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Pernilla, 50: "I've started dreaming again"
Written by:
Sofi Persson
Pernilla Henriksson Skog, 50:
A year and a half ago, I had my first hot flush in the middle of a lesson, and it lasted for about a minute. I remember this feeling of unease spreading through my body, immediately followed by chills. Sometimes, I would fall asleep between five and eight in the morning out of sheer exhaustion. I spent many sleepless hours in front of the computer at night. The sleep problems, of course, made things difficult as I felt I could never truly recover. I developed aches in my head and body, and then more pain in my wrists, groin, and fingers.
My back arthritis also worsened during this period
But despite all the signals, I never understood the connection at the time. I ate and exercised as usual and avoided things that made the arthritis worse. Since no one in the healthcare system explained to me that these could be clear signs of menopause, I just carried on as normal.
After a routine check-up with my gynaecologist, I was prescribed antidepressants – even though I wasn't depressed! I was also given sleeping pills. They might have helped a little, but I don't like taking lots of tablets. However, I had read that Magnesium could be good for sleep problems. It was during this period that I was contacted by midwives Lotta Hasselberg and Anette Daberius, who were running a test panel with Great Earth.
In a situation where I wasn't getting the help I needed, I was willing to try anything. For six months, I took Turmeric, Magnesium and Biocell Collagen with hyaluronic acid, and the turning point came after just three months when my body felt much better. The aches in my joints and fingers disappeared too! I felt calmer in the evenings and could fall asleep more easily. After so many years of poor sleep, being able to relax was so valuable.
But I'm a little surprised that there was such a simple solution
But I'm also angry that as a woman, you're just expected to accept feeling unwell during menopause. There should be much more research and information available! Since I haven't experienced deep sleep for over ten years, it feels fantastic to be able to sleep for five hours straight, and I've even started dreaming at night again.
Pernilla Henriksson Skog is 50 years old. She lives in Karlskoga with her youngest daughter, who is 16 (her older daughter has already moved out). Pernilla is a qualified personal trainer and nutritional advisor and has worked as a group fitness instructor for 23 years. This autumn, she is working as a substitute teacher for years 7-9. Pernilla is one of 35 participants in the test panel that Great Earth conducted with Klimakterieportalen to measure the effects of nutritional supplements on menopausal symptoms.
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