Insomnia

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I'm used to taking a sleeping tablet (Zopiclone) at night but unfortunately I've run out. Last night I took 2 x Diazepam but it didn't help me to sleep. I lay awake in bed from midnight until 3:30am then I got up, made a drink and watched some TV. At about 5:00am I felt tired and went back to bed and did eventually sleep until 8:00am. This isn't the first time I've suffered from insomnia it happens pretty much every night. It's very frustrating and leaves me feeling tired the following day and feeling nauseous, sometimes I'm actually sick. I was wondering whether anyone has any advice re: insomnia and how I can get a decent nights sleep without having to resort to taking prescription/over the counter medication.

hazyjo

I suffer on occasion too.

Do you share a bed with anyone?

Are you stresses/worried? What are you thinking about when you're trying to sleep? Try writing it down as things enter your head. Pen and paper next to the bed. Might be things you're trying to remember for the next day anyway, or you might be worried - or subconsciously worried - about something.

Try listening to something boring on the radio.

Get blackout curtains and block out any noise (earplugs).

If you're worried you won't wake up, set 2 or 3 alarms. The final one should be somewhere like the bathroom so you know once you're up, you stay up.

One that works for me, sounds ridiculous, but lie in your bed differently - head where your feet usually goes. Just take your pillow/s down there, put your feet where your head usually goes, and sleep. It does surprisingly work.

Try not to sleep in. Keep a regular sleep pattern. If you don't sleep, you don't sleep. Don't be tempted to nap during the day.

Maybe you sometimes get too much sleep. I find going to bed late (by 12.30am usually) helps me. I'm up by 7pm, first alarm goes off at 6.43am and I have 2 snoozes of 7 mins.

Good luck.

Jx

marleyboy

Likewise, after taking a sleeping pill at 1am, its 3am before I go to sleep, up at 7am. I find a good puzzler book helps tire me out before going to sleep.

browneyedbazzi

I used to take zopiclone as well but only when really necessary...it works really well but I think it's really important not to use it to often because if you get used to drug induced sleep your body/brain will 'forget' how to sleep naturally and you end up *needing* the drug to sleep.

In my experience insomnia is a symptom of a wider problem rather than the problem itself - so you need to work out what the cause is (stress, depression etc) and address that cause in order to properly get rid of the insomnia rather than just using a drug to help with the symptom.

In my case I was suffering from stress and had lots of different things running through my mind all the time which didn't allow me to 'switch off' and sleep. I learned a self-hypnosis technique in which you focus completely on your breathing and this pushes all the other thoughts out until you are relaxed enough to sleep.

When I was stressed about things that needed to be done etc I also found it helpful to write lists because once something was on paper to be ticked off the following day I didn't have to worry about forgetting it so freed up that bit of brain space.

Ida_Notion

I suffer from insomnia too. My sister once told me to count backwards from one hundred, adding 'You'll never get to number one, because you'll be asleep'. Yeah, right. I've always got to number one, but I do seem to get to sleep a little bit quicker afterwards.

Something that often works for me when I'm really desperate is to tell myself I'm going to get up and do a chore I absolutely hate or have been avoiding. I don't just tell myself I'll do it, I actually imagine myself doing it, one step at a time. I'm usually asleep sometime during the middle of this process - I think my brain really believes that I'm actually going to get up and do this stuff and would rather go to sleep than risk it! I don't do it a lot, as I suspect my subconcious would soon stop falling for it, but I wonder sometimes too if it works because the thought of these tasks is part or all of what's keeping me awake, and having begun to form a plan to tackle them I can drift off and get to sleep.

So... I'd count backwards from one hundred or create a graphic mental image of myself getting up and cleaning the oven

hazyjo

Another one I read - which occasionally works for me - is to switch off every inch of your body bit by bit, starting with your toes.

As you're lying there, wiggle your toes, then imagine them sleeping/resting. Then the middle of your foot, your heel, each bit of your leg, etc. Spend ages on each bit. Tense it, then relax it.

Failing all that, without trying to lower the tone (ahem), you could always try the, erm, 'self pleasure' route (or wake up any partner next to you ). Will probably find you fall asleep after!

Jx

j.e.j.

This book uses cognitive behaviour therapy techniques in order to overcome the problem:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Insomnia-Sleep-Problems-Behavioral/dp/1845290704/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340277479&sr=1-1

I found it really useful in that it helped me to get to the cause of the problem, and it gives useful information and insights about insomnia and sleeping disorders.

It can be hard-going but worth the effort, imo, and especially if you're keen to avoid using sleeping tablets, etc where possible.

Savvy_Sue

I had a Relax and Sleep CD from Amazon a few years ago which was really good, rarely heard it to the end!

londonsurrey

I suffered from it for years. A hot water bottle or electric blanket really helps, relaxing the body.

jenniewb

As much as I think Zopliclone is amazing (it got me sleep when my depression/anxiety had me at the edge of my wits and the rest I wont post...) it is very addictive.

I also found out that the withdrawal effects (effects once you don't take your regular pill) is infact insomnia. (Read the leaflet/pharmacy based website leaflets if you don't believe me).The longer you take it, the longer the insomnia will last.

Its better to withdraw from it IMO but others I know just went cold turkey, didn't sleep for an entire week save for the odd hour here or there- took time off obviously, because after a day it does affect your ability to think straight, and then gradually put things back together.

I'd speak to your GP first any how for advice on withdrawal but as far as Zopliclone goes, it isn't supposed to be taken for more then 3 days in a row despite it being given out like sweets from many GP's surgeries.

murphydog999

Agree that it's the reason you can't sleep that needs sorting. I've tried all those counting tricks, the relaxing from your toes up, imagining tasks/sheep etc etc, but my mind would just not switch off.

Watching TV won't help, you eyes see bright light and your brain will be stimulated. If you don't share a bed with someone else, a talking book is a good way to focus your mind, you can relax and get comfortable, shut your eyes and just listen. If that doesn't appeal, a 'normal' book (maybe one that you've read before that you know is really good) should also get your mind into a different 'mind-set.'

But try and find the real reason first....