Hormones and sleep problems

Re: Hormones and sleep problems

• jennh75b member

  February 2016

  I never had problems with sleep (except for sleeping too much) until about 1.5 years ago when I was 38, in the fall 2014.  I blamed it first on maybe stress for my wedding but I had very little stress, it was a small, simple wedding.  I couldn't even sleep during my honeymoon.  Then right after that my dog died and I blamed it on that.  Eventually I was able to sleep again, but it was rough where mainly I couldn't fall asleep.  And sometimes I would fall asleep but then wake up an hour into it and be WIDE awake.  Per my doctor, I tried melatonin since I was TTC, but it didn't do much for me, I even tried doubling it.  Also at that time we were TTC and I went off my anti-depressant that I'd been on for years, so I thought maybe that was why I suddenly had issues with sleeping.  It seemed to be a multitude of things that could have brought this on.  I would also get SO hot in bed, I sometimes slept nude (I usually slept in long sleeves, long pants, and socks in the cooler months).  I thought maybe it was a sign of peri menopause.  I also started wearing ear plugs which helped somewhat (also H snores and it helps with that, too).
  
  My sleep issues then disappeared about halfway through the winter.  But this past fall the same thing happened, and I had nothing to stress about.  Luckily I didn't go through the getting overheated thing, because that was terrible.  But I just kept waking up about an hour after I fell asleep and would be wide awake.  I'd go into the spare bedroom so I wouldn't wake my H.  Usually if I did that I would fall back asleep, but if I tried to stick it out in bed with H, then I was restless and tossing and turning for hours.  
  
  I think what helped me was that we got a puppy and while she keeps me from getting a full night's sleep due to waking up, she does get me moving and I have to go on walks every day.  So I think this helps tire me out.  I stopped wearing ear plugs when we let her start sleeping with us because I want to be able to hear her if she wakes up.   
  
  @chloe97  -   I guess my two suggestions would be exercise (unless of course you're already getting enough of that) and melatonin to see if they could help.  

  Me: 41
  Husband: 40
  TTC#1 since 9/2014
  Unexplained Infertility - Trying naturally

  Report0 Reply
• Loading the player...
• chloe97 member

  February 2016

  Thanks @jennh75b ! I do actually exercise 3-4 days a week. I could step up my exercise game too. H and I are going to try sleeping without our cellphones and removing our router from our BR. I sleep with a mask and earplugs. H loves melatonin, but I won't try it until I'm done having kids. I'm worried about what it will do to my hormones (it's illegal w/o a prescription in Euriope, which makes concerned). It could also be diet related. I've been eating more sugar than usual.
  
  I used to have incredibly thick hair and I've probably lost half of it since I was 33-34. I actually prefer it better now, but I really worry that my hormones are haywire. My doctor only tested FSH, prolactin, and TSH, she didn't test anything else. I'm worried hormone imbalances caused my MC and that if/when I get KU again, I wil have another one. Of course Drs won't take me seriously until I have 2 MCd in a row, so I'm just wondering if anyone else had these issues.  
  

  Report0 Reply
• thistle8677 member

  February 2016

  I blame it on hormones (for myself.) It's why I stopped temping. The closer I get from ovulation to menstruation, sleep becomes more challenging. I fall asleep okay, but I don't sleep soundly and I often wake. Progesterone cream seems to be the only thing that helps. I would talk to your dr or RE, if you're seeing one. Good luck!

  

  Report1 Reply
• chloe97 member

  February 2016

  Thanks @thisle8677 I'm not seeing an RE and hopefully won't have to. I wish I would've thought to bring this up at my annual exam with my OB-Gyn. Maybe I will make an appt with my GP. I'm just worried they will give all the regular stop watching TV an hour before advice or prescribe a sleeping pill.

  Report1 Reply
• jennh75b member

  February 2016

  @chloe97 - that was another thing I "tried"...I stopped reading from my iPad at night before bed and just read from actual books, thinking the blue light would be affecting my ability to fall asleep - even though I used the night mode where the background is black and the text is white anyway.  I have no clue if this helped the situation or not.  When you're desperate for sleep you'll try anything.  I think once you get into a pattern of not being able to sleep, it becomes so psychological that you start worrying about not sleeping way before bedtime...just makes it ten times worse.  

  Me: 41
  Husband: 40
  TTC#1 since 9/2014
  Unexplained Infertility - Trying naturally

  Report2 Reply