Chronic insomnia

I stopped sleeping as I hit menopause. I went from being a good sleeper to lying awake night after night. At the time, my life was stress free so I knew it was hormonal.
HRT is not an option for every woman but it was what helped me.
I know a low dose of the antidepressant, mirtazapine, can help if sleep is your only issue.

When I was teaching, I regularly struggled to sleep but found half an antihistamine tablet was enough to help me without leaving me groggy in the morning. I also used Boots Sleepeeze to good effect, especially when Ofsted Inspectors were lurking!
I hope you can soon find something to help you, Alwaysworrying.

**Alwaysworrying, I know how you feel. Sleep never comes easily to me,and I have real trouble dropping off at night.
The man's head touches the pillow, and he's asleep within minutes. I do envy his ability to switch off.

I've had a very busy two days getting the house ready for visitors, due today. Our friends are due at noon and for two nights I've not been able to fall asleep. I have been up and down stairs, cleaning bedrooms and bathrooms, mopping floors, dusting everything to within an inch of it life, cleaning windows - proper exertion, and although I felt shattered I just couldn't switch off. I was in bed at 11pm and here I am now- it's almost 6am - not having slept a wink.

I have lain in the darkness telling myself that at least I am lying down, my feet are up. But I've had two consecutive nights now without sleep.

This is a regular occurrence for me. It's not because I am anxious about visitors coming to stay. We are looking forward to their company.
I've done all the usual things, no caffeine, no scrolling in bed, herbal tea, sleep apps and I even have prescription tablets containing codeine but rarely resort to them for sleep problems. Sometimes I get up and go downstairs to break the annoyance of not being able to drop off.

Goodness knows how I'll cope today. I like entertaining, and I can function without sleep, but I fear it will catch up with me later on. I know it's bad for my health to go 48+ hours without proper sleep.

Who knows what tonight will bring?
I do sympathise with anyone suffering with long term insomnia. It's so debilitating.

I dare say I'll have to make my excuses and have an early night tonight.
Hoping I'll cope today.

polomint - no probs x

fancyflowers

Sorry, pressed too soon. I was saying, why not ask the doctor how much it matters if you become addicted to sleeping pills.

Because there could be a risk that a person would take the whole pack.

Do you take any medications? Some medications, if taken for along time, can cause deficiency in vitamins and minerals in our body which interfere with sleep.

If you are feeling desperate, I would suggest going to Boots and buying their Wellwomen 50+ or 70+ multivitamins and see whether it makes any difference.

In my case, I have been taking Ramipril for my blood pressure for some time. I have to keep reminding myself to take a zinc tablet before bedtime.

If I don’t, I lie awake until 4 am or 5 am in the morning and still cannot sleep.

Not recommended but when I am desperate for a reasonable nights sleep I take Neurofen which contains codeine which can be addictive after 3 days use, so I never use it more than 2 days and just one or two tablets.

I am also a poor sleeper, waking up in the night and trouble getting back to sleep. I use Sleepeze from Boots. They are an over the counter medication and I do not use them every night. If I’m feeling desperate for some sleep I take one and usually sleep 8 hours solid. They do make me feel slightly groggy the next day but so worth it to get a lovely nights sleep.
I did recommend them to my niece but she said they had no effect on her. Try them and see!!

Thanks ladies for your replies and Bluebell thank you for the link-much appreciated.
I do understand about sleeping pill addiction but l struggle so much on virtually no sleep at all and constant poor health, l just wonder if addiction is worse than feeling poorly with exhaustion! I shall speak to the doctor next week.

I certainly understand what the risks are but l’m wondering how much damage your health encounters when you’re only sleeping about 3 hours a night? I feel and look dreadful and am just too tired to enjoy life anymore. I will talk to the doctor again next week.

Sorrycrazyh not crazy horse!

I agree crazy horse. Ive been on 3.75 mg for over 10 years and im ok. At my age ,80, if im addicted so what? I would think differently if I was on sleeping tablets in my forties though

I have been on Zopiclone 3.75mg since my divorce 20 years ago. Sorry, I’d rather have a good night’s sleep than worry about addiction.

Alwaysworrying you could try Light Therapy.

www.lumie.com/pages/sleep-better

If you buy direct from Lumie they offer a 45 day trial so you can try it and if it doesn't work you can get your money back.

If it works for you it's more than worth the outlay.

I have chronic sleeplessness, it began over 30 years ago when I was diagnosed with a chronic pain condition. Sleep hygiene is good, I use meditation and mindfulness, it helps - a bit.

Many years ago I was given a prescription for the lowest dose sleeping tablets, just 15 Advice was to use them for no more than 3 nights which should be enough to re-set the body clock. It worked, I had enough sleep (5-6 hours) for a few weeks, managed with (much) less until I couldn’t manage and took the next three. My 15 tablets lasted well over a year. No risk of addiction and a useful safety net.

It’s apparently now not allowed. My GP is understanding and agrees a sensible approach. Her advice was to get some strong antihistamine of the older, drowsy, type but again to be careful, not every night. An approach she uses herself. I did and find they help a little but I wake with a dreadfully fuzzy head, something that never happened with low dose sleeping tablets. The approach could be worth a try for those struggling.

Last night I slept not at all. Today I couldn’t drive or do anything that needs concentration, just not safe. Life has been easier since retirement, professionally I needed to concentrate. Thankfully I have a supportive GP, many dismiss poor sleep as an inconvenience.

Have you tried Magnesium?

Goodness, I hadn't realized all that! Thank you for the explanation.

fancyflowers

Sorry, pressed too soon. I was saying, why not ask the doctor how much it matters if you become addicted to sleeping pills.

Dr will tell her this

www.ukat.co.uk/addiction/drug/prescription/sleeping-pills/

The effects of sleeping pill addiction can be both short- and long-term. In the short term, you may experience drowsiness, confusion and impaired coordination. You may also have difficulty thinking clearly and making decisions. These effects can be even more pronounced if you abuse sleeping pills by taking them in high doses or combining them with other drugs or alcohol.

In the long term, sleeping pill addiction can lead to serious health problems such as liver damage, respiratory failure and heart problems. It can also cause mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. If you take a large number of sleeping pills in one go, there is also the risk of overdose and death.

You may also find yourself “sleepwalking” where you engage in behaviour without being fully conscious or aware. This can include driving, eating food without cooking it properly, becoming aggressive for no reason and engaging in dangerous sexual behaviour. When you regain your consciousness, you may not remember what you did.

As well as these health risks, sleeping pill addiction can also have a number of negative impacts on every aspect of your life. It can interfere with work, school and your personal relationships and can also lead to financial problems as you may need to spend more and more money on pills to maintain your addiction.

I know you have said you tried listening to the radio but there are some very good sleep apps you can listen to these days.

They are specifically designed to get you off to sleep, not just ordinary radio shows.
My DD told me about them and now after listening for a few minutes when I get into bed I am away!
They have made a massive difference to me.

I do hope you find a solution that suits you soon.

I read or heard (??) that sleeping pills are to be avoided because :
a) many accidents and falls occur
b) there might be a link to future dementia.

Because it won't stop at sleeping tablets fancyflowers the poster will gradually need stronger and stronger medication to aid sleep. Most doctors will avoid prescribing this sort of medication.

Come and join the 3 am crew we seem to help each other with a chat in the middle of the night it doesn’t feel so isolating if you know others are a wake and there for you

www.gransnet.com/forums/chat/1355586-Thread-two-for-the-3am-crew

Sorry, pressed too soon. I was saying, why not ask the doctor how much it matters if you become addicted to sleeping pills.

As you are posting on Gra