Insomnia

[Lamplight37]

Hi.....what I am asking from fellow members is not help for myself, but for a beloved member of my family, who suffers from very serious insomnia, and has done for a number of years....GP fobs off with tablets which she is now scared to take because of side effects. Can anyone suggest anything, she is desperate, it is affecting her whole way of life.....I have researched and researched....so would welcome any sensible suggestions.

[BobD Volunteer]

I wonder if there is a Healthunlocked Insomnia forum which might better answer your question. Use search box top right .

[jeanjeannie50]

As someone who suffered from insomnia for more years than I care to remember (am fine now), I feel I can give some advice here. There is no quick cure and there's just one thing that's behind stopping us from sleeping and that is our minds.

Something popped up on my computer screen yesterday and it said that worrying about not getting to sleep is what stops you from doing that very thing.

I now do crossword puzzles when I go to bed and that's my sleep signal. I can't ever do them in the day time now, as it will make me fall asleep then as well.

There's no harm in taking the odd sleeping pill to help have a restful night, especially after something that has caused stress. I have some very mild ones Zopiclone 3.75mg, but because I know they're there I don't worry about not getting to sleep and consequently rarely need them. If I wake in the night around 2.30am and haven't gone back to sleep by 3.30am I just take half of a pill.

I'm wondering what side effects your family member is having from her sleeping pills?

It's important to lead a calm and peaceful life. I never watch any t.v. programmes that are upsetting or violent.

Sometimes going to bed a little earlier than usual and perhaps reading something like a magazine (nothing too exciting) and having no intention of going to sleep that early will find the person nodding off.

Has your family member tried having a milky drink before bed? Also a recent report suggested that having a smallish lump of cheese before bed will actually help, rather than stop you having a good nights sleep.

Visualisation can help too:

Imagine that it's a beautiful sunny day and you're walking very slowly down a quiet countryside lane, hear the birds singing and bees buzzing, feel the warm sunshine on your face and body, after a while turn through a gate into a field that slopes gently down to a sparkling river, notice the smell of the grass in the air and some wild flowers growing nearby and picture what they are.

Walk very slowly down to the river enjoying the tranquillity. Sit by the river and enjoy how peaceful and calm it makes you feel. Watch the water gently drifting by, there's some beautifully coloured dragonflies ducking and diving. After a while some ducks come slowly floating by just letting the water take them, you find that you have become one of them, lightly and lazily drifting with the water.

Jean

[Hidden in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........(apologies to Lamplight37, try looking for some sleep inducing apps)

[Stobban]

I have suffered insomnia in the passed, for severe pain, and although I'm definitely not recommending a drug for insomnia; but I first took codeine tablets at night, but the best ever for my insomnia was the tablet 'amitriptyline' which is an old antidepressant drug and is also known to assist in insomnia. I have been taking 90mgs nightly for many many years and even today still works in putting me to sleep soundly after two hours of taking them...............I'm now aged 74 and sleep well. This is a prescription tablet and issued by a doctor.

[Rubyray in reply to Stobban]

I took this drug for nerve pain and itching on my face for shingles. My dermatologist prescribed it. It worked for me. I knew it as Elavil.

[rc-k]

I suffered terribly with insomnia when I was young. I discovered that lying down fully dressed, with the lights left on would fool my mind/body that I hadn't gone to bed.

[secondtry]

I have had seriously broken sleep for several years. I am now OK having implemented a number of changes but of course with multiple actions I have no clue which were the key ones to success. They are: evening routine before bed of quiet Mindfullness, a couple of Yoga exercises and prayer, retire min 4 hours after eating, nasal strips (to reduce mild sleep apnea), on going to bed have a strong positive thought to dwell on, spray-on magnesium oil half an hour before bed, which relaxes. I don't use sleeping pills but like Jean says I do have some pills (Paracetomol) by my bedside and very rarely take them - only if I know I have a big day coming and must ensure my sleep and then only half the dose. I hope something there helps.

[Bagrat]

I find going to bed at aporoximately same time each evening, I use various guided meditations which although arent meant to do put me to sleep. I often have world service radio 4 on all night at a low volume so I can hardly hear it. A friend gets up and does a boring task she' s been putting off.

I also visualise my ideal home and start working through the rooms. 2 paracetamol occasionally is a help.

[NeurotherapyVancouve]

I am a polysomnograph (sleep scientist) who has a graduate degree in health care management as well as neurosciences. Your family member requires a combination of interventions. The medication regime needs to have an end goal. Otherwise, dependency, side effects, and a chronic persistence of insomnia will be established and the quality of sleep & rest is not the same restorative process as when natural sleep is induced.

You can feel free to visit neurofeedbackclinic.ca where you will find at least 10 publications that discusses use of polysomnograph devices linked to a biofeedback training to teach the individual to calm the mind for sleep and activate it once they wake up& need to stimulate their mind to focus or attend but they are still sleepy. By using a combination of sleep hygiene; diet modification (such as no stimulants whatsoever 2-3 hours before bed or after dinner; a strict sleep & wake time that follows the circadian rhythym as well as the natural sunrise and sunset cycles (that need to be adjusted for summer and winter periods to sleep before sunset and wake after sunrise in summer and the opposite during winter); daily physical exercise; mind & muscle relaxation to facilitate induction of sleep; even acupuncture and naturopathy such as melatonin or consuming warm milk before bed. Eliminating all screen time 2 hours before sleep is essential. Also, no stimulating brain activating activities prior to sleep. That includes nothing related to work or that is stressful. Keep all work or study related activities out of the bedroom and remove any electronics, TVs, or stimulating items from the bedroom or sleep area. Create a sleep routine that may include calming, warm/hot baths or showers, and even a self massage to welcome the slumbers.

There are so many strategies a person can implement and integrate into their sleep hygiene that I’d be happy to discuss with you. You can reach me at 1-604-730-9600 Vancouver Neurotherapy Health Services Inc in Richmond, BC.

Good luck! There are also home training biofeedback units that your family member can use to achieve clinical outcomes.

[Ianp66]

If find that Magnesium really helps me sleep, a couple of capsules half hour before bed and I'm gone until morning. They definitely work as if I stop then I don't sleep as well, also helps settle the heart if its a little excited I found too.

[Ppiman]

I have suffered similarly for many years. There are two "kinds" of insomnia, one where it's hard to fall asleep (sleep onset insomnia) and one where it's difficult to stay asleep (sleep duration insomnia - which is what I have); and, of course, some unlucky souls have a combined form.

It's a deeply unpleasant condition that - like all mood-related problems - is badly understood. Worse, in my view, is that so many well-meaning people think they do understand. Yes, everyone has a bad night, or even a short run of bad nights, so, in that sense, has some direct experience - but true sleep disturbance, over an extended period, is something few people suffer and is very hard indeed to treat (whatever the papers and media say).

There are things you should try - things called, strangely, "sleep hygiene" - but I'm sure your relative will have tried them all. Cognitive behavioural therapy ("CBT") helps about a third of sufferers, so is very well worth trying - but not cheap and difficult to get on the NHS; there are also self-help CBT books available which I'd say are as good as the real thing (unless you're lucky to find a really enthusiastic therapist). Herbal remedies are, for me, worthless but are always worth trying.

After years of fruitless and sometimes expensive trying this, that and everything else, I now rely on calming techniques and a tablet called "zolpidem". I chop a 5mg into half, and take this during the night when I wake and feel I just can't get back off - which is often between 3 and 4am. The tablet most often works quickly, but gives me only between 2-4 hours of sleep, mostly 3 hours. Doctors don't like prescribing sleeping tablets, but that's because they don't understand the condition or suffer from it. My GP is far more humane and understanding. My long experience of zolipdem is that it is not habit-forming and is very safe, with few if any side effects. It doesn't give the naturally fully restorative sleep that I'd love it to, but it is infinitely better than lying awake counting sheep and worrying how bad the next day is going to be.

If I can help any more, just ask.

[Lamplight37]

Thankyou everyone,will pass all suggestions on to my loved one, thanks for all the support from members

[Maggimunro]

Hi Lamplight

My answer for insomnia was to join Audible on my ipad and download the books of my choice, one a month. I then plug in my tiny earphones, set the timer on my Audible app to 15-30 minutes, settle down and hey presto, I fall asleep. Listening to the story stops my mind from automatically switching into overdrive and stopping me from falling asleep.

Sometimes I forget to set the timer and wake up 12 chapters further on in the story!

This works for me.

[researchx]

Hi.Ive had it for yrs.I live in the US where strictness has blocked my use of benzos which worked great for sleep, but stress in the day was still bad.Had tried many meds with bad reactions.Supplements/herbs were never enough to help.Finally after yrs(and no meds for months after the benzo stopping)I am on a med called Mirtazapine(remeron) for sleep.I havent had an svt since as it helps my whole sytem feel calmer. cortisol is reduced and I can feel it.fosteryourhealth.wordpress....

[Bolander in reply to researchx]

I was about to recommend Mirtazipine as I have found this most effective - I take a tablet half to three quarters of an hour before going to bed to allow it time to work and drift off to sleep almost straight away. Over a couple of years this has remained effective with no apparent side effects.

[researchx in reply to Bolander]

It has become weaker for me.I take propranolol as well at night which helps me unwind

[aika]

I have not tried sleeping medications, but have tried natural alternatives like GABA and 5-HTP. Such did good but not a fix all for insomnia. Interestingly, I found on the internet of how placing cold compresses on your forehead (over one's frontal lobe) before sleep time, definitely helped me greatly. It was not a fix-all but its help was definitely welcomed.

[researchx in reply to aika]

will have to try