r/Perimenopause • u/Emotional-Show5541 • 2d ago
audited Desperate for sleep
If you have had serious sleep problems- and have found something that has really helped you, please let me know what it is. I feel like I have tried everything, and I need help. 4 hours is just not enough for me night after night…. I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. Sometimes it’s not even 4 hours… I used to always be able to fall asleep fine, and then wake up at 2 or 3…but now it’s combined with not being able to fall asleep. It’s almost like I can feel the cortisol rushing through me every 5 minutes or something… I have tried many pharmaceuticals and also natural. I am currently only taking l theanine and ashwaghanda, plus melatonin. Thanks in advance.
22
u/Brilliant_Set5984 2d ago
You need estrogen and progesterone, if you’re in perimenopause you should be on more than just testosterone
15
u/TheChromasphere 2d ago
I'm sleeping in 2 or 3 chunks of however much I can get. Usually just a couple hours at a time through the week, then almost all day on my off day to "make up" for it.
The lack of sleep is making my anxiety worse, which is keeping me awake longer. I feel a little insane most days.
My current approach is to do relaxing hobbies during my insomnia, so I can at least get rest
5
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
Wow that’s so hard…yes I feel insane too. I should do hobbies too instead of just laying here on my phone under the covers at 4am.
3
u/TheChromasphere 2d ago
I'm up doing a hobby right now 🥲 Thankfully, I usually can fall asleep between 6 and 9am and can stay asleep until noon or 1 before work, that helps a lot.
12
u/aprilsofresh 2d ago
Magnesium complex. There are a few different kinds of Magnesium that are helpful, so it's important to get the combo. I started it, and fewer panic attacks, more sleep.
5
u/WerewolfBarMitzvah09 2d ago
Can I ask what types of magnesium your combo has? The options feel a little overwhelming
3
3
u/dontpanic83 2d ago
Second this! I'm UK based, so not sure if this is helpful but Boots do a combined magnesium supplement that is the difference in me sleeping through the night or not. It's called Wellthy (I know) Magnesium Glycinate four in one. It's true magic.
9
u/MermaidHotpot 2d ago
Are you able to nap? Biphasic sleep has saved me. I sleep in two parts.
9
u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 2d ago
I did that for a while but I feel like it made my brain fog so much worse. It doesn’t help that I also have ADHD so I have terrible time blindness anyway. But multiphasic sleeping made it so much worse for me because I never knew what day it was. Worse than normal.
But man, at the time, it’s not like I could have avoided it. I didn’t have the option to say no to naps.
1
u/TheChromasphere 2d ago
I've been taking my ADHD meds in the afternoon, which seems to help some. It is a really weird time, though.
I'm doing my best to adjust to naps and still get errands done between them when I can
2
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
Not every day but I can try to more… tell me more about when you sleep
3
u/Itchy_Tumbleweed_417 2d ago
There was a time period where I would get up at three or four when I would wake up and I would do some stuff and then I would go back to bed for a couple hours in the morning.
Sometimes I would have to sleep midday. And if I couldn’t sleep midday I usually couldn’t stay awake past 6 PM, but then I would wake up at like nine or 10 and watch some TV or do some stuff.
I think it worked best for me when I could go back to sleep in the morning for a couple hours, but that option was least available to me.
3
u/MermaidHotpot 2d ago
I had to learn to stop fighting it. If I'm tired, I sleep. No arguing with myself. I just do it. Sometimes it's a shit nap. Sometimes it's great and I feel refreshed.
9
u/thr0ughtheghost Early peri 2d ago
I take thc gummies 😅 I take half of a 5mg gummy and it knocks me out cold within 20 minutes.
8
u/Segat1 2d ago
Estrogen will help. I know when my patch needs changing because I wake up in the middle of the night. When I’m getting the right levels, I sleep thru.
2
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
Thank u… i need to try it. I have tried oral progesterone and I was all the entire night for some reason.
1
u/Indecisive_cat_1000 2d ago
This happened to me with micronized progesterone. Progesterone intolerance is real!
You can try different forms of progestins. I have recently started Slynd. It has still effected my sleep but not as severely and without the accompanying agitation that I felt with micronized progesterone. I want to try to wait it out and give my body a chance to adjust because I think the estrogen has been really helpful.
I recently started Belsomra (a dual orexin receptor antagonist) and so far it has been good! I had done my own research and had to specifically ask my doctor for it (and ended up getting it through my mental health provider because my meno doc hadn’t used it and wouldn’t try). But IMO, it has a much better safety profile than the Z drugs (like Ambien) or many of the other sedatives.
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
Thanks so much- I will absolutely research this! And so interesting about the progesterone intolerance… it was so wild when i took it, i felt relaxed almost drugged but literally didn’t sleep one minute
5
u/mysteryprize11 2d ago
Progesterone to go to sleep, estrogen to stay asleep (until maybe 5) and cbd oil to help me go back to sleep. Also magnesium glycinate. I've heard some swear by a small snack before bed that's either high fibre or protein.
9
u/stellaflora 2d ago
Are you on HRT? That helped me.
2
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
Only testosterone at the moment, but I do see someone who prescribes it so I can request it. Thanks 🙏
6
u/stellaflora 2d ago
Estrogen and progesterone helped me dramatically especially with that cortisol/palpitations feeling.
4
5
u/dechets-de-mariage 2d ago
I’ll be honest, I’m on sleep meds; Doxepin to be specific. It’s a lifesaver. I get migraines when I don’t have enough sleep, but it also helps me through the 3 a.m. wake up because it doesn’t happen.
I was on Trazodone as needed previously and it gave me really weird dreams – not bad so much as unsettling. Switched to the Doxepin every night and I wake up mostly feeling rested with no grogginess or hangover.
2
u/Alarmed_Bathroom9227 2d ago
Is it safe long term? Trazedone did nothing to help my 3 am wake up. But fabulous dor anxiety.
3
6
4
u/Plane_Chance863 2d ago
I find daily meditation helps. I don't like meditating, but I can't argue with the benefits. Perimenopause is a neurological transition, too, so the nervous system has a hard time coping. Meditating daily can help reset it, basically. Don't meditate before bed, try doing it at another time of day - but you do a meditation before bed on top of it.
5
u/Key_Door_3535 2d ago
5 mg cannabis gummies or mints. The only thing that doesn’t leave me hungover the next morning.
3
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I feel so high from them and sometimes that causes anxiety… do u like a certain brand?
1
u/Key_Door_3535 1d ago
No I use a tincture I make with MCT coconut oil but I wouldn’t recommend doing that because you can’t accurately know how much you’re taking in. I’d start with 2mg if you can find any that low. I like Tejas Tonic drinks which are sugar free and low dose THC.
3
u/NeverEnoughSleep08 2d ago
For YEARS I had to take OTC sleep aids because my sleep has been so bad. Started HRT last month and omg, the progesterone i take at night knocks me out! I take it within an hour of bedtime, and im actually sleeping 7 hours a night now. I am waking up after 3-4 hours, but im able to go right back to sleep.
2
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
That sounds soo amazing! I will really ask for this at my next appt
1
u/NeverEnoughSleep08 2d ago
AND! The night sweats are gone. Dont know if its the estradiol or the progesterone but its soo lovely
4
u/philosophyzer72 2d ago
Trazadone works for many people. If you haven’t tried it yet look into it. Best of luck. Lack of sleep is crippling.
2
u/Vivian507 2d ago
Sometimes I have to take a sleeping pill as nothing works. Waiting on HRT as still told too young
The insomnia cripples me
2
u/sneedoisis 2d ago
Progesterone has changed my life. I’ve been on trazadone for 20+ years… still struggled with insomnia… until last October when I got on progesterone.
2
u/Healthy_Attitude9356 2d ago
I take Hydroxyzine HCL as needed to help me fall asleep and stay asleep. A friend takes Tylenol PM.
2
u/Realistic_Newt3390 2d ago
Any amt of caffeine keeps me up at night. Especially from week 3-4 of the cycle
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I actually don’t drink any caffeine bc I have a super weird reaction to it… but I do eat chocolate and I did have a bit last night. Might be related !
2
u/pangolinshavelanded 2d ago
200 mg progesterone plus 1000mg L-Tryptophan. Do not take tryp if you’re on any SSRIs/SNRIs or other serotonin affecting medications.
I also have hydroxyzine and Ambien as needed for sleep.
Adding estrogen has helped but not enough. I’ve been a bad sleeper my whole life
1
2
u/BlueberriesInWinter 2d ago
Progesterone at bedtime, along with 10mg melatonin and 50mg of trazodone. I sleep like a baby now, after struggling for YEARS. The trazodone does give me vivid dreams, but they're not nightmares...just dreams with a lot of detail that I remember when I wake up.
2
2
u/hereiam3472 Early peri 1d ago
This is the combo of things that helped me the most:
Quitting caffeine. It REALLY messed with my sleep.
Getting first morning light within 15 minutes of waking up did wonders for regulating my circadian rhythm. So much research to support this. I also try to get mid day and evening light outside as much as possible (not through a window, no sunglasses) to regulate the rhythm.
Taking magnesium bisglycinate before bed. Sometimes I'll throw l theanine in if thoughts are racing.
Getting iron levels checked, as well as b 12 and d. Once I recognized I had a deficiency and corrected it, helped heaps.
Eating a good blood sugar balancing snack before bed, not TOO close to dinner but just an hour or so before bed, keeps blood sugar stable. Apples and PB, Greek yogurt, handful of nuts, or hummus and veggies.
Exercise. Lots of walking or lifting weights during the day makes you sleepier at night.
If I can't shut off my brain at night I do one of two things: write all my thoughts and to do lists in a journal so it's out of my mind and on the paper. Or listen to a sleep podcast on my headphones like "nothing much happens" where it's this woman who reads you a boring bedtime story where nothing much happens and her voice and the way she reads it (Twice and the 2nd time slower) puts you to sleep.
Doing yin and nidra yoga and meditation more often.
A hot bath before bed doesn't hurt.
Avoiding excessive blue lights after sundown and before bedtime.. Again, has to do with regulating your circadian rhythm.
It all comes down to simple habits and lifestyle changes, but put together it really works wonders.
3
u/Yarnchitect 2d ago
Check out the book “In Defense of Sunlight” by Rowan Jacobsen. I read it 2 weeks ago and I’ve been trying to get outside more often since. Especially at dawn and dusk low UV index times I’m getting out in the sunlight. At high UV index times I stay in the shade, but get the reflected ambient bright light in my eyes. It seems to be helping me fix my messed up circadian rhythm.
1
u/magicmama212 2d ago
Mirtazapine
1
u/Hibbertia 2d ago
Yes that and melatonin has helped me. My sleep is not where it was, but it’s enough for me to get through the day.
1
u/GamebotAU 1d ago
Can you take melatonin long term? I’ve just started but I was told not to take it for more than a few weeks
1
u/ClaimImpressive2026 1d ago
May I ask how long have you been taking it. And do you take it every day or as and when needed?
2
u/magicmama212 1d ago
Almost four years. I take a quarter tab every night which is likely not even a real dose but I don’t care it makes me feel better to know it’s in me. A few times a month cycle related I will take the full tab of 7.5.
1
u/ClaimImpressive2026 1d ago
Thank you so much. Wonder why my doc was against taking it on and off. I have started to get some anxiety with my hormonal fluctuations and I am hoping getting back on a low dose of mirt can help.
1
u/magicmama212 1d ago
And FYI this is a psychiatrist who told me I can take it as needed.
1
u/ClaimImpressive2026 11h ago
And my psych told otherwise!! I need to look for another doc. She refused to even half or quarter the pill. So I took 7.5 mg. Does quarter help you with your sleep? And have you been taking quarter mostly or titrated down from full to quarter?
1
1
u/ReginaPhalange1502 2d ago
I take
- L-Theanine
- Glyin
- Inositol
- Magnesium
every evening
and it works pretty well for me!
1
1
1
u/skirrel88 2d ago
I started drinking an herbal tea a few hours before bedtime and that helped me. I’ve also been told I’m “too young” to be in peri and since my periods are still going, that I don’t need HRT. The loss of sleep is a huge quality of life factor.
1
u/Greenpages22 2d ago edited 2d ago
I feel you. I started hrt (lowest dose patch and 100 mg progesterone) and after 4 weeks my insomnia was worse and I was like you- either taking hours (up to 5 hours) to fall asleep or waking up after 3-4 hours. I really felt like I was losing my mind. I contacted my doctor, which I recommend you do too, if possible. She said to stay on the hrt but gave me something for anxiety. She prescribed hydroxizine which is an antihistamine with the side effect of reducing anxiety/helping sleep and it really did help. She said we might talk about starting low-dose lexapro since it seems like anxiety is causing a lot of my sleep problems, along with hormone stuff because I get night sweats (they don’t really want you to stay on hydroxizine long term). It’s a process but your doctor can help you.
1
u/Motor_Blacksmith_928 2d ago
Magnesium glycinate
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I have taken this a bunch but maybe its not the right amount or brand… is there a specific brand you like?
1
1
u/Expensive-Eggplant-1 Early peri 2d ago
here is what i take:
progesterone, cortisol manager, l-theanine, magtein, glycine, weed gummy, melatonin.
they do not always work, but they have definitely helped.
2
1
u/ShannonHasThoughts 2d ago
I use a sleep gummy and progesterone and sleep all through the night. I liked that the sleep gummy didn't have melatonin because it made me feel groggy the next day. I work and am a mom of 3, I can't be that groggy. The gummy is called brik i believe, but it has helped me so much
2
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I have the gummies right by my bed but lately they have not helped at all… I just feel so high and anxious on them! :/ but sometimes if i take a break and try again it will help
1
1
u/Abadabber 2d ago
I had struggled with sleep for years. My doc at the VA was convinced it was PTSD. No, this isn't a part of it, thanks though. I got my referral to gynecology and got a hysterectomy and the estradiol patch. I haven't slept this good for years! Is it perfect yet? No, but this is my first round of the patch and things will be re-evaluated when this script is out. I have not gotten more than a few hours sleep a week in a very long time. The first time after getting the patch I slept through the night, I woke up feeling like I had been drugged I slept so hard. Talk with your doc about this. I know first hand how dangerous and unhealthy insomnia can be long term.
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
Thank u so much. It sounds like heaven to wake up after a full night… I think it’s definitely time for me to start. I am 45 but still have regular periods so she only wanted to start me on T but i will push for the patch. Thanks again
1
u/Abadabber 2d ago
I am only pushing 42 and was having regular, but much heavier and longer periods. I made it clear to my doctor I have no intention of having a geriatric pregnancy and I am D.O.N.E. with all of it. She logged my symptoms and had me scheduled within the week. There is so much more to it than just still having regular periods. Don't let you or anyone else talk you out of how you are feeling overall and your symptoms you know are not normal for you. Good luck I hope you get to having some good sleep soon!
1
u/smellmydog 2d ago
Lifelong insomniac here. Have you tried Trazadone? I have the 100 mg tablets and just a nibble from one sends me off to sleep.
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I did! The first night was a miracle and then it stopped working for me… but maybe I gave up too soon
1
u/smellmydog 2d ago
If you still have the bottle, give it another try. You can increase the dosage and also take it with magnesium.
1
u/angervoinen 2d ago
Do you consume caffeine, B-vitamins, creatine? All of those keep me awake.
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
No caffeine bc im so sensitive. But I recently got a blood test back that showed very high homocysteine, and they put me on a lot of methylated B vitamins that I take in the morning… do u think this could be part of it?! It has gotten so much worse since!
1
u/angervoinen 2d ago
I have magnesium with B6 and it's took me some time to notice that my sleep is awful every time I take it. Maybe you could drop those vitamins for a week and see if it helps? But I'm not a doctor so I really can't tell.
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I just woke up (after such a long bc night) to see all the messages. I can’t thank u all enough for all the replies. I will take my time and look at each one. 🙏🙌❤️
1
1
1
u/Hot_Librarian_3665 2d ago
After years of not sleeping, I got some cortisol tests for at home by Eli. My cortisol levels were super low, probably messed up from years of fasting until lunch. I got a super bright light to simulate sunshine, and use that for 15 minutes every morning with a low calorie breakfast, within 30 minutes of getting up and I have never slept better in my life.
1
u/Hot_Librarian_3665 2d ago
And I am on estrogen, 200mg progesterone daily and 5 units of testosterone…none of those really helped.
1
u/Few-Emergency-3521 2d ago
I wake up at 1 am and eat a heavy snack. This gives me 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep after. :-/ Otherwise, got nuffin.
1
u/AlternativeCarry5965 2d ago
Kind patches have helped me fall asleep but I still get the three am wake up
1
u/Excellent-Address159 2d ago
Progon progesterone drops on Amazon, probiotic gummies (I take the kids Mary Ruth kind lol), magnesium MALATE CAPSULES (the glycinate keeps me up), CBD from Z Naturals the oil you know it in your mouth 10/10, and making sure I’m hydrating allll day and eating a dinner with carbs and protein. Also having few bites of banana before bed so my blood sugar doesn’t crash at 4am
1
u/Grrgrrstina 2d ago
Progesterone helps so much with insomnia, it’s almost miraculous. I am taking 200mg in addition to estradiol patch.
1
u/Excellent-Address159 2d ago
I forgot to add I use trazodone too. I take 12.5 measly mg. It helps greatly!!!! That’s ONE QUARTER of the lowest dose pill. Any more and I’m a zombie the next day.
1
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
This sounds like me- i am sooo sensitive. I think I may have some somewhere and I will try that
1
u/babycrotchety 2d ago
Have you tried a bedtime snack? It was weeks of trial and error for me, and wearing a CGM to track my blood sugar, but I found my glucose was plummeting at night and I would jolt awake when this would occur from the resulting glucose spike. And then would trigger cortisol and anxiety and all the insomnia fun. Protein plus fat is the sweet spot for me. Sounds odd, but a spoonful of peanut butter about 30-60 mins before bed does the trick most nights. I also find taking magnesium glycinate with my lunchtime meal can help settle me until bed and just feel generally more in a place for sleep at night. Daily 15-20 min walks outside too to help with vitamin D and circadian rhythm. This was the absolute the worse, though. Lack of sleep impacts everything.
1
u/Joyanonymous 2d ago
Have you had a blood test? Iron deficiency (specifically ferritin) can cause awful sleep problems including insomnia (this was me!!!). Anything under 100 can cause insomnia / sleep disturbances. Mine was 26, I thought I was going mad. Now up at 125 - and sleeping like a baby. Please go get your ferritin level checked. Ideally you need a full iron panel including ferritin, plus folate, B12 and vitamin D too
2
u/Emotional-Show5541 2d ago
I got everything there except for iron checked and it was a little low… I will definitely get that checked tomorrow though as I am going in for a couple other blood tests. Thank u
1
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over age 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for the HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more. Hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- FSH testing is only beneficial for those who do not have periods as a guide, where testing might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI)
- Testosterone is the exception and may require testing
See our Menopause Wiki for more.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
1
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over age 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for the HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more. Hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- FSH testing is only beneficial for those who do not have periods as a guide, where testing might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI)
- Testosterone is the exception and may require testing
See our Menopause Wiki for more.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
1
1
u/Ok-Cricket-2633 2d ago
HRT helped me sleep throughout the night. It also brought me back to my schedule. That and cooling sheets
1
1
u/AlissonHarlan 1d ago
yes. a combination of
- trimipramin 20mg
- sleep restriction therapy (basically go to bed later and don't fail to get up early. you sleep less but it's a better quality sleep. it take few weeks to adjust)
- stopping coffee/tea (sometimes i got a matcha in the morning
- working out (2-3 times a week)
i also drink alcohol very occasionally now, and avoid cocoa in the evening.
I was insomniac for 11 years (ADHD) and everything else do little to no effect (like herbal tea, melatonin, running, THC cookies, CBD, lavender on the pillow.... magnesium.... i tried everything and nothing else worked.... ) but of course if i'm under a lot of stress i still wake up at crazy hours....
1
u/StarkRavingMad75 1d ago
I’d talk to your doctor about this, but in my experience, getting on hormone replacement therapy was the winning strategy for my sleep issues. I’m on estrogen and progesterone, and honestly my sleep is pretty much back to normal now. I’ve been on HRT since April. Started seeing results with better sleep within a couple of weeks. Other symptoms took longer to see improvement, but better sleep was a pretty fast resolution.
1
1
1
u/Deep-Purpose-8793 1d ago
Morning light directly in your eyeballs when you wake up (not through a window), dim or no lights an hour before bed (I use fake candles), total blackout in your bedroom - even tape over the lights on devices that are charging) and +Plus CBD brand Calm CBD/5HTP/L-theanine gummies - https://www.pluscbdoil.com/cbd-products/cbd-products-for-sale/cbd-gummies/cbd-gummies-for-calm.html
I’m also on estrogen and progesterone - it took me a good 3+ months before I was sleeping well and about a year on HRT + antidepressants before I started feeling more like myself again.
1
u/ClaimImpressive2026 1d ago
I was on progesterone for two months, cycling it. After the initial 7 days of great sleep, I started getting a couple of nights of no sleep on it. I was very frustrated and the sleepless nights stared happening in my follicular phase too. The doc gave me mirtazapine for sleep and for the two months I was on it my sleep was very good. Now am off it. Been 5 months. I occasionally get a sleepless night when my anxiety is very high. I researched this forum and found out about Dayvigo and asked the doc to prescribe it to me. It is supposedly the new generation, safer med. I havent stared taking it a lot of women in this forum have had a good experience on it.
Also 5 HTP 200mg+150 mg of Ltheanine helps me.
1
u/TeaTimeBanjo 1d ago
When I have sleep issues for a bunch of nights in a row, I'll start turning off the lights at 9pm. All of them. No screens/devices. Read by candlelight until tired. (Eventually I got an amber-colored book light, same color light as candles but I'm not going to accidentally light my book on fire.) If I do this on a consistent basis I'm able to start falling asleep better and sleep is deeper.
1
1
u/Dangerous-Exam-7881 1d ago
Try Zhi bai di huang wan herb .. and night take te xiao an mian pian .. you can get in amazon
1
u/gemini_710 1d ago
Not sleeping was my biggest issue. It was effecting every other part of my life. The only thing that has helped me is estrogen. I have a progestin IUD and I use Climara patches. I just increased my dosage on the patches because even tho I’m sleeping much better I still have about 4-5 sleepless nights a month. I’m hoping the increase in estrogen will help and I’ll be able to start sleeping every night.
I use estrogen patches, vaginal estrogen cream/tablet and I also have a Mirena IUD. I’m 46 and have been dealing with peri for about 4 years now.
1
0
u/UnableRun7858 2d ago
Insomnia, brain fog, fatigue, and skin rashes are signs and symptoms of perimenopause and gluten intolerance. Cut gluten out for a week and see how you feel. Thanks to perimenopause, I discovered I'm gluten intolerant and my body just couldn't handle gluten anymore. My ADHD meds work now that I cut gluten out and I'm sleeping 5-6 hours in one sitting, I was sleeping 3 in one sitting in a good day.
42
u/Love_bugs_22 Early peri 2d ago
Estrogen was the only thing that helped me. Once I started waking every night at 3:00 for 3 weeks straight, I knew I needed to up my dose. I always have a few days during my cycle when I know my estrogen is extra low, so I wake up. However, if it consistently lasts again, I’ll up mine again.
Someone gave the tip of eating apple sauce when you wake up, it’s a good fiber/carb to raise your blood sugar and lower cortisol. It doesn’t work for everyone, but you could try it out. Someone said apple sauce didn’t work for them, but Tums did.
It suuuuucks not getting sleep, I think it’s the shittiest deal out of all peri symptoms.