Advice on how to sleep during difficult times

[Autumntrees44]

I’m going through some health tests and don’t have a diagnosis but finding things scary and unsettling.
Consequently I’m finding it hard to sleep- both getting to sleep and waking up in night. Feeling scared in both instances.
Please tell me how you managed to sleep if going through similar circumstances- any advice much appreciated.
Thanks

Sorry, I can't help. I must as bad. But wanted to send you a 🤗 & my best wishes xx

I take medication for this. I told my GP I couldn’t sleep and I got a prescription for anti histamine that is used off label as a sleep aid

Hi, sorry you’re having a rough time. Can I give a vote for rounds of box breathing or paced breathing generally where the out breath is longer than the inhale? Will find some links.

I'm afraid I used sleeping tablets. You can get them at pharmacies.

What I found was that they didn't necessarily help me get to sleep when things were really bad, but they helped me stay asleep through the night.
I felt pretty grotty the next morning when I first woke, but better later, which helped. Sometimes only half worked, but at my worst, I needed a full one.

Here you go. Science backed and definitely works for me.

I use Phenergen as I have problems sleeping. This knocks me out for a good few hours. Nothing else worked for me.

Thank you for those breathing links🙏and for the replies so far….

Have you tried a dull audio book (ideally something you’ve read before) turned down low enough that you have to concentrate a bit to hear it? I find that gives me enough distraction that I’m not thinking but not so much distraction that I can’t sleep.

At times when I have really struggled with anxiety I tend to get up and watch some TV ( nice gentle programmes or series!) to try and distract myself a bit and I sometimes then dozed off on the sofa. Laying in bed in the middle of the night in a state of panic is horrid so you have my sympathies.

A mug of Horlicks before bed helps me sleep well.

I watch personal attention and reassurance ASMR videos on YouTube, it was life changing for me.

These are good tips- good idea re the audio book

insight timer is a free meditation app, they have loads of long relaxing tracks for easing into sleep. Search ‘Sarah Eiler’. That and a double dose of drowsy benylin or night nurse.
sending best wishes. X

Absolutely this. Audiobooks have transformed my sleep. Either played quietly on a phone, or you can get special headbands with thin speakers in them specifically for this purpose.

For me in a similar situation nothing else worked except playing pan pipes/tranquil flute music quietly.

I discovered that I focused too much on anything with words (both in music and books) and needed something without a set rhythm to it or I found myself 'waiting' for each repeat.

I hope everything will be OK for you.

When I have trouble sleeping which thankfully is not that often, the following works for me, but everyone is different I know.

I take a fizzy magnesium tablet in a little water + an Aldi multivitamin (fizzy tablet like Berocca) it has magnesium too. Add a half of ONE soluble paracetemol tablet (250 mgs), stir until dissolved, knock it back and listen to Sleepy History podcast, god it's so boring I'm out like a light lol. Otherwise a travel podcast, or an easy to follow audiobook.

Do try an eye mask, they really help, I think it's the weight that keeps your eyes closed! You can get eye masks that have built in earphones and they are great.

Audiobooks or FRIENDS on my snoozeband are what keep me going. For one week a month I am basically awake from 2am, but these actually ensure I doze. I’m so sorry it’s stressful right now x