Please help me to sleep

[robin86]

I'm so tired. I've been through the baby and toddler years (so not dismissing that tiredness AT ALL!!) and my older children sleep soundly. However, I do not. I wake at the slightest noise, waking at least hourly, and never having a deep sleep.

And it's the same every night, so much so that I know what every noise is and what time it is without checking! I can go to bed anytime between 8 and 12 - I've tried all sorts of combinations, and during the week I need to get up by 7.

Then...
9:30-10:30 - neighbour sits in car playing music after work
11:00 - next door set house alarm
11:30 - neighbour comes home and revs into garage, slams garage door and lets dogs out to bark
12:30 - neighbour sits in garden drinking and smoking - sometimes quickly, sometimes until early hours with friends
2:00 - as above
5:00 - neighbour warms up/revs motorbike
5:20 - neighbour bangs car doors/revs/turns car around
6:00-6:20 - neighbour sits in car playing music then revs off to work
6:15 - neighbour lets dogs out barking
6:30 - neighbour sets his house alarm off every. single. morning.

Plus, I hear police sirens, taxis, my cat flap, foxes, planes....none of those noises are anything to complain about and I don't even live in the middle of a busy city or anything...but I just don't know what to do, to stop spending my nights hearing it all!

White noise makes me annoyed and ear plugs give me a tinnitus sensation. I've tried rescue remedy, lavender, body lotions for sleep. I just don't get that if I'm so tired, I can't just sleep through it like a normal person!

Just to clarify, I haven't got one horribly anti-social neighbour with multiple vehicles...this is lots of people and none of them are really to blame!

I sympathise OP as I am such a light sleeper and can hear everything, however it does sound like your neighbours are pretty loud and annoying.

Have you thought about some kind of sleep therapy, there must be something out there like hypnosis or some kind of reflexology for bad sleep? I go for a massage sometimes and those evenings I get an amazing sleep.

I also hate earplugs as you are conscious that they are in and you don't sleep well because of that, and they don't feel natural.

You have my sympathy though, I envy those people who can sleep through anything, like my other half

How about sleep stories or something? That would play through the night

I was thinking of some kind of hypnosis but I guess that isn't happening now anyway...not heard of sleep stories, will have a google

I use the calm app to listen to them and there's a few YouTube ones too that are LONG! Some are stories, some people talking about boring stuff, some with music

Oh that might work. I can fall asleep easily, just keep being woken hourly so that could help to block it out

Most things seem to be aimed at getting you asleep, I need something that will stay on for hours...

There's stuff like this on YouTube, might be worth a go

What sort of white noise have you tried? I use an app that plays the sounds of a storm - rain, wind, thunder and you can let it play through the night or set a timer to stop at a certain time. It blocks out all outside noise for me. Maybe that would work?

Music type one

CBD gummies? Helped me get better sleep. Not sure if they'd keep you asleep through that racket though.

Melatonin off the Internet, 1mg has me out like a light.

I use wireless headband headphones and listen to audable - currently Radical Self Compassion - Tara Brach

Ah can't stand headphones but I'm on a different level to the DC so that's ok.
I've tried like the whirring white noise, waterfalls and storms - I just end up lying listening to them instead 🙄
Not sure I fancy CBD but melatonin is often given to kids isn't it? I don't need to be knocked out initially, I need something that keeps me asleep.

It's hard, you have to find what works for you. The calm app is only ones to help you fall asleep really but they do soundscapes which play constantly. Turns out for me the train journey stories are the one

I’ve always been a sleeper but this year I’ve developed insomnia. Usually get to sleep ok but then wake up in the early hours and that’s it for the day. What has worked for me is Pzizz app, hot bath with Epsom salts, two cocodamol. The app has been brilliant - used it a few times and then I’ve got back into a sleep routine!

I take piriton and magnesium...