Sleep Week - post to win prizes! ?

I'm a chronic insomniac, sleeping approx 10hrs a week.
I've got underlying health conditions that don't help but I've struggled with sleep since the age of about 5.

I rarely get a full nights sleep.

I too am a great believer in a good walk every day. As the evenings are becoming lighter I really like to walk on the moors where we live after my evening meal.

I usually have a goodnight sleep, I think my daily walks help me and if i wake up during the night i usually stay there with closed eyes and do my breating excercise and i eventyally fall asleep. I don't like checking the time or using the phone during the night, it really distracting me from going back to sleep.

I have for many years been a bit of an insomniac which due to my arthritis has become worse, most nights waking many times due to the pain. I prefer not to take medication as I hate the zoned out feeling that goes with it that you get the next morning so use herbal remedies alternating warm milk & Ibuprofen a few nights a week. Always have my Kindle and a magazine at hand so when I wake and cannot get back to sleep I just read. Not ideal but just try to cope with it as best I can. I do think I can manage on less sleep than many seem to require.

I have always had difficulty with sleep I drop off quickly - but wake within 2 hours. Getting to sleep, waking up through the night umpteen times, and I wake because I need the loo. I now use a lavender pillow mist and it works very well. I have tried quite a few different ones, some didn't work for me, but this one is great.

Since menopause my sleep is very poor the main thing for me is not making an enemy of this sometimes not easy. I will lie there and visualise one of the many walks I have done especially all day walks from holidays. Such happy memories and hopefully will be able start on the south coast path journey again.

Sleep is a contentious issue in our house! If I sleep well - my husband usually does not and vice versa. I am invariably tired by about 9pm (when did my days of hectic partying disappear?) But then about 3 am I am wide awake and raring to go. Not one to just lie in bed and try to get back to sleep. Would much rather be doing something useful. Over the years have studied for an OU degree, read mountains of books and completed thousands of crosswords!. I had to rein back on cooking during the night as I was waking people with the smell of food! My husband is one of the" lie there and will yourself back to sleep again" brigade! How we have stayed married so long with our disparate sleep patterns I do not know! I refuse to get really stressed over it and have just resigned myself to the fact I am a night person!

Bad nights sleep started when working as a maternity nurse then a night nanny as was awake listening for the baby had my menopause by age of 42?no slowly doing it bang straight into it then HRT was meant to be the best thing but lost my hearing from changing to new medication .Now I go to bed so early as I’m shattered but then get up at 12-2 am Tried all sorts but would avoid Amytriptoline loss of hair side effect Feel very bitter about HRT why don’t they refer ladies to a specialist Menopausal clinic

Falling asleep isn't my problem......it's staying asleep! I seem to go a few hours and then wake to use the toilet and toss and turn the rest of the night through!
Mind you....i have been spritzing my pillows with Feather and Down sleep spray and that has helped a little.

I truly love my sleep, I tend to go to bed half an hour to an hour before I want to sleep, light my crackling candle and read with a hot drink, then clean my teeth and snuggle down, bliss. If I do happen to wake in the night, I enter a few competitions so I feel like my time isnt wasted

I sleep so much better since my OH moved into the spare room... He started going in to work earlier so in a bid to not disturb me migrated into the other room on weekday nights. Have to say, found it strange initially - and cold! But I've got a lovely fleecy weighted blanket now which cuddles & cocoons me all night long.

I usually wake up a few times throughout the night, but fall asleep quite easily.

Always tired! Mostly self-inflicted, I stay up far too late. By the time I hit the pillow I'm always exhausted and usually fall asleep but then have to wake up before I'm fully rested.

I'm terrible at going to bed at a reasonable time. Get so distracted by social media/TV. So don't get enough sleep

I wil slep well tonite as I hav druk a lot of gin.

Definitely been struggling to sleep well atm. I blame lockdown. It creates a constant low level anxiety.

Excercise helps me to sleep. I find as I get older I need constant naps and if I nod off this then stops me sleeping well. A bike ride or energetic yoga class really helps to use up some energy and gives me a sounder, less restless sleep.

Great article on such a relevant topic. Thanks for all the tips.

Well, I'm glad it's not just me who does not get a sound nights sleep - It sometimes takes over my day - just thinking about the tossing and turning all night - sometimes takes up my daytime thoughts. Since shielding and lockdown it seems worse. I look forward to reading though the tips on getting a good nights sleep later on within this topic.

I've always had a problem sleeping, mainly from an overactive mind and as a very light sleeper, husband's heavy breathing (not exactly snoring!). I now tend to go and sleep in the spare room for a week to get back to sleeping better and then return.

My ability to sleep has completely changed since having children, every little noise and I'm awake. My kids normally wake at certain times and if they don't, i'm still awake wondering why they haven't woken up! I can't win!

I sleep very badly and I am exhausted most days. I wake multiple times a night and usually get up between 4.30/5 am as I can't sleep any longer -- which obviously makes a long day and even more tired. So a viscous circle.
I work in a busy school kitchen, so I am physically exhausted, but that doesn't help with my sleep. I do get stressed with my work situation which doesn't help.

Most nights I drop off straight away however the odd night I lie awake for hours and finally fall a sleep moments before the alarm goes off!

I have been having trouble with sleep and tiredness for years. Even if I slept through, I would wake up feeling like I'd run a marathon! After having various tests a consultant at my local hospital sent me to the sleep clinic and it turns out I have sleep apnoea. I have a CPAP which isn't elegant, but I feel so much better! I also use sleep oils which I massage into my skin just before bed or a sleep inducing shower gel with lavender, etc. Would highly recommend!