AFTER 20 YEARS OF EXHAUSTION, I FINALLY FEEL ENERGISED

AnitA Whiting, 54, is a career coach. She lives in Weybridge, Surrey, with husband Dean, 57, a sales director, and they have two grown-up children. Anita says: THERE is no rhyme or reason to my sleep problems. They started long before my menopause but, sometimes, I wonder if the trigger was having children.

When they were babies, I would be up seven or eight times in the night — and I don’t think I’ve slept the same since.

From 2009 until 2012, I had a highpressure job. I’d come in exhausted at 8pm, then be replying to emails until 4am and only get three hours’ sleep. I’m sure that exacerbated the problem, and menopause might have made it worse.

A good night for me is seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, which I haven’t had in years.

Sometimes, I go to bed exhausted. But then I lie there and sleep evades me until the small hours.

My husband also talks in his sleep at times, which doesn’t help. A normal night is going to bed, then waking up and drifting off about five times. On a bad night, I fall asleep quickly, but wake again three hours later and that’s it — no more sleep.

I never drink caffeine after 8.30am and avoid chocolate in the evening. I’ve tried writing down my worries and had sleeping tablets from the doctor, but I’m reluctant to take these, as I know how addictive they can be. I’ve tried herbal medicines and even alcohol to get me to sleep, though too much makes it worse.

I sometimes think: ‘I’m not getting any sleep, so I may as well get up and do something.’ I’ve been known to get up in the night and prepare coursework and even designed a website in the early hours.

But, since starting the sleep diary, I have had a run of decent sleep. Maybe seeing it all written down in black and white has made my brain learn something subconsciously.

Working out the percentage of sleep I was getting was a shock — one night, it was 25 per cent. Other tips I’ve picked up from Professor Ellis are to get rid of my phone from the bedroom. I’d already got rid of the TV in there, but before, as I lay awake, I often checked emails. Now, I leave my phone in the office.

I’ve also started going to bed at the same time every night and setting my alarm for the same time every morning. I used to go to bed early — 8.30pm some nights — but would be awake from 10pm.

I now go to bed religiously at 10pm and set the alarm for 7am. I’ve also bought new, firmer pillows and a mattress topper to see if they help.

I’ll definitely continue with the diary. I want to beat this naturally.