Trouble getting to sleep

If you lay on the edge of the bed you will soon drop off.

Oh dear I've got work in the morning, I don't know what's going on.I should be able to sleep because I've got a virus coming and felt ill all day. But no here I am wide awake and feeling lousy. I'm telling no one in particular just feeling sorry for myself. I couldn't find the old thread so I'm moaning on this one

I used to be a great sleeper but since the menopause my sleep patterns are all over the place. There is nothing I can pinpoint that causes sleeplessness. I have tried nearly everything that has been suggested by the posters on here but if I have a run of insomnia, nothing helps. I do think it may be an age related thing. I just try to find ways to occupy myself during the night to avoid brooding. Including occasionally posting on GN! I do feel rubbish in the morning though and try to get a nap during the day if possible.

Then again last night I slept soundly and had a job waking up this morning. ?

I have been plagued with Insomnia for many years. I do think it is part of getting older. I also think there may be familial element to it. None of my kids were good sleepers and now that my daughters are approaching Middle Age they are reporting similar problems.
My best advice is don't worry about it. The worst thing you can do in the middle of the night is fret about the fact that you are NOT asleep.Guaranteed to keep you awake.
I listen to Audio Books. I set the sleep timer on my I pod, if I manage to drift off, great. If not I reset the timer for another 30 minutes, snuggle down and enjoy the story.
I don't drink caffeine at any time and have discovered that nothing is better at messing up a nights sleep than a glass of wine. Now that is something to really get cross about.
I generally have about six hours sleep and have bags of energy so it is not an issue. if i go below about 4 hours I feel a little sluggish next day

It's an age thing. We have to suck it up I think.

My late bedridden neighbour had a fear of the dark and would sleep during the day then watch tv or dvd all night, just the other side of my bedroom wall. It was so noisy it kept me awake. I bought myself a cheap radio with a timer, which I set for 30 mins, and was able to drift off to the sound of classic fm.

I sleep much better if I wear cosy bed socks. I too listen to audio books. And if none of that works I just tell myself that even though I am not sleeping I'm having a lovely rest!

I don't often go to bed before 12 & then I read for about an hour, frequently falling asleep with my glasses on & book in hand!!. Dropping book usually wakens me up to switch light off & take glasses off. I do however go to sleep with the radio on quite low.

Tonight I should sleep well as it's pouring down outside & I love the sound of heavy rain when I'm warm & cosy.

I wake up a couple of times a night to go to the loo, normally I can go back to sleep ok but if not I put light back on & pick my book up again - normally sends me of to sleep again.

Most mornings I'm up between 7 & 8 - just so glad I no loger have to rush round to go to work.

If I have trouble tonight which at the moment seems entirely likely it is my own fault.

We had an Indian takeaway the first time for about at least a year and I totally pigged out and am now feeling absolutely gross. Never again!!!!

This may sound a bit odd! But when I can't get to sleep rather than lying with my eyes shut trying to drift off I lie with my eyes open. After a while my eyelids start to droop but each time they do I force them open. Eventually, I loose the battle and fall fast asleep. It almost always works for me.

I agree with the suggestion that caffeine could be the issue. Not so many years ago I could drink coffee at any time of day (including last thing at night) and have no trouble sleeping. These days I risk being unable to drop off if I have coffee after about 2pm.

I listen to Radio 4 Extra on sleep timer to aid getting to sleep. They have a Comedy Club from 10:00 to midnight - being comedy it's of no consequence for me to fall asleep whilst it's in full flow - it would irritate me to have to "rewind" an audiobook the next night!

I have a kindle and YouTube have free audio books this sometimes helps

Hi Bagpuss and Welcome??

How about podcasts of radio programmes on your ipod? Preferably rather boring podcasts. It works for me.

Emily I laughed at the chicken or turkey one because apparently although they do contain whatever it is you need to eat about a tonne to consume enough to send you to sleep. I only know this because DS said the same as you and then it came up on a consumer programme and they debuncted it. I had this vision of DS wading through loads and loads of turkeys!

Someone else told me about the banana thing and said you should have warm milk with it.

I get off to sleep alright but have to get up for loo about 2ish and can't always get off again have to get GD off to school,she starts at 8.10 so I am up at 6 and she leaves at 7.15

I also have a nano and mine has audiobooks on it, so I have some very nice actors/actresses reading me bedtime stories. Bill Nighy is one of my favourites, his voice is very calming even when he changes his voice for different characters.

Melatonin works like a charm for me.

What sound relaxes you? Music does nothing for me, I get too involved with it but the sound of rain on a tent is like self-hypnosis. If I can't sleep I find a YouTube recording of it on my phone and I'm asleep within minutes xx

I know it is said that you should not watch TV just before going to sleep but let find it brilliant. I go upstairs about 10 pm and use the tablet to watch programs DH doesn't like. I try to stay awake until about 11 but often drop off before that. It often takes me a couple of nights to see the complete programme. Done often wake until about 7am but if I do I just start watching again and usually go back to sleep.

A magnesium tablet an hour before bed and i am out like a light, even DH has started taking one as he was fed up with tossing and turning whilst i slept like a baby

I seem to go through phases, for a few weeks I will fall asleep really quickly and then go through a few weeks of tossing and turning and waking up frequently throughout the night. Nothing has changed in my daily life or bedtime routine to make me like this. I now write a book in my head - my autobiography. It's all so boring that I drop off to sleep fairly quickly. I also notice that I sleep better if I am warm and cosy and have stopped leaving my window open at night.

I got a really good technique from a Mindfulness app. It involves relaxing every part of your body individually from toes up & then concentrating on deep breathing. Lastly you count in your head from 10,000 down. I rarely remember getting past 9,500.

Meditation apps work quite well for me.. I particularly like the Calm app - I'm used to her American accent now and i find it soothing.

I tor tally emphasise, can take hours to get to sleep. Tried staying up till one, naturally I m an owl, not a lark, but it didn't help. Def keep off blue light things like tv , I pad etc for a good hour before bed. I ve not found a solution yet .