Chronic Insomnia

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Above looks a bit dodgy so have reported

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I’ve had periods of insomnia for most of my life and after a particularly bad few months at the end of last year applied for the NHS Sleepstation online course. I was accepted with a fee but after my GP referred me too it became free. It’s seven weeks long, needs commitment and isn’t easy but it has improved my life tremendously. It’s based on cognitive behaviour therapy , you keep sleep diaries which are read by sleep coaches, who support you. There are articles to read, videos to watch and suggestions made that are personal for you. My sleep efficiency score went from 49% to 91% and since finishing the course two months ago I now have 6-8 hours of unbroken sleep each night.
www.sleepstation.org.uk.

I signed up to the App CALM which has amongst other things Sleep Stories. Most nights I plug my earphones into my mobile phone and choose one of about 40 stories. The American Eric Braa has the most soporific voice and I rarely here the end of the half hour story as I am zonco by then. The app switches off automatically at the end of the story. Some nights I wake up and listen to a second story. Other times I get up make a cuppa and have a Rich Tea biscuit play a couple of games of Scrabble online and then snuggle down and fall asleep. Worth a try.

The problem is you are worrying about it THAT is what is keeping you awake
Learn to accept your sleeping pattern, if you are not thinking about it you will sleep, you are, without knowing it keeping yourself awake
I too have a talking programme on the radio and fall asleep within minutes, a droning voice sends me off, when I wake about 2 am I play a game or two on my iPad then off I go again for another two or three hours

Once you accept it and stop worrying and trying so hard, it will happen

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These are excellent if you want to listen in bed. The speakers are embedded in a headband. There is a corded one with a plug attached or there is wireless version. You can also download special sleep sounds from the website!
SleepPhones

I also get very tired of the prevailing smug attitude that sleeping from 23.00 to 7.00 is praiseworthy, while 5.00 until 10.00 + 15.00 to 18.00 is the height of depravity!

That's a good point - never understood that either.

The other thing I have never understood is why I can fall asleep with no problem at three in the afternoon but take ages to do so at night. However I think I might have found the answer on here. Someone pointed out that restless legs only occur at night. As this is a problem I suffer from maybe sleeping in the daytime and being active at night really is the best way for me to be.

Hey Grindos, Im sorry that youre having to go through this. I know how it feels bec I have been experiencing problems sleeping for the last few years. I have found that even though its rare for me to sleep more than 6 hours, if I follow a particular routine, I can easily sleep for around 4-5 hours, and on good days, 6-7. My routine starts an hours before I plan to fall asleep. I put down all my electronics at 11 and then I make myself a cup of tea. Its not a specific kind of tea, but I just like warm drinks before bed. I also take melatonin with my tea (I get my pill from here incase u want to know: www.vitaminexpress.org/uk/melatonin-supplements). Then at 11:30 I get into bed and I do a bit of light reading. It helps tremendously in falling asleep.
Ive gotten myself a weighted blanket and honestly, i don't think I could sleep without it anymore.

In the end, there's a lot of things that affect sleep and you can try things and see what works for you. Sending you good energy

I am very sorry for your problem. I can't cure your insomnia problem but I can give a good suggestion. You can read this book: Insomniac (The Ultimate Sleep Therapy)
It will help you identify the symptoms and risk factors of insomnia. You will discover effective night routine habits and healthy lifestyle changes for better sleep quality. Also you will learn how to get rid of insomnia using natural and artificial remedies.
It helps me a lot.

When I sleep, I listen to audiobooks or podcasts. It appears to be counterintuitive, so you owe yourself anything to pay attention to, but I've noticed that at night, I can't be left alone with my feelings. I may, though, listen to a sweet British man tell me about Harry Potter's exploits and friends.
A friend of mine also mentioned that he as been using some gems for curing insomnia. For him that worked out great and its still good for him.

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Are you able to do any exercise? By that, I mean are you fit and well enough to do aerobics, swimming, or something? I go to Zumba and it makes me sufficiently tired enough to sleep for 6 hours (good for me).

I expect you've tried all the usual things - a warm bath, lavender oil on your pillow, a milky drink, etc?

world service for me too, radio has a push button switch and is set on very low sound. I wake every day between 1.30 and 3, pop my hand out and push the switch down. So low that I have to concentrate to listen and that stops my mind being whizzy. No pills for me, I know it is down to the stress of selling, buying, downsizing and moving by myself. I also do deep breathing sometimes `stress out, calm in`

arethamorce Most of the posts on this thread are very onld, the original once from 2012 but I was very interested to read yours as I have had this same problem for as lonh as I can remember.

It's definitely something I'd be prepared to try but there is no hope whatsoever of getting this into New Zealand, nor would I even try.

Interesting thought though.

As a much younger person I always felt my generation, the Baby Boomers, would bring in two important changes pushing for euthanasia and accepting medical marijuana. It's happening.

Did you guys ever try using medicinal marijuana for sleepless disorder? They said that medical cannabis is very effective when it comes to anxiety, migraine, and insomnia? At first, I was doubtful so I started doing my own research and read articles about marijuana. I found out that each marijuana strain has different uses for different diseases. check this www.gyo.green/crockett-family-farms-crockett-s-sour-tangie-cff-sot-r.html This one is very effective when it comes to stress, mild anxiety, and insomnia. Let me hear your two cents with this. Thanks

I now just accept i am going to have nights where i dont sleep very well. I turn on the bedside lamp and read until i drop off again, sometimes this can be 30mins sometimes an hour, i try not to worry about it as it makes it worse. I just think to myself i will rest in the afternoon after completing my chores or outings and if i nod off it is great,if i dont then i have at least had a rest. Even on the mornings that i work i just comfort myself that after 5 hours i will be home and i have a' date with the sofa' blow the housework or shopping i can catch up with that later.

I am sitting in my kitchen, main lining caffeine ☕️☕️☕️ I fell asleep at 11.30pm woke at 1.15am and then wide awake until 5.30am. Husband sleeping soundly with intermittent snoring.i managed 2 hours until Husband woke me up at 7.15am with a cup of tea.

This is such a regular occurrence, I feel grumpy and tired most days. I have a relaxation technique, breathing technique but sometimes they just do not work. I think I might resort to sleeping tablets tonight.

If I wake up in the night and can’t get back off, I find that thinking of a certain item beginning with each letter of the alphabet in turn usually helps. Countries, girls’ names, rivers, even kitchen utensils. I suppose it just stops the mind wandering into worrying areas. I rarely get to Q and X so it’s easy enough. Though I did once get stalled on bridges beginning with D....

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Have a good time Grindos - as they say 'a change is as good as a rest'......well here's hoping. XX

Thanks so much for all your messages and advice and sympathy! I'm going to try the radio tonight, just found out my mobile phone has one, and see if that helps. Going on holiday on Sunday, which is why I'm a bit worried at the moment - I never sleep when I'm away - but will take my Zopiclone with me, can't hurt for a week. XXXXXXX

Having said that, some people do not see or feel 'not sleeping' as a problem to them, and that is fine. So any of the sleep clinics or other advice does not apply to them, lol. Personally, I stop functioning normally if I do not sleep - so it is very important that I try and find solutions and take steps to ensure this.