Hello all,
Seems I am posting left and right about all kinds of crazy things. I have reached an all time anxiety state. Sleeping has never been a problem for me until recently. A few nights I would lay awake staring at the clock knowing that I had 4 more hours to get up for work. Of course, the adrenaline starts and panic. Everytime I start to doze off, some crazy, scary or stupid vision flashes in my head. I sit straight up shaking and thinking....what the heck was that about!" And this is all night long. OR if I do go to sleep, I have a repeated thought, saying or vision that keeps going through my head. Anyone else out there!!!!!!!!!!!! Help. I am exhausted.

It sounds like you are entering that lovely phase called insomnia!! Isn't it the worse?? And the crazy thoughts and dreams makes one almost dread going to sleep!! But you WANT sleep so bad. And everything seems so much worse without adequate sleep. It is a nasty cycle.

One of the most recommended things I have read on PS, to help with sleep, is to take Benydryl. I didn't try that one, as I ended up using Ativan, ADs and BHRT and sleep came with those. I still occasionally have a bad night....had one this past week, in fact. And it left me so exhausted it has taken days to recover!!

I am a firm believer that the insomnia magnifies ALL the other symptoms of peri/meno and finding our way back to good restful sleep is the number 1 priority in treating all of the symptoms. With good rest, then you can reassess your other symptoms and see if you require further treatment.

I wish you luck in your quest for that elusive sleep!! Let us know how you are doing, and what you try and if it does, or doesn't work!

Ah yes, insomnia...my old friend. I'm convinced that my body just isn't wired to sleep at all. I'm lucky to get 4 hours a night, and I HAVE to take sleeping meds (prescribed) or I just don't fall asleep. And the dreams---I'm too embarassed to even tell my husband the whacky, absurd, insane things I dream about. I wish I had answers for you...all I can do is offer sympathy and empathy. PM me if you're ever up in the wee hours...I'll probably be here!

Dear Frien'd
I think insomnia is perhaps one of the hardest and most draining symptoms of Menopause. That awful lying there just wishing you could drift off but no!My dreams are often completely bizarre.

I got prescription sleeping pills from my Doctor to help break the cycle.Try to manage without them as do not wish to become addicted.I do find cutting out the caffeine and sugar helps,plus exercis A warm,not hot bat,before retiring is comforting plus a cup of warm milk with a little honey and cinammon.Also try to keep your bedroom for sleeping only,no T.V. as this .can be over stimulating..
hope you have better nights to come

All the Best
Elizabeth

oh yes, count me in! The crazy dreams are to much! EVERY NIGHT, without fail! I also wake up many times during the night, sometimes to go to the bathroom, sometimes not, just tossing and turning... I also experience those "jolts" that seem to nearly throw you out of bed, just as you're about to fall off into dream land.....this stinks! Yes, I think that the lack of sleep over amplifies our symptoms ,and makes them worse!!!!

I've noticed that I have weirdo dreams if I take my vitamins too late in the day. For a while I thought that -- because your body heals itself while you sleep -- taking vitamins at night would be a good thing. Give my body something to work with. Not so -- I had the weirdest dreams EVER! And vivid too -- like they were real and it was all really happening.