Help! Sleeping issue.

[bever01]

Hi need some more advice please. Hubby has NASH cirrhosis. Having finally got the HE under control and the decision on the viability of a transplant my husband is suffering for lack of sleep. He just can't sleep at nights and maybe manages 3 hours top. Some days he doesn't doze so is getting tired and irritable. Anyone any advice to help him sleep please.

[LAJ123]

This advice may sound a bit odd.

The brain knows when it is night time and sleep is needed. The way it does this is by sensing light from the sun. Although you are not aware of it the light consists of various frequencies which represent different colours. The light that tells you to be awake is in the blue range.

At night when its dark outside we have lights from bulbs and televisions and computer screens. These act to keep you awake when normally we would feel its time to go to bed and sleep.

So when we should be thinking about going to bed we need to stop the blue light from these sources. My Amazon tablet pc actually has a nighttime screen that stops the blue light.

In liver failure and HE one major symptom is an inverted sleep pattern. Unable to sleep at night and sleepy during the day.

So the odd advice is this; early in the evening wear sunglasses. This will trick the brain into begining increase the production of the hormone melatonin that keeps you awake and alert. Yes - sounds a bit silly to wear sunglasses indoors but it can actually help.

You need to get a pair that specifically blocks blue light. I got mine on Amazon quite cheaply.

Anyway - you have nothing to lose by trying it.

Jim

webmd.com/sleep-disorders/t...

amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&key...

[Hidden in reply to LAJ123]

Nothing works when your in end stage cirrosis i know i suffer it, sadly its all stress and worry, if your hubby is well enough to travel, this is what i do i just tell my hubby pack a bag and we go to the seaside, fresh air is free and the best things in our lives are free, i was told 3 years ago i needed a transplant but now i dont thankfully, if you can cut the stress of the transplant out his liver will become stable with a bit of luck. Try it hun pack a bag and get out of the ratrace. Hope that helps you hun. Kind regards and hope he stabilzes for you hun. Babyface12345 Anne.

[bever01]

Hi thanks for the advice. Not suitable for transplant due to other underlying health issues. He has been very moody as well of late but I have put that down to post addenbrooks and decision. We are soon off to devon so hopefully the fresh air etc might help. Anything is worth a try. Will also look at the sunglasses to see if they will help. Many thanks xx

[briccolone]

you could try melatonin...

[bever01]

I didn't know if people with liver disease could take melatonin. May be worth investigating! Thank you x

[Sykesy in reply to bever01]

If the melatonin is of pharmaceutical quality then you should be okay as it's a natural chemical made by your body to tell the brain to go into sleep mode