Broken sleep

I was put on sleeping pills as a young woman of 25. My doctors routinely prescribed them. After 25 years I took myself off them and did not sleep any worse. I am now nearly 80. I'm a night owl and dont go to bed until about 1 am. It is quite a comfort to know that when I wake up at 3 or 4 am there are thousands of other people waking up too. I go back to sleep again fairly quickly and wake up at about 7 am. We have all got to an advanced age regardless of how many hours we sleep, so don't worry about it.

I use a space mask. They are so good. You open it up out of the sealed packet and put it over your eyes. Instantly this lovely warmth comes from it and I guarantee you will fall into a dreamy sleep. Great for migraine sufferers too, which is why I had them originally.
www.spacemasks.com

The programme about sleep is called ‘The Truth About Sleep‘ and was broadcast by the BBC in 2017. The whole programme is on Dailymotion.com. I didn’t put the link on here in case it is against forum rules but it is easy to find.

I take Piriton (or a substitute) when I’ve had a run of bad nights... works miracles for me...!!!!

I used to wake up in the night when I was so stressed about my grandson who I thought was autistic but his parents didn't seem to have any idea. Eventually, I started putting on relaxing sea sounds and deliberately doing relaxation exercises the moment I woke. The longer I left it, the harder it was to settle back to sleep. I gradually got back into the swing of sleep. Now my mother is slipping into dementia and frustrating everything we try to do for her, my adult child is having terrible problems with their family and, although I cope during the day, I am finding the stress disturbs my sleep. I think I am going to have to go back to my music and relaxation exercises.

GP recommended Phenergan tablets, available over the counter at pharmacies, and they helped. After a few nights, though, they can leave you a bit zonked out during the day so I don't take them every night.

I’m still having night sweats and they sometimes wake me up several times a night, Then I can’t get back to sleep. My mind starts going over stupid things .I won’t go back on HRT because I just get sorted with it and then there’s a “problem” and they take me off it. Then the hot flushes and night sweats come back worse than ever.

Can’t help I’m afraid.... I don’t fall asleep til about 1 a.m. then awake at 3.30.... I’m full of beans and walk at least three miles a day, as well as caring for invalid husband, shopping, all the gardening, all the housework and fetching grandkids from school 2/3 times a week....all achieved without a car!

I used to wake up at 3.30am most nights. I'd visit the bathroom and then usually read my book until I was sleepy again. I managed to break that pattern. I don't want to suggest it's easy but here are my own ways of tackling it. They work sometimes but not every time:

1. I limit hot drinks to 9.30pm at the latest. (I go to bed around 11.30pm.) This often helps me not to wake up for the loo. Occasionally, I do have a later cup of tea and don't wake up for the loo. Weird!

2. I tell myself three times as I switch off the light, "I will wake up refreshed at 8.30am." (Or other chosen time.) This often works.

3. If I do wake up for the loo, I try not to put any lights on. Lights wake you up! Plug in night lights are good for finding the way to the bathroom and avoiding tripping over the dog! These lights don't emit the blue wavelength that stimulates wakefulness. When I get back to bed, I avoid reading. I lie down straight away and tell myself three times (mentally), "I'll go back to sleep now." That usually works because it breaks the pattern of expecting you'll not get back to sleep.

4. I try my best not to worry and fret about it.

5. I resist napping during the day. I'm not sure it makes a difference, though. I do it really because, as a child, we'd often visit my grandparents. One by one the adults would drop off to sleep. We children would sit under the big kitchen table and listen to the snoring and the big clock tick-tocking and were so bored. The only light relief was seeing the several sets of false teeth that slipped as the grown-ups' mouths dropped open. My nana used to surreptitiously remove hers and put them in her apron pocket to avoid this embarrassment! I vowed then that I would never nap.

6. No tech in the bedroom! No phone, e-reader or TV. You'll hear the phone if it rings in the hall or wherever. How often has it rung in the night over the last decade?

7. If all else fails, I put the light on and read my book!

Beware Night Nurse if you have high blood pressure. it's not recommended. Ditto Day Nurse.

Flutey I have had just this annoying sleep pattern for months now - waking fully alert after about three or four hours sleep, when the edge has been taken off tiredness and it is so hard to drift away again. I found the best method was to clench every muscle and then relax slowly from head to toe. Once relaxed, breathe deeply in and out and imagine yourself sinking into the mattress - you may be surprised at how much more you can relax when you think you can relax no further. This has helped me to get back to sleep after a short time, and I am pleased because for the last two nights I have slept through until about seven thirty.

Due to my medication I have to drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day alongside my other teas etc, therefore my night time routine is usually go to bed put TV on with a timer and try a radio station (World Service is pretty good) and turn the screen off. If I sleep, an hour later I get up to use the loo and again an hour after that. Then I may get anything between 2 and 4 hours sleep This obviously varies. I have tried everything. My latest is to spray my pillow with a sleep aid spray, (which is helping) I am going to try Montmorency Cherry capsules next as I used to take them before my illness along with Asphalia, a herbal remedy. I find the more I think about it the more I do not sleep and my brain will think about silly things. If I have had a run of bad nights I will snooze in the afternoon.
Night Nurse is good to aid sleep, but I am not sure I can take that.

I take night nurse if I become desperate but what usually works a treat is listening to ‘classical calm’ on Spotify. I have never heard it all as I fall asleep long before the end!!. By the way, I have had sleep problems for years!

Sorry but I am the opposite, I could sleep for Britain, I usually go to bed at 10 and sleep to 7.30 or 8.00 sometimes getting up for the loo. I have always been the same, even as a kid. I don't tend to watch much TV spend most of my evenings reading. So not much screen time if that helps.

Maybe we shouldn't assume that a full night's sleep is 'normal'. I'm actually surprised that people can sleep uninterruptedly for a whole night, as I hardly ever have, and am amazed on the very odd occasion when do. I never have as an adult, though can't remember about childhood. Like others, I occasionally take something to help me get to sleep, though I'm trying to stop that, and I also have similar routines to the ones mentioned. I have various fantasies that I work through, never getting to the end before falling asleep.

Obviously I don't know what you take for the reflux/hernia but my daughter's sleep and life has been changed for the better by Gavescon Advance.

I use Phenergen when I have a spell of insomnia. Usually gives me a decent night's sleep. I dont know why but Chemists can get a bit funny if you say it's to aid sleep so if I do get the third degree I say it's for hay-fever.

NanKate.
If only it was that simple.
Unfortunately, for insomniacs like me, nothing works, except maybe a sleeping tablet.

And as for chamomile tea. ‘Useless.’.
If I thought a lavender spray on my pillow would help me sleep, I would be buying it by the bucketload.

Sweet dreams all

I usually go straight to sleep (after reading for a while) then often wake up after an hour or two and think it's time to get up. After that I sleep very fitfully. I've tried all the advice given by experts but still do not sleep through the night.

Yes, I read that in the old days people got up in the middle of the night.

I've often wondered about Spain. How do the Spanish get all the sleep they need when they are often out and about after midnight?

7 years ago a nutritionist recommended going gluten free to improve my (very broken) sleep. I don't know why it should work but it has. I now get 7-8 hours sleep most nights.

GretianGirl my ideas were just suggestions that have helped me and could help others. I do appreciate insomniacs such as yourself find it far harder to get a proper night’s sleep.

Because a close relative of mine has clinical depression from time to time and this badly affects his sleep. I have researched ways to improve his sleep pattern. He has found a weighted blanket has helped him.

If I really find it impossible to get to sleep or back to sleep then I get up and have some toast or bread and butter and a glass of milk. It usually works but fatal for the waistline.
Otherwise if I 've had a lot of sleepless nights I'll have Boots Sleepeezee ,herbal Nytol or Night nurse, but none of these work for more that a couple of nights. Try a lower dose if possible.
I'm sleeping a bit better now the nights are getting colder.

I find it easier to sleep sort of sitting up, with a pile of pillows.

Susan1608.. thanks for the info on space masks, as a chronic migraine sufferer, I will look at the link you kindly provided.
For those not able to sleep due to acid reflux, try (ACV) Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother. Cheaply available at Aldi or cheaper still at Home Bargains.
Recipe I use-

In as large a mug as you have, or make up a jug to divide over a couple of mugs.
Two Tablespoons of ACV, then add One half Teaspoon of Organic Bicarb.
Wait til it finishes (good couple of minutes) fizzing.
Then add cold water to roughly a third up the large mug or jug.
Then add boiling water, this should make whole drink hot, but not have to wait ages to be drinkable.
Also, if you add raw organic (I like half a teaspoon) honey to taste, putting it in only boiling water will negate the healing properties of the honey.
Please use the best honey you can afford, I get mine from The Raw Honey Shop (online).
I drink the above first thing in the morning, (after I brush my teeth to save risk of the acid of the vinegar damaging teeth), on an EMPTY stomach....
I find doing this every single day, prevents reflux.
If however I get an occasional flare up after eating something hard to digest, I make up another mug, and the relief is bliss.
Incidentally, when I started this regime seven years ago (was previously prescribed Omeprezole and sucked on Gaviscon-both of which have undesirable side effects) I lost at least one and a half stone in weight!
It took a while to get used to the taste, but, my goodness, the benefits I’ve gained make me forever grateful. To safely prevent acid and to throw away the Omeprazole and Gaviscon, was and still is, a gift.
I hope it works for any of you that needs it.
Good luck ?

Just a note of caution on Phenergan type of medication.... It can have the opposite effect so not soporific but hyper. I was warned of same 30 yrs ago by a neurologist when I spoke to him of giving some pheneragan syrup for my 2 yrs son on a long night flight. Said child never slept more than 10 hours in 24 since birth. Now I have tried Nytol and I have same problem with it. Also I worry about the 'groggy' effect and danger of falls if getting up in night and then there is problem of having to drive on waking not feeling up for it.