Millions Of Women Across UK Are Weirdly Waking Up At 3.29am For The Same Reason

New research has revealed that millions of women across the UK are waking up unexpectedly in the middle of the night for the same reason.

The study, carried out by home furnishings store, Dunelm, as part of their ‘Let’s talk about menopause’ campaign.

Their research says that one of the most common symptoms of the menopause is insomnia that there are about 13 million people in the UK who are menopausal or perimenopausal.

What is the menopause?

Menopause is a transition that occurs as your hormones change and your periods eventually stop. There are three stages to this transition: the perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.

The perimenopause is the start of this transition, and typically starts when a woman is in her mid to late 40s. If you are having periods, they can become irregular and erratic and symptoms of the menopause can start to creep in, often fluctuating in intensity and frequency.

The average age of people experiencing the menopause in the UK is 51 but it commonly occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. However, it’s important to know that around 5% of people go through menopause aged 40-45 (known as an early menopause) while 1% of people going through the menopause under the age of 40 (known as premature ovarian insufficiency - POI).

The menopause is said to have occurred when you have had no period for 12 consecutive months due to your ovaries having stopped making hormones. After this you are postmenopausal. In this third phase of the menopause transition, you may still experience symptoms, commonly for a further five to seven years, though many experience symptoms for longer than this.

What does this have to do with 3:29 am?

Of the millions of women who are menopausal or perimenopausal a large proportion will have suffered from some kind of insomnia, and according to Dunelm's research 3:29 is the most common time to be kept awake by insomnia.

According to Dr Clare Spencer, women going through the menopause experience varying symptoms, including lack of sleep which then has an impact on so many things including mood and physical health.

What can I do to help with insomnia?

Over half of the women who took part in the study and experienced insomnia, 53% said they would just ‘toss and turn’ until they went back to sleep. Others said reading a book helped, while 20% would go and watch TV and 17% would just stare at the clock…

Dr Spencer recommends:

• Alcohol may be able to get you off to sleep, but the resulting quality of sleep can be poor. You experience a lighter sleep and don’t feel rested when you wake.

• Caffeine in tea and coffee is a stimulant, of course, and drinking caffeine before bed, or having too much during the day may keep you awake at night.

• Nicotine is also a stimulant, so smoking can cause difficulty with sleeping, too.

• There are studies to show that intense exercise can help manage sleep.

• Avoid large meals that are rich in heavy or spicy foods before you go to bed.

• If you’re a smoker, try your best to quit. Smoking is also a stimulant (as well as being bad for your health more generally).

She warned that a lack of sleep could bring about a 'vicious cycle' where your brain is sapped of energy, focuses on the negative and as a result, depresses your mood.

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Two-time Olympic gold medal winner, Dame Kelly Homes, who took part in the study, said that waking up at three in the morning 'became a regular occurrence’ for her and that perimenopausal insomnia had made her 'so exhausted every day'.

Dame Kelly admitted she still only got about five to six hours of sleep a night but had started going to bed later so as to avoid waking up in the middle of her sleeping time.

She added that she used scented sleep sprays and described getting blackout curtains for the bedroom as 'a must’.

If you’re struggling with symptoms of the menopause, you should always consult your GP, Practice Nurse or Pharmacist.

There is also lots of support and advice available via the NHS as well as a number of charities and support services including:

• Women's Health Concern

• Menopause Matters

• Daisy Network for premature menopause

• Menopause Café

• Queermenopause for people who identify as LGBT+