Try melatonin (a hormone supplement) for a sleep aid. I'm doing so much better now that I don't need it as much any more. It's very inexpensive and may bring some relief. I am sleeping through the night again, mostly as a result of HRT (estrogen / progesterone) pills, and generally feel much better.

The other change which helped with my sleep was changing my diet to increase my fat intake. It's a little counter-intuitive to current thinking, but when my calorie intake came more from healthy fat (not partially hydrogenated fat or trans fat) my hormone utilization increased as well. In other words, everything worked better. My total cholesterol dropped 50 points out of the dangerous range. My HRT seemed to actually be working and my sleep improved.

Since you're old enough to be writing about menopause, then like me, you grew up on the low-fat, non-fat band wagon. My encouragement to you is to take a look at what you're eating and put more fat back into your daily consumption and see if it helps.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

Thanks, Sally!

It's interesting what you say about diet. I've never been fat averse, in fact eat a huge amount of dairy and nuts, but wonder if more fat from meat wouldn't hurt. I never feel better upon waking than after a meal of ribeye and lots and lots of green salad. I know that any kind of bitter leaves (arugula, frisee, cabbage, even broccoli tops) has a compound that helps induce sleep so possibly this is a factor.

I managed to get 11 hours last night and woke up *crisp*. And I've got a run on the agenda to test the pain tolerance theory . . . we'll see!

I am still considered peri-menopausal as I am under 50 (48) and am on Loestrin. It's a low estrogen birth control pill. I'll have to switch to HRT in 2 years. It has done wonders for me. I was very achy and tired before I started taking it. My sleep still isn't as good as it was in my 30's, but is much better with the hormones. I also think it has helped my endurance.

I've also found that supplementing with magnesium helps with the sleep, achy stuff and anxiety...all a wonderful part of "the change". Occaisionally, I will also add a dose of Taurine with the magnesium. The Taurine is supposed to help you utilize the Magnesium.

Interesting about the fats. I followed a program that was high in healthy fats and finally dropped a good bit of weight I'd been trying to lose for a long time. Maybe it had a hormonal effect that helped.
I may need to hit it again after the holidays!

Lori.
Ride it like you stole it.
Then run like a girl!!!

i am now way on the other side - had very early menopause due to surgery.
i do remember the joint pain - i was actually out of training martial arts for a long while due to knee pain.
and yes to sleep disturbances. i am not sure about the correlation.
hrt did wonders for me.
i tried to stop several times, slowly reducing dosage and every time the hot flashes and lack of sleep returned.
the hot flashes made me very uncomfortable, because they made me feel embarrassed. i figured that normally if you blush it is because you are uncomfortable in a social situation. this was sort of a reverse thing - first the physical response, and then the emotional response.
i did not feel at all embarrassed about the actual having of hot flashes - it was just a direct response.
so i kept going back onto the hormone replacement, until one day i managed to stop altogether.
i am 55 now, 13 years after menopause and i feel better than ever.

The more I read about hi fat-lo carb diets the more i'm intrigued -- I'm starting my January 'detox' early this year and this might be part of it. I'm not ready for ketosis strips yet but this time next year might be another story . . .

I can't help but think that as the engine gets older, the more mindfully you need to fuel it. I don't know if diet can do it, but I'd love to achieve:

1) more energy
2) looking less haggard (*vain* but it's a shame that my face looks 15 years older than my body)

This is the article that I read last year that intrigued me. I bought the book and tried it. I was training for the Austin 70.3 at the time and basically just did his elimination plan. On some days I would have a smoothy for one meal if I was not terribly hungry. I really liked the fact that I quit craving sweets. I also did not do the olive oil lemon juice thing.

http://www.outsideonline.com/...-Fitness-Report.html

I will probably do a really disciplined round of this after Tuesday. I feel slow and thick after eating too much stuff during the holidays.

Happy holidays!
Lori in Florida.

Skip the ketosis strips; that's trying waaaaay too hard. Just replace the calories you used to eat from carbs with healthy fat or protein.

The carb craving will subside on its own.

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DFL > DNF > DNS