I can't sleep!
Discussion
Hi all.
For the last 5 years or so I have had trouble sleeping. It was probably self inflicted in the past;
Lots of coffee
Gaming into the night
No excercise
Job stress
Recently I have changed my ways but it doesn't seem to have made any difference.
I'm cycling to work 4 days a week (72 miles)
I'm eating better and taking multi vitamins
I stop gaming an hour or so before bed but tbh I don't really play much anymore
I have 1 or two coffees now; none after 4pm
I just don't seem to be able to drift off. I got to bed at about 10 or 11 and I'm often lying there till 2 or 3 am. Then I'll wake up at 5 or 6. Drift off again till my alarm at 7:30.
If I do fall asleep sooner ill wake up 2 or 3 times during the night.
Should I be forcing myself out if bed on the weekend? I wake up at about 9 natuy but doze til noon…. I just feel completely drained so don't bother getting up!
I had a go with kalms this week. Seemed to work a treat the first time but have stopped working 3 days later!
Thanks for any suggestions.
For the last 5 years or so I have had trouble sleeping. It was probably self inflicted in the past;
Lots of coffee
Gaming into the night
No excercise
Job stress
Recently I have changed my ways but it doesn't seem to have made any difference.
I'm cycling to work 4 days a week (72 miles)
I'm eating better and taking multi vitamins
I stop gaming an hour or so before bed but tbh I don't really play much anymore
I have 1 or two coffees now; none after 4pm
I just don't seem to be able to drift off. I got to bed at about 10 or 11 and I'm often lying there till 2 or 3 am. Then I'll wake up at 5 or 6. Drift off again till my alarm at 7:30.
If I do fall asleep sooner ill wake up 2 or 3 times during the night.
Should I be forcing myself out if bed on the weekend? I wake up at about 9 natuy but doze til noon…. I just feel completely drained so don't bother getting up!
I had a go with kalms this week. Seemed to work a treat the first time but have stopped working 3 days later!
Thanks for any suggestions.
I find large quantities of wine help.
In all seriousness I find exercise is the best way to get to sleep. You seem to be doing that anyway. I also avoid coffee after 2:00pm.
I wonder if you should discuss this with your GP? You seem to be doing all the obvious things but taking 4 hours to drift off isn't right. You should try and got to bed and get up at the same time every day, long weekend lie ins don't help. I have two kids so don't have a choice
Any stress or anxiety at the minute? Are you lying there worrying about things?
Kalms are crap, as are a lot of sleeping pills. They will help you go to sleep but you will feel crap in the morning.
You are waking a lot in the night as well which means you wont be getting much deep sleep which will make you fell s
te.
In all seriousness I find exercise is the best way to get to sleep. You seem to be doing that anyway. I also avoid coffee after 2:00pm.
I wonder if you should discuss this with your GP? You seem to be doing all the obvious things but taking 4 hours to drift off isn't right. You should try and got to bed and get up at the same time every day, long weekend lie ins don't help. I have two kids so don't have a choice
Any stress or anxiety at the minute? Are you lying there worrying about things?
Kalms are crap, as are a lot of sleeping pills. They will help you go to sleep but you will feel crap in the morning.
You are waking a lot in the night as well which means you wont be getting much deep sleep which will make you fell s
te.Thanks for the suggestions folks.
Not too stressed at the moment and not really worrying about anything. I don't stress myself out if I'm not getting to sleep until 3am like I used to as it happens so often now.
I'll get up when I wake up this weekend and see if it helps. And I'll lay off the coffee completely!
Not too stressed at the moment and not really worrying about anything. I don't stress myself out if I'm not getting to sleep until 3am like I used to as it happens so often now.
I'll get up when I wake up this weekend and see if it helps. And I'll lay off the coffee completely!
Melatonin is highly regarded and cheap or Phenibut if you want something a bit stronger.Be careful with your dosage as it can become highly addictive and lead to serious withdrawals.
Personally i'd try meditation, I never realised how effective it can be in everyday life until I tried it.It can be quite challenging but very rewarding and can be done for as little as 15 mins per day.
Personally i'd try meditation, I never realised how effective it can be in everyday life until I tried it.It can be quite challenging but very rewarding and can be done for as little as 15 mins per day.
Same boat here, but I've had chronic insomnia for as long as I can remember. (Will typically take me 1-2 hours to fall asleep). Some nights are worse than others and I'll be awake for hours, I've got pretty used to it now!
Stopped smoking, drinking, got fit, not stressed etc, tried it all. All my GP will offer is sleeping pills, which I don't want. Has anyone had any experience with a decent centre that deals with sleep related disorders? When I actually get to sleep, I don't wake back up but some night the sleep is so poor I feel exhausted come the morning.
It would be quite nice to 'fall asleep' like others. Perhaps I just don't know how? Have private medical insurance but don't want to use it on quackery.
Stopped smoking, drinking, got fit, not stressed etc, tried it all. All my GP will offer is sleeping pills, which I don't want. Has anyone had any experience with a decent centre that deals with sleep related disorders? When I actually get to sleep, I don't wake back up but some night the sleep is so poor I feel exhausted come the morning.
It would be quite nice to 'fall asleep' like others. Perhaps I just don't know how? Have private medical insurance but don't want to use it on quackery.
Try getting into a routine, go to bed and wake up the same time every day. Wake up early including during the weekends. Your body should slowly adjust to this routine but it will take weeks. All the time you are having your lie ins at the weekend, you're messing with your sleep pattern.
My sleep (or lack of) has fked me up for a long while now.
A walk before bed is a good one, even if it's up the road and back again?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zopiclone is a short term fix i.e you'll fall asleep in your evening meal but the day after won't be much fun.
ked me up for a long while now.A walk before bed is a good one, even if it's up the road and back again?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zopiclone is a short term fix i.e you'll fall asleep in your evening meal but the day after won't be much fun.
AB said:
A walk before bed is a good one
I misread that!I'm going to try and get into a routine. I really don't want to resort to drugs after reading the after effects that many of then have. If I'm going to be a zombie the next day after taking sleeping pills surely there's no point in having a good nights sleep!
OMNIO said:
Hi all.
I just don't seem to be able to drift off. I got to bed at about 10 or 11 and I'm often lying there till 2 or 3 am. Then I'll wake up at 5 or 6. Drift off again till my alarm at 7:30.
My advice is go do everything you are currently doing but go to bed later. There is a lot to say that some people naturally need less sleep than others and sleep at different times. If you are not falling asleep during the day then why not try going to bed for less time?I just don't seem to be able to drift off. I got to bed at about 10 or 11 and I'm often lying there till 2 or 3 am. Then I'll wake up at 5 or 6. Drift off again till my alarm at 7:30.
OMNIO said:
Should I be forcing myself out if bed on the weekend? I wake up at about 9 natuy but doze til noon…. I just feel completely drained so don't bother getting up!
It may help not to over sleep at the weekend. Melatonin may help you get in a good sleep/wake pattern but it doesn't work for everyone. I'm not sure if it is available in the UK.Are you an ADHD type of person? Some people can just not turn their mind off at the end of day. If this sounds like you then relaxation/meditation might help.
About a year ago there was a great two part documentary on BBC about sleep problems. If you can find that on the net it might give you some ideas about how to improve things.
I don't have any troule sleeping, I can go off with in minutes of getting into bed.
Some tips.
1, The only thing I do in my bedroom is sleep.
2, It's very dark (blackout linings)
3, It's quiet.
4, I don't put the light on, I put out the landing light, close the door, and get into bed in the dark.
5, I don't have a clock I can see in the dark, so if I ever wake up, I don't know what time it is (so don't lie there thinking about it)
6, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPAoDKVFHxA
Some tips.
1, The only thing I do in my bedroom is sleep.
2, It's very dark (blackout linings)
3, It's quiet.
4, I don't put the light on, I put out the landing light, close the door, and get into bed in the dark.
5, I don't have a clock I can see in the dark, so if I ever wake up, I don't know what time it is (so don't lie there thinking about it)
6, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPAoDKVFHxA
Put BBC1 on now! http://www.tvguide.co.uk/detail.asp?id=8042784
Put BBC1 on now! http://www.tvguide.co.uk/detail.asp?id=8042784
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