Insomnia (early waking) anxiety is crushing me - AIBU to give in and get sleeping tablets today???

[LifeExperimentation]

... Like Nytols?

Went to bed at 10pm-ish last night after a purposefully relaxing evening. Woke at 12am. Couldn't get back to sleep until 3am, but only managed an hour.

I spend the awake time going from feeling rational ('oh, I have ages, I can get back to sleep') to quite quickly spiralling to feeling panic/desperate quite quickly with tight chest, racing heart.

I feel like my mental health is spiralling out of control right now, and feel miserable. For last 2 weeks, I've tried more natural remedies/meditation/getting out of bed and reading etc. I have started a CBT for insomnia workbook). The harder I try, the worse I seem to feel. I know the trying so hard doesn't work, but I'm feeling so desperate.

Could it be peri menopause? I'm 43. I have had a lot of stress recently, so maybe it's that too. I have no idea.

Has anyone quickly broke out of the grip of something like this with over the counter sleeping tablets?

I've avoided sleeping tablets as didn't want to quickly become dependent on them.

I think for a short term solution, sleeping tablets can be a life saver. I was always scared to take them but I had a breakdown and part of that was horrific insomnia. I needed the sleeping tablets to both sleep and have confidence that I wouldn't suffer in the night. I came off them as soon as I possibly could (3 weeks) and haven't needed even half a one since. It gave me space to get better enough to get my sleep pattern back.

I agree that you need to be cautious taking them and becoming reliant on them BUT it's foolish to avoid them when they are actually needed as part of a properly thought out plan during a period of illness.

I have a prescription for sleeping tablets and have had for many years. I probably take about half a tablet a month and am obviously not addicted.They are very effective when you’re desperate and just knowing they’re available seems to help my insomnia!

Nytol can be helpful for a couple of days to just get your sleep back on an even keel. I have found in phases of insomnia it has helped re-set my sleep patterns.

In a very similar position with the insomnia. Tried Nytol and it doesn’t really work that well, for me at least.

What has helped me is meditation. Never done it before but it really helps clear your mind before bed. Also buy an old fashioned alarm clock and keep your phone out of your bedroom. If you wake up and can’t get back to sleep don’t lie in bed worrying - get up and read a book, make yourself a hot drink (not caffeine obvs). When you feel tired go back to bed again.

Just what worked for me, everyone is different, but it helped me break the cycle and now I’m sleeping much better. Not perfectly but not cripplingly badly any more.

This is me at the moment, I honestly could of wrote this post! I’m trying everything, no caffeine, lots of exercise, warm salt baths, magnesium oil. I eat a healthy diet, hydrate well with mostly water, am active.
I’ve always had odd bouts of insomnia but this year with covid is definitely worse. It’s frustrating falling asleep no problem then spending 2/3 hours trying to go back to sleep.

I’m taking some kalms this evening! Admit defeat.

Agree with pp that just knowing they are available can be helpful. Apologies if you’ve already tried this, but I also found the Paul McKenna hypnosis cd/download really helpful. You can often find a free version on YouTube just to try out but those copies often either have ads inserted or the stereo thing (you have different words coming into each ear) doesn’t work properly. Anyway,I found it so helpful I bought it on audible. Haven’t used it for ages now, but I used little wireless in ear headphones so it didn’t disturb dh and so it didn’t matter if I drifted off to sleep listening to it (I usually did!)

I also have started to meditate and already do Yoga regularly. I’m keeping it all up in the hope something will click!

I have long term insomnia and use Nytol now and again. Knowing I have it reduces my anxiety, as I kinda know the situations in which I'll have a bad night - I.e. Sundays, days when I've had a nap, sleeping in new place. I can then relax and just take one knowing it'll send me off.

It's also good when you need to reset your body clock. Take it a few days in a row and you'll naturally start to go to sleep earlier.

I'm the same age and have had the same problems as you.
For me I've found a sleep spray to spray on my pillow before bed and a weighted blanket work wonders.

Sympathies OP.
Nytol didn't work well for me and made me groggy the next day.
I recommend you try piriton. A lot of docs prescribe this now for sleeping. And it's not addictive. I buy the liquid generic chlorphenamine over the counter in the chemist for around £3.50. I use it occasionally when I've had a couple of bad nights. Works a treat.
I've had to cut my caffeine consumption. Can only have one cup first thing.
And I can't exercise late in the evening either.

I have found the Tesco sleep aid that is available over the counter quite good. They do two strengths - 25mg and 50mg. I have never had a problem getting to sleep but do have a problem staying asleep. If I have a long drive the next day or a work commitment, and am anxious about getting enough sleep, I take 1 x 25g even though I don't need it to get to sleep but it does seem to keep me asleep and give me a decent night's rest.

Sometimes lack of sleep is habit forming and a few long walks will help or a few sleeping tablets just to break the habit.

Nytol herbal
Neon sleep spray
Pukka night time tea

These have all worked for me. But the most effective is mindfulness exercises. You can get an app or just do it yourself. I count my breaths in and out. If I lose concentration I start again.

I'm so sorry for anyone that's going through this. It's made me feel so, so low (on top of everything this year).

Thank you for the advice everyone, I will definitely pick up some Nytols/Kalms today.

I've just come off a call with my GP and she's prescribed some anti-depressants to help me over this particularly bad phase. She also recommended conscious breathing and reducing caffeine intake.

Feel like I've tried everything lifestyle-wise (including giving up alcohol) and am so, so desperate.

BTW, things that are nice but haven't worked for me so far (but I will carry on):

• Neom pillow spray
• Neom magnesium body butter
• Meditation (yoga nidra, Headspace)
• Weighted blanket
• Eye mask/ear plus
• Getting husband to wear nasal strips (!)
• Stop drinking liquids after dinner
• Dim lights only in evening
• Leaving phone out of room

I have suffered with this on and off for years and definitely believe it's connected to peri menopause. This often results in increased anxiety and sleep difficulties. There's plenty of info online about this. You are already trying many of the things I'd recommend and I wish I could say there was a quick fix. I too found the Tesco sleep tablets helpful at times along with magnesium oil sleep spray which I still use daily. One doctor tried to prescribe me anti depressants but I refused as it was the lack of sleep affecting me not the other way round! I hope you find some relief.

Thanks @howdidigettobe50something re: peri menopause, I bought some maca root just in case that might be helpful although it's too early to say if it might... Have you ever tried this? I've collected the anti-depressants from the chemists and have scared myself with Googling - lots of common side effects. I think I'll keep them in reserve although it is reassuring that I have them in the cupboard, I suppose.

Try Sominex, it's better than Nytol.

There's nothing "giving in" about taking sleeping tablets. They can help you with your insomnia! Just use them without worrying about it.

I'm thinking it's definitely peri-menopause. I started peri younger than you are, and insomnia was a massive issue. HRT sorted it immediately.

i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/113666670/perimenopause-lead-up-to-menopause-very-uncomfortable-and-poorly-understood

I would also be very concerned that the doctor just immediately gave you a prescription for ad's. If peri is your problem, ad's are not appropriate and can make things worse.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/health/menopause-antidepressants-symptoms-worse-hrt-shortage-a9148951.html%3famp

Generally “worrying about it” contributes to the overall problem. I have phases of this and although I’m not saying I have an answer Ive given up the futile clock watching and calculating - “ If I fall asleep now I will only get 4 hours”. I just accept that I’m not sleeping... I try and recall a time when I had to work 24 hours in a row, had a couple of hours sleep and then did it again. I survived... I was tired but I survived. This time isn’t as bad as that. I give myself permission not to stress. I’m personally very sensitive to sleeping remedies and they make me feel groggy so I try and take the minimum amount necessary to do the job. If you have Audible there is a free podcast about Insomnia with David Baddiel ( who suffers). It’s definitely worth a listen.

This was me a few months ago - I had been an insomniac for years and it was an email I got at work from Sleepstation that cured me. It is CBT on line and bloody hell it was hard to start with - it made me do stuff I never thought possible - go to bed at midnight - up at 5 kind of thing - but I stuck with it and I am cured in less than 8 weeks. I have relapsed to my previous way of sleeping but know now that if ever I start to suffer again I know how to get out of it - it really was a game changer for me. You have nothing to lose give it a go!

This happened to me after the menopause the most effective is to not fight it.

I go to sleep at 11ish then probably wake around 3 feeling very hot. I then put in ear buds and listen to poetry or something fairly boring on radio 4extra. Then usually I drop off to sleep before 5 which will give me a couple more hours until 7/8 ish.

Don’t get out of bed and don’t put on any lights, if your partner snores move into another room.

If I have had a bad run of nights I take 2 Loretidine anti histamine tablets just before bed and that seems to do the trick.

Try not to think of it as disturbed sleep think of it as your second sleep.

@Aquamarine1029 I hear what you’re saying but to be fair to the GP, I was sobbing down the phone and in a real state. It was quite a long call. I’ve had a lot of stress and anxiety since March and the last 3 weeks have been really hard and have triggered this whole sleep anxiety / insomnia episode. I’ve tried everything to manage my lifestyle over lockdown to keep my mood in check, as I’m a big believer of that. Anyway, I’m keeping the ADs in reserve as I’d prefer to manage it naturally where I can. We'll see.

Definitely the perimenopause. I used to sleep like a log even in more stressful moments. Then the peri hit and sleep conti yes to be the one symptom that gives me trouble.

Have you considered hrt? It is the miracle treatment for many women. Unfortunately, it made it worse for me.

The one medication that really helps if Amitriptyline. It comes with some side effets so I only take it twice a week now but at least I kniw I'll have a good night sleep and that's quite a relief mentally.

You say you've tried mediation without success. What really helps me is the breathing exercises. It took quite some time but finally my brain has associated concentrating on my breathing with going to sleep so when I wake up in the middle of the night, I will do it and 9 times out of 10, it will send me back into sleep.