Sleeping

[CrazyLea]

I've always has pretty bad sleeping patterns, or sleeping problems, but it is getting worse.
I could not get to sleep last night AT ALL, and the same 2 nights before and a couple of nights before that too.

I'm not tired now, after not sleeping well last night, but the other ones I was.. So tired that I was just in a terrible mood with everyone, and it's kinda stressing me out.

What can I do to try get a good nights sleep, not toss and turn and get frustrated all night?

[Chloe O'brien]

Is there anything worring you that is knocking your sleeping patern haywire? I find I sleep better if I let my brain relax before bed. Turn of the tv and comp about an hour before bed and sit and read instead. Try drinking calomine tea or hot choc if that doesn't help, there are over the counter rememdies that can be used as a shot term solutions such as Nytol.

[CrazyLea]

Well I don't think so? Is there a chance that there is, and I don't know about it?
But like I say I've always had issues with my sleeping pattern..

Do you reckon the fact that I drink a lot of tea, and at the moment a lot of coke in the day could contribute to it??
And sometimes I drink alcohol in the evening, do you think that doesn't help?

Thing with me aswell, is I have to have complete silence in order to sleep, and lately been staying at mates a lot, and most my mates snore, or breathe really heavily in their sleep, and I am a light sleeper, so I just stay awake, getting more and more frustrated with it, rather than attempting to sleep??

Think I will try the reading thing... and maybe the tea thing..

I did once use an over the counter thing, not sure what it was, and I think that did help a bit aswell, so might invest in something of that variety when I get my money.

Thanks Kath.

[Chloe O'brien]

Yeah the caffine doesn't help late at night so cut down on the fizzy juice and booze. try and limit the booze to just at weekends. I'm like you Lea I need silence and total darkness for me to sleep. I hate noise when I'm trying to sleep I wake up at the least sound. remedies like Nytol are fine for a short term solution as you can buy herbal ones as well. If it continues maybe a visit to the doctors wouldn't hurt.

[CrazyLea]

Yeah will try cut out the late night tea :| and the alcohol. But it'll be hard (ha sound like I'm an alcoholic ha).

Think also, it doesn't help, that when I get like no sleep or a couple of hours sleep, I am napping in the day/evening, so I am just more awake when I actually do go to bed!

Getting to the point where I don't want to go to bed, because I know I'll just be lying there, awake all the time :|

[Chloe O'brien]

I can be watching the tv and have little naps while watching it but as soon as I go to bed my brain is active and although my eyes are closed my brain is working overtime. That's why I suggested turning off the tv and p to rela you. Try avoiding napping in the day, cut down on caffine and snaks after 8pm and find a book and try and read for a bit once your relaxed in bed you'll soon fall asleep.

[Perdita]

My OH is a snorer :( but I have some earplugs on my bedside table and they help to reduce the volume and get me some sleep. I agree with Kath with the other suggestions about booze, cola, tv and computer :)

[Abigail]

Cut down on the amount of caffeine you consume. This includes tea. Tea actually has more caffeine gram for gram than coffee. Don't drink tea or coke after 5pm.

Get a bedside lamp so that you can dim the lights in the evening. Something to do with melatonin (sleep hormone), it increases when the environment is darker.

Don't nap during the day. As difficult as it is, its not going to help you get back into a proper routine.

Read a book to help your mind unwind. I know you said you need complete silence to sleep but I find having Classic FM on low in the background when I'm going to sleep helps.

An eye mask might be a good idea if your room is quite bright.

Short term I'd recommend Nytol to get you back into feeling tired. They're not good long term though (speaking from experience) as they're addictive and cause more problems than the original one.

[Dazzle]

I can only sleep in total silence too, so completely understand your frustration with your mates' breathing and snoring. Earplugs are a godsend for me in this respect.

[megan999]

I use an eyemask to sleep. If I can hear my neighbours at night I use earplugs. I also write in a journal (just a big notebook) where I write about my day and my worries. It really helps me to get it out of my head and problem solve. Sometimes I have a mug of hot milk in the evening. Camomile tea + a spoon of honey is nice too. I have used Nytol before, and it is okay if you're kinda already sleepy, but sometimes I need to use sleeping tablets - from my doctor. Exercise during the day is good because it makes you physically tired at night. Sometimes I go for a walk, or sometimes I use my exercise bike.

[tammyy2j]

try putting lavender oil on your pillow maybe

[Meh]

Don't spend all your time in your bedroom. Your bedroom is for sleeping.

Try deep breathing exercises to help you relax. These really work for me when I have a bout of insomnia.

[CrazyLea]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Definately going to try the majority of the ideas here. Think the hardest one will be not drinking tea after 5.

[Perdita]

Try herbal tea like camomile or peppermint tea, the can help you to sleep too

[Dazzle]

Good luck with your insomnia, Lea.

[StarsOfCCTV]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Definately going to try the majority of the ideas here. Think the hardest one will be not drinking tea after 5.
Get decaf tea! :D

[CrazyLea]

Do you know what I was going to ask earlier if there is such a thing as decaff tea? As I know there is coffee.. didn't want to sound stupid if there wasn't :lol: So there is is there?? x

[Abigail]

I've never come across it.

I would really recommend camomile tea an hour before bed.

[CrazyLea]

Is it nice though ? Cos I am not a fan of weird teas.. like lemon tea, peppermint... etc...

[Abigail]

Its an acquired taste. Try it with some honey or sugar.

[StarsOfCCTV]

Do you know what I was going to ask earlier if there is such a thing as decaff tea? As I know there is coffee.. didn't want to sound stupid if there wasn't :lol: So there is is there?? x
There is. :p I have some in my cupboard which I drink now. It tastes exactly the same as regular tea. :)

[Abigail]

Can you get that from the supermarket? Is it a special brand or just like normal tea?

[Dazzle]

I've had decaff tea, as well. All the big brands like Typhoo do a version, as do some of the supermarkets. I've tried several makes and found the branded ones tasted the best (not much different to ordinary tea) although they are quite expensive.

Also, if you're thinking of getting earplugs, I find the wax ones much better than the foam ones. They are both available at Boots.

[StarsOfCCTV]

Can you get that from the supermarket? Is it a special brand or just like normal tea?
I have Sainsbury's red label decaf tea. It was on special offer. :lol: I can't really taste the different brands, but like Dazzle said most of the big names tend to do them. :)

[megan999]

Sometimes I like to drink herbal tea from Holland and Barrats. It says "London Fruit and Herb Company" on the box, "Fruit Fantasy Variety Pack", 20 teabags, 4 different flavours, All caffeine free,
- strawberry and vanilla fool
- raspberry rendezvous
- blueberry bliss
- peach paradise

I hope your sleep is improving, I can't stand it when I can't sleep properly, it really messes my brain up !

[Abbie]

Ive tried Kalms before and they worked for a little bit

[tammyy2j]

I have been experiencing insomnia lately now cant sleep until early morning and have tried teas but they are no help

I don't want to take sleeping tablets as they can be addictive

Any advice or help please?

[Perdita]

This was discussed on Loose Women today and advice is to switch off tv, pc, mobile etc off at least half an hour before you go to bed, too many brain stimulants if you don't, apparently. Reading a book is more beneficial as can be milky drinks like hot chocolate, ovaltine etc. There are also herbal tablets you can try, ask your pharmacist or doctor for which ones would be best suited, so many factors need to be taken into account .. are you having a lot of stress right now, are you on medication that can be the cause, are you very worried about a certain situation ... Hope you can get a good sleep soon x :)

[lizann]

a few glasses of wine :p just try and relax like perdy says above no computer and tv

[Dazzle]

Sorry to hear you've been suffering from insomnia Tammy. :( I've suffered my whole life but have managed to improve my sleep recently.

Light dramatically affects your sleep hormones so as Perdy says stay away from screens (that includes TV) a good couple of hours before sleep. They emit a blue light that keeps us awake for hours as the brain thinks it's sunlight. I've got blue light blocking glasses that I wear a couple of hours before bed, and there are apps that reduce the blue light emitted from screens dependent on the time of day (f.lux for Windows, Twighlight for Android etc). Those apps help a lot but I still need to stay away from screens before sleep or I'm kept awake.

Light in the bedroom is also a big cause of insomnia. It should ideally be pitch black to sleep. If you can see your hand a couple of feet in front of your face the light might be enough to keep you awake. I use a good sleep mask and there's blackout curtains, blinds etc. Even the light emitted from an alarm clock can be enough to keep you awake.

Taking a supplement of the amino acid taurine before bed has helped my sleep too. Magnesium is also supposed to be helpful.

Good luck and let us know if things improve (or if they don't).