Unable to sleep

Accepting that you are one of those who just can't get a good night's sleep, is the first step. As we get older, we don't need a lot of sleep to function properly (so I've been told). I don't stress myself over it now. I get up, make a nice cup of tea, read a bit and then drop off - might take a couple of hours. But Ofcourse, I.m retired and don't have to work the next day.

Another sleep struggler here, once upon a time I would sleep the sleep of the dead, however that was in a previous life before the menopause Like others I go over and over things in my mind, find it so hard to switch off. Of late I have been listening to audiobooks and obviously I do sleep because I can't remember most of what I've listened to the night before and have to replay it during the day. Nevertheless I perceive the sleep I have to be fitful. However, come 9pm if there is something worthwhile on tv I'm following, cue to fall asleep and then I have to catch up with that again too. It's a wonder I have time for anything else.

I do a gym session 3 times a week and have several long walks in nearby Bushy Park, but that doesn't help either

Hi,

My husband has been prescribed sleeping tablets but his doctor said after a time the body gets used to them and they stop working. He suggested not taking them every night even if it means two or three bad nights and then one decent night’s sleep.

Hello Linjoy and welcome

I'm afraid that I fall into the 'can nod off at anytime' camp, but a couple of years ago I had a bout of insomnia that troubled me. I ended up taking my ipod to bed to see if listening to podcasts or music would help (without disturbing Hubby). I ended up listening to the song Teardrop by Massive Attack and it worked wonders! Every time I played it, I fell asleep before the end.

If you are unfamiliar with the song, it is based around a heartbeat, which is possibly why it works. You may know it as one of the themes to 'House'

The politics threads are good to dip into if you like the mental acrobatics involved with the rebuttal of views that oppose your own. You know what they say about the little grey matter ... use it or lose it!!

Try 'Kalms one a night'. 1 tablet to be taken about an hour before bedtime. ( 21 tablets so lasts for 3 weeks)About £5
there is another just called Kalms night but although there's 50 in a tub you have to take 4 tablets per night.
Traditional herbal remedy.Dry extract from valerian root.
The one night seems to the best. Tesco and Boots chemist have them on offer 3 for 2 at the moment. Read the information on the box before buying.

I'm another bad sleeper.
I was prescribed phenergan too, but they made me feel really restless and rotten.

I used to be out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow, but not nowadays.

Relaxing brings on sleep. Orgasm brings relaxation. Try that

I read somewhere that, in the Middle Ages, people went to bed in the evening (possibly earlier than we do because of the light) then got up again in the middle of the night, finished off the jobs they'd been doing and went back to bed later.

It was suggested that this was a normal routine for humans to follow. So maybe we should stop being quite so tied up with going to bed and sleeping until morning and be a little more relaxed about our sleep patterns. As long as we get enough sleep to function (I realise that this can be a problem) and are able to attend appointments etc. at the right times, what does it matter exactly when we get that sleep?

Normally I start off listening to the radio, fall asleep in the middle of the programme I want to hear, and wake up when it finishes! Some nights I know I'm not going to get back to sleep so I get up for a cuppa and a game of cards on the laptop, maybe for 2 hours or more. I usually sleep OK the next night!

Bigred I bought the magnesium and then read you can't take it with certain meds. Do you know anything about this?

Hi sea lover ate u taking any medication

I take 1 or 2 magnesium- works a treat

I have two sleeps per night generally.I fall asleep most nights fairly easily but the wake anything for half an hour to 3/4 hours later and I'm awake then for a couple of hours.Most frustrating but after several years I've decided not to to stress about it.Just reading my paper this morning and there is an article saying sleep trackers add to the anxiety and can increase insomnia !
The only time I get really stressed about my sleep now is when we are away,especially with friends or in an hotel and I can't potter around for a drink or head to the spare room if I've started out in our room withDH.
What works for me now is to listen to a podcast.Nothing too interesting like a drama or with jangly music.Rather a history or natural history one from BBC iplayer that can quietly play and eventually I drift off.On really restless nights I take 2 panadol and an anti histamine.Don't know if /why that works but psychologically I relax and do go back to sleep. It's a pain isn't it ?Oh for the nights of blissful,uninterrupted sleep.

I’m another one with sleep problems sometimes- fall asleep easily but can wake up after a couple of hours and be awake for next 3! Never taken any medication but just accept. I realise that I actually use a form of sleep restriction cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/sleep-restriction-therapy

No matter how tired I am, I never go to bed early- 11-30 at least. If I go earlier, I’m more likely to wake about 1 am and be awake for hours. On nights when I’ve been lying awake a long time, I go downstairs with my book and read for a while, or do something useful like emptying dishwasher. When I was working, I even corrected exam papers in the middle of the night.

What I realised was that if I slept badly one nights, I would usually sleep better next night- as long as I didn’t go to bed early.

Hi sealover sorry to hear that??it isn't pleasant at all ! Do you take any medication I'm taking Phenergan but more than I want to. I've tried lots of things including Buddhist meditation I seem to be doing ok then wham back to square 1

Hi Linjoy, I am a chronic insomniac, currently in a phase of acceptance. Have gone through everything possible in the last 30 years or so, even to a sleep consultant at the other end of the country! But, earlier this year I signed on with Sleep Station, I found some of the programme helpful, although the sleep restriction was a killer and I couldn't complete it fully. You get on line support and advice almost daily. To get it for free I just gave my GP's contact details and it came through immediately. I have also been using a Mindfulness meditation book. I really thought I would sleep so much better when I retired, sadly not the case, it's got worse. Good luck.

Yes sara you wait after a few months of retirement you’ll be sleeping just fine, and even with the odd restless night, it matters not a jot.

Whitewavemark

I’m sure that’s true, if one of my sleepless nights falls on the weekend, I don’t panic about it, and eventually manage a couple of hours sleep

The glory of being retired is that it doesn’t matter if you have a sleepless night because if your body needs it you can have a snooze at any time. I think that helps you be more relaxed about not sleeping and then often you sleep better. I also find the more tired I am the less well I sleep so the trick is to be as rested as possible, if that makes sense

I have never taken anything for insomnia, because for me it’s maybe one night in two weeks, when I feel like I don’t sleep at all, I recognise quite early that I’m not going to sleep, and lie there hour after hour, and eventually panic sets in because it’s getting light, or I start hearing early morning traffic

Then all the following day, I feel like I’ve got a dreadful hangover, I drag myself through work, have an early night, then I’m okay again for a while, quite often I just get up and read for a couple of hours, and have a cup of tea, but I know I’m not going to sleep

I can’t see any pattern to it, if I was retired, I probably wouldn’t worry so much, but I’m definitely not very sharp after next to no sleep

I found phenergan did it for me I took very little (about 10 - 20 mg) and it helped me nod off. Can’t say whether it is the placebo effect.

Hi cherry tree thanks for replying what antihistamines are they and what's the dosage .Do you take them every night?

Grrr heat has got me!
Sorry for typos pressed post intead of preview.

I take 2 antihistamine tablets.
I listen to guided sleep meditation with Jason Stephenson.

Hi Linjoy I get antihistamine tabkets from home bargains.
I take to when I have had a couple of bad nights and need to sleep.
I also Listen ri slwep guided meditation on u tube via my pad.
I know at least one other GNer wgo likw me listens to Jason Stephenson.
It will take a few nights to get the hang of it.
I also listen to Audio books which you can order and download from the library.

Hear hear Ilovecheese!

Hello Linjoy and you too Fran3669 and welcome. (god I sound like David Frost there!)

If it’s any consolation, I bet half the country won’t be getting much meaningful shuteye tonight in these humid conditions!
?

Why does there seem to be an assumption that just because someone is a new member, they are bound too delicate to discuss politics with those with opposing views? For all we know any new member could be a real firebrand.
Welcome Linjoy