FINALLY DONE IT: Tayforth's new beginning

mcja

:wave:

Hi Tay, been catching up to date on your journey. Sounds like you are still doing amazingly well, just having a normal reaction to the stress that you have been through over the past year, not just few weeks. Its going to get better and easier as everyone tells you, but just keep doing what you are doing, talking, listening to advice and being strong.

Tears are a wonderful release (there's a reason we watch "weepies" sometimes). The lack of sleep sounds a bummer though. Did you tell the doc about it? Was he able to give you anything short term to help your body get back into a routine.
I am sure you tried this, but someone told me once to picture a white room/blank sheet of white paper if I cant sleep. It stops you thinking about everything else and is so bl00dy boring it works!

Good luck, and you are doing everything so well. A true inspiration to all your [STRIKE]stalkers[/STRIKE] followers!

For you, you sound like you need a smile on your face

tayforth

Thanks so much, mcja I did mention the insomnia to the doctor, and he told me to try the usual - no distractions before bedtime, no eating or strenuous exercise in the couple of hours before bed, leaving a window open to air the room, etc. He said that if it didn't improve within a week, he'd consider prescribing something. I'll give your white room suggestion a go tonight.

Yes, I love weepy films! Maybe I should watch a few for therapeutic purposes lol.

Thanks for the pretty picture!

Lol @ stalkers

jackieblack

Hi Tayforth
I suffer from insomnia and one thing that helps me is to concentrate on your breathing and have a simple 2 part phrase to say (to yourself, in your head ) one while you breathe in and the other when you breathe out.
It could be as simple as '1, 2'
Or something like 'breathe in, breathe out'
Or 'sleep well, sleep deep'

It just helps to clear your mind and I've found it sometimes works for me when nothing else does

Hezzawithkids

Hi Tay - been a while since I posted but as I'm subscribed to the thread I'm still [STRIKE]stalking [/STRIKE]lurking:D

First of all you are FABULOUS! I'm so full of admiration for you and the changes you have made to your life. You've handled more in the last 2 months than most people have to deal with in a lifetime AND you are so gracious and appreciative of everyone on here who has been trying to help you. So proud of you!

Secondly, I'm jumping in with some more tips on how to get to sleep, all based around getting your brain to shut down enough to let you sleep. There are 3 methods that work for me:-

1. Listen to yourself breathing. I mean really listen. This will naturally slow your breathing and your heart rate, great if you go to bed still feeling 'wired' from the day

2. Press your thumb and middle finger together at the tips (on one or both hands). Concentrate on keeping them in that position. Your brain will be so focussed on the task it will 'let go' of everything else that's been going on inside it

3. If there is a tiny chink of light in the room that you can see while lying down, look at it, really stare at it and don't look away. Eventually your eyelids will droop....

There's also one other method that I use: plug in your iPod earphones and listen to an audiobook or podcast (volume down low). This works even when I want to stay awake sometimes! But in case of emergency I have some 'go to' podcasts from the BBC that never fail to send me off, e.g. World Book Club, Books and Authors, Today in Parliament....to name a few!

Hope that helps Still rooting for you!

mcja

tayforth wrote: »

I'll give your white room suggestion a go tonight.

If its a room, everything in it has to be white, make the room as empty as you can. It's hard to do but bizarrely works!! Good luck.
X

Yorkie1

I also listen to speech radio very very quietly in order to help me get to sleep.

I have a 'sleep' function on the clock radio so it switches itself off.

lostinrates

tayforth wrote: »

I've had a bit of a rough day - have been feeling very upset and weepy. But I've been promising myself that I'll go back to work in the next couple of weeks. I hope that the doctor will agree to a phased return.






You're both right, of course. I won't make any hasty decisions, and it does make more sense to stay working FT, at least for now. I will build up my savings so that someday, I can buy a house, take a gap year (what heaven that would be) or whatever I'd like to do.

I love the idea of fulfilling myself in my own time, that makes a lot of sense. I'll have a think about it, and see what takes my fancy.

I do need to exercise more, even a walk helps me to unwind. KM, you really live up to your username lol.

A lodger would be good, but the house isn't that big. So that's probably out. But a nice idea - thank you, Daisy. I guess I'll just make the most of living alone, and having the extra space, peace and quiet etc.

Would you consider a part time lodger? Dh lodges mon to fri ( four nights. He's become good friends with most of his landlords, in contact some years on, and in some of the tiny houses /flats its worked because its only a part time arrangement. You do need a spare room and to provide access to a bathroom and a little bit of kitchen space but a small single room is fine.

Re sleeping, I am a pretty successful insomniac...I win over the insomnia most of the time. . I love spoken word radio, but I am aware it takes me longer to fall asleep that way usually. Self hypnosis or guided meditations however are really, really good.

If all else failS I reassure myself that if I am resting my body I'm doing half the job, so a really comfortable position and 'giving myself permission not to sleep.' This off purse relaxes one so that one does mostly drop off, but you have to believe its not the be all and end all for that to work.


The neglected things are often getting up at a good hour, even if still tired, at the same time every day. I love the alarm clocks that mimic sunrise in winter. This time of year its unnecessary for me, I just leave my curtains a bit open, but I live in the country side, if I lived in a town or overlooked I'd probably opt for 'summer curtains' instead.

tayforth

jackieblack wrote: »

Hi Tayforth
I suffer from insomnia and one thing that helps me is to concentrate on your breathing and have a simple 2 part phrase to say (to yourself, in your head ) one while you breathe in and the other when you breathe out.
It could be as simple as '1, 2'
Or something like 'breathe in, breathe out'
Or 'sleep well, sleep deep'

It just helps to clear your mind and I've found it sometimes works for me when nothing else does

Hezzawithkids wrote: »

Hi Tay - been a while since I posted but as I'm subscribed to the thread I'm still [STRIKE]stalking [/STRIKE]lurking:D

First of all you are FABULOUS! I'm so full of admiration for you and the changes you have made to your life. You've handled more in the last 2 months than most people have to deal with in a lifetime AND you are so gracious and appreciative of everyone on here who has been trying to help you. So proud of you!

Secondly, I'm jumping in with some more tips on how to get to sleep, all based around getting your brain to shut down enough to let you sleep. There are 3 methods that work for me:-

1. Listen to yourself breathing. I mean really listen. This will naturally slow your breathing and your heart rate, great if you go to bed still feeling 'wired' from the day

2. Press your thumb and middle finger together at the tips (on one or both hands). Concentrate on keeping them in that position. Your brain will be so focussed on the task it will 'let go' of everything else that's been going on inside it

3. If there is a tiny chink of light in the room that you can see while lying down, look at it, really stare at it and don't look away. Eventually your eyelids will droop....

There's also one other method that I use: plug in your iPod earphones and listen to an audiobook or podcast (volume down low). This works even when I want to stay awake sometimes! But in case of emergency I have some 'go to' podcasts from the BBC that never fail to send me off, e.g. World Book Club, Books and Authors, Today in Parliament....to name a few!

Hope that helps Still rooting for you!

mcja wrote: »

If its a room, everything in it has to be white, make the room as empty as you can. It's hard to do but bizarrely works!! Good luck.
X

OK, I'm taking my phone to bed and will leave this page open with all your suggestions, and try them one by one if I can't sleep tonight Thank you - I really appreciate you taking the time to type all that out.

Hezzawithkids - lovely to hear from you again, and thanks so much for the kind words xxxx

tayforth

Yorkie1 wrote: »

I also listen to speech radio very very quietly in order to help me get to sleep.

I have a 'sleep' function on the clock radio so it switches itself off.

Oo-er, I don't have a clock radio so will have to figure out if my phone has a sleep function - I guess the battery would run out eventually lol.

lostinrates wrote: »

Would you consider a part time lodger? Dh lodges mon to fri ( four nights. He's become good friends with most of his landlords, in contact some years on, and in some of the tiny houses /flats its worked because its only a part time arrangement. You do need a spare room and to provide access to a bathroom and a little bit of kitchen space but a small single room is fine.

Re sleeping, I am a pretty successful insomniac...I win over the insomnia most of the time. . I love talks pokey word radio, but I am aware it takes me longer to fall asleep that way usually. Self hypnosis or guided meditations however are really, really good.

If all else failS I reassure myself that if I am resting my body I'm doing half the job, so a really comfortable position and 'giving myself permission not to sleep.' This off purse relaxes one so that one does mostly drop off, but you have to believe its not the be all and end all for that to work.


The neglected things are often getting up at a good hour, even if still tired, at the same time every day. I love the alarm clocks that mimic sunrise in winter. This time of year its unnecessary for me, I just leave my curtains a bit open, but I live in the country side, if I lived in a town or overlooked I'd probably opt for 'summer curtains' instead.

Hmm, a Mon-Fri lodger could be an idea. I'll give it some thought.

Good thinking on 'giving yourself permission not to sleep'. I can do that atm because I don't have to get up for work, and can sleep a bit later if needs be. Before I go back to work, I'll need to establish a good sleep pattern. But for now I'll just focus on the present.

Those daylight alarm clocks look really interesting.

ceebeeby

I can't sleep either, very grateful for all the advice being shared