Sleep, and my rather unfortunate lack of it.

[OobieMoobie]

Hi all.

I'm not sleeping very well. Actually I haven't been sleeping well for months, but it's getting worse. I've never been a good sleeper, I've always had trouble falling asleep.

Around the Christmas holidays is when my current problem started. I wasn't getting to sleep before 2.00am at all. I put it down to stress since I had exams coming up. Once the exams finished however it continued, and I started falling asleep later and later. 3.00am became normal, 4.00am became very common, with the odd 5/6.00am. About a month ago I started getting better, falling asleep fairly easily and waking up well rested. I have exams coming up again now and it's gotten so much worse. I just cannot sleep. Before I'd have an awful night, then take a nap during the day and that cycle would continue. Now I can't fall asleep during the day either. I think the last few days I've only gotten about 3 hours a night (that might seem like bliss to some of you but please, have mercy!).

It's not good, because I need to be working. When I'm awake till the early hours I don't feel any motivation or desire to work at all (of course I don't, it's 2.00am!). However not sleeping properly obviously makes things a lot more difficult. I've been doing ok with getting what I need to do done, but it's just be so much easier if I was getting sleep!

When I get into bed I feel exhausted, but it's like as soon as I'm in the covers every part of my body is awake. It's like I just don't want to sleep anymore. I can't switch off and relax enough to fall asleep. Just now I went and took a shower. I have no idea why, it's two in the morning. I just felt this urge to go for a shower. I also sometimes get restless legs, but only when I'm trying to sleep (although I am a leg bouncer during my waking hours).

I don't really want to/have time to go harrass my doctor, and besides as far as I know most sleeping meds cause daytime drowziness? I think that'd be even worse than no sleep at night. I'm sure this is brought on by stress, but it's not exactly helpful to alleviating my stress!

[Poppy12]

I sympathise Oobie. For several years now my sleep has been terrible. i spend an hour asleep then I'm up and about for two hours, sleep for an hour up and about for two hours and that's it on and on all night. i get up for good about 4am. I'm shattered now as I'm getting very few hours in. My doctor prescribed Phenergan but they don't do a thing for me. By contrast my friend finds them very effective (even though he doesn't suffer from insomnia - bit of a coincidence there? LOL).

I wish I knew what to suggest but I'm as stuck as you are!

[todieforscream]

Hi guys, i sometimes have problems getting to sleep and can be awake all night sometimes. My g.p prescribed me zopiclone. It worked and help me to get a good nights sleep with relatively no drowsiness during the day. The only problem was they wouldn't prescribe it for very long only about 6 weeks. But at least it was better than nothing. I know people respond to drugs differently but it might be worth going to see your g.p afterall.
Charl

[DavidsGem]

I am a insominac and have been most of my life. I have tried it all, including self medication. Recently I found natural sleep aides, those with melatonin (sp) in them. Look to the herbalist for some natural sleep aides, they do not leave you drowsy in the morning, and are non addictive, it is also a gentle sleep and not the drug induced crash.

[Han2403]

I was going to suggest melatonin too, you can get it from the doctor or on the net. It's safe & natural & helps your sleep cycles get back to normal.

Also have you tried listening to some meditation or something? I used to listen to Paul McKenna I can make you sleep but have lately turned to listening to things on the radio. I find talking soothing so listen to radio podcasts etc. this past week I've found the archers omnibus podcast works a real treat!!

[Chimera]

I also find that listening to radio programmes (on the BBC's Listen Again service) helps me to get to sleep. What drives me nuts, though, is the fact that the announcements between programmes are twice as loud as the programmes themselves, so I often get woken up by them just after dropping off, even if I have managed to get my earplugs in.

(Incidentally, there is a sub-forum for Sleep Issues and Mental Health.)

[Sugarplum]

Are you on anti-D's? If you are some of them are sedating (eg amitriptyline) which I take specifically because of this side effect to help my sleep.

The radio is useful as well. I listen to Radio 4 at night.

Milky drinks and hot baths and getting into a routine can help as well.

Good Luck