I have trouble getting to sleep or wake up in the middle of night and can't get back to sleep?
What do you do? Do you take anything (prescribed or otherwise).
How long has this been happening to you? Is it every night?
I will see the doctor tomorrow but would like to know other people's experience please. Thank you.
Hi, I haven't slept well for years. It takes me ages to fall asleep and almost every night I wake up after an hour and then am awake again for a while before managing to drift off again. I am always fully awake after 3 or 4 hours broken sleep and never nap during the day. I sometimes take a herbal remedy such as Valerian which, when they help, I think is perhaps more psychological. I do have a very small supply of prescription Zopiclone 3.75mg which my GP gave me for when I am 'desperate' for some sleep. With one of those, I sleep for about 5 hours but not without waking up at least once. I haven't resorted to those this year so far and prefer to listen to the radio or sometimes the TV if I get up and get as comfortable as possible on the sofa as the distraction helps me doze off again. Difficulty sleeping is a side effect of much of my medication. I hope that you find something that helps you.
I don’t sleep well. It takes me ages to go to sleep then I wake up soon after because of my breathing or pain or nightmares or cramp or sometimes I don’t even know what wakes me. Sometimes I’ll go back to sleep for a while then be woken again but at best I get 5 hours very interrupted sleep. I don’t nap during the day. A while ago I was given sleeping pills but never took them as I was too afraid of never waking up. In the evenings I drink herbal teas,I think it helps a little, even if it’s only psychological. I hope you can find something to help you 👍
I have a CD player as part of my bedside clock radio, also a microphone that goes under the pillow. Use this for relaxation CD's and Hypnotherapy CD's, seems to help.
I do similar, with audio book CDs. I also have black-out curtains and wear an eye mask.
When first diagnosed with sarcoid pulmonary fibrosis,( June 17) I was on steroids. I didn’t sleep at all until gp prescribed sleeping tablet, zopiclone. It takes about an hour to work. A full dose 7.5 mg made me groggy in the morning. They do a 3.75 tablet which made me relax but not sleep, so I took 3/4 of a 7.5 tablet. Then I was put on mycophenalate tablets and weaned off steroids about a year ago.
I still did not sleep well. I was in bed about 10.30, read or iPad patience etc until sleepy, about midnight, would sleep until about 2. Awake for 2 hours or so, then sleep until about 7.30. I’m still in that pattern now.
Sometimes it’s about mucus and coughing. I sleep propped up on 4 pillows.
I take Half to 3/4 tab of zopiclone about once or twice a week if I feel the need. Your body gets used to them and they do not work as well then, so I don’t use them unless I’ve had bad nights. I’m sort of used to that sleep pattern now, and I don’t worry about it. I’m 73 so I think age comes into it too. I have about 5-6 hours sleep a night.
I also take lorenzapine occasionally. This is a mild sedative, prescribed for if my breathing is bad, but it also helps me drift off to sleep. ( not both drugs on one night) if I am in a cough mode, I know that if I take half a paracetamol tablet, I will stop coughing about 20 mins later and helps me drop off, but then my mucus gets thicker about 4 hours later and is more difficult to clear, so I try to avoid that.
Twice recently I’ve been going downstairs and midnight feasting ( on oxygen so not that easy) I think sometimes I have been hungry as I sleep well after that. I take biscuits to bed now .
I’ve just had an infection and been back on steroids on and off for about 2 months. Strangely they do not keep me awake at night now, so our bodies are strange in reacting different ways.
When my husband was away for 3 days, I put the radio on and was happy just drifting with that. I don’t nap in the day, I don’t sit down much either. I potter, have at least 20 minute walk a day and do exercises. If I sit, my chest clogs up .
Don’t know if the above is any help, but I am pleased to have the zopiclone available for if I feel dreadful after 3 nights or so of little sleep. I am aware that it is better to keep usage down.
Good luck, hope you find something that works for you
Best wishes jo
Most nights I take half a paracetamol and codeine. Only sleep for an hour or two, the. Up to the loo. If I can't get back to sleep I read for perhaps half an hour and then Usually get off, but wake again after a couple of hours. Have some nytol tablets but feel A bit hungover in the mornng after them so avoid f can.
I don't usually go to sleep until about 2am or later. I enjoy the time reading with one eye on telly watching New tricks or Foyle etc that I had recorded. It sometimes seems such a shame to waste time sleeping 😀😀
How do you not feel tired? I go to bed around 1a.m and get up at 6-ish on the days I'm at work (which seems to be most days 🙄) and 7-ish other days. I don't like to get up late on my days off precisely because I think it's a waste of time. But I feel tired all the time. Some nights I sleep so little I read a book or do something. Until a few years ago I'd get up and use the time to do housework but I seem to have given up on the whole cleaning thing and I just don't have the energy now. But I get up feeling exhausted, I have to prize myself out of bed in the mornings, and go through the day feeling tired. 😴
That permanent fatigue is horrid, I had some relief from this when persuaded GP to check my bloods, my B12 was hitting rock bottom and so was Vit D. I now have regular injections of B12 and take D3 supplements. Iron levels also a problem, but supplements cause a problem and most of the foods with it in cause my Crohn's problems, you can only eat/drink so much pureed watercress/spinach.
You work so hard HH no wonder you are tired out! Maybe SORRELHIPPO has the answer for you with Vit B12 and the D3 supplement. I used to get in a right state fretting about sleep and always being tired. I hated it and then I found that if I kept my mind busy the tiredness disappeared and I was able to go a couple of days without sleeping at all and it wasn’t a hardship. That’s the way it has been for along time now. Don’t forget, though my mind is active , I’m sitting on my rear end most of the time whereas you are doing physical work too..... so it’s easy for me to forget about sleep. ..... if that makes sense 😀😀😀
My bedtime routine has included a shot of whiskey in hot water for many years! I drink this whilst reading or listening to Allan Beswicks Late Night Phone in.10pm-1am.Its broadcast simultaneously on Radio Manchester and Lancashire. You can listen to it on your phone or Ipad . I have enjoyed this for many years. Once I feel sleepy I soon drop off.I usually need to go to the loo at least once and have a good cough when I get back! I usually drop off easily after that. 😀
I know everyones at differrent stages with there conditions. I find that i get up at 6am or 7. Keep busy mostly after my lunch. Cause thats when you tend to drop off. Which spoils your nights sleep anyway. Then by keeping awake all day, i find going to bed at 11 to 12pm i get a good nights sleep. But always dreaming lol. Only get up once a night sometimes
Hi I have had lack of sleep problems for around 20+ years. Tried all sorts - herbal and prescription. Zopiclone works if you don't take them all the time as your body gets used to them and my new doctor won't prescribe them . He prescribed a strong dose of Phenergan however like all the antihistamines I have tried it makes me feel really groggy in the morning and I don't think I've slept through . I've found a co codamol to be the best - I sleep quite well when I take one however there are side affects such as constipation. I think a lot of it is psychological- as new systems work for a day or 2. I put a fan on for white noise and the headspace app I have on my phone- that guy always sends me to sleep for a while. x
If I have trouble getting to sleep I use a method spies were trained to use. Get comfortable relax youe eyes then relax your tongue keep repeating to youself sleep sleep sleep to keep your mind clear, works for me.
I’ve never slept well for me I know what mine is I’m up going to the toilet due to bph not sleeping is certainly no fun
Stephen 🤓
Hello, I haven't had a good nights sleep for many, many years. I more or less decided that would be it and I probably had to accept it. I tried having the radio on and it did help, having a warm bath before bed didn't help at all. During this uncomfortable heat we experienced I decided to buy a fan for the bedroom. It certainly helped me to relax and although the weather has changed I have still left the fan on low. It appears to be working for me but when the weather gets colder I will have to see. Hopefully I may have established a new sleep routine. I dont know how old you are but it is recognised that older people tend to have difficulty sleeping. Wish I could help more. Chrys
I have mirtazapine, works really well for me.
Thank you everyone who replied to my query about sleeping. seems lack of sleep is a very common problem.
I used to get 4 hours sleep a night but I’m lucky to get 2 hours now. I went to GP about it and was recommended 2 books to read. I read them and tried some of the suggestions to no avail. Nowadays, I’m lucky to get an hour’s uninterrupted sleep. I’ve never gone back to GP regarding sleeplessness. I survive by having full days when I’m so worn out I cannot get out of my recliner
Hi Sarcoid123,
I find on some hot humid nights as soon as I lay horizontal in bed I immediately begin to feel like I can't breathe or the breaths I am taking don't deliver enough oxygen. My sinuses seem to clamp shut too.
When this first started I understandably became anxious and panicked. I would get up and pace about or sot in the living room working myself up in to a worse state.
I have realised since that taking my nose spray, inhaler and sipping a glass of cool water while propping myself up more on my V pillow and calming myself mentally by mediating or watching a funny YouTube video on my phone really helps.
If I wake in the middle of the night I try and do the same, sometimes talking to my wife about something funny like a funny experience on holiday you both share equally helps.
If my anxiety and breathing ate really bad, I go out onto the balcony of out apartment for 5 minutes in the cooler night air, it usually really helps.
Whatever you do don't take any caffeine when it happens. And don't try and "force" yourself " back to sleep by lying there struggling, it won't work.
Hope this helps
Andy.
My sleepless nights started when I came off hrt, then I started getting up for a wee, then it was the cough, then it is was arthritius and as if that wasnt enough the torn tendon in my shoulder has gone on me so am in agony as I cant get comfortable. Its a good job I am now retired as I would be too tired to go to work ha? Nothing seems to work, but I did read a while ago that if you are tired you should rest or sleep and a catnap did you the world of good, so I try to follow this now. I also use a lavender spray under my pillow if I am overtired and think it helps a little. The cocodamol I have been taking for the pain also helps but you cant take that all the time. I feel that once over 65 it becomes a part of our life, although there are some lucky people out there that sleep like a log everynight, oh! If only x
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is this cough normal with copd//emphysema
