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Please help me find something that will help me sleep at night!!

75 replies

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 12:48

I cannot sleep in silence…… if I am lying in the dark all I hear are my own thoughts and I lie there for hours and hours.

I take medication daily which sadly has insomnia as a side effect, which obviously doesn’t help, and the only way I have found that enables me to get to sleep is to have Netflix playing on my mobile (low volume) with a timer so it stops playing after a couple of hours.

This works really well and I fall asleep really quickly.

However, I have noticed now that whenever the show/series stops playing I will wake up within 20 minutes. It’s almost like my brain now can’t stay asleep unless there is background noise.

I tried using a longer timer but after a few hours the programme stops anyway and a message appears that says, “Are you still watching?” - and obviously as the show has stopped I quickly wake up.

I have got a lovely Bluetooth eye mask with inbuilt headphones but obviously as it’s all connected to my phone the issues with the programme ending and things becoming silent still apply.

I need something that will play continuously throughout the night that is a device of its own, i.e it is entirely separate to my phone.

Kind of like a child’s night light, but it plays stories instead of white noises, and doesn’t glow 🤣

Does such a device exist??

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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TwoHoots74 · 18/05/2026 23:17

I have a Snoozeband. Not sure if that’s the one you have. It connects to the app however I’ve found they last 3hrs max so what I have done is download from Spotify white noise to block heavy snoring and it goes in for about 8 hours.

of course you can play anything but that really helps me. Good luck I know how debilitating lack of sleep is.

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 23:17

Currently trying to work out how to get things to play back to back….

OP posts:
HalfMumHalfBiccit · 18/05/2026 23:20

Save yourself all the hassle and get a radio as suggested up thread. R4 on low perfect

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 23:22

BertieBotts · 18/05/2026 23:15

There are podcasts which are designed for sleeping to. Just rambly voices all night long.

You should speak to your prescriber of your medication though if it's causing such extreme effects, as there might be something they can suggest.

It’s medication ive been on for 24 years and will always need to be on.

Coping with the insomnia is a small price to pay for the benefits the drug provides.

I’m a really, really, really light sleeper too which doesn’t help. I think becoming a mother did that to me.

Someone can open a front door about 10 houses down the street and it will wake me up.

Hence why having background noise running all night is so essential to keeping me asleep so I’m not suddenly work by random external sounds.

OP posts:
Franpie · 18/05/2026 23:23

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 23:17

Currently trying to work out how to get things to play back to back….

I’ll show you the steps, the photos may take time to load…

Step 1…

Please help me find something that will help me sleep at night!!
ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 23:23

HalfMumHalfBiccit · 18/05/2026 23:20

Save yourself all the hassle and get a radio as suggested up thread. R4 on low perfect

I think this may be the answer 🤣

OP posts:
Franpie · 18/05/2026 23:23

Step 2….

Please help me find something that will help me sleep at night!!
Franpie · 18/05/2026 23:23

Step 3…

Please help me find something that will help me sleep at night!!
havanesehope · 18/05/2026 23:28

I have a little Meaco fan on all night on the middle setting as I hate silence.

Franpie · 18/05/2026 23:28

HalfMumHalfBiccit · 18/05/2026 23:20

Save yourself all the hassle and get a radio as suggested up thread. R4 on low perfect

I do love the shipping forecast to fall asleep to on R4.

I think you can get continuous shipping forecasts on BBC sounds too.

fashionqueen0123 · 18/05/2026 23:30

A ceiling fan works so well for me for this

Nicaveron · 18/05/2026 23:38

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 12:48

I cannot sleep in silence…… if I am lying in the dark all I hear are my own thoughts and I lie there for hours and hours.

I take medication daily which sadly has insomnia as a side effect, which obviously doesn’t help, and the only way I have found that enables me to get to sleep is to have Netflix playing on my mobile (low volume) with a timer so it stops playing after a couple of hours.

This works really well and I fall asleep really quickly.

However, I have noticed now that whenever the show/series stops playing I will wake up within 20 minutes. It’s almost like my brain now can’t stay asleep unless there is background noise.

I tried using a longer timer but after a few hours the programme stops anyway and a message appears that says, “Are you still watching?” - and obviously as the show has stopped I quickly wake up.

I have got a lovely Bluetooth eye mask with inbuilt headphones but obviously as it’s all connected to my phone the issues with the programme ending and things becoming silent still apply.

I need something that will play continuously throughout the night that is a device of its own, i.e it is entirely separate to my phone.

Kind of like a child’s night light, but it plays stories instead of white noises, and doesn’t glow 🤣

Does such a device exist??

Get an Alexa. You can play anything on that from music to talk. I have LBC (London Broadcasting ) radio programme. It plays all night. I drift off to sleep listening to it and tell Alexa to stop in the morning

FaceIt · 18/05/2026 23:40

Audible. A good story and very importantly very good narration.

Make sure there are no loud jarring noises or irritating loud music that will jolt you awake.

Theolittle · 18/05/2026 23:45

Get free audiobooks on BorrowBox

Franpie · 18/05/2026 23:52

Oh if you download Audible, get Alan Bennett: Stories.

It’s over 11hours long and a compilation of his short stories narrated in his lovely Yorkshire dulcet tones. Heaven to fall asleep to.

Snippit · 19/05/2026 00:48

My daughter needs background noise as she’s a rubbish sleeper, she has ADHD which doesn’t help. Her dad also sleeps rubbish, he has traits of ADHD but doesn’t see the point in being tested, his procrastination and time keeping could win an Olympic Gold medal.

I’m very lucky, I could sleep on a washing line, I can even sleep with the curtains open during the day, it doesn’t bother me, my husband says I’m not normal 🤣

Aintgointogoa · 19/05/2026 00:54

As PP's I have started using magnesium glycinate an hour before I want to nod off and it has helped soooo much....as I was getting a bit too chummy with zopiclone and also zombie like in the morning (ditto phenergan). I use a website called myNoise.net which has an amazing choice of sounds and you can set it to all night or to a timer. My fave at the moment is Japanese Garden. So soothing. Lots of sea and water scapes too. Best of luck , insomnia can do one !

Meetmeunderthemoonlight · 19/05/2026 01:17

Sorry not read the thread. On YouTube there is a 8 hour video of the shipping forecast, thats what I listen to.

Workworkwok · 19/05/2026 07:27

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 22:49

Is this via an App?

Yes, Audible app. You do need to pay to subscribe and then you get one credit a month to use to buy a book, plus various ones are included in the subscription. I have now unsubscribed and have about 20 books in my audible library that I use on rotation. At some point I’ll resubscribe to get some new ones.

the app has a built in sleep timer. I don’t play all night, I usually set it for half an hour and most nights am asleep by the end. If I wake up I do another half hour. But you can just leave it running, or set the timer for 8 hours say.

there are some books specifically meant for sleep - bedtime stories for adults - but I don’t always like those . I prefer my non fiction low key interesting but not too interesting books, or my childhood favourites, or some classic novels that I know well but still enjoy.

if you can’t afford the subscription your local library will have something similar for free, with a similar app.

I really get it, needing the soothing voice because you can’t switch your mind off. I’ve tried many many suggestions for sleep, but audiobooks have been a lifesaver.

I download the books, and have my phone on aeroplane mode during the night, so nothing comes in that I might see.

CuntOfTheLitter · 19/05/2026 07:33

Don’t overthink it.

take the Tesco sleep tablets for three nights with magnesium along side.

then continue with magnesium alone

i had this problem for a month - had a month of three hour sleeps,‘I was worn out

kerstina · 19/05/2026 07:52

ScaredButUnavoidable · 18/05/2026 23:23

I think this may be the answer 🤣

This worked for me until the shipping forecast music came on . Wide awake every time lol!

Ramblingaway · 19/05/2026 22:43

Zurbaran · 18/05/2026 13:45

BBC sounds podcasts set to auto play. Something like In Our Time can be soporific and there are 1000+ episodes.
World Service has the pips every hour which tend to wake one up.

In Our Time is a great idea.

WideOpenBeaches · 19/05/2026 23:09

You need to take the right type of magnesium for sleeping.
Magnesium Bisglycinate is the one.

Get the wrong one, and you’ll be going to the loo all night!

Can’t yet see anyone suggesting acupressure for sleeping. There is a lot of info out there on which points to try. It helps me sometimes.

WeasellyCreature · 19/05/2026 23:26

“Thunder storm” on Alexa is fabulous.

ScaredButUnavoidable · 23/05/2026 21:51

So my radio has arrived!!

Now I need to find some channels that are chilled and will help me drift off to sleep…. and hopefully keep me there!

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