How can I get a good nights sleep as a woman going through menopause?

Drugs. That's the only thing. I take a very small dose of Trazodone and it both helps me fall asleep and keeps me sleeping through the night. My biggest problem was waking up at 3am and then being up mostly the rest of the night. The Trazodone really helped.

To continue with the staying cool theme: check your mattress pad! Some of the brands with a heavy plastic backing trap heat like crazy. Change it out to help cool the bed down.

If this insomnia is associated with hot flashes, hot flashes are http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20188498,00.html caused by adrenalin:Hot flashes, which plague up to 85% of menopausal women, can jolt you awake too. These flashes are actually caused by a rush of adrenaline that alerts your mind and wakes you up. You won't be able to settle down until the adrenaline subsides, and that could take hours.And http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trazodone, suggested by otherworldlyglow ("Drugs. That's the only thing. I take a very small dose of Trazodone and it both helps me fall asleep and keeps me sleeping through the night. My biggest problem was waking up at 3am and then being up mostly the rest of the night. The Trazodone really helped.") happens to be an α-adrenergic receptor blocker: Trazodone's potent α1-adrenergic blockade ... may underlie its efficacy as a hypnotic. This seems possible as trazodone's antihistamine activity is relatively weak and probably clinically insignificant; hence, it cannot explain trazodone's sleep-inducing/enhancing effects. Trazodone lacks any affinity for the mACh receptors and therefore does not produce anticholinergic side effects.Trazadone may not relieve the heat of hot flashes even if it helps insomnia though, because that could be mediated by β-adrenergic receptors, in my opinion. Type 2 diabetes has a complex relationship with the adrenals, however, and I think you should ask the doctor treating your diabetes about it before taking Trazadone.

1. Be scrupulous about artificial light: no screen time just before bed. (When I sometimes cheat, I always use Flux.) When you're up at 3am, don't be tempted to read your laptop/any artificial screen. Read with a light as dim as you can take it instead, until you start to relax again. (I actually use a candle or kerosene lantern.) Nothing exciting or dramatic. 2. I take 5HTP just before bed. (Used to take trazadone, but quit.) 3. Make sure you get some exercise each day, but not just before bed. 4. Don't stress about waking up. I've found this change to be monumental in how I treat that 3am wake-up. I lie there, and do the One-Two count with the breath until I fall asleep. (Breathe in-count 1, Breathe out-count 2 ... repeat until you fall asleep again. It really works.)

No answers, only commiseration. I exercise, eat Paleo (supposed to do wonders for your sleep along with a huge host of other benefits), sleep with a fan on, and can't get a good night's sleep. I even tried a sleeping pill a couple nights ago, which meant I felt even worse the next morning. Not sure what magic answe I'm hoping for, but I'll keep checking back for both our sakes. Good luck and sweet dreams!

Okay, you updated about the type 2 diabetes-I don't know if you check your sugar or what you do for it but I definitely would at least call your doc about the sleep issues. Your insomnia could be connected to your diabetes not being under control. The doc just got thru going over that with my family member, explaining why that would cause the insomnia he was struggling with. Getting his prescription solved the problem.

Stupid spell check! Try chaste berry: vitex agnus.

I've been through menopause without HRT and coped with the night sweats by: - running a fan all night, an oscillating fan on a pedestal so it could sweep across the bed. - reducing the amount of covers on the bed. I still now only use a sheet and a very light cover (I'm using an empty duvet cover at the moment.) - ground flax helped in reducing the night sweats. You can sprinkle it on cereal, mix it with juice. (If you start getting pains in your hands, stop with the flax. A small number of people don't get on with it and develop painful joints which stop as soon as you stop the flax.)

FYI I have type 2 diabetes.