A good night’s sleep

Maw if I am alone in the house at night I take the dog to bed with me. He's not allowed upstairs but he knows if OH is away he is and follows me up the stairs. I find his little furry body very calming I just wish he didn't snore though!

Some brilliant ideas, some of which I have tried, but once awake - and not infrequently that seems to be around 4.30 - I am actually wide awake but too tired to get up!
Last night was different, though, the dog was barking so much I was really worried there might have been an intruder in the garden and found myself lying in bed shaking!
I should have realised, she will bark at a hedgehog, fox or cat but wags her tail and cozies up for cuddles with people!

If I can’t sleep, I listen to an episodic story, usually on R4, at a low volume through an ear pod. It stops me going over other things in my mind. If I use my I phone it turns itself off after the episode has finished.

I know I’ve said this before but a weighted blanket works for myself and DH. He’s never slept so well. I’ve always had sleep issues but sleep so well in my bed now. If I could have the tv out of our room I would but he likes it to go to sleep to.

I don't sleep well but if I have a run of particularly bead nights I'll take Nytol (not the herbal ones) for a couple of nights and find that makes a huge difference. They contain an antihistamine and are not recommended for regular use but I do find them a very useful crutch. Also if I'm very tired I'll have a nap in the afternoon, no longer than an hour and it really helps. Good luck in finding something that works for you.

Please check the leaflet or with the pharmacist for Night Nurse, it has interactions with other drugs.

A low dose of anti-histamine to induce drowsiness is often prescribed these days to get off to sleep.

My BiL had this prescribed for him as an inpatient to breakthrough a stage of reluctance to sleep & this was affecting his overall recovery.

I have since come across two people who’ve been put on similar protocols, A-H with low dose anti-depressants &/or Melatonin.

Might be worth a chat with your GP as the clinical guidance has moved on since the days of being given sleeping tablets which may be a sledge hammer to crack a nut.

It's about occupying your mind so you don't have those negative thoughts that seem to creep in after bedtime. If I can't sleep I usually read my book until I feel sleepy.

I probably shouldn’t say this, but I recommend Night Nurse. If I’ve gone through a few nights of not sleeping well, a dose of Night Nurse guarantees me a good nights sleep. I think it’s to do with the anti-histamines.

My sleep pattern is all over the place since DH died and for me just accepting an unsleeping night works better than trying to find ways to get to sleep. If I don’t doze off in the following day I usually have a reasonable night though almost never unbroken. I attribute my lack of get up and go to sleep deprivation but don’t want to resort to sleeping tablets.

Awaful?? ?
Awful…..

Is your bed actually comfortable? Do you need a new duvet or pillows? I have recently bought both, it’s made a huge difference.
I tend to awake about 4am, I think it’s because I get cold around then, not noticeably so but enough to awake me.,so I have a light blanket to pull over me and I generally go back to sleep.
I accept that I will have poor nights sometimes, I imagine insomnia must be awaful.

I recommend a slow but unvarying bedtime routine that you can stick to whatever you’ve been doing earlier. I feed the cat, turn off the main lights and put books etc away. Then I go upstairs, open the windows, undress, go to the loo and take my pills. After that I water-floss and then clean my teeth. I then choose what radio programmes to play on BBC Sounds as I’m falling asleep, plump the pillows and shake the duvet. All that takes about half an hour. I set my sleep monitor, lie down in my most comfortable position (right side, high on pillows, pillow under upper leg) and lie absolutely still listening to the radio. As often as not, I’m asleep within 10 minutes, but if not, after the first radio programme ends, I turn over to the other side and start a news programme (PM or The World Tonight). I never hear the end of a second programme.

I do this whether I’ve had a full working day or a day doing nothing, whether it’s 9pm or 1.30am, and whether it is hot or cold, noisy or quiet, and it always works.

And about Rosie barking - our collie went into a phase of barking all night but she was 15 and was starting with dementia.
I think your Rosie is still young?

SinceDH died over two years ago I have nights when I can’t sleep. Bizarre really as DH was an insomniac and I always complained about the strange hours he kept . But I used to sleep well but very lightly and never had a problem getting to sleep. I now go to bed roughly the same time 11ish and set my alarm for 7.30 and always get up even if I’ve had 2 hours . If I can’t get to sleep I come downstairs , have some cereal, read for a bit or listen to some quiet music .Then back up and try again . I lie very still with my eyes closed and sometimes I go to sleep, sometimes I just “rest my eyes”!
I try not to have a nap , if I do I set my phone alarm for 40 minutes. Think DH is getting his own back !

Boring I know, but I go to bed the same time every day ( unless there is other stuff going on) I follow the same pottery routine. What I do know is the iPad is the enemy of a restful start to my night. I need to calm my mind into nothingness.

Sorry to hear you are having days and nights like these Maw...My mum was diagnosed with an aortic annyresym and totally went to pieces.. First thing affected was her sleep.. She had all the symptoms you describe...After 2 weeks like this the GP gave her a low dose amitriptalyne to take at 8pm...It was life changing for her....Calmed her down physically and mentally....

I was going to suggest a short nap this afternoon. I set an alarm in my phone or Alexa so that I don’t sleep too long.
I also find a bowl of porridge gives me an energy boost.

no tv or phone an hour before bed. Read or potter, I use that time to potter, make the kitchen nice etc. A small cup of chamomile tea, I make mine from the actual herbs. Brush my teeth etc then read in bed and nibble a small oatcake. My mind gets whizzy so I need some sound to focus away from my brain. I have and use a morphee from amazon when I lay down or radio 4 or lbc but on so low that I really cannot make out what they are saying

Oatcake is made from avena sativa and always helps me sleep, I keep a box by my bed

I like to sit back after 5 and watch tv but it is a big mistake for me to do that if I feel tired. My chair is zero gravity and a snooze happens out of the blue but not what I want so I jump up and set myself to a task that does not take a lot of thought and involves following instructions. I sew but it could be painting or felting or making a model

It is ok, good in fact, to take a power nap but before 4pm

I have an idea how you feel.
In my experience the best way is to try to stick it out until bed time and you should sleep like a log tonight.