I’ve been awake most of the night now and wonder how other people cope? It’s now not worth me going back to bed as I need to get up at 7 to see my daughter off to school. My next infusion (no 15) is due later today, I don’t feel anxious about that, but I do have a general feeling of unease about everything. I feel exhausted, but just lie in bed not sleeping so I came downstairs, and have spent the last 3 hours drinking tea… Thanks for reading, M x
hi
i’m the same. can’t sleep and catch up tv, well i’ve caught up!
so i just pootle around on the computer.
good luck with your infusion, hope you soon see some benefits
carole x
I’m the same too and I hate it. I’m back working now, 3 days a week plus another 2 days with school run too and I’m a zombie.
Jools
X
Hi
It’s horrible no sleeping, & I’m a bit of a wreck the next day when I have a bad night. However I’m much better sleeping now & have got lots of techniques that help.
The main one is from a book called Overcoming Insomnia & Sleep Problems: a Self-Help Guide, by Colin Espie (you could see if your local library has it if you don’t want to buy it). He says to only go to bed when you’re feeling sleepy, not simply tired. If you’re not asleep after 15 minutes, get up & do something like read a book or do some puzzles or meditate, then only go back to bed when you start to drop off. Again, if you don’t fall asleep after a bit, get up & repeat the whole thing. That way, your bran associates being in bed with being asleep, rather than being awake - tossing & turning is the worst thing you can do.
Personally I never look at the time. Knowing it’s 4am only gets my brain worried, and that doesn’t help me relax (with the tip above, I guess if quarter of an hour has passed, rather than looking at the clock). Lowering the lighting in the evening is good too - bright lights will only stimulate you. So if you go on the computer, turn the brightness down on the screen. Obviously don’t have any caffeine in the evening (I don’t have anything after 5pm), and don’t eat late either - I try to eat by half seven at the latest.
Giving the brain something to focus on really helps me too. So sometimes I’ll listen to Radio 4 & I’ve got an audiobook version of the Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe on my MP3 too (there’s something soothing about having kids books being read to you!). However I have the volume so low I have to concentrate to hear it (I use earphones so as not to disturb ny wife). And something that’s very effective is a version of counting sheep - I count backwards from 1000 in multiples of 3 (997, 994, 991…etc). I might forget where I’ve got to& start again, but it’s rare I get out of the 900s.
Hope you get some good kip soon.
Dan
have you tried meditation tapes, there are some on the podcast at itunes
Hiya
It’s not very often that I can’t sleep but sometimes I’ll really struggle to go to sleep even though I’m really tired, almost like I’ve gone past sleep.
I fine that a version of counting sheep helps me too. My version is just counting from 1 to 5 over and over again. It means that I’m not having to actively think, which will wake me up more but, it stops me thinking about not being asleep.
Sue
x
I’m up, awake now and know I need to get to sleep. I’m working later, 9:00 am actually, but too sore and too alert to stay in bed.
Need to go to the loo and try bed again now, I’ll be a zombie when I need to be getting my son ready for school and going to work
I’ll try your counting sue…
Jools
X
Morning Jools For me temazepan as a last resort. I call this lazy sleep I.e sleep without trying. However aware should not use these tablets regularly. Just started spraying my pillow with lavender and this seems to do the trick Hugs Min xx
irronically used the meditation tapes last night had a long sleep and still trying to get myself togeother typical
Hey min I was going to suggest lavender spray too. I use this - don’t know how it works but concentrating on the smelling calms me and clears my mind until I drift off unless I’m really stressed then definitely reach for the drugs but last resort only!
Max
Hi M
Getting up in the night is fine, but drinking to will only exasperate the situation. Try drinking herbal Camilone tea and read a book that interests you.
I have recently been reading the book Eat right for your type and been following blood group type diets it has really helped me with sleep at night.
Hope this will help you
Jimbo
Hi, my gp prescribed the anthihystamine (sp) phenergan for when I get desperate for sleep. I only need 1/2 to one tablet not the two you can have. Sometimes only medication helps me, Sue