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Hormones and insomnia

sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
I think that my insomnia is hormone related.

I have a hard time sleeping. When I get my period I get great long sleep. Then it gets worse continuing through the cycle.

I've tried melatonin, lexapro, benedryl, 5-htp, ashgawanda, kava. With no help. My mind gets tired but I am still awake.

I can sometimes get to sleep but can't stay sleeping. I wake up with my heart beating, heart palpations and sweating. This happens to me twice last night.

I saw that eating every two hours can help blood sugar regulate and regulate cortisol. I think it's kinda helping. But not really.

I may try to go back on doxy after famvir to see if there is still a lingering Lyme infection. (Which I have been diagnosed with low levels of) or try something else.
 

hellytheelephant

Senior Member
Messages
1,137
Location
S W England
It's classic ME to be tired but not able to sleep. I can relate as I have always had insomnia relating to my cycle. Amitriptyline helps me not wake up in pain most of the time...but I still gets spells of waking at 4 or 5 am and not being able to get back off. I do burn a lot of essential oils before bed ( in an electric burner)- lavender and Geranium or Clary sage. Bergamot is meant to balance hormones so I burn that with the lavender.

I have no idea how old you are, but is it possible you are perimenopausal? It can start in your mid 30's.

Helly:)
 

sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
It's classic ME to be tired but not able to sleep. I can relate as I have always had insomnia relating to my cycle. Amitriptyline helps me not wake up in pain most of the time...but I still gets spells of waking at 4 or 5 am and not being able to get back off. I do burn a lot of essential oils before bed ( in an electric burner)- lavender and Geranium or Clary sage. Bergamot is meant to balance hormones so I burn that with the lavender.

I have no idea how old you are, but is it possible you are perimenopausal? It can start in your mid 30's.

Helly:)
I'm 32. I've had all my hormones checked and my dr didn't see anything wrong.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
I did some quick googling. It looks like magnesium levels can fluctuate along with the hormones producing the menstrual cycle. The second half the cycle you need more magnesium.

Heart palps are a symptom of magnesium deficiency.

The wakeups and heart racing could be several things. But one of the things it could be is periodic limb movement disorder due to low magnesium. I get this along with heart racing and sweating (because your foot is twitching all night long - it's like running a marathon your sleep).

Anyway, bottom line - try some mag and see if helps. Any form except mag oxide which doesn't absorb well is ok. So mag citrate, malate, glycinate, etc. Or soak your feet or do an entire bath with epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) dissolved in the water. Or magnesium oil that you spray and rub on your skin. There are lots of ways to get it in.

You may need to dose mag several times a day for maximum absorption, and definitely get some before bedtime if your sleep is affected.

The rule of thumb is to gradually increase the dose over several days or even weeks until you get to diarrhea, then back off a bit and that is "your" dose. You should also notice an improvement in the various deficiency symptoms.
 

sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
I did some quick googling. It looks like magnesium levels can fluctuate along with the hormones producing the menstrual cycle. The second half the cycle you need more magnesium.

Heart palps are a symptom of magnesium deficiency.

The wakeups and heart racing could be several things. But one of the things it could be is periodic limb movement disorder due to low magnesium. I get this along with heart racing and sweating (because your foot is twitching all night long - it's like running a marathon your sleep).

Anyway, bottom line - try some mag and see if helps. Any form except mag oxide which doesn't absorb well is ok. So mag citrate, malate, glycinate, etc. Or soak your feet or do an entire bath with epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) dissolved in the water. Or magnesium oil that you spray and rub on your skin. There are lots of ways to get it in.

You may need to dose mag several times a day for maximum absorption, and definitely get some before bedtime if your sleep is affected.

The rule of thumb is to gradually increase the dose over several days or even weeks until you get to diarrhea, then back off a bit and that is "your" dose. You should also notice an improvement in the various deficiency symptoms.
I'm going to give that a try and do magnesium before bed. I have 250 mg chewable tabs. I might take 2 a day instead of one. And one before bed.

I also drink nunn which is a less sugar alternative to gatoraid. Which I got at Whole Foods. That has magnesium in it as well.