Tips for helping with insomnia that really help

[TellySavalashairbrush]

I’ve had insomnia for years , mainly an issue with waking up around 3am and laying there worrying about anything and everything until
6am and then having to get up for work. GP gave me pherneghan tablets which does help but the horrible headaches it gives me and the risk of developing dementia worry me a lot. Does anyone have any tips/advice that has worked for them?

I have literally stopped worrying about it. If I get three hours it’s ok and on occasion I’ve done a 40 hour stretch and worked. By not worrying it’s helped massively. It’s awful and I have zopiclone for really bad weeks

Also I listen to sleep hypnosis videos on YouTube, that can help

I wouldn't worry about the dementia risk its incredibly small when you look at the studies. However promethazine does stop working over time as you become used to it and it can also cause rebound insomnia when it stops working so it should only be used sparingly.
I personally use it every few weeks just to reset my sleeping pattern.
Its good to have something you know will get you a decent night's sleep every so often.
Apart from that its just about keeping a consistent and strict routine and also trying not to stress about it if you dont sleep well occasionally.

Oh and also silicone earplugs and a sleep mask.
That's made the world of difference to me not constantly waking

Stop thinking about sleep and focus on feeling calm, safe and relaxed.

Where did you buy them please?

Oh yes, I use these too. And have a completely dark room. And a very specific arrangement of pillows. And naice pillow spray. I'm basically the princess and the pea at this point, and can't sleep anywhere else.

There is a podcast called Sleep with Me and it's lovely deliberately boring sleep stories told by this guy Andrew who realised after telling his daughter stories to go to sleep that adults need this too.
I have never got to the end of one before falling asleep.

Be careful though if you sign up to their Patreon that your bank statements will come up as SleepWithMe 😬

Hypnotherapy cds knock me out in about five minutes!

Magnesium supplement before bed
No alcohol

Another vote for a Snoozeband. Usually set mine to turn off after an hour. I have some classical playlists that I have made and also use some ready made sleep sounds ones. BBC Sounds Sleeping Forecast is good too.
I have recently started using the Wonderpatch Sleep patches. First night I slept through for the first time in years. Still wake now though.
My DH getting his CPap machine helped too!
Might give Magnesium a try.

These mostly work for me. I take about an hour before going to bed and dont waKe up during the night other than for a quick wee but now go straight back to sleep.

Biovea- 1mg

😂

Melatonin didn't work for me (in fact it seemed to have the opposite effect!). Phenergan did but made me feel groggy the next day. I've found that HRT has had a positive effect.

and yes, I know that if I have alcohol, I'll be awake.

At first I thought it was peri/menopause but I’m late 50’s now and still up 3am so I now think it’s an age thing. Been taking 10mg melatonin, 2 Utrogestan pils AND magnesium glycerate. The only thing that works is Nytol but can’t take that too often as don’t like link to dementia. I lie there for hours it’s awful.

If your partner is sleeping next to you, just follow his breathing. You will knock yourself out in no time.

Things that have helped over 40-odd years of insomnia:

Zopiclone from the doctor. Only for a week or so, until just knowing it's there if I need relaxes me enough to send me to sleep/ (This was many years ago when the insomnia was at its worst.)

Snoozeband playing an audiobook of a favourite book I've read many times. (Miss Read or Bill Bryson are favourites for me).

Change position in the bed, even turning head to toe if necessary.

Become a Bed Burrito- fold duvet in half. Take all pillows. Insert self in middle of duvet burrito. I think it probably mimics swaddling. You might have to eject any partners/dogs/cats from the room.

Get up and go downstairs. Make warm milk, sit on sofa to drink it, have biscuits. Return to bed.

Read until your eyes are drooping on their own.

Magnesium taken one hour before bed.

A hot bath.

If all else fails, resign yourself to not going to sleep and remember that you'll get through the day 'ok' on just a few hours' sleep. Sometimes this relaxes the brain enough to switch off.

Me too. In the silence my brain starts whirring and won't shut up.

I havent fallen asleep without the aid of drugs for nearly 5 years. I had a breakdown because of insomnia amongst other things. One of my goals on my bucket list is to have an afternoon nap! Massive sympathy for all that have experienced it.

Besides a lot of drugs ( Amitriptyline and Daridorexant) I find having a fan on ( although I am perimenopausal so always hot) and audiobooks/sleep stories help. I listen to the same person reading the stories and he has a catchphrase if you like, my theory is that the repetition of the words will train my brain to sleep when I hear them. Also dont have caffeine from about lunchtime. Every bed time feels a bit like russian roulette but it is getting easier ( sometimes)

Melatonin.
Coping with stress.
pure cotton sheets.
for me there is a window between 10-11 where I do sleep. If I miss it I am awake for hours.

Audiobooks stop my busy mind.

I do this too!
I’ve started doing words based on number of syllables, or words that have no connection, and then try and repeat the sequence.

The first thing I try is cognitive shuffling. A lot of times I can just do this and go back to sleep.

If I cannot get my brain to focus on that, I drink a glass of water and take magnesium supplement. I then get out of bed and do part of the sun salutation movement sequence from yoga a few times. I skip the plank, and dog steps. And just do the arm circling, forward bend, with slow, gentle breathing.
I do this several times until I feel calmer and relaxed, get back into bed and try the cognitive shuffling again. This usually does the trick.
Occasionally I have to get out and do it again.

Very occasionally I get myself in such an anxious state over sleep, I stay awake all night and then get an adrenaline/cortisol overloaded that prevents me from relaxing the next night as well. If this happens I have to take prescription sleeping tablets for a couple of nights to get my body back on track.