Wide awake: Hi all, So I'm lying here... - Mental Health Sup...

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Wide awake

nette30 profile image
16 Replies

Hi all,

So I'm lying here wide awake at 3.30am and I'm literally so tired and fed up of not being able to sleep.

I've tried different phone apps to try and help to send you to sleep but none of them have done anything for me.

Does anyone else suffer from poor sleep?

If anyone has any tips to help me get some sleep I would be very grateful!

xx

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nette30 profile image
nette30
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16 Replies
cuprachick profile image
cuprachick

Try not to use mobile, tv etc to try and get to sleep the light off them affects your eyes and brain and will keep you active minded (there is scientific research on it but I cant remember name) try to just relax in dark bedroom. This may not help but seeing you mentioned phone apps I wanted to reply. Good luck.

nette30 profile image
nette30 in reply tocuprachick

thank you, I have started wearing an eye mask at night to make sure that it is dark. thanks for the advice.

Stilltrying_ profile image
Stilltrying_

No real tips I'm afraid as I suffer from very poor sleep and I have problems getting off to sleep (takes me hours) and problems waking up very early and being completely exhausted all day (though I do get some sleep as the sleeping tablet knocks me out for a few hours eventually but it is not enough for me) By the way I would not recommend start taking sleeping tablets as I do. I am addicted and cannot sleep at all without one and they are not good for you.

One thing I tell myself is that it has never killed me. If I don't feel safe to drive the next day I don't; I get the bus or walk. Keep yourself safe is the main thing.

Obviously there is good sleep hygiene. Don't keep the bedroom at too high a temperature; it needs to be cooler than your living room ; I think optimum temp is about 19 degrees but I 'm not completely sure. In the winter only put mild heating in the bedroom. Open the windows every day and if you are able leave a window slightly open all evening in the summer but only if you live above the ground floor or in an area where it is safe to do so.

Try not to go on the computer or watch TV just before bed. Keep the TV in the living room and don't watch TV in the bedroom ever (if you have bedsit keep one area for TV and another area for sleep. Don't associate bed with anything else but sleep so if you can't sleep get up and do something else.

The way I feel about it is that as my underlying problems ease then my sleep will ease and trying to force it will not achieve anything. It is infuriating of course and sometimes I wonder how on earth I operate at all with some of the states I am in but I guess I am used to it. I just sort of "charge myself up" all day but I do find concentration on some things very poor; for example I can't follow instructions on things or is that just because I can't follow instructions? (Was trying to put together a garden hose yesterday and it took me about an hour to work out how to set it all up and use it; but I did it in the end and proud of myself :) )

Just thought of something else. I have the book by Paul McKenna called "I can make you sleep". It has a CD with it. Whilst it has not made me sleep (probably because I've only read one chapter) what I read was very interesting and describes the sleep cycles and how they can get disturbed. I would completely recommend this book . Also I find high strengh magnesium helps relax my muscles or you can just eat a banana and drink a glass of milk before bed as milk has a sleep hormone in it and bananas have a lot of magnesium in them

Gemmalouise X

nette30 profile image
nette30 in reply toStilltrying_

Hi Gemma,

Thank you so much for the advice and for taking the time to write me a great message. It sounds like I'm the same as you! It really sucks doesn't it?

Aww that's fab that you managed to do the hose!! I'm not even exaggerating, I watched my dad put together our new one last weekend and he was getting fed up with it!

Ooh thank you, I'll definitely check out that book. I would like to know more about sleep and what affects it so the book sounds like it could really help. I'm going to try the milk and banana tip tonight and I'll let you know the results!

x

juney_99_antique profile image
juney_99_antique

Hi Nette, I have exactly the same problem, except I can easily drop off to sleep but ALWAYS waken up about two hours later! Then make cup of tea and fall asleep in the chair whilst reading current book! Not satisfactory at all. I have no solutions as I have tried them all. I always put it down to my age but, of course, that is not the answer. Hope you have more successful replies than this one! Take care! Juney

nette30 profile image
nette30 in reply tojuney_99_antique

Thank Juney. I've always struggled with falling asleep since I was little but now I basically don't sleep very much! I'm going to try the things that the lovely people on here have suggested to me, I'm always open to new ideas! x

numb1234 profile image
numb1234

Just same to cant sleep head heavy. Space so mich spinin in it get shake s nite and day maybe some you feel sane weak washed out like flu all tine get so dizzy hate it use my phone games but ture dont help as when try lie down I am worse .. feel all you do any think feel myself half myself xxx numb xx

nette30 profile image
nette30 in reply tonumb1234

I also get the shakes in my hands but I didn't know that this was related to my lack of sleep. My dad even commented to me today about how my hands were shaking. xxx

numb1234 profile image
numb1234

Hi nette 30 im like that 24/7 shakes hands body legs .. told anixerty but easy when ppl say relax but now how u feel xxx

menothyro profile image
menothyro

Hi ,

I have the same problem and nothing seems to work. I take prescription meds and over the counter plus I smoke pot and that prolly helps me moreso than anything liquid Benadryl works better than the prescription meds. I am frustrated been a long time and i have sleep apnea on top of that also my thyroid is not good and in meno so lots to deal with and has made sleeping worse woth no light at the end of the tunnel so far. I hope you can find some relief. I occasionally get some but for the most part I am chronic so living with it or existing. I am looking into medical marijuana for my insomnia there are strains for that so I hope my shrink can get me some so I can stop the poisons at night. Best wishes for some zzzzzzz's :)

Stilltrying_ profile image
Stilltrying_

Hope you get better sleep tonight Nette. I have just been lying down in the bath, but not with any water in it! Just realised that in this heatwave the bathroom is the coolest place to be as I have ceramic tiles which are cold to the touch and baths feel quite cool to get in when they are empty (and comfortable with a towel for the pillow :p ! )

Gemma X

CarolineLondon profile image
CarolineLondon in reply toStilltrying_

Gemma you've made my day!!!

I was having such a crappy morning and I have severe stomach pain.

Reading about you, laying full clothed in an empty bath, I now know all is riigt with the world...lol....you really made me smile. Ridiculous but totally logical, your a genius Gemma, I knew it and now you've confirmed it. May normality NEVER reign. Human beings eh....bloody marvellous!

Sorry to have high jack your post there for a moment Nette. I have insomnia, I find when I have my period I sleep like a log! Of course periods come with side effects!

Some people swear by Calms, Nytol and all that?

Im going to stay awake and wait for Gemmas next revelation now that is really is worth the wait....A true classic GemmaLoiuse.....BIG KISS, my friend. Not in a gay way, not that there is anything wrong with gays, but Im not gay, I like men cos they are so daft and don't know their arse from their elbow, not that Im a male basher, no, no, they are just frankly odd. Oh come on guys...you are definitely odd.

I agree with professor Higgins in My Fair Lady....."Why cant a Man be more lke a WOMAN :-) Reverse plagurism its catching on .....

*Caroline retreats clutching her stomach....*

XX

Stilltrying_ profile image
Stilltrying_

Wow Caroline you really made me laugh again but seeing as this is Nette's post I'll PM you after posting this.

Had a really bad nights sleep last night or should I say bad night awake and got myself in terrible anxious state this morning about everything. Not good but it happens. Infact I may post up about it or may just PM people. I know it happens but I just can't seem to get the balance right between being controlled and feeling uncontrolled and knowing what moods to share with people. It feels complicated right now but I think it is mainly anxiety and loss of sleep. Gemmalouise XX

nette30 profile image
nette30 in reply toStilltrying_

Hi Gemma, thank for your messages! Lying in the bath with a pillow actually sounds like a fab idea! I'd love to see my parents' faces if they walked in and juts saw me lying in the bath!!

I've had really bad sleep the past couple of nights. I'm fighting so hard right now to stop myself from napping because I know I shouldn't! Also The thunder was really annoying too!

xx

Stilltrying_ profile image
Stilltrying_

Yes I just said on another post to Lucy I have NEVER managed to sleep during the day EVER. Well once I did actually; I had been travelling back from Greece via coach for 4 days and had not slept at all. When I finally got on the train in London to come up to Brum I slept all the way and just woke up at the station. I think emotionally I must have felt safe enough and relieved enough to be back in the UK that my normal barriers were down a little. Apart from that no matter how tired i am I won't sleep during the day.

Oh actually just remembered when I used to take 4 sleeping tabs at once and then I'd sleep for couple of hours and then take 4 more and sleep for another couple; those were the bad old days. Do NOT start taking sleeping tablets please. I am down to 1 now having taken 4 for several years and many more before that (talked about this before; the doctor kept on prescribing them and in a way I think it was a good thing at the time as I had no emotional support and no way of getting through. Had I gone to the pyschiatrist and said this I would have been troubling them and they'd have wacked a label on me quicker than they did and I'd have just got a reputation for being a trouble maker. As it is I have managed and controlled my own psychic moods mainly without hurting or bothering others which can be a good thing. The sleeping tablets helped a lot with that but then I would not recommend to anyone else. I would not know what to say really as most often in life there is a big gap in what you really need to help you and what is available. At the time something to dumb me down was at least some sort of "holding" measure.

Sorry I am really not feeling great today; I am not always this negative. Feel like I am just about getting through today. It has been the first really bad day in a while but I can think of many associations and reasons why it would be (no need for me to go into but useful for me to recognise for myself); so I must give myself a pat on the back for surviving and managing this well so far and for making the progress I am making. One little mixed up and confused and slightly retrogressive day i will allow myself as I am dog tired for one thing and just don't have that control I normally have.

Wishing you and me some zeds tonight. Gemma X

nette30 profile image
nette30 in reply toStilltrying_

Hi Gemma,

I'm sorry you're having a rubbish day. I've been struggling these past couple of days, I can feel I'm about to get into one of my really low phases. My mum has just had an op so I'm helping around the house and helping her so hopefully keeping busy will help with my mood.

I was put on Zopiclone for one week by my GP last month when I was at the point of exhaustion that she wanted to sign me off sick from uni. I only had one week left so she gave me the sleeping tablets to help get me through that last week. That week was bliss, the sleep I had was the best I've had all year and I was so upset once I'd finished my one week course of them. Since then my sleeping has gone back to being rubbish but now I'm home for the summer, I can sleep in later than 7am!

Fingers crossed we both get some sleep tonight.

xx

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