Insomnia

liliesnlace85

I definitely have trouble sleeping but over the past couple of years it has got better. I never have a great night's sleep admittedly (I can only remember once in my lifetime ever sleeping the whole night through), but I've now got to the point where it doesn't take me quite as long to drift off (perhaps 30-60 mins) and I can nearly always get back to sleep again when I wake up in the night.

I think your sleep can be affected when you've got someone else next to you. Any noise, movement and even my partner's body temperature affects my sleep. It could be worth trying a night on your own in a bed if you share.

A massive part of sleeping better for me now comes down to routine. I'd go to bed at various times - often as late as 3am on weeknights, would wake up at different times in the morning (when I was a student, at least) and I didn't wind down properly beforehand. Ideally you should refrain from using any technology about 30 mins before going to bed (TV, computer, tablet, mobile phone) and wind down by listening to relaxing music or reading in bed instead. A warm bath or a mug of hot chocolate often helps me too.

The only time I struggle now really is that I often wake up at about 5am (two hours before my alarm goes off) and then can't get back to sleep - possibly because the room is a little brighter. An eye mask would help with this.

I hope these tips help and that you get a good night soon!

bizzielizzie_2

I have trouble sleeping too, especially when I'm worried which I am at the moment. I used to take sleeping tablets but I hated feeling spaced out, actually that's not true, I quite liked feeling spaced out and I didn't like that I liked it. So I knocked them on the head. I now am a lot better. I've stopped drinking alcohol (well no more than 1 unit at any one time), I really makes a difference for me. But the best thing is I have a kindle with a light and I read it under the cover so I don't wake my husband. I find that light amusing books really send me off...last night I woke at 2.30am, heart racing and worrying...I'd finished my last book (Thursdays in the Park - didn't work too well as a bit upsetting for the early hours but a good book!) and downloaded QI for 20p.....perfect! A whole lot of mildly amusing facts that were just interesting enough to take my mind off my worries and just boring enough to send me to sleep!

thehappybutterfly

This goes against all the advice out there but the only way I can fall asleep is with the TV on. The volume is low but the background noise lulls me to sleep. I has to be something peaceful - no comedies, horrors or shoot 'em up programme/films.

I frequently wake up for a wee in the middle of the night and if I've got a lot on my mind, I start 'thinking' and can't get back to sleep. I put a DVD on and I immediately relax and I'm asleep within 15 minutes. Usually. Occasionally I'm awake for hours no matter what I do - best thing in that case is to give in and get up. Might as well put that insomnia to good use!

jenniewb

thehappybutterfly wrote: »

This goes against all the advice out there but the only way I can fall asleep is with the TV on. The volume is low but the background noise lulls me to sleep. I has to be something peaceful - no comedies, horrors or shoot 'em up programme/films.

I frequently wake up for a wee in the middle of the night and if I've got a lot on my mind, I start 'thinking' and can't get back to sleep. I put a DVD on and I immediately relax and I'm asleep within 15 minutes. Usually. Occasionally I'm awake for hours no matter what I do - best thing in that case is to give in and get up. Might as well put that insomnia to good use!

I found that too! (about the TV). I don't have a TV anymore- it broke about a year ago and I can't afford a new one, but I do have a radio and I put that on. I do listen to it though, it wouldn't work for example, if it were a station from abroad, it works because it lures me away from the many worries and fears going round and round and round my head, I do try to avoid having it on and it turns itself off if I set a time, but can keep me fixed on what's being said if things sound too interesting- bit of a fine balance.

jenniewb

mercedes125 wrote: »

Thanks for advice ,I wish I could come off them but I know I wouldn't sleep I'm not the type to just take them I will lay awake for several hours first and try not to take them everything I can cope now with odd sleepless night.
I noticed in your other post that you have anxiety because also do but I'm not on any medication for this ,do you take anything , I dint know if to ask the docter if there's is anything I can have that's not addictive then if I am more relaxed I might get off to sleep and not need sleep tabs. I also have epilepsy and that's bad enough to cope with.Any way I am seeing the softer later so will update you .

I don't take anything for the anxiety unless they are pretty bad (as in I'm trying to prevent taking my own life bad). I am very against pills myself because I worry about what they do to my insides. Things like hormonal inbalances, thyroid issues, liver damage... and that's before you get into dependancy and side effects! I used to be on an antidepressant and it wasn't a happy story. I also know that the liver is the one organ which cannot regenerate itself, once it's damaged beyond suvival, your looking at joining a very very long replacement waiting list. But that's my mindset anyway! I know there are very worrying negative links to Zopiclone when taken long term and guessed I'd need to come off the pills one day unless I was willing to deal with the consequences.

I do take Zopiclone but only in dire emergency (as mentioned above) and am much happier to only need a small amount. As a result I don't get the same day after day grogginess I used to have when I took it for months at a time a year or so ago.

It was not easy to come off, it was a case of doing so very very slowly and watching things repair themselves (energy levels, not feeling so lethargic, trying to re-coup any sleep at all, etc) but it can be done and you may find one person withdraws faster then someone else. I know I notice every single little difference, hence why I noticed it took me a long time. I get dependant on having an extra glass of water a day, so your looking at someone who is already highly dependant, if you were worried you'd not be able to withdraw and cope and that was the one thing that stopped you, trust me, if I can do it, anyone can do it!

I have been offered many things for anxiety but I turn them down due to the side effects which I always seem to suffer (and this is without looking at the bits of paper that come with the pills!) I have been told I have a very sensitive system: I even react to things like plasters and paracetamol! But I do see a therapist, which for me makes more of a difference then a pill can. I always found pills quietened things, but didn't really make them much bearable: a bit like covering your head in cotton wool to cope with a major earthquake. Helps, but then again, not really, and not enough to cope enough to get by.

The annoying thing? I didn't even feel 'rested' in the mornings!

I can't really advise or defend what I have chosen to do any more then to say, I used to be very dependant on pills and I really found it took over my life. I was too groggy and lethargic and unable to focus for anything longer then 10 minutes or retain ideas or remember things properly...etc, and I realised I'd lost my life and had become a zombie. I just wanted you to know that if that is where you feel your at, it doesn't have to be like that!

trolleyrun

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned caffeine. I cut out caffeine completely in march last year and I sleep so much better. It was difficult in the first week, but I was determined to break the bad cycle.

Another thing that's helped me is yoga and meditation. It's made me more relaxed in general, and if I have trouble getting to sleep, I do "yoga breathing" which usually does the trick. There are lots of YouTube clips on yoga and you can also download free podcasts to your device via iTunes (search for yoga podcasts).

Finally, the thing that has helped the most on improving my sleep is to avoid as much stress as possible, whether it's letting people who put pressure on me too much go, writing worries down (including what the solution is) and basically dealing with whatever is keeping my mind buzzing.

As others have previously said, dealing with the reasons for insomnia is very important for a permanent solution, otherwise you're just masking the issue and it won't get better

emerald21

mercedes125 wrote: »

Hi I have tried just about all the herbal tablets etc they just dont seem to work for me although I wish they would .

Hi These aren t the herbal ones though. I have seen the herbal Nytol ones though in Supermarkets in a green pack. The ones I mentioned are in a blue pack and I've only ever seen them in chemists. It says " Clinically proven night time sleep aid ". there are 16 tablets per box and are about £5 but can be prescribed for you from drs.Hth.

emerald21

JustagirlinCornwall wrote: »

I have had trouble sleeping for years I find Asda's Sleep Aid Tablets help me I use rescue remedy night and drink a cup of Sleepy Tea. I also find a heat pad helps as does for me having the room a little on the cool side, My other thing that helps me and don't laugh I have a babies Twinkle Twinkle Little Scout by leapfrog its a little soft puppy its lovely and plays 10/20 minutes of lullabies or environmental sounds.. I have the environmental sounds they are so soothing . This was bought for me by a friend who also swears by it to help her sleep

These are £9 97 online at Tesco lol

emerald21

I suffer from depression and anxiety when I'm not on tablets. I did come off them slowly over a few months but after a while I felt I still needed something so I looked into it and decided on getting some 5HTP tablets either off the Internet or from Holland and Barrett.

These tablets ( they are actually called a food supplement ) are marvellous as they help in numerous ways 1) eases depression, 2) can help one sleep better, 3) can help lose weight and last but not least help you tan easily lol. After not being able to even lose an ounce for a few years I eventually lost a stone with going to the gym as well and I got suntanned legs lol.

Unfortunately I wasn t coping very well with my depression on them after a while and I didn't t really want to keep on highering the dosage so I reluctantly went back onto my depression tablets but only the lowest dose. Because of this I had to stop the 5 HTP as they can't be taken together and I decided feeling better in my mind was more important to me than losing more weight. I m not suggesting these will work for everyone but it might be worthwhile reading up on them.

mercedes125

Thankyou for all your replys and ideas I will try them that I have not already although I am running out of ideas now. I went to see the docter again and he thinks that I am suffering with anxiety and that's causing me not to sleep so he's put me on a beta blocker propanalol 10mg three times a day he says they are defiantly not addictive so I'm going to see how I get on with them and try to seen off sleep tabs hopefully.Has any of you had personally if so did you find a difference on them.