.I must admit this has helped me plus my calcium vit.If I wake in the night and can't get back to sleep I have a valerian combo tincture in some water and that usually does it.

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I will try some of the suggestions.

I don't have much of a problem falling asleep; it's the staying asleep. I don't mind waking up a time or two - I think most people go through spells of sleep disturbances now and again. But goodness, I didn't think it would become a constant. What I've also been doing is going to bed earlier than usual, trying to read, and then dozing off. At least this way I figure I'm getting a litte extra sleeptime. What made me wonder about the sleep apnea is that I occasionally feel jarred out of my sleep -- I usually find I'm sleeping on my back when this occurs. Good thing no one is with me because I must be snoring or something! My cat has no complaints though. I really hope the sleep thing settles after a while. I work in the beauty industry and these dark circles are getting tougher to cover-up!

I've been dealing with waking up about an hour after I've fallen asleep with my heart beating very fast and a feeling of fear...I don't get hot just the heart. I use to wake to full blown panic attacks but these a mild. If I have these for a week or so I tend to get fearful of sleep...not good!
I don't know about you but I'm a "bear" if I don't get my sleep!

How is your healthcare system? Do you really have to wait for operations, scans etc? Are you allowed to pay for your own private DR. and not use the national system? We may being going that way over here God Forbid. Ambian works ok for me sometimes. Flash wil wake me up every two hours then I have about 4 good hours. Horrid

Simba, I was wondering if you could try using a bio identical progesterone instead of a synthetic progestin? I know the synthetic progestins can cause some people horrendous side effects...my mother tried it for a couple days and had cramping that felt like labour pains...she calls the synthetic progestins poison!! I didn't even bother trying it, went straight for Prometrium.

My sleep has improved a great deal on the BHRT, not flashing during the night helps a whole lot! I can usually sleep for 6 hours straight...then sometimes I wake up and stay awake, other times I can fall back asleep...but 6 solid hours is a lot better than being awake off and on all night long!!

I am so sorry many of you are having this interrupted sleep pattern (and it really does become an almost-predictable pattern of sorts, doesn't it). I'd actually prefer to wake up at 5:30 AM and just get up and start my day after having five or six hours of straight sleep, which is another pattern I went through for a while last year, than this interruption. I do count myself fortunate that I'm dreaming when I sleep. I guess it means I am going through the sleep stages and not sleeping lightly when I am sleeping, but it's still annoying, and I'm starting to lose energy too. I am trying so hard not to have to resort to taking another Lunesta. I wasn't impressed with the results, and that nasty aftertaste which lasted the whole next day, as did the slightly still-drugged feeling, was unpleasant. And that was just from 1mg of a 2mg pill I took, too!

I hope it is one of those "this, too, shall pass," things. It helps to know that I am not the only one who is having this issue.

Thanks.

Hi Polgara,

Sleep has been a constant problem of mine for the last 3 years....when I began to get irratic periods...now I haven't had one since last August (I'm 48).....I am trialling a bunch of things (all natural, as I know I will find a solution) and this is what I have found helps:

1. Exercise 5 days a week - which includes 2 long walks, weights, yoga and heart rate - or interval - training.
(done earlier in the day as I have elevated cortisol at nights)
2. Cut out sugar almost completely (have to deviate occassionaly!).
3.NO computer at nights (photosensitive) and limited late night TV (boo!)
4.Make sure I COMPLETELY wind down at nights from about 6pm....calming pursuits only!
5.Have cut out drinking cows milk and drink soy milk and will have a bowl of high protein cereal - like Kashi 'Go Lean' crunch with soymilk before bed.

I used to get terrible anxiety at nights when I woke with a start often that used to get my heart racing and my mind was active....now I don't very much at all.

I used to get terrible night sweats on waking at night, also usually after dreaming vividly, which, like you, I throw the covers off 'til I get nice and cold....this does happen SOMETIMES, but not as often as it did.

Now I get about 1 or 2 nights a week where I sleep for 8 or more hours...the others are 4-5 hours and then tossing and turning kind of sleep, but I'll take that over what I used to be like!!!

I think that some things work for others that don't work for me and vise versa (?!)...try anything and everything until you find something that works for you.

Good Luck!

Caz

Caz,

I definitely think the exercise will help. I haven't really settled on anything regular. I go through spells where I'll ride my bike (it's a stationary one on my balcony) and read, and then I'll go for months without touching the bike. I don't watch a lot of television at night, but I am guilty of playing computer games at night, so perhaps I should stop this and just unwind with a book a little earlier in the evening. I'll try just about anything now. Like you, I'll take a couple of nights of good sleep a week even if I have interrupted sleep the rest of the time.