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[Lady di]

Hello, I’m new.

Taking HRT and I’m wondering if anyone finds they need less sleep at this stage in life (I’m 48).

I know lots of people have terrible sleep - I’m sorry 😐 but I wake up after 5 or 6 hours feeling refreshed. I stay in bed and go back to sleep, then wake up feeling groggy which is my usual morning state.

I have a vague memory of the women in the office I used to work in when I was in my twenties commenting that you need less sleep as you ‘get older’ or have ‘the change’.


(The reason I don’t get up is because of bipolar and the concern about becoming manic. So is it a menopause thing, I wonder, or a bipolar thing which I’ve never had before)

Just looking to hear from other people’s experiences. Thanks.

[CLKD]

Hi!  Is the bipolar controlled?

We generally need less sleep as we age.  Probably due to how differently our sleep patterns become.  4 me waking in the night is a) a trip to the bathroom/back, b) busy dreams which wake me, c) not getting to sleep until the early hours due to brain racing  : when I sleep in the day it's refreshing sleep as I don't dream in the same way

I know my paternal Gran was up at 5.30 a.m., housework done so that she could play with us or cook.  Into bed around 10.00 and never seemed to be tired.

[Lady di]

Thanks for your reply.  I couldn't work out how to type in a response.

The bipolar is under control, but lack of sleep is a trigger - living life on around 5 hours sleep or less can lead to mania - which sounds nicer than it is. 

Last night I went to bed at 1am and woke up at 7.10 - so that's around 6 hours.  6 hours is ok.  I just wondered if needing less sleep was a thing for many people in the menopause - looks like it's not.

Thanks

[sheila99]

I'm not sure about meno on particular but as CLKD says we are supposed to need less sleep as we get older. Can't say I've noticed it myself, if I don't get enough sleep I'm half dead all day. I feel exactly the same as you do if I wake up too early then go back to sleep. 1.30am is an early night at the moment (we're lambing and I do the late shift). Waking at 8 is fine, get woken up at 7 and I'm a nightmare snarling at everyone all day.