Discussion
I've has difficulty sleeping over the last few yrs, albeit ive always been a light sleeper.
I'm 67, not particularly stressed, settled family, OK financially, exercise regularly, walking, pilates that sort of thing.
Hardly any alcohol, I don't smoke, generally I eat a light meal around 6-7pm, no coffee after 4pm. I am T1 diabetic and had a heart failure diagnosis 2 years ago, so insulin and various tablets.
Typically I go to bed around around 10.30, and tired. But as soon as my head hits the pillow my brain is making up reasons to stay awake almost panicking about not being able to sleep. I try (unsuccessfully) to drift off to calming thoughts.
My Garmin watch informs me I have poor sleep, often just 5 or 6 hrs light non restorative type.
Help, does this sound familiar?
I'm 67, not particularly stressed, settled family, OK financially, exercise regularly, walking, pilates that sort of thing.
Hardly any alcohol, I don't smoke, generally I eat a light meal around 6-7pm, no coffee after 4pm. I am T1 diabetic and had a heart failure diagnosis 2 years ago, so insulin and various tablets.
Typically I go to bed around around 10.30, and tired. But as soon as my head hits the pillow my brain is making up reasons to stay awake almost panicking about not being able to sleep. I try (unsuccessfully) to drift off to calming thoughts.
My Garmin watch informs me I have poor sleep, often just 5 or 6 hrs light non restorative type.
Help, does this sound familiar?
Late 30’s here and just before Christmas I struggled with getting to sleep or would drift off then wake with a start and my brain would be running full speed with restless limbs making me toss and turn for ages.
To echo the poster above I started taking magnesium and almost straight away had a great nights sleep.
To echo the poster above I started taking magnesium and almost straight away had a great nights sleep.
Sounds like it may be your brain as much as your body that s keeping you awake. The best solution I ve come across for calming the mind is Mindfulness practice, and along with a lot else, improves sleep too.
If it all sounds a bit woo-woo I recommend Ed Halliwell as he s no hippy. He was Deputy Editor of FHM lads magazine at its peak, burnt out, and discovered Mindfulness. He later helped the introduction of it into the NHS.
His books are accessible and engaging, and weekend courses are excellent, and not at all new age weirdo nonsense (promise I m not on commission, just helped me).
https://edhalliwell.com/
If it all sounds a bit woo-woo I recommend Ed Halliwell as he s no hippy. He was Deputy Editor of FHM lads magazine at its peak, burnt out, and discovered Mindfulness. He later helped the introduction of it into the NHS.
His books are accessible and engaging, and weekend courses are excellent, and not at all new age weirdo nonsense (promise I m not on commission, just helped me).
https://edhalliwell.com/
Avoid using your phone or any tech if at all possible. Reading using a bedside lamp helps a lot. I’m not sure how much your medication is affecting your sleep but have a word with your doctor. Are you stressed about anything?
Pherergan is an antihistamine that is proven to work. It’s not addictive but can become a habit. If you find yourself lying awake during the night get up, have a cup of tea or whatever drink you enjoy, sometimes just getting out of bed helps.
There is no one size fits all solution for this. Trust me, I’m an expert. Thankfully my sleep schedule is pretty good at the moment. When it’s not, everything else becomes more difficult.
Pherergan is an antihistamine that is proven to work. It’s not addictive but can become a habit. If you find yourself lying awake during the night get up, have a cup of tea or whatever drink you enjoy, sometimes just getting out of bed helps.
There is no one size fits all solution for this. Trust me, I’m an expert. Thankfully my sleep schedule is pretty good at the moment. When it’s not, everything else becomes more difficult.
I had a bout of it a few years ago, it was awful I went to a consultant at a sleep clinic (it was driving me insane and I was becoming a wreck) he gave me strategies to follow (the aim was to start to control my brain rather than it controlling me) I also put other tactics in place like no caffeine after 10am no food after 7pm and always get up at the same time no matter how little sleep you've had (the last one was the golden rule from the consultant)
If I need to help myself drift off these days I simply play a round of golf in my head (I'm a keen golfer) I never get passed the 4th hole before drifting off, I've found that if I refuse to allow my brain to race away with whatever it wants to think about, it gives up.
One thing to add, everything else can be perfect BUT once you start to stress about sleeping that's when the issue starts and will build gradually as you get closer to bed time, it becomes your source of stress and a vicious circle, so baring impending doom elsewhere look to that as your problem to fix rather than outside issues that will still be there, the aim is to be able to sleep no matter what else is going on.
If I need to help myself drift off these days I simply play a round of golf in my head (I'm a keen golfer) I never get passed the 4th hole before drifting off, I've found that if I refuse to allow my brain to race away with whatever it wants to think about, it gives up.
One thing to add, everything else can be perfect BUT once you start to stress about sleeping that's when the issue starts and will build gradually as you get closer to bed time, it becomes your source of stress and a vicious circle, so baring impending doom elsewhere look to that as your problem to fix rather than outside issues that will still be there, the aim is to be able to sleep no matter what else is going on.
Edited by Wills2 on Saturday 24th January 10:55
Thank you all
Current meds are
Insulin
Atorvastatin
Bisoprolol
Eplerenone
Entresto
Evacal D3
I reckon I'm okay for magnesium, I typically have one banana + a handful of cashew and pistachio daily + greens with meals.
Mindfulness is something I've considered but not explored yet, I know breaking the cycle is probably important.
Current meds are
Insulin
Atorvastatin
Bisoprolol
Eplerenone
Entresto
Evacal D3
I reckon I'm okay for magnesium, I typically have one banana + a handful of cashew and pistachio daily + greens with meals.
Mindfulness is something I've considered but not explored yet, I know breaking the cycle is probably important.
A good friend of mine often on tv or radio, is a sleep expert. PhD from Oxford in sleep Phycology.
She runs https://troublesleeping.co.uk/
She offers therapy or consultancy and has helped many people with this.
I wish you the best. Its only affected me once during a period of life change but I sympathise with you
She runs https://troublesleeping.co.uk/
She offers therapy or consultancy and has helped many people with this.
I wish you the best. Its only affected me once during a period of life change but I sympathise with you
I take a 4 in 1 version, tablets can be a bit large but you can chew them, also take vitamin D3 and K2 as they work with magnesium.
ETA to expand a bit, the 4 in 1 is because it contains magnesium taurate which the 3 in 1s don't, it is particularly important for men, D3 and K2 is for absorption and preventing arterial calcification.
I'm not a doc or a scientist so could be talking balls, do a google.
ETA to expand a bit, the 4 in 1 is because it contains magnesium taurate which the 3 in 1s don't, it is particularly important for men, D3 and K2 is for absorption and preventing arterial calcification.
I'm not a doc or a scientist so could be talking balls, do a google.
Edited by Sheets Tabuer on Saturday 24th January 11:49
Stop tracking your sleep on your Garmin it doesn’t matter how good or bad your sleep is and tracking it is doing you no favours. I presume you are retired so it doesn’t matter when you go to sleep or when you get up just need to chill. The worst thing you can do is lie there worrying that you aren’t asleep. Get up do something reset your brain and try again.
Badda said:
the-norseman said:
I quite often wake up as soon as my head hits the pillow, I work shifts and my "clock" is allover the place. Going to try Magnesium.
Just be aware it takes 8-12 weeks of daily magnesium before the cognitive benefits are felt. Yes you can take sleeping pills but that’s a road that you don’t want to go down.
Huzzah said:
Thank you all
Current meds are
Insulin
Atorvastatin
Bisoprolol
Eplerenone
Entresto
Evacal D3
I reckon I'm okay for magnesium, I typically have one banana + a handful of cashew and pistachio daily + greens with meals.
Mindfulness is something I've considered but not explored yet, I know breaking the cycle is probably important.
I am in the same situation regarding sleeping with very similar symptoms to you. I'm also on two of the same medications you are on...Bisoprolol and Atorvastin as well three others.Current meds are
Insulin
Atorvastatin
Bisoprolol
Eplerenone
Entresto
Evacal D3
I reckon I'm okay for magnesium, I typically have one banana + a handful of cashew and pistachio daily + greens with meals.
Mindfulness is something I've considered but not explored yet, I know breaking the cycle is probably important.
I'm convinced its the Atorvastin causing the issue and have been experimenting with taking them a lot later on in the evening than I was previously resulting in a few full nights sleep recently but its not conclusive as yet.
2172cc said:
Huzzah said:
Thank you all
Current meds are
Insulin
Atorvastatin
Bisoprolol
Eplerenone
Entresto
Evacal D3
I reckon I'm okay for magnesium, I typically have one banana + a handful of cashew and pistachio daily + greens with meals.
Mindfulness is something I've considered but not explored yet, I know breaking the cycle is probably important.
I am in the same situation regarding sleeping with very similar symptoms to you. I'm also on two of the same medications you are on...Bisoprolol and Atorvastin as well three others.Current meds are
Insulin
Atorvastatin
Bisoprolol
Eplerenone
Entresto
Evacal D3
I reckon I'm okay for magnesium, I typically have one banana + a handful of cashew and pistachio daily + greens with meals.
Mindfulness is something I've considered but not explored yet, I know breaking the cycle is probably important.
I'm convinced its the Atorvastin causing the issue and have been experimenting with taking them a lot later on in the evening than I was previously resulting in a few full nights sleep recently but its not conclusive as yet.
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