Insomnia

I hope things are better for you now boatyard
I have bouts of insomnia from time to time and have found some of these ideas useful:
Count back from a thousand in threes.
Read a fairly boring book for ten minutes.
If the problem is anxiety imagine the problem and seal it in a box and put it down the garden in a shed (all in your mind). You have to put on as much detail as you can such as going to get the box, and the sellotape, sealing the box, carrying it downstairs, opening the door etc. etc. The more detail the better. Once the box is locked in the shed you can't niggle at that worry any more tonight so, hopefully, you will sleep.
If all else fails I get up and make tea and read or do a crossword but don't put on the computer as I find that makes me more awake.

I found the 'Relaxmelodies' app too a few years ago when I was suffering from chronic insomnia due to cancer treatment and family problem. Found it helped a lot. I would also listen to another app ' Relax and Rest' which is great. I put it on the 25 min meditation which I find an effective way of soothing me to sleep. Radio plays on iPlayer good - either I hear the whole play which entertains me or I fall asleep during it.

Getting up and reading a book, having a hot drink and then returning to bed slightly chilled is useful for really bad nights.

Basically anything that blocks the racing thoughts works for me. I think you need to find out what works for you. I have always resisted sleeping tablets as I fear getting hooked on them

Just a little tweak of this old thread but it might be helpful to somebody out there.
I tend to sleep between 2 and 4 hrs most nights, been going on for about a year, i exercise, don't drink (too much), do relaxation techniques, breathing etc etc, none of them seem to do it for me.
Couple of weeks ago i downloaded a little free app called "relax melodies" which is free, on my iphone and kindle fire. You can layer all sort of different sounds, i use stream and nightingale, you can also vary the loudness of each sound individually. The stream sound doesnt make me want to pee any more than usual but the difference is that i now tend to go back to sleep after a loo run, unbelievaby it seems to work for me.
You can also set a timer so it switches itself off after your set time. I set my ringtones to off or switch to airplane mode so dont get woken up by notification sounds.
Brilliant (sofar)

Mindfulness techniques in which you concentrate on your breathing and accept that thoughts will pop into your head, but just send them on their way. Have never tried any sort of meditation before, but find this useful rather than just taking worries out and giving them a good polish I downloaded a Kindle book which includes audio tracks. Will look for link.
Also Boots do an over the counter remedy called Sleepeazy sic. I think this is rather like a strong travel sickness pill, but if used occasionally is very effective. Got me and several friends through our last OFSTED inspection with no grogginess the next day

sarah4 in our blind shop there are 100s of tapes.stories/Agatha Christies/morse (catherine cookson too mnay to mention,and many many more...if you were nearby I could point you in the right direction as they are almost giving them away!! also they have cds lots of different stories, they are slightly dearer but still good value..what about changing to a personal cd player...I could always purchase one or two for you and post them on, just a thought....and also I have about 15 cassette tapes..that you are welcome to if it can be arranged..!

My daughter not only uses some but has made some herself - her link is ASMRCandleSpa . No, I don't really understand it either, but I'm going to have a go at listening because I'm so sick of sleepless nights. Good luck!

Ah - found it - it's called ASMR. Plenty of them on u-tube. Put ASMR into U-tube and loads will pop up, apparently. You then listen with your earphones and it soothes you off to sleep.....!

Lots of good advice here as usual! I sympathise as I too have anxiety and depression - and my sleeping is very erratic. Some nights I hardly sleep at all, some I sleep deeply and still wake feeling tired.
My DD2 has told me about some U-tube uploads which are simple hypnosis things - they're really people whispering about different topics and apparently it is brilliant at sending her to sleep. For the life of me I can't recall the name of it but when I do, I'll post it so you can look it up. Sorry, not a lot of help, that!
I am reluctant to use sleeping pills as they can be VERY addictive, but occasionally they are worth using. I've found I get a kind of groggy hangover the following morning which isn't pleasant, so I don't really like taking them, but not everyone experiences this side-effect.

Boatyard - I would give the sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety tablets a go. With the sleeping pills, only take them for no more than three nights in a row then a break from them (I take them only when I'm exhausted) and I think this is recommended to try and prevent addiction. I have no personal experience of anti-anxiety treatments so I'm not much help with that aspect of it. I would suggest that you try what your GP has given you as your mood is going to sink lower the more exhausted you become and you need to sleep. I have been prescribed sleeping tablets for a few years now and because I won't take them every night, addiction hasn't been a problem. Just be firm with yourself about not taking them every night in order to prevent a bad night - sometimes, accepting you will have sleepless nights does, strangely enough, help when it happens but make sure you have a film Nothing heavy or macabre) to watch (reading generally doesn't help does it as concentration is difficult) but visual stimuli may help to stop unwanted thoughts/stressing over not sleeping and eventually, you may feel able to try and sleep again.

Tricia could well be right and it could be something like positional sleeping - if you, say, are lying on your back or in a position where you find it difficult to breathe properly, that would cause the abrupt waking and panic symptoms. Is your bedroom too warm or too cold?

Does your local health authority have a sleep clinic you could be referred to?

I know it's easy to say it but do try not to get too anxious about it as it becomes self-defeating and you will worry yourself into another sleepless night.

ps to Boatyard - have you been checked out for possible angina? That's what I'm supposed to have, but I'm doubtful about it.

Boatyard I have a similar pattern, tight chest etc.
I think it's partly due to a tense sleeping position. Instead of lying on my side with knees up and arms crossed in front, if I lie on my back propped up with pillows, it helps me to breathe better and relax.

My problem is I am woken after an hour or so with bad anxiety symptons,sweaty ,tight chest ,tingly arms etc,have tried controlled breathing and relaxation to get off again but with little success,

Boatyard - it might help if you say what you have already tried (no point in posting things you have tried that didn't help) and what things that you already find relaxing. I have a sound machine (bought years ago) so if I feel wound up, I'll select the sound of rain or a stream which usually helps me (but my daughter complained, when she tried it, she wanted the loo too often!).

If it is your mind racing over various matters, it will need to be a distraction technique I would have thought (given that you have stated you are already tired).

Yes Nonu mine fluctuates, but I think to myself I could have a much more serious illness, so I try not to moan.

Thanks TwiceAsNice I really like the idea of your relaxation and will try that asap.

nAN , you sound exactly like my SIL, she has lerned to live with it. Some days she says it drives her crazy others don"t know it"s there

Try this relaxation exercise but before you do flex and relax all your muscles from your toes up to your face until you are as comfortable as possible then concentrate on slowing your breathing down by inhaling deep breath holding your breath for a second, letting out your breath, holding the next one for a second and thEn inhaling again. It feels odd for a few times then your body gets the rhythm. When you are relaxed think of a place you enjoy or somewhere you,ve never been but always wanted to go. Now imagine you are there ( it's only at this point do you close your eyes) Use your senses in layers, first what can you see, if it's a beach the water, people passing by, scenery, activities going on etc. then what can you hear, music, talking, birds, traffic etc. then what can you smell, suntan oil, perfume, flowers, food etc. then even what can you touch, the towel underneath you, the sand through your fingers, the cover of your book. Do all this slowly really try and experience it and often you will slip off to sleep. It takes a bit of practice but it is a well tried therapist exercise I teach anxious clients. Hope it helps you .

Nonu when I first got tinnitus as well as getting low level tinnitus I got bouts of very loud sound. Similar to an express train passing within inches of my head. The longest bout went on for about 2 hours it was terrifying.

I saw a specialist who said he would try me on Betahistine which would only work if I had a form of Meniere's Disease. I took the tablets and the express train disappeared - it felt like a miracle. Fortunately the Meniere's has not manifested itself.

I now just have low to medium tinnitus in one ear and I have learned to live with it.

I was recommended to come off the tablets, which I did reluctantly, and so far so good.

I used to have Stemitil for migraines years ago.

NAN & PENS do you take meds for your tinnitus, SIL suffers with it and finds Stemetil helps her a lot

I also have tinnitus and find it easier to fall asleep with the radio on. Sometimes I go through periods of insomnia (waking up in the night/early hours) I find that that becomes a 'habit' and I have to work through it. However if your GP has prescribed sleeping tablets it might be good to use them for a short period. Go back and explain your worry the GP my be able to reassure you. Good luck

To help with sleeplessness brought on usually by my tinnitus I do the following.

1. I imagine I am leaving my house and walking into the town I try and recall everything I can remember about the journey e. g. The houses I pass and where the postbox, rubbish container etc. are situated on the journey. Finally I imagine the shops in the High Street.

2. I imagine a long flight of steps that go down to the river where I live I slowly count the steps backwards, there are over a hundred. I am usually asleep by the 80s.

3. I listen on a single headphone to the radio.

4. If I have a lot on my mind I make a to do list of everything I should be doing. It seems to calm me down.

Hope this helps.

I sympathise too, having had a terrible night last night, all twitches, aches and pains, and feeling breathless. Irritable today, I drove, but shouldn't have done.
Everyone's different, but the only thing that works for me is to get up, put on dressing-gown, make tea and toast and jam and go online for half an hour.
As Jingles says, having plenty of outdoor exercise does help too.
Also, alcohol late at night can make you agitated after the initial relaxation.
I think there's a long thread somewhere about this.

I download audio books onto my iPod I tend to listen to the same ones over and over again there is something comforting about knowing what is going to be said next. I find that it 'blocks' me worrying and thinking about things and generally lulls me back to sleep or at the very least helps me to relax. I only use one earbud as I dont like to feel 'cut off' and always tuck the i pod under my pillow. Hope you find the answer that is right for you.

I've downloaded some relaxation/hypnotherapy apps to my ipad/ipod and I play those when I wake up during the night. Using headphones intensifies the effect.

Calms me down and stops the mind jumping about all over the place.

Loads of exercise, such as walking, outdoors for the daylight and fresh air, during the day? It's exhausting, but it can help you sleep.

Agree that listening to a personal radio or similar, with earphones, is helpful.

Many Gransnetters will fully sympathise with you, myself included. People seem to have varying suggestions that have helped them. I have a Sony Walkman with ear piece and listen to story tapes, no longer available in the shops. This stops my mind from planning and raking over the past. I know the stories so well it doesn't matter that I nod off. Decamping to the spare room (if you can) helps me then I don't feel I am disturbing DH. Classic FM on low and sleep timer set too. Remember Frank Sinatra's 'In the wee small hours of the morning/When the whole wide world is fast asleep' ? I hope someone can suggest something that might help, small consolation but you are not on your own.