What do you do when you can't sleep.

[prairiechick]

I usually listen to soft soothing music on my IPhone until I drift off. I also am coming off a sleeping pill (Zopiclone) and it is hard! I've reduced from 2 tablets to 1, but when I tried to go down to 1/2 a tablet I just couldn't sleep, so I went back up to 1 again. I'm starting to work out for 1/2 an hour in the morning before work and hoping that will help me to sleep better. I find that when I get my heat rate up like that most days of the week i tend to sleep better, but I do miss the drugs just knocking me out.

Keepsafe, meditation is probably a really good idea. Unfortunately I am in a bad place spiritually right now and am not able to meditate without a huge amount of anxiety, so it's not helpful.

[delatext]

Hi, I watch a movie or listen to the radio , although feeling tired and being unable to sleep is a bitch, will your doctor not give you something to help you sleep ?

[Roger Waldram]

Handout-Sleep.pdf

Hi,
Here's a handout on good sleep techniques that I put together after going on a dream workshop & from other sources. I'm afraid there's a link to me website where there's details of progressive muscle relaxation otherwise known as the yoga corpse posture! Charming!
Hope I don't get shot for spamming. Please let me know how useful you find it-works for me and those I've given it to,
All the best,
Roger

[TheFinalShowdown]

If I have energy to get up, then I make a cup of coffee and have something to eat. Then I either stay up and work a bit or watch tv news through the night which can be interesting, having interviews and that. Or I go back to bed where I find I can sleep. Otherwise I might just lay there until the morning.

[delatext]

insomnia is very stressful and leaves you drained hopefully the doctor could help

[TheFinalShowdown]

I don't know if this is helpful or even practical. And it would only really apply to people who don't work. But if I can't sleep I don't worry about it even though it means that I'm going to be up all day, and possibly into the evening as well. There have been so many times now that I have done this that it no longer bothers me and I just get on with it. If I find myself awake in the morning at 6 am having slept for 3 hours I accept that I may be at an internet shop for the next ten hours then bed again at midnight. Everyone knows that you can get along by drinking strong coffee. There are brewers yeast tablets available from health food stores, but I don't really know a lot about them (and read the label first). Certain alcohol albeit with barley in it can absorb tiredness if you know how to drink it. Food i.e. a good meal can also absorb it, and albeit cetain food types can as well. It is easy to get into the day when tired as long as you've got something to do. And you should avoid things that will make you sleepy, in my case such as listening to music through ear pieces. I don't do anything enrgetic such as going for walks as I'd fall asleep while doing it, but going on the internet at a shop occupies my mind while my fingers do all the work almost automatically. I get very tired as the evening draws in, then when I get back to the place I crash and sleep really well.

[pepecat]

If I can't sleep, it's usually cos my brain is chewing things over and wont' stop, so I wake up. Lying there trying to get back to sleep jsut gets me nowhere, so I generally have to get up for an hour or so and watch tv to distract myself, and then i generaly get sleepy again.
Been awake since about 2am this morning.....up since 3.30am...... It's now 4.30am........Not feeling sleepy yet.

[Roger Waldram]

Hi Pepecat,
It's horrible when you can't sleep I know. Check out that sleep handout above - it works if you follow all the necessary steps-may take 2 or 3 days. It does restore control because you can do something practical,
Roger

[Misha]

When I can't sleep I usually knit. Even if it's nothing in particular, I love the repetitive motion and clicks of the needles (might have something to do with my OCD!). Either that or I play computer games, read or listen to music. Not being able to sleep is a right pain in the bum.

[piglet]

I'm so bad with my sleeping pattern atm, I usually end up playing computer games, chain smoking and watching true crime tv shows (prob not the best idea for someone who gets paranoid).