Question:

Updated on
June 29, 2012

Sleeping aids for a patient in early stages of perimenopause.

I turned 50 last year, and am in the early stages of perimenopause. Still getting my period every month but early/late. My biggest problem is I cannot fall asleep. Even with sleeping aids, tylenol PM, lorazapam (2.5 mg) or zopiclone (5mg) i sleep 4-5 hours and only in the wee morning hours. Early than that the pills just keeps me drowsy. Sometimes the over-the-counter stuff ie. tylenol PM and Benadryl doesn't even work. My hormone tests were normal, and my doctor gave me the Estraderm patch .05 very reluctantly. I took it for 2.5 weeks, and then stopped. I still had to take the sleeping aids with the Estraderm. After 1 week of stopping the Estraderm, I was able to sleep for 1 month without any sleeping aids. I was thinking that I would go see a naturopatic doctor. What would the approach be by the naturopatic doctor. I definitely know that it is my hormones.

thanks,
Fareida

Answer:

You may receive other responses to your question from some of the other experts at WyldeAboutHealth. My response is going to focus on herbal sleep aids and the medications your are taking.

Many of the herbal sleep aids contain ingredients that act on the same targets in the body/brain that does Lorazepam and Zopiclone. After performing a medical history, physical examination and diagnosis of your condition, the naturopathic doctor will discuss different therapies to help you sleep. These may be based on medical sciences such as homeopathy, herbology, acupuncture, etc. Part of the discussions will focus on your desire to use natural/alternative sleep aids. They will face a few challenges ranging from weaning you off the current sleep aids to helping you manage potential withdrawal effects (depending on how long you have been taking these).

The danger of combining herbal sleep aids with drugs like Lorazepam and Zopiclone ranges from potentiating the residual next morning drowsiness to insomnia to new side effects.

The advantage of herbs like California poppy, Skullcap, Lemon balm, Passionflower, Valerian and Hops is that there is no residual next morning sedation and the night's sleep is usually not agitated. The sleep on one or more of these herbs is usually restful. Based on the description of your insomnia, the naturopathic doctor will be recommend a combination of herbs that will provide a sufficiently strong hypnotic effect for you to fall asleep.

Do not set your expectations to high at first. Obtaining 5 hours of a restful sleep is good. Then you can build from this. There are many natural/alternative therapies available that can be combined and some of these will focus on what you do before you go to sleep. This will include teaching relaxation methods, modifying your dietary habits (e.g. what you eat at night), aromatic essential oil therapy, reading, etc. It will also include how you think about falling asleep; e.g. anxiety associated to falling asleep.

Response by Guy Chamberland M.Sc., Ph.D.

Disclaimer:

Before starting any new health program or before you begin taking any medication, natural medicine, or supplement, always check with your primary health care provider.