Peri-menopause and Fatigue/Sleep Patterns (not insomnia)
HoneyBadger302
Posts: 2,084 Member
Ladies, bear with me for a second!
So, my body has always insisted that my 'best' sleep was going to be a bit of a night owl and not getting up until 8-10am (give or take).
I've been able to force my body to adjust to a "early" schedule, but it's still never where my body is happiest - but I could force the issue and it would give in.
Thing is, perimenopause is throwing this out the window and I'm really struggling with it. I'm successfully on some supplements that are working great for me, and have helped immensely with the night sweats, rage, inability to sleep well, ADHD going cray cray, etc.
When I can sleep on my body's preferred schedule, I am super productive, and can accomplish a lot during the day. The issue is that my body's preferred schedule is not ideal with the rest of my life (of course).
Between work, chores, animals, and just getting other stuff done, if I'm going to reliably get a workout done, it really needs to be in the morning before work. Evenings after work I'm generally pretty busy until it's almost bedtime - and by then too tired for much of a workout (not that I can't do something, but not what I really want to get in).
Issue is, even if I get to bed at an okay time, if I'm forcing myself to get up, I am EXHAUSTED all day - like I can barely function. It's like my body is flat out refusing to adjust back to an earlier schedule, and I simply can't go through life this exhausted and tired - I need to be able to function during the day.
There may not be an answer - my peri treatments have me sleeping really well, but it seems like it has to be on my body's preferred schedule (which has remained the same my entire life despite many periods of forcing it to a different schedule, it has always preferred this schedule). I have always gotten my "best" sleep in the mornings (FML, the rest of the world does NOT operate on that schedule)!
For example, last night I got to bed at a decent time, and slept really well (not just my feeling, my fitbit confirmed it as a good sleep), but I am so tired I feel like I didn't sleep at all because I had to get up earlier than normal - even though I went to bed earlier, that doesn't seem to matter.
Tried for 2 weeks, every single day, to get on slightly earlier schedule and could barely function through my days, it was not sustainable.
Maybe not much to be done, just figured I'd throw it out there and see if others experienced something similar? I know the fatigue is a thing, but most seem to blame poor sleep, which has improved dramatically for me - it's the schedule my body is requiring that's killing me right now....
So, my body has always insisted that my 'best' sleep was going to be a bit of a night owl and not getting up until 8-10am (give or take).
I've been able to force my body to adjust to a "early" schedule, but it's still never where my body is happiest - but I could force the issue and it would give in.
Thing is, perimenopause is throwing this out the window and I'm really struggling with it. I'm successfully on some supplements that are working great for me, and have helped immensely with the night sweats, rage, inability to sleep well, ADHD going cray cray, etc.
When I can sleep on my body's preferred schedule, I am super productive, and can accomplish a lot during the day. The issue is that my body's preferred schedule is not ideal with the rest of my life (of course).
Between work, chores, animals, and just getting other stuff done, if I'm going to reliably get a workout done, it really needs to be in the morning before work. Evenings after work I'm generally pretty busy until it's almost bedtime - and by then too tired for much of a workout (not that I can't do something, but not what I really want to get in).
Issue is, even if I get to bed at an okay time, if I'm forcing myself to get up, I am EXHAUSTED all day - like I can barely function. It's like my body is flat out refusing to adjust back to an earlier schedule, and I simply can't go through life this exhausted and tired - I need to be able to function during the day.
There may not be an answer - my peri treatments have me sleeping really well, but it seems like it has to be on my body's preferred schedule (which has remained the same my entire life despite many periods of forcing it to a different schedule, it has always preferred this schedule). I have always gotten my "best" sleep in the mornings (FML, the rest of the world does NOT operate on that schedule)!
For example, last night I got to bed at a decent time, and slept really well (not just my feeling, my fitbit confirmed it as a good sleep), but I am so tired I feel like I didn't sleep at all because I had to get up earlier than normal - even though I went to bed earlier, that doesn't seem to matter.
Tried for 2 weeks, every single day, to get on slightly earlier schedule and could barely function through my days, it was not sustainable.
Maybe not much to be done, just figured I'd throw it out there and see if others experienced something similar? I know the fatigue is a thing, but most seem to blame poor sleep, which has improved dramatically for me - it's the schedule my body is requiring that's killing me right now....
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Replies
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I do not know much on sleep other than I have sleep apnea so use a CPAP which is a tremendous help BUT I have a friend who gets her best sleep from 1am - 8am m. She found this out from a sleep study but she works part time & is retired. So yes, I believe our bodies do have a certain sleep pattern.2
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As an update, in mid July (the 10th to be exact) I started HRT. It wasn't instantly, and things are still very much adjusting, but I've noticed that my sleep is starting to adjust back to my scheduled times better (especially if I time my pro/est cream right), and I'm often actually waking up a bit before my alarm, even though I'm not jumping out of bed, it's not literally dragging myself out like it has been the past ~6-12 months.
I feel like I'm sleeping better as well. Stopped taking my sleep aid since I'm actually getting tired and sleeping. Still sometimes a bit of an early AM wakeup, which is annoying, but it's not every night and I've been able to get back to sleep after a little bit if I stay off the dumb phone.
I'm actually thinking I'll be up to starting my AM workouts here again without suffering in all the other departments!2 -
I feel for you here! Im the opposite, Im awake very early, just as well because I start work at 6.15am so Im up 4.45 cos need to eat prepare my lunch!
I finish work at 3pm
So go for my swim around 6 or yoga class, Im through menopause for about 5 years Im 56
Im in bed around 8.30pm
I just cant function at night at all!!! Im out cold, people think Im antisocial but I just cant stay awake!2 -
I am in what we think is perimenopuase still, (had a hysto but have ovaries still from 2017) I am closer to 50 than 40! I struggle with sleep for sure. I have always been an early to bed , early to rise person and am most functional between 7-2 pm. Afternoon hits, and I start fading. I try to work out on my lunch just to get it done before I lose motivation or get up at 5 am to be at work by 7:30 am. However I do feel like I used to get my deepest sleep between 3 am and 6 am. The problem I have been having is that I now wake up like clockwork between 3-4 am EVEYR DAMN NIGHT! If I take my sleep supplement when I go to bed about 8:30/9 pm I can usually get back to sleep but not if the monkey brain starts winding up. I am curious if HRT would be helpful .. The sleep issues are real.. I get pretty tired in the afternoons but it would be nice to have the energy to atleast get through to dinner without feeling like I want to drag my butt to bed for 12 hrs!1
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I just had my 10 week check in. Sleep evened out, and I am naturally waking up before my alarm most days, getting sleepy at a good time, and overall sleeping much better than I have in 5+ years. Have not touched a sleep aid. A couple nights here or there my sleep wasn't great, but it wasn't night after night.
Still having struggles with a bit of an afternoon slump, so we adjusted some of my meds, but overall, very happy with the many positive changes! And the slump seems to be improving.2 -
@HoneyBadger302 this happens to me also, my preferred schedule is not when my kids want to wake up
Early morning light exposure can be a game changer. Get outside FIRST THING for at least 20 minutes. Use a light box in the winter.
And keep lights very dim at night, use blue light blockers, etc. that can start to shift your “clock” a little bit earlier so you aren’t constantly fighting against your body’s natural rhythms.0 -
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