To ask what you do when you can't sleep?

[PoesyCherish]

Went to bed at 10/11, fell asleep but woke back up at 1 in pain due to health conditions. Tossed and turned for a bit, tried reading but eventually gave up around 3 and came downstairs. Played a game and started feeling sleepy. Put on mindless TV as background noise in the hope of falling asleep but now I've woken up again. I didn't want to stay in or go back to bed as I didn't want to wake up DH plus the cats are not allowed in the bedroom at night, at least downstairs I can have sleepy cat cuddles.

What do you do when you can't sleep? Do you get up or stay in bed?

I get up and busy myself with a task. I usually clean out some cupboards or organize drawers in the kitchen. I'll make a cup of herbal tea and just get to it. No sense in laying around doing nothing.

I'm the same right now I was in bed at 9 after feeding baby,I was on my phone but had boyfriend cuddling up to me as he's ill.

Went to sleep at 11, baby woke up at 1 for a feed and with a fever so gave him calpol

Then I woke up at 4 40 for no reason and can't get back to sleep

I normally get up but I'll wake boyfriend up

Baby will probably wake at 6 30 so no point sleeping now lol

Mumsnet...and a book until tired again usually but I feel I should start using the time to tidy!

I stay in bed and focus on my breathing and relaxing my muscles. If I got up I’d wake everyone up. If I’m by myself I’ll sometimes watch something on my iPad to distract myself as if I can’t sleep it’s normally because I’m worrying about something

Watch TV. Waltons and Little House on Prairie.

I do what you did and go downstairs to sleep with the cats. Actually I did last night as it ws so hot upstairs. Sometimes just the change in location is enough, otherwise at least I'm not disturbing anyone. If I'm still not sleeping I watch asmr videos.

Listen to audiobook.

Get up for 20 mins and ‘reset’ the bedtime process.

Go to the spare room (firmer, cooler bed)

If you start to do jobs around the house you are telling your brain that you need to be awake. It will oblige you and worse might decide you like to be awake at that time every night. I read before settling down and not on a screen. I have been a long time sufferer of insomnia and I have found out the hard way. The brightness of the screen tends to wake you. For that reason I use my iPad first thing in the morning to wake myself up. Also, you are interacting with others if you go on mumsnet or any other social media site so again your brain keeps you awake.

Read my kindle in bed

I stay still and keep my eyes shut and try to remember my last dream. That usually gets me back to sleep.

I used to have really bad insomnia, which thankfully isn’t the case now mostly. I used to go downstairs and watch old DVDs, where I knew the ending and it was just background noise to send me to sleep.

These days, if I know I’m likely to take a while to fall asleep, I go onto Mumsnet.

Go on my console or browse MN or Reddit. Just get annoyed really, I used to sleep very well but like yourself have health issues .

If I wake up overnight I spray my pillow with a sleep spray, have a few sips of water, both of which are kept by the bed, then start reading one of DH’s audit journals. I never, ever get past the first few paragraphs because they are so boring. Law journals, physics revision notes and music theory textbooks all work as well!

1. Try to relax and count to 200. Usually I'm back to sleep before I get there 2) If I'm still awake and my mind is racing, I may read (we have a very low light which doesn't wake DH); if he is awake himself and not in bedroom, I made switch on radio to not quite loud enough so it takes slight effort to listen 3) if all else has failed, go downstairs and make lists, do routine admin, all the while keeping lights low and trying to avoid screens. Then make a cup of tea and go back to bed.

Warm feet seem necessary to falling asleep again in the small hours.