2 hours sleep and big day at work, so cross with myself

[EezyOozy]

Oh god

i suffer from insomnia from time to time, usually before an important event

ive been in my new job 2 weeks and it’s quite full on learning everything new. I also have some non work related worries but have generally been sleeping okay.

on Saturday night I didn’t sleep great (maybe 5 hours) and last night I got 2! Lay awake for hours, nodded off for a bit, woke up at 4.30 for a wee and stayed awake despite doing all the right thing

today is a big day at work, I have to do something important and complicated . I’m so annoyed with myself. I’m exhausted ! Why does my brain sabotage me like this :-(

I’ve got two young kids to get ready and do the delightful school run first , then rush to work.

Any advice ?!!!!

Phenergan - 1/2 a tablet helps me drop off.

I once had a night with zero sleep before a work thing so I find using that as a benchmark can be comforting - 'two hours' sleep is better than no sleep'.

main advice I got from my lovely gp friend: even laying down and resting will give your body and mind time to recover over night.
not as much as 'proper' sleep but a lit better than being up and about.
I have a sleep mask with headphones and if I can't sleep I listen to the most boring podcast I know and do breathing/relaxing exercises.

I find podcasts to help. Just put my ear bits in and listen to something. Even if I don't sleep au last I am lying there peacefully rather than stressing out which usually helps me to at least rest. As said above you need to choose the podcasts (or audio book) carefully. I usually like biography type audio books and documentary type podcasts

I don't know if this is the 'right' way or if you will like my answer but from a fellow insomnia sufferer the only thing that helped me was... changing my lifestyle. I.e I work part time now in the afternoons which works well for me😞you have my sympathies it's horrible I know. Could it be your mind's way of telling you you are doing too much?

My dad used to say that when I was little
"Just close your eyes then if you can't sleep, it's just as good as sleeping"
I would stop worrying about it and usually fall asleep

Oh and the nothing much happens podcast helps me

I’m a long term insomniac too - especially if I have anything big on (even exciting stuff annoyingly; it’s made for some very tired birthday celebrations etc). Just wanted to send you some sympathy. A friend has been raving about drops from a company called calm. I think they’re cbd? Anyway I’ve ordered some in the hope they work. In the meantime I just tell myself that at least I’m resting which is the next best thing to sleeping and that I’ll have an early night the next night. Hope you manage to power through x

No solutions here, just sympathy. I've tried everything and still have never been able to sleep the night before anything important either.

in the "olden days" people used to get regular prescriptions of sleeping tablets. Sadly not the case now!!

@aliceinanwonderland when my mum died I asked and they gave me 3 tablets
I did ask what needed to happen for me to get a weeks worth

Sorry for your loss and yes…It’s crazy
I knew people in their mid nineties who’d been on sleeping tablets since their fifties and were in rude health having decent nights’ sleep every night.
Even if they were “addicted “ it didn’t seem to have any adverse effects… on the contrary in fact

So I’ve finished work, picked up the kids, made tea, done homework etc . I’ll be hitting the sack not long after the kids tonight!

work was “okay”, I managed to get through it without any mistakes but was quite slow as was triple checking everything. A few coffees helped , with a little sugar , and a few glasses of water.

Thank you so much everybody for this all the solidarity and tips-I’ll look back through the tips later or tomorrow and see what I can pick out/benefit from.

I think the most important thing was to drink moderate amounts of coffee, lots of water, and try not to stress about it!