Trouble sleeping

Having trouble sleeping again grrrrrr!!!!!!!

[ladeda]

Hi Amber, I hope you are in deal slumberland while I am writing this and have managed to get a few hours good rest x. There are a few things I have found helpful but. It usually depends on what is most troubling my mind, as all worries are not always so easy to quiet.

Anyway, a few little interesting ones. They say don't eat late at night but wheat products make some people very drowsy, so can give you the edge to drift off quickly? (Not tried that one personally).

Making some warm milk and honey I find can help, it is very soothing for the body and mind.

When I am consistently waking up every hour, I put the radio on so I can only just hear it, the night time stations tend to just play music with very little chatter, I find I can just listen and helps me drift back off again.

One technique I found that is extremely simple and very affective is just saying one two in my head, a bit like counting sheep I guess, but it really can work.

I also have some night time earphones, they are extremely comfortable, a soft headband that has tiny speakers in it, then I sometimes put hypnosis tapes on a loop, there are some very good ones for downloading, I find they not only help me drift off but have helped me work on other issues as well.

I hope you find what helps you and manage to get some sleep, lots of hugs Moni xx

[partom]

Hi Amber, like Moni said milk is thought to sometimes help with sleep as it contains an amino acid called tryptophan. Also a warm bath a few hours before bed can help as it raises our body temperature, then as the temperature naturally starts to fall again our bodies go into sleep mode.

If your sleep difficulty is more longer term then maybe considered some 'sleep retraining' type techniques?

Hope you managed to get of in the end.

Tom

[Barriep]

You and me both.....I haven't had much sleep the past 2 weeks. A combination of my depression and anxiety as well as the medication I have started which insomnia is a side effect. My wife has decided to leave me so have been totally alone for this period dwelling on everything that's happened, both day and night.

I think the helpful advice in the replies to your post are worth considering. I had considered turning to alcohol to help me sleep better but know that could be the start of another problem so have resisted.......I am effectively tee total anyhow so it's a bit easier to do without a drink.

Hope you get your quota of zzzzzz's soon.

Barrie

[Hidden in reply to Barriep]

Thank you all so much I will all your suggestions x

[Hidden]

Hi I take an ad called mirtazapine to help me sleep. Even with this it can be a problem. I find eating something small before bed helps as I can't go to bed on a totally empty stomach. Sometimes I find reverse logic helps as well - I tell myself that no matter what I am not allowed to go to sleep.

I have heard if you don't sleep after 20 minutes, then get up and do something boring like read a dull book etc.can help. When all else fails I resort to alcohol (only occasionally though). People say don't do that as you will wake up again after a few hours, but sometimes even that few hours can seem like heaven when you are desperately tired. x

[Olderal]

That was a big growl,woke me up.

Don't worry too much about not sleeping. Its not good but eventually you will get tired and sleep.

Until then regular sleep hours, a hot drink (not tea or coffee before bed (the body likes to shut down to digest ), and exercise in the day will all help. I also sometimes have a couple of teaspoons of benylyn original cough mixture which induces drowsiness. The original benylyn of course not the non drowsy.

Olderal

[Hidden]

What type of medication are you taking, sometimes if you take AD take them about one hour before sleep, instead of taking them in the morning.

Mentioned above milk and honey with a touch of dark rum or whisky can help you sleep.

You can try Paracetamol with above or Blackcurrant and Honey seems to do some people good, with the Paracetamol.

If you take Opiates take them just before sleep, of course that is for us who suffer chronic pain.

You could also try a nice furry dog to cuddle into, at least you would feel nice and warm Our Pax just pushes both of us out of the bed and takes up the full electric blanket.

You could also try a pillow under your legs,/ thigh. between legs we have a bolster if alone and that seems to help and relax. Reading seems to work as does the radio, not music, something like radio four, the drone of the announcers voice seems to set us of too sleep. Always go to bed and rise at the same time, that seems to set the bodies clock to sleep

BOB

[Findingme]

My recommendation. Turn off the internet 3 hours before bed time. Take cup of warm milk and a book to bed in nice warm room. Turn heat down before you go to sleep. If all else fails, borrow Pax from BOB as a snoring dog is a very relaxing sound. If you wake in the night, do not turn on bright lights or go online. Instead, go and get a snack and listen to radio for 1/2 hr. Kick Pax off your side of the bed.