I'm 54 and have had trouble sleeping for the past couple of years. I used to sleep beautifully 9 hours a night - now I fall asleep quickly but then wake up every two hours. Started with this new doctor who has me taking 15 mg. of melatonin a night and it seems to help me sleep six hours relatively "deeply" a night (if I'm lucky). When I get desperate, I'll take an ambion and that puts me in to deep unconscious sleep for six hours but then the following night I sleep restlessly with nightmares. The melatonin, with no alcohol at night, works healthiest for me I believe.
I hate waking up with occasional hot flashes. I wake up right before they hit (which is weird I think) - sleeping on an ice pack also helps with the hot flashes!
I'm glad there are others like me.....it doesn't matter if I nap or not during the day. I miss that DEEP sleep - but the melatonin helps.