overwhelming anxiety and severe insomnia

Hello Ladies

Thanks so much for all you advice and support, it means a lot and makes you feel you are not totally alone in all this horror and one day it will all end for us.

Take care and please keep in touch

Linda xx

Insomnia is how I started into perimenopause.   I was 45 years old and woke up at 1 a.m. one morning with my heart racing and it wouldn’t slow down.  It was very frightening.  I went to the doctor and she said I had generalized anxiety disorder.  I didn't agree. I thought it was hot flashes.  It continued frequently a few times a month. She gave me anti-anxiety medication to help me sleep. She told me I was too young at 45 to start menopause but she was at all of about 30 years old. I guess she didn't understand or read about it in her medical books.  When I would have a night of insomnia my anxiety would worsen which I think would be common because when you're tired is hard to cope with anything. I agree, Linda, I don't think the medical profession has a great understanding of what women go through during perimenopause. I think they would after all this time but I guess they don't.

What I have routinely done over the past 6 years to help prevent insomnia is my nightly routine. I will watch some television for about an hour before bed -- mindless television -- something to help me to sleep.  I don’t watch anything that I would find upsetting.  I also use lavender oil on my pillow case.  It actually does work! I was skeptical at first but I find it does help me sleep better.  Now that I'm 51, I hope that I'm getting closer to menopause and can be done with all this! I would have thought I would have been done with it by now.

The professionals say sleep hygiene good is helpful by staying off the computer before bedtime, no caffeine, etc.  Meditation is good by clearing your mind.   I also make sure my bedroom is as dark as possible and I wear a sleep mask, ear plugs and again the lavender on the pillow case.  Occasionally I’ll use a white noise machine while I’m sleeping if my neighbors are a bit loud.  It's also good to have your bedroom cool -- they say that's optimal for sleeping.  Hopefully this helps!

Dear Linda, I am 55 and in the last stage of peri since the spring, I hope. I still have periods, the last one only spotting.

However, my anxiety and panick attacks are very unconfortable. Some days I feel great, healthy and energetic, and the next day- snap- and I am a wreck, afraid of everything. Unfortunately, today is the day, I had a panick attack when going to my office, now I sit at my table and feel like dying.

I try to focus on my fingers, breath calmly and relax. Easy to say. When I feel I am better the panick wave goes over me, and I am down again.

At the same time i want to yell,scream and run away, probably to a deep forest (as if were any here).

Many hugs to you and all ladies in peri/meno.