What can I do to get to sleep?

[DipseeDaisey]

Please can anyone help? I just can't seem to either get to sleep, or have quality sleep if I do manage to drop off. I go to bed exhausted, then, ping...wide awake staring at the ceiling for hours. If I do manage to drop off, when I wake it feels like I've not slept, like I'm not relaxing and switching off.Its been going on for months now. Anyone have any tips as to what I can do to sleep please...at this stage I will try anything.

I recently discovered Badger sleep balm which I put on as the very last thing before I go to sleep - after I've put my phone down etc. Its lovely and whether psychosematic or not seems to help a lot.

I also find guided meditations or music help (the cbeebies radio "sleepy sounds" is my current favourite )

Read a book, a real one not an e-book. Something engrossing but not exciting like a thriller.

You don’t need a prescription for phenergan. It works well for most people, it is a strong anti histamine. I take half of one tablet and it knocks me out. Sometimes using a sleeping tablet can reset your body and brain a little. Insomnia is awful.

For me when getting to sleep (or not!), I need to avoid salicylates www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/additive-and-natural-chemical-factsheets/salicylates, MSG www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/additive-and-natural-chemical-factsheets/621-msg-msg-boosters-flavour-enhancers-and-natural-glutamates, artificial colours www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/additive-and-natural-chemical-factsheets/artificial-colours-around-the-world.

If I went to sleep all right but am awake at 3 in the morning, it's likely to be an irritation in my intestine due to cows milk which may be excruciating, just painful or feeling nothing at all but too much activity to sleep through. I find out later when I go to the toilet.

Teaspoon of nightnurse and ASMR podcast

let us know how the app was?

You need to try Latte ASMR on you tube. Try her videos and let me know how you get on!

Are you asleep yet?

White noise helps me (only because I had it on for baby and for used to it 🤣)

I then use relaxation techniques to think how I would spend the euromillions if I ever win! Sends me off quite quickly

Night nurse knocks me out so I very very occasionally will have some to help me sleep. I know it’s not the correct use but it really works

The calm app is also very good

SEX - leg shaking orgasm and out like a light. Works for me.

Spotify app. Any music you like on there.. classical, Amy wine house, Santana, everything. Including whale music, rain. I listen to Sleep which sends me off, it’s gentle and soft music.

I have suffered with chronic insomnia ever since I went through the menopause. Mentioned this to the practise nurse who suggested I gave hrt a go. Did so and within 3 days my sleep reverted to normal. Went on taking it until I began to have reservations as my gran had died of breast cancer so came off them. Had forgotten completely why I had
gone on them to begin with, that is until around three days after weaning myself off them I couldn’t sleep. So I read a book about alternatives to hrt and replaced cows milk with soya, ate various multi seeded bread etc etc. Nothing worked. I have tried everything suggested above. Took every alternative suggested by the pharmacist to no avail. I often have no sleep all night. However, last year I went to the doctor, burst into tears and said I needed sleeping tablets a couple of times a week. I said I knew if they were taken every night they would lose their effectiveness but to have intermittent help would make a real difference. He gave me Zopicione in half doses suggesting I try one or two if I needed them. I started on the smaller dose as I wanted to use the larger one as a reserve if I really needed them. I never take them two nights in a row, in this way I have found they don’t lose their effectiveness and I have the assurance that if I haven’t slept at all one night I can the next. It took so much of the stress out of going to bed and knowing you wouldn’t sleep. I can now manage my life as before I walked around like a zombie.

@Doggybiccys you don't need a prescription for 25mg phenergan. A pharmacist can dispense it with good reason to, such as trouble sleeping, travel sickness, and allergies.

The new packaging also says Phenergan night as it's marketed as a sleep aid.

DH buys it because he comes out in hives randomly and they're the fastest acting antihistamine for his condition.

HappyDaysareHere I’ve been an insomniac since my teens and I use zopiclone in the same way. It’s a bloody miracle drug - you wake up feeling so refreshed too.

so, how well did you sleep OP?

I found the ASMR things useless; I eventually found one with a tolerable voice/accent - she was talking about having a facial. My skin felt drier and drier, then itchy.
Got up, cleaned my face again, night cream, lots of oil in my hands. Only benefit was that by the time I'd finished that lot, the ASMR woman had shut up. Left a poor review on youtube, listened to the radio for a bit.

Something that helps sometimes is a mindfulness bodyscan - I have a recording, but have done it so often I don;t need to play it. You focus on your feet, legs, torso, breathing, etc.

There's a breathing technique that helps you sleep. Google it, it really relaxes my mind and body and makes me sleepy. Also try not to worry about falling asleep. I find if I obsess about whether I'm dropping off then I can't sleep. Instead just focus on the fact that you're all cosy in bed and getting rest. When my mind starts dwelling on whether I'll fall asleep I'll just kind of let those thoughts dissolve away and then think of other nice things.

If I struggle I go through the alphabet and try to think of 3 things in a set category for each letter. So girls names, boys names, fruit etc. Something my great gran taught me as a child and I still use it to this day. I find it stops my mind racing which is often why I struggle to sleep.

I thought I was the only person to hate ASMR DuvetDay :o it makes my skin crawl!

If I struggle I go through the alphabet and try to think of 3 things in a set category for each letter. So girls names, boys names, fruit etc. Something my great gran taught me as a child and I still use it to this day. I find it stops my mind racing which is often why I struggle to sleep.

I was going to recommend this too. I used to be a terrible sleeper and took too many sleeping tablets, but since I've discovered this technique it's changed my life! I may never take a sleeping tablet ever again.

I struggled again last night, but I had left it too late to try a lot of the things suggeated. Hopefully, I can try some tonight and I'll have a good night. Thanks everyone.

I take valerian root tablets that I get off amazon - find they really help

If I struggle I go through the alphabet and try to think of 3 things in a set category for each letter. So girls names, boys names, fruit etc. Something my great gran taught me as a child and I still use it to this day. I find it stops my mind racing which is often why I struggle to sleep.

Yes, I do this or I sometimes go through the US states in alphabetical order or try to think of a country/city for each letter of the alphabet. Or words ending in certain letter combinations, like on Pointless.