Sleep

Do you ever hear a man complaining that he can't sleep?
I think we women are programmd to wake at any little sound, As we have babies to care for. but that's not relevant in old age.
At this stage in my life I take as much help as I can. Including (including over the counter) drugs.

We go to bed around 12.30 my husband drops off in minutes but I usually read for another hour or two until I fall asleep

I struggle to get to sleep and have found that it is useless to try and go to bed early as I just lie there fore hours! So now I stay up until 1am or so. This doesn't always work but sometimes it helps. I just have one of those brains that won't switch off and sometimes it can be 5 or 6am before I drift off! Thank god I am retired and don't need to set an alarm!

I think myself into a dream, imagine I'm a character in a film etc which I was told by a hypnotist (who I happened to be next to at an event and said most of his clients were for sleep problems so I said that's what I did to get to sleep) that that is self hypnosis - who knew?
Other than that listen to the radio

I sleep like a log as long as there is no snoring from husband or noise and it’s dark . I think my HRT patch is a great help as no hot flushes etc . I go to bed late 12-1am but only allow my thoughts to be not about my life i.e I imagine I’m an actress in a film and my co-stars are the latest gorgeous guys I’ve recently seen on tv/film I’m young and beautiful of course and the setting is beautiful they both of course fancy me madly etc ? . I never get any further than a cocktail with them at a gorgeous setting because I drift off into a happy peaceful sleep . I know I’m very lucky that I ve found something that works for me xx You should all try it . I always wonder what would happen if I managed to stay awake longer and where the story would lead me ??

This thread was made for me! the last couple of years my sleep has been terrible. I like to go to bed about an hour before my partner between about 8 and 9, sometimes spend time reading or playing a few games on my phone or settle to sleep. that's fine otherwise sleep from 10-11 ish then often awake at 1 perhaps an hour then sleep until 3ish might nod off at 5 but have to be up at 7 so I am often staying awake from 4-5. I am really struggling and often fall asleep in the afternoon for 10 mins. I have seen GP one lot of sleeping pills made me like a zombie the next day the other type did nothing but I don't want to be on pills.
just to add I do suffer from PTSD sometimes causing seizures at night and I do have awful nightmares when i do get to sleep

Just realised the post above me Soniah is nearly exsactly what I do and it works for her too

Classic FM is comforting and often helps me nod off

Read a bit in bed. Turn off lights and then go through the alphabet thinking up girl's and boy's names! Never get to Z!

I put my air plugs in and listen to sleep sounds and it works. Well it’s that or listening to my new neighbor playing rap music and singing out of key to all hours of the night. Oh I can’t wait to move just for some sleep ?

Avoid caffeine after lunchtime. Magnesium. xx

I take a melatonin capsule, I’m always gone in twenty minutes too. I do have an audio book on nearest all night which I have for comfort really now that I am alone. If the story is too exciting it can keep me awake though if I wake up in the night (I always do) and an exciting bit is on. Some of the meditation apps are good for calming the mind too.

I read and my eyes close. The cat often has to leap out of the way of a falling iPad.

I ask Alexa to play thunderstorms I am always asleep before the end of the music. It’s brilliant.

Pukka night time tea. The berry one is lovely. I also sometimes have sleep well milk but I mix it with other milk as I find it a bit too stron.

My sleep pattern is now set due to years of shift work and I can't change it. I go to bed around 1am and play a game on my phone until I'm tired, usually between 2am and 3am. I wake between 9am and 11am which is late but that's how I am now.
Have tried so many times to change it by getting up earlier but then I end up falling asleep after lunch so no point really. Also if I go to bed earlier I'm just awake for hours anyway. At least I do sleep for 7 or 8 hours even if it's not at a normal time.

Strong

I get under the duvet with my Jack Russell in our dark safe bed and I tell myself a story, usually some scenario. from a favourite film.

I suffer with insomnia too though not every night thank goodness. I tried the Pukka Nightime tea, and it gives me heartburn so stopped taking it. Hot milk and honey sometimes works as does meditation. Also have radio 5live on very low so if I’m awake there’s something to listen to, though was actually woken up at 2am this morning by the Nigerian presenter Dotum arguing with a Nigerian caller about who was the most Nigerian! Switched to the World Service.

1. No caffeine after 12 noon.
2. Regular going to bed time (10 - 10.30) and regular getting up (6 - 7 am)
3. Brush teeth before settling down to TV/book so can go straight into bed without “waking myself up” bushing teeth (also helps stops snacking!)
4. At least 20 mins brisk walk or other physical exercise during day
5. Go to sleep on left side if suffer from indigestion
6. Eat early in evening ditto
7. Bed socks really good

“Brushing”

Hmm...the extra blankets theory is interesting, I think we assume that a good duvet is enough but I'm wondering now that a bit of weight is a solution for some? We used to have wool honeycomb blankets as kids then my granddad bought a feather duvet from Scotland and said they were all the rage( about1966?) And no Ody had heard of them but the rest is history! But , I have a great goose down duvet but can still wake a bit on cold side? Maybe some weight will help ?!

Discussing with a friend who told me her toy rabbit helped her to get to sleep if you get my drift! TMI!!

I find I usually go to sleep ok but wake up about 3.00/4.00 am then can't settle again for an hour or two, I sometimes pull on a pair of fluffy socks and that seems to help as someone else said I often don't feel cold but it has helped saying that it was one of those nights last night and I didn't try that I must remember. We have recently had an Alexa for the bedroom and we tried asking if to play a sleep app. this morning ( before we got up) and I did think it might help it was just a gentle noise not really music as such and last about 30 mins even if DH is sleeping we don't think it will disturb him so will give that ago. I only have de-caff during the day and herbal sleep tea in evening.

mgf56. Yes I get your drift ?