need help with my weird insomnia problem

[herenow2]

I have been having this occasional problem with insomnia for about two years. It only occurs when I go to bed past my (pathetically early) 9:45 bedtime. If I go to bed before that, I sleep soundly all night (thankfully). If I go to bed past that time, even ten minutes, I have a terrible time falling asleep. Last night I went to bed at 10 and it took me three hours to fall asleep. A couple of weeks ago I went to bed at midnight and it took me almost FIVE hours to fall asleep. Then I have to get up at 6 or 6:30 when my kids wake up so needless to say, I am miserable the next day. It's like the further I get from my bedtime, the more wired I become.

I have tried melatonin, meditation, stretching, and a million other little things, but nothing has worked. Thankfully, my schedule usually allows me to get to bed before 10 but sometimes it just isn't possible and on those nights it is so incredibly frustrating.

I am wondering if it is saying something about my adrenals or thyroid or serotonin levels...

I would love to hear if anyone else has a similar problem or has any suggestions to remedy this.

Thanks!

[sophiesgrandma]

I feel as if everyone's body has it's own set times of sleep and wake-up. I have noticed in myself that if I am sleepy and I ignore those signals, I will become wakeful again after a time and then have lots of difficulty falling asleep and even once I do-have a restless night.
My body's timeclock is to feel sleepy around 10 pm. It could be a little earlier or a little later but if I don't get myself to bed-I get a second wind so to speak and then the difficulty begins.
I do usually wake up once a night or early morning (around 4-5 am) and go to the bathroom, but then I fall right back to sleep.
I have given up caffeine except for caffinated tea occasionally. Instead I drink 2 cups of decaf green tea in the am and I've grown to love it.
When it happens that I can't get to bed at my normal time, when I do lay down I read or watch a very boring show like Charlie Rose and in no time at all, I am sleeping.
During peri and menopause, my sleep was very disrupted for a while until I learned that my body could no longer handle coffee or diet pepsi (which I used to love). No more soda for me. Also if you exercise (which really helps regulate sleep patterns)-do it earlier in the day.
Also, I noticed for me hot baths or showers before bed-woke me up.
Sometimes just laying in the dark and concentrating on each part of your body from your toes to your head, and deep breathing will relax you enough to put you to sleep. I say in my head with deep breaths "relaxing my toes, relaxing my heels, relaxing my ankles, relaxing my calfs" etc., etc... say it very slowly while slowly breathing deeply in and out, with my eyes closed.
hth.
Also, try not to eat within 1-2 hours of bedtime but make sure you eat a decent dinner so as not to be hungry during the night. Cool, dark room helps.

[intentfulady]

hormones

peri menopause

sleep disturbance is a common early sign

[herenow2]

Originally Posted by intentfulady

hormones

peri menopause

sleep disturbance is a common early sign

Thanks for the replies! So, if it's perimenopause what can I do about it? What kind of practitioner might be able to help? acupuncture, naturopath, things I can do on my own?

[intentfulady]

they all offer their modality

NDS will give ya lots of nutrition
eventually hormones, supplying all the foundation stuff

TCM will give you chinese herbs and acu

acu will needle you

MD will test you and give drugs

Read susan weed menopause book
she kinda lays out the options in a graduating fashion

gentlest to strongest.


IVe done them all, and all these eventually I was taking so much stuff to "control" my symptoms

Today I am weaning off it all with the help of a Homeopath.

and enjoying exploring the journey instead of controlling it.

with the support of homeopathy.

It is working so far.

Good Luck

It is Like a verry long pregnancy and we are being reborn.

[tanyalynn]

Have you checked out the adrenal fatigue thread?  That sleeping pattern, of being able to fall asleep early but then getting a second wind and being unable to fall asleep, is pretty common among people on the thread, it has to do with weird daily cortisol rhythms.  It's a stress problem, it can be either life stress or physical/health-related stress or a combination.  Figuring out the source, whether it's lack of healing from stress long ago (that's gone now), or an ongoing health stress (cutting out gluten and dairy was huge for me, I didn't suspect foods for a long time), or a current situation that's exacerbating it, or possible combinations, may be the best long-term strategy.  There are supplements that can help, some specific to certain problems, some more general, the thread discusses them more. 

Oh, I hadn't noticed til now this thread is a bit older.

[herenow2]

Originally Posted by tanyalynn 

Have you checked out the adrenal fatigue thread?  That sleeping pattern, of being able to fall asleep early but then getting a second wind and being unable to fall asleep, is pretty common among people on the thread, it has to do with weird daily cortisol rhythms.  It's a stress problem, it can be either life stress or physical/health-related stress or a combination.  Figuring out the source, whether it's lack of healing from stress long ago (that's gone now), or an ongoing health stress (cutting out gluten and dairy was huge for me, I didn't suspect foods for a long time), or a current situation that's exacerbating it, or possible combinations, may be the best long-term strategy.  There are supplements that can help, some specific to certain problems, some more general, the thread discusses them more. 

Oh, I hadn't noticed til now this thread is a bit older.

That's okay.  I'm still having the same problem!  I'll read more on adrenal fatigue.  I have briefly considered it but haven't had many other symptoms.  I will read more on it though.  Thank you. 
 

[RubThyNeighbor]

Btween 10pm - 2am, your body will have trouble falling asleep.

this is called Pitta time in Ayurveda. its when your brain gets second wind. ideal time to fall asleep would be between 8 and 10. perfectly normal to have trouble falling asleeo in this Pitta time. there is nothing wrong with you (most likely).