So tired!

My GP told me to try piriton.

Unfortunately when I can’t sleep I itch. It works for me. Strange but true.

It may be helpful to have an adjustable electric blanket with a timer. I find getting into a warm bed helpful.

I use a kindle with built in light and just read till my body passes out. If I switch it off in the 8 seconds that takes I'm wide awake again so I don't.

I bought melatonin online from a reputable company and it is working, after calm meditation apps, magnesium, nytol both herbal and other, sleep sprays and prescription sleeping pills all failed! Good luck

Try a weighted blanket

Have you spoken to your GP? My grandson has Circadin tablets to help regulate his sleep pattern (a side effect of his epilepsy tablets). Worth asking - otherwise have you tried setting yourself a regular bedtime routine? Works for some people, no technology or tv at least an hour before bed, a warm drink before you go, lavender sachet under your pillow (if you like the scent), make sure your feet are warm (fluffy socks!).

petra I was interested in your post - I have a memory from my past, which unfolds a bit like a story, and is my 'go to' thought if I want to switch off at night - and I rarely get to the end of it!

Think of six (or more, whatever you decide) girls' names beginning with A, then six boys' names beginning with A. Then six beginning with B, C and so on. This is effective even if very buzzy at night. You can refine it if you start remembering the names too easily...posh names and not-posh names, American or Australian sounding names and so on. But you must be disciplined, keep at it and not think of anything else.

I had the same problem and my GP got me to sign up to the NHS Sleepio programme. It really helped me and I'm sleeping so much better now. I can't recommend it highly enough. you do it at home at your own leisure. It's very clever how it's tailored to your own personal problems. Please give it a go. (PS it's not the app with the same name, it's the online NHS recommended one.)

I paid for this information and it works for me.

First of all, don't keep switching from one 'idea' to the next night after night.

Choose a thought/picture/counting etc which your happy with. Stick to that thought/picture etc. Do not deviate.

The theory is: most people will fall asleep while visualising whichever you choose. The brain starts to get the message ah, this is where I go to sleep

Mine is walking round my garden. I've been doing it for so long now that when I close my eyes I automatically go into 'my walk' I very rarely last more than a minute.

I have a lavender pillow spray which I haven't tried yet.

Lavender oil dabbed just inside the nostrils and on the pulse points of my wrist works every time for me Sunseeker.

I see it is available in the UK from H&B, Boots and other firms

sunseeker I see that you tried magnesium and it didn't work

Did you try the powder?
I can't say that magnesium in tablet form helped me to sleep better but certainly I slept right through 8 hours) after taking the soluble powder.

sunseeker I see that BradfirdLass and ginny42 have recommended magnesium, which is a muscle relaxant and I would recommend that too.

Magnesium helps to prevent night cramps, which I suffer with. Normally I would take it in tablet form but recently someone gave me magnesium powder in water and I slept all night for once; I've not investigated where I can buy it in the UK.

Ah well if a cooling body temperature aids sleep that's why I don't sleep well. As soon as I lay down I begin to sweat I get extremely hot my body, hair bedding etc wet through. Is it still the menopause? Even my GP doesn't know. One GP said I should be through that by now!

I would like to know if there are any grandma ? groups that get together in my area for chats and a coffee, I live in the Wembley area of London.

I use a white noise machine, I think you can also get aps that do the same thing, produce a continuous low sound. It takes a little while but your brain will associate the noise with sleeping and it helped me not only to go to sleep, but also to sleep through the neighbours getting up in the early hours every day. I also keep off the caffeine in all forms, tea as well as coffee, after late morning (use de-caff tea). Then eating three hours before bed, reading for an hour before lights out and keeping the bedroom cool and dark seem to help. If I wake up in the early hours I take a valerian tablet from Boots. I do use melatonin if I get a run of bad nights, or for jet lag. It works very well, but seems to be controversial in the UK. My son lives in the US and all their health food stores are knee deep in melatonin products, drinks, food, tablets. Apparently Americans believe its beneficial. I buy a pack of low dose tablets when I visit and make sure I only use them for three nights maximum.

Rescue Remedy Night works for me on many nights. Worth a try.

Several people have mentioned Magnesium tablets, I use a Magnesium spray which you use on your feet and find that works.

I try to go to bed at roughly the same time each night. I am a cold person so I use a hot water bottle, have a shower, go to bed to read a book and stroke my cat. I try to turn out the light each night at midnight and attempt to fall asleep using the same method- ie turning on my left-hand side and I then start to count to 10. I am asleep long before 10 most nights.

I have supper around 7.30 pm have a cup of coffee and try not to drink anything after that. I only drink coffee and it does not appear to affect me.

Not sleeping well is so common - I also suffer from it. What makes me very angry is when we are told that not sleeping well is bad for our health. We don’t choose this problem and get very little help to alleviate it.i can only sympathise, as I have no suggestions.

Bar of toilet soap in bed has cured RLS for me. Sounds nuts, I know, but I was desperate and read an article somewhere. Bingo! Also I very seldom eat after 1800 other than perhaps a milky drink. I regularly manage 5/6 hours deep sleep and the remainder fitfully which suits me fine.

Three ideas which might work.
1) Make yourself a hop flower pillow.
(I don’t know why smelling of beer works but it does)
2) Switch off. Clear your mind.Don’t think of anything at all
Your brain gives up and you will get to sleep!
3) If they don’t work, get up and make a cup of tea ,read a book for a short while and then go back to bed.

I really feel for you, lack of sleep is so draining. I have no advice medical wise but I do find reading a good book before turning off the light really helps me. I hope you find something that works for you.