Bedroom ceiling

[Louloulouloubells]

I’ve just suddenly noticed our bedroom ceiling has two massive long cracks leading toward the walls (not on the walls).
It’s also making little creaking sound every ten minutes or so. This may just be because I’ve turned the heating off and I’m just imagining it’s above me). I’m absolutely petrified it’s going to collapse on top of me in my sleep.
Does anyone know who you would contact to come have a look at this and should I go sleep on the sofa incase it falls on me or am I being completely paranoid?!
We’ve owned the house two years and I know the home report said the ceilings were fine at the time. I noticed the crack before but I’ve never really paid any attention! The house is about 60 years old.

(I’m aware I may be behaving a bit mad but I’m so tired and it’s been a loooooong day!)

Excuse the rubbish grammar I’m also very sleepy!!

Houses make funny noises as they cool down and things shrink and that's exactly what your ceiling is doing. Cracks are normal. Also in the UK 60 years is no age for a house. Don't worry!

Thanks you! Stupidly looked up a picture of a sagging ceiling just before I went to sleep 🤦🏼‍♀️. My partner also has a heavy weight machine in the attic so started having a random panic:

@Louloulouloubells

Thanks you! Stupidly looked up a picture of a sagging ceiling just before I went to sleep 🤦🏼‍♀️. My partner also has a heavy weight machine in the attic so started having a random panic:

Some newer houses have been built so that you can't really store anything in the loft space. Definitely nothing heavy. They haven't been built to take the weight.

Not sure how you'd check this and how new is new if that makes sense.

Perhaps the likes of @pigletjohn can advise?

post some photos of the ceiling please.

Consider the dimensions of the cracks. Modern-ish ceilings are made of sheets of plasterboard aboy 2440x1229mm. Do the cracks seem to match up with jints between boards of that size?

Have a look in the loft and photograpg the layout of roof timbers. They will probably not be in a W shape. Observe if any have been cut, and measure the dimensions of the timbers. For example they might be about three or four inches in depth, and one and a half or two inches thick. There may also be much thicker beams running from end to end.

When in the loft, pull back some of the insulation and look at the upper surface of the ceiling. It is smooth-ish grey boards? Or is it rows of wooden battens with plaster peaks rising up between them?