No flipping sleep all night

[Magnolia08]

Started a new job recently, that and possible peri menopause has triggered my anxiety and insomnia.

2nd night this week I haven't slept at all and I'm so fucked off with myself. Getting worked up about how I will cope/function next week.

Looking for some solidarity. I've had episodes of this in the past usually triggered by life changes and/or stress but it doesn't get any easier to cope with.

Life is good, great dh and dc, have my health and a lot to be thankful for, just feel utterly frustrated with myself 😟

Are you drinking alcohol ? That affects.

Me

No, no alcohol.

I do all the right things, no caffeine in the afternoons etc. Mine is purely anxiety driven.

I had a period of illness last year where I suddenly suffered insomnia. After 3 sleepless nights, the GP recommended piriton. I've also taken herbal nytol before when desperate. Careful not to become reliant but sometimes a good night's sleep can trigger the sleep. If it goes on for a while your melatonin could be low.

So antidepressants or HRT depending on where you are at.
My DH resisted antidepressants for a long time, but they were the cure for him in the end.

Thanks, I really don't want to go down anti depressant route if I can help it as my sleep
issues tend to be intermittent. I'm quite resistant to meds, even prescription sleeping tablets have had no effect on me in the past when I've been very anxious.

Have been in your situation many times (though I'm talking less than 5 hour sleep a night, not no sleep). Over the counter Nytol (which I think is Piriton) helps to at least one good night's sleep so you can reset, try and get on top of things, and so help future nights sleep.

Other than that magnesium, pillow spray, ear plugs are my go-to, and not having too much liquid in the evening. Having to get up for a wee in the night is a killer, as then you don't fall back to sleep.

@Magnolia08

I'm with you.

Lots of things have been making my anxiety build up and this week has been horrendous.

A scary incident on Thursday with one of my dc and it's tipped me over the edge into no sleep and the thought of food makes me feel sick right now.

I doze but literally can hear everything around me.

It doesn't help that dh works nights so at my worst the last two nights and I've been on my own virtually wall climbing.

I've been on a low dose tablet for it for three years after a bad and for the most part they've really helped me to slow down my thoughts ut the last 18 months have been very hard and don't seem to be getting easier so am feeling at my worst right now which means sleep is a distance away.

Hand hold and flowers from me op

I’ve twenty years of insomnia periods coming and going. id tried everything all the suggested methods etc. Then I got anxiety through the pandemic too which made it worse: worried about vulnerable family, worked on wards with covid etc.

i thought I’d tried all the natural remedies but I picked up kalms night: family member had already suggested valerian root for insomnia.( ingredient in them) Anyway they’ve been the only thing that’s ever slightly worked. They aren’t perfect and I can’t take every day as I took them solidly for a couple of weeks and developed headaches, but3/4 days a week and I find they help my anxiety too. I take them 2 hours before I go to bed at least. They keep me asleep mostly too. I also don’t eat after 6pm unless our and about.

Also found I needed to work on my anxiety too as that made my insomnia worse. I’m like you I don’t want to rely on tablets. Yoga, cardio and outdoor walks are my go to for that. More for mental health and it helps so much but the fitness is a bonus. Also a couple of magnesium/Epsom salt baths a week. I was offered counselling at the gp but I’ve not needed it yet.

You could ask for amitriptyline op it is an antidepressant primarily, but only in high doses. I take the lowest dose for sciatica and it has hugely improved my sleep. Its prescribed for sleep issues as well as nerve pain, on top of for depression.

Sorry to hear you're struggling too @wtfisgoingonhere21

Hope your dc is ok

Must be tough having your dh away at night too, I have to admit when dh woke up at about 5am to use the loo I bombarded him with all my anxious worries

I hope things improve for us both soon 🤞

Thanks mirror yoga is on my to do list later, I've been a bit slack with it recently.

I've struggled with my sleep on and off for about 20yrs, valerian hasn't helped but I've never tried the Kalms so thanks for that

Thanks The

My Gp did offer me amitriptylline a few years ago but I'm reluctant to going down the medication route unless I really need to. Will bear it in mind though.

I'm exactly the same as you. Anxiety triggers episodes of zero sleep and its torture. I'm also very resistant to medications due to a bad experience in the past. I used to take a valium prescribed by gp if things got bad but didn't like the hungover feeling the next day. I've now found panadol night in the purple box and they are a game changer. I get a good sleep but don't wake up dozy. I'd suggest taking them early so they will wear off by morning and I do Find they work quickly so be prepared to go to bed soon after taking. Best of luck lack of sleep is honestly awful only people who have experienced it will understand. Big hugs

I hear you. I'm just emerging (hopefully!) from a two week period of insomnia. It's like my body is stuck in fight or flight mode. I tried Nightol, prescription sleeping pills, yoga, alcohol, no alcohol, and bedtime stories for adults. Each of them half worked for one night (I might get four hours kip instead of literally none) but none of those solutions worked two nights in a row. By the time I got to yesterday I felt like I was on the verge of massive sleep-deprived anxiety attack!

So my new strategy is to accept that the issue is anxiety and try to tackle that in the daytime so I can sleep at night. I haven't been able to read the full thread so some of these things might have already been suggested. I'm using youtube videos to do 'tapping'
It sounds barking but does actually seem to be working! Every time I feel my anxiety levels building up during the day I do a short tapping session - I ended up doing six sessions yesterday but last night I slept like a log!! Like I had NINE HOURS sleep. (I also went to sleep listening to the Sleep With Me app which is basically a guy talking absolute rubbish but I find it strangely soothing!). Anyway, who knows what tonight holds but I'm still doing the tapping today and do feel like I've somehow managed to 'reset' my nervous system. I really hope you can find something that works for you. it's absolute torture not sleeping.

I used to take herbal nightol on the Sunday after school holidays (ex teachers) and then I would read. After 20 mins I would be drooling and have to go to sleep. I would wake up feeling really refreshed.

Here's a link to some of the Sleep With Me stories. First one I listened to drove me mad but I really like them now.

I've had insomnia for decades, have tried valerian, melatonin etc etc
I have a disability and since taking Amitryptiline prescribed for Nerve pain, my sleep has really improved.
I know you said you prefer not to take medication, but insomnia is debilitating, so I'd advise trying it
Hope you find something to help you

Thank you @ImpulsiveFlake

Funnily enough I was looking into tapping recently so will have a look at that.

Thank you, I'm still a way away from considering medication but that's good to know