My children sleep wonderfully but I can't!

[bendybanana]

Very annoying!! My kids always sleep 7 til 7 but I seem to go few weeks when i can sleep and then weeks whan i can't. My mind won't stop to let me nod off and this is the 4th night I've now had with little sleep. At the moment I'm feeling lke a single houseparent due to DH's commuting/overtime/DIY targets (due to baby 4 being on the way). Tonight my brains whirling away about my year 3 daughter who is very well behaved and hardworking but now down and stuggling to concentrate as they have sat her next to the class clown who is very hypo and chatty. Such a small thing really - I've tried dealing with school issues as they come up but until they are solved it seems to feel that we have a cloud over our heads. I get an hours walking excersise each day as that often seems to help me sleep but feel i should really try and properly solve this non sleeping thing as it so exhausting and now making me feel down. Any suggestions?

[Jellykat]

Try 'Kalms'sleep , they're herbal,you can get them from most chemists, but dont start off with 3 or 4 as it says on label, as friends have found that amount leaves them feeling sluggish in the morning.

[Orissiah]

I'm not as bad but even though my DD sleeps fine, I still wake up at 4.30am or around that time (this morning 3.30am) and then my mind is a whirr and it takes a while to settle back to sleep. My DH is away and so I can go to the loo and read a bit which then helps me drift back off to sleep but when he's sleeping next to me I can't do that as I'd wake him. Annoying and no solutions for you OP but my sympathies!

[Orissiah]

Despite what I've said before, one thing that has helped me to drift back to sleep is to accept, Zen-like, that I have all these thoughts floating round my head and try and detach myself and observe these "floating" thoughts. It helps me de-focus from a single thought and I've found this helps me drift back to sleep faster.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Another insomniac here...!

I had some hypnotherapy, which helped a bit.

I like Orissiah's idea...

Also, Valerian tea before bedtime.

[MaudOHara]

I find this stuff helps me to switch off but I too am an early hours waker and its so frustrating especially when DH is loudly snoring sleeping next to me

[bendybanana]

Thankyou ladies!! Slept much better last night but am going to buy some sleep stuff. Also hypnotherapy sounds good.

Wishing you all a good nights sleep ladies! x

[butterflymum]

Have you considered trying visualisation? Lots of variations available...here is one:

www.nvo.com/isleepless/visualizationstohelpyoufallasleep/

[butterflymum]

Forgot to add, another few products that get reasonable reviews:

pillow mist

and

sleep balm

[PenguinNZ]

I tried meditation years ago and found I always fell asleep, it was very embarassing as I tried group sessions! However I now use meditation cds when I can't sleep as they always make me drop off. I know that's not the point of them, but it usually works and on the odd occasion it doesn't, it puts me in a very chilled out mood - as opposed to that horrid, antsy, i wish i could sleep mood.

Worth a try...?