Can anyone recommend something to help me sleep. some nights I dont sleep at all, other nights about 3-4 hours. This has been going on for years and my gp wont give.me amything. I am 82 years old and would give anything for a good nights sleep. Have tried.Nytol and Valerian but they dont work. Didnt sleep at all again last night and a getting desperate.
I take 1-2 tiny little spoons of ginseng and longan. Gives me 6 hrs sleep. w 2 spoons
Really helped w sleep
Highly recommend
Doesn’t taste that great but I eat something after
You mix is some warm water to dissolve
Hope it helps
Also keeps colds away!
I find Taurine 500mg half an hour before bed, works well. But I only use it week on , week off. No reason, but I prefer not to risk any dependency issues.
You can buy it easily enough in pharmacy etc.
Sleep hygiene is important--- all the usual stuff-- avoid caffeine, tv etc before bed. Don't stay in bed getting fussed, get up and do housework, watch a nature documentary from a comfy sofa. And so on.
All the best.
I also play sleep music from my phone on a sleep timer. Depends on who will put you to sleep-- Leonard Cohen can't get past three songs usually for me! 🤗
You right to be very concerned about sleep problems. The brain gets rid of waste products when you sleep and not when you are awake.
You are 82. I am 65 so my experience though useful may not be accurate for you. So we are in the process of investigation. You are going to need help from someone who has a bit of muscle.
alexandertechnique.co.uk/le...
This is a practice that you may find helpful. The aim is to cause muscles to untense. You need a hard surface to do this on. I would have said floor, but I am not sure how good you are at getting down to floor and up from floor. So a board placed on your bed could be a suggestion. So need someone to get the right sized board.
If you are too tense sleep is not easily come by. Tension is alert something might attack you. So sleep is refused.
If you can afford it pay a visit to a masseur who can give you a nice massage to untense your muscles. This will help sleep.
You are caught in a catch 22 situation lack of sleep causes loss of fine muscle control. So lack of sleep is made worse by the tense muscles it can create.
My suggestions are there to investigate to see if they work or not. I hope they prove helpful.
many thanks John. Worth thinking about. I have arthritis in my spine, hips, shoulders and hands and been on 8 tramadol a day for 20 years, but since last October have been taking CDB Oil and have managed to reduce them to 4 a day. I can manage my pain but its the sleep I need. Doc has put me on double strength zopiclone fo one month, but reduce them gradually, and last might I slept fot 10 hours which was bliss.
Melatonin which you can buy online or get on prescription.
Hi there, I know how you feel. Because of pain I often don’t sleep well. I do put some lavender oil by Weleda on my pillow and a bit on my hands and wrists and it does seem to help. I was really sceptical of it at first but my husband persuaded me to try it and it does help. Don’t expect miracles and don’t use it every night as it will then loose it effectiveness but give it a go.
I have used simple Benadryl and even Nyquil. As your Dr. about zopiclone. I take it and it has helped.
Not sleeping sure effects all aspects of your life and even one night here and there of quality sleep will help.
Went to gp yesterday and she gave me zopiclone for one month, but only take every night for first week and then gradually reduce them. Slept for 10 hours last night, but couldnt get going until 11 next morning, but that doesnt matter. I had a reall good sleep thank God. I was getting desperate. Will see what happens when I finish tabs. What does it matter if I do get addicted to them. I am 82 years old and would rather have a few more months feeling better than several years feeling so awful. Most of my aunts lived into their nineties, one 98 and I couldnt face that without help of some kind.
I am glad you got some sleep. I do not believe them to be addictive, if you were not sleeping without them anyway. Quality of life matters.
It is good your Dr. listened to you and is trying to help.
So sorry your not sleeping properly I have fibro myalgia which affects sleep badly,
valerian does not work for everyone but it does relax your muscles so that makes it easier to sleep for many as relaxed muscles make it easier for your mind to relax.
myself I use a clock that plays the sound of ocean waves it helps me relax and I listen to an audible book every night … on timer it will turn off and it helps you relax … but check out your bedroom first no tv no radio no lights no flashing lights green blue or red all disturb sleep make sure your mattress is comfortable or treat yourself to a new one don't be to hot or cold and draw the curtains to keep our light … the less intrusion from lights and noise the better the ocean waves on a beach sound is very similar to a heart beat it seems to work very well we all in the womb heard and felt our mothers heartbeat and that seems to relax us best of luck and don't lie and be sleepless if you can read a book or listen to one to let your mind concentrate on something else other than memory's or problems
I help out at a group of old ladies who have been mental health carers. One of the ladies is 86 so I asked her about sleeping issues and what she does.
She told me that she takes a third cup of Baileys original Irish Cream just before going to bed. She says she sleeps very well and suffers no ill-effects in the morning. She has no fuzzy thinking. Her speech is very clear. The lady says she makes sure that she is in the bedroom when she drinks it.
My Grandmother used to take a little bit of alcohol before going to bed I cannot remember what. The Queen Mother used to do the same before going to bed.
The 86 old lady I have known for over ten years. She is bright and cheerful. She is in reasonable good health and has a walking stick to help her move around.
It is known that alcoholics die young and so do teetotallers. Those who drink a little alcohol live the longest. The Queen Mother lived until she was 101.
I am not recommending anything here. I just do not know. Just passing on a bit of information I have picked up. The information may be useful or it may not. I don't know. All we can do is investigate, record our investigations and from that draw conclusions as to what is helpful.
I know many sleeping tablets have side effects when taken long term.
Urania-
I highly recommend Seroquel. I take the smallest dose available (25 mg) and since I’ve returned to taking it (I took it about 10 years ago and just recently started again) I sleep through the night, every night. This is something I haven’t done in SO long; I could always fall asleep (while on other medications), but never stay asleep. The difference is night and day!
Have you tried magnesium at bedtime?
Either 300-400mcg of chelated magnesium on an empty stomach with water, or a 20-30 minute soak in a bath with magnesium hexahydrate or epsom salts. There are also magnesium body sprays which you could buy or make, but they're not so good for sensitive skin.
I live in the UK so I can’t use those but thanks
Only just seen this post and joined I understand what you mean I sleep one night and not the next and it affects my anxiety. I’m 69, and never had sleep issues before this. I hope you’ve managed to sort it out now. I wish I could ☹️
Sleep apena. 
so much pain and lack of sleep 
Pain and sleep
Sleep after getting off Amitriptyline
