Alternative to sleeping tablets

bigsmoke

2 things that have worked for me in the past:
- meditation. you're not meant to fall asleep but i find that i often do!
- notepad and pen by the bed. if you're having difficulty switching your mind off, and keep thinking of things that you need to do i find that writing them down so that i will definitely remember them in the morning helps me to put them out of my mind

best of luck with it, it can be so frustrating. i've tried to learn to just go with it, if i can't sleep i'll just get up and read or have a snack - but i do sleep on my own1!

dippydan

Thanks everyone!

well last night I tried Lavender - which did make me feel sleepy and counting and lying still and I did go off easier than the rest of the week but woke up 4 times!

Tonight I am trying new Pj's and a bath

Penelope_Penguin

DH is away and I'm having trouble sleeping (I wake at about 4:30 whatever time I go to bed ). Just reading this thread ia making me yawn so there might be something of use to me here

Penny. x

Belisarius

Melatonin is amazing (if you can stick the vivid, technicolour dreams), but I am not sure if it is legal here. I got mine in the States for jet lag & it didn't cost me much.

thriftlady_2

Have you tried alcohol Penny?:D I used to have real trouble sleeping when my OH was away with the kids camping. I was a bit nervous of being on my own in the house tbh:o. I solved it by putting the burglar alarm on before going upstairs- made me much more relaxed. Not much good if you aren't nervous or if you have teenaged kids running up and down the stairs though.

dawn_rose

i got some sensous massarge oil from boots that i put a couple of dabs on ma pillow it really relaxes you and im asleep in seconds. its in a purple bottle.

p00

I can recommend a pillow speaker http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pillow+speaker&x=0&y=0 - just the £2.99 one - and if I just cant stop thinking abou things i put my personal cd player under my pillow and listen to relaxation music. Always works and the player stops at the end of the cd anyway.
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xxp00

AussieLass

A friend of mine told me the other week she has a cup of chamomile tea about 1 hour before she goes to bed and it really helps. I bought some last week in my groceries but I haven't used them. This thread actually reminded me. So can't say whether it helps or not but it might help you anyway. If that makes sense.

BexInLondon

A key thing I've found is not to worry about it, and not to look at the clock. After all, sometimes you can be in stage 1 sleep without really being aware you are (ever prodded a sleeping friend/relative, only to have them claim they were awake?). So even if the last time you look at the clock is 1:30, you may have been drifting in and out for a few hours.

The thing guaranteed to bring back my insomnia is worrying about how much sleep I'm getting. One more practical step I've taken is to set my wireless router (BT homehub) not to accept connections from my ipod or laptop between 10pm and 7am. Stops me sitting up late reading MSE/guardian/facebook.

MrsCook_2

try being more mentally active instead of physically active. there are various games on the web, scrabulous is good.