Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Elusive sleep- Thank you Ms. Peri Menopause!

Because "Peri" and I have been hanging out for a number of years, we met earlier than most women do, I thought I was done with the sleep issues.
In the middle of our "relationship" when hormones were up and down or as I know now diminishing...
My sleep sucked.
Some nights I would just get up and read ( this was before blogging obvs!) or I would lay there tossing and turning drifting in and out of sleep.
You can imagine the mood I would be in the next morning/day.
Cranky, grumpy, tired... rhymes with witchy.

But now that I am nearing the end of 'Peri" and easing into "Meno" I rarely have sleep issues.
I am back to my old self. I don't feel as edgy or... rhymes with bitchy.
Until tonight.

Here I am at 5:15am. I have been tossing and turning since 3:30.
I am WIDE awake.
Which is fine, I can find plenty to do.
The problem is that later today, around 10:30am,
I will not be someone you or anyone want to be around.
I will be irritable, edgy, and annoyed.
I will be forgetful, disorganized, and scattered.

I am not alone. According to More magazine,
"Sleep woes peak during the perimenopausal transition, says Barbara Phillips, MD, medical director of the UK Healthcare Good Samaritan Sleep Disorders Center, in Lexington, Kentucky, who notes that 12 to 40 percent of women report having trouble sleeping during these years.

"With impending menopause, most women experience a reduction in progesterone and estrogen," says David Slamowitz, MD, medical director of the SleepWell Center in Denver. "These hormones help regulate sleep, so declining levels can cause sleeping difficulties."

Although scientists are unsure exactly why sleep is so affected, there are several possible causes. The conventional wisdom is that hot flashes and night sweats interrupt sleep; however, Phillips says, the opposite may be true -- that middle-of-the-night wake-ups may actually cause hot flashes."


Somehow, it feels comforting to know that this is out of my control, that I did nothing wrong.

Blame it on the peri,peri,peri, peri meno pause!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been having sucky nights as well- maybe that's my problem...and bitchier than usual...but my dr said no after the blood tests- so maybe I'm just feeling like being a total witch lately which is no good :(

Hope you can get a good night's sleep tonight- sorry I've been mia- but I've been reading, praying for your nephew and all that good stuff :)

kks said...

i can relate!!! my holistic Doc put me on progesterone creme...very low dose....it has worked miracles....no more hot flashes and sleep at night!
xoxo

Formerly known as Frau said...

Sorry that sucks! Hope you can sneak a nap in today. xo

Suburban prep said...

On top of some of the other issues I have had this issue for a bit now.
Drives me utterly nuts.
What helps me is that I take Prometrium (natural progesterone) not because I sought it out but because of some of the side effects from having been on blood thinners for 2 1/2 yrs when I was 36-38 (just 7 yrs ago). I am sure you know how frustrating all the different things are.
I only wish I could compare notes with my mtoher (but she doesn't really remember anything out of the ordinary) and one of my sisters is still having children the other sister (now 44)went through premature menopause at 35-36 yrs old because of cancer treatment.

Susan R said...

Whoa! I feel for ya girl. Can you take a long nap during the day or do you have too much going on? I hate that foggy head feeling you get when you haven't had enough sleep.
I always joke around that time of the month and say the sooner the better for "Meno" to visit me, but I guess not. I have no idea at when for me, my mother had a complete hyst. when she was in her late twenties.

Joyce said...

Why oh why is sleep the first thing to go?! I have notice a lot older (and I mean older) women stay up into the wee hours of the night. My mom is one and my little 90 + gal does too.
I remember when I was a young girl I was told and read more about what to expect, but I wasn't prepared for the things changing within the body- no one told me about!! Smile... xo

preppyplayer said...

Kim- I need my HRT to be looked at or remember to take it!
Frau- I wish.

Sub prep- It is frustrating as one you think something is working well, things changes again. Constant tinkering.

Susan- I think it is different for everyone. it may be great for you :)

Joyce- I am never sure that we weren't told as much as we didn't listen cuz it was soooo far off in the future, lol.

Yvette said...

Yeah, I can relate.

It's so frustrating to toss and turn knowing that 5 am is just around the corner.

It doesn't help when your husband is just snoring away!