Sleeping

[Bettersleep]

I am addicted to sleeping tablets and have taken for 15 years. I need help to wean off

[Hidden]

Insomnia is a strange beast. The more you try to tame it the less likely you are going to succeed. The mind runs amok like a wild bull in a china shop, especially when there are stressful unresolved issues in life. If medication were the answer, there wouldn't be so many people suffer from it. With long term medication, one runs the risk of creating another problem.

It is therefore no other way but learn to let it go, don't stress about it at all. Have a good diet and regular gentle exercises during the day. Go to bed early every night. Wind down an hour before bed time. You can listen to an audio book (with a timer that turns it off after say 30 minutes or an hour) with a soothing voice like "How to Live on 24 Hours a Day (1908), written by Arnold Bennett". I myself have no idea how good or bad the book is, as I never got to listen to it for long.

Most importantly, don't play with your phone when you can't sleep. Then after a while of patience, the fluffy cuddly lamb would go your way and a restful sleep will follow. Even if you miss it once in a while, just tell yourself you'll still be all right.

[Clarrisa]

How is it going? I know with protein pump inhibitors they carefully tapper you off them over a number of weeks to prevent rebound acid I believe. If you are still relying on your sleep medication maybe look into a similar tapering off schedule(?).