Trouble sleeping - anything I can take?

Jenny.W

I'm not sure if this is classed as insomnia.....but I have real trouble maintaining a full night's sleep. I have no trouble getting off to sleep, however I wake up randomly throughout the night and it makes me so tired. I've had this for years but I'm just so tired from it now.

A typical nightly pattern can be something like this. Go to bed at 10pm then wake up at 12.15, 2.30, 3.15. 4.30 then get up at 5am.

I've tried the usual Kalms etc but I think these just help you to relax to get off to sleep but this isn't my problem, I need something to get me through the night

Is this something I should see my GP about?

Tiglath

Definitely worth checking out with the GP - could be a number of things; stress, thyroid, other hormonal stuff. I sympathise - I get to sleep but can't sleep the whole night through. Do you need to get up for the loo in the night?

Jenny.W

Tiglath wrote: »

Definitely worth checking out with the GP - could be a number of things; stress, thyroid, other hormonal stuff. I sympathise - I get to sleep but can't sleep the whole night through. Do you need to get up for the loo in the night?

thanks Tiglath, no it's never to use the loo, I just find I wake up, check the time then go back to sleep

is yours related to anything?

Tiglath

Try turning your clock to face away from you - it fools my body some of the time. If I can't see the time, my brain can't get going and start to calculate how long till the alarm goes off.

thriftytwosome

It's horrible having sleeping problems, I sympathise. I agree it is worth talking to your Doctor. You could try cutting out any drinks with caffeine in and I have heard that having the clock by the bed so you can see the time you wake doesn't help either.
Good luck.

McKneff

Tiglath wrote: »

Try turning your clock to face away from you - it fools my body some of the time. If I can't see the time, my brain can't get going and start to calculate how long till the alarm goes off.

I found this made a major difference to my sleeping pattern.

Dont turn it round so you can see what time it is either

Forget the time, just get back into bed.

Nile

Switch off or remove mobile phone and computer from the bedroom. Aim for a well ventilated and cool temperature in the bedroom at bedtime. Avoid drinking tea, coffee and cola drinks in the evening.

How old is your mattress? Is it uncomfortable? Maybe you need to buy a new bed/mattress?

If you wake up because your mind is racing with things to do, keep a small notepad and pen by your bed. Write down the 'to do' things and go back to sleep.

Try a lavender bubble bath in your bath or lavender shower gel as you shower before bedtime. Lavender helps you to have a restful sleep.

If you are a light sleeper and noise (traffic, neighbours or a snoring partner) disturbs your sleep..............buy some ear plugs.

If you sleep in a double bed and your partner is disturbing your sleep, consider separate twin beds.

If none of the above are relevant.............see your GP.;)

j.e.j.

I used to go to bed at 10-ish and found I was waking during the night. I found that going to bed later helps, though it would depend on when you need to be up by..

This book was a big help to me, as it has loads of info in it and it helped me to get to the root cause of the problem:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Insomnia-Sleep-Problems-Behavioral/dp/1845290704/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
I didn't go to the doctors, as I found that working through the book helped me.

flossyblog

Lots of ideas on here.

http://www.sleepcouncil.org.uk/

Jenny.W

Thanks for all your tips and for the links

I have tried turning the clock around but I just wake up and turn it around to read it:(

Have tried lavender and I have a very comfy bed, good mattress etc. I am a light sleeper but nothing is waking me although I do have a racing mind, ie when I wake I think of the most ridiculous things, like a song I heard or something I saw the previous day, just silly things and then I have trouble switching off my mind and find it runs away with me. I will check out the links and if all else fails, I will see my GP

miduck

Jenny.W wrote: »

Thanks for all your tips and for the links

I have tried turning the clock around but I just wake up and turn it around to read it:(

Have tried lavender and I have a very comfy bed, good mattress etc. I am a light sleeper but nothing is waking me although I do have a racing mind, ie when I wake I think of the most ridiculous things, like a song I heard or something I saw the previous day, just silly things and then I have trouble switching off my mind and find it runs away with me. I will check out the links and if all else fails, I will see my GP

I would second Nile's suggestion of keeping a notepad by the bed. Alternatively you can put your thoughts in an imaginary box (in your head!), so they are out of your mind. It sounds silly but it is very effective, you can even talk yourself through it - "I'm not thinking about you at the moment, you're going in there until the morning", and if they try to get out, you just send them right back again.