Sleep issues - desperate

[westielover]

I haven't had a good sleep in years. I get off to sleep fine but wake around 10-30 times in the night, usually thirsty. Nothing helps. Have tried Kalms, piriton, night nurse, all the sleep routine - no screens, relaxing bath, meditating, stretching. I went to the doctor and she gave me zopiclone 3.5g. She said to take half a tablet but I read online the usual dose is 7g so took two tablets and slept through until 3am then couldn't get back to sleep. Four hours was a big win for me but doctor won't prescribe any more because of the risk of addiction.
I'm at the end of my tether

[Wellintothenewyear]

Bump.
Do you work?
Are you tired all the time?

[mumznet]

Are you stressed? What helped me was to make a list of things I have to do and before sleeping I write down things on the piece of paper in bullet points. This helped me get all the load off my shoulders so that I'm not constantly thinking that I need to do this/do that etc.

Going for a walk in the day and making myself really tired and staying active in the day and then I sleep like a baby.

HTH

[westielover]

Thanks very much both. I do work, quite long hours. I am fairly stressed but I don't lay awake worrying or thinking really... It's more just the constant waking up and going back to sleep all night long

[FreiasBathtub]

What has worked for me over the last ten years (not consistently, but sometimes at least):

Phenergam (strong antihistamine), amitryptiline (mild antidepressant), doing at least an hour's exercise four times a week, usually in the morning and CBT. I wasn't really convinced by the CBT to be honest but did get some useful techniques from it. Have never had much success with sleeping pills.

Good luck; insomnia is the absolute pits.

[Wellintothenewyear]

So you wake very fully from each of your natural sleep cycles but then go back to sleep?

[MEgirl]

What time do you go to bed? How much caffeine a day do you drink?

I was going to bed very late (12-2 am) and drinking around 3-4 cups of tea/coffee a day. One day something switched and I started to go to bed earlier and only 1-2 cups of tea a day. The difference was incredible. I'm no longer exhausted and my quality of sleep is so much better. Far less waking up in the night.

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

If you are normally thirsty have you tried cutting caffeine and lots more water?

[westielover]

Thanks so much everyone. I cut caffeine for six weeks but with no change and I stopped drinking alcohol five weeks ago incase that helped but if anything that's made things worse .

I don't think I have a full sleep cycle... It's between 20 minutes and 3 hours and when I wake I usually take around an hour to get back to sleep. Sometimes less but often up to 3 hours awake.

I may try CBT.

[Wellintothenewyear]

To be honest, I don't think our advice is going to help because you seem to have a fairly individual profile. I don't think your GP will have much expertise either.

CBT/hypnosis sound like good moves since they'll do no harm and you never know.....Otherwise can you get yourself to a sleep clinic to some experts?

I presume you are aware of latest trend of i imitating the habits of good sleepers. Their sleep routine tends to be very unobtrusive or even non-existent so it's a bit counter intuitive as you ditch the baths/fixed bedtimes etc. it's a sort of relaxation approach I guess.
Good luck.

[MEgirl]

Any chance your GP could be persuaded to send you to a sleep clinic for monitoring?

[westielover]

Wellintothenewyear I haven't heard of that! I will read up!!

[ssunniebear]

Have you tried to increase the levels of melatonin as this is one of the hormones wich makes you sleepy. Exposure to sunlight in the early morning, E.G. some outdoor exercise is good for this and I would assume you may naturally be better in winter compared with summer. Foods such as oats, cherries and turkey are also good as they have a substance in them which converts to the hormone.

Have you noticed any discomfort which is waking you? I find I sleep better in a cold room with a plug in electric heat pad as I can use this if I wake up like a hot waterbottle with out having to get up and boil a kettle ETC.

[mumznet]

SSunniebear you sound like a doctor , did you mean she might be better in summer compared with winter?

[Wellintothenewyear]

have a search around the special needs board. There are lots of mums there who get melatonin on prescription for their children.