Insomnia - does anything work?

[ValancyRedfern]

Feeling completely at the end of my tether. Can anyone recommend anything they've done which has actually helped with insomnia?

I have bad sleep and am going through a bad spell. I'm trying to alternate zopiclone and nytol a few times a week only.
I've tried sertraline in the past and it worked, but I don't have the depression or anxiety symptoms so not sure the side effects worth it.
I might ask GP for amitriptyline. Be interested to hear more.
I also drink too much diet coke to get me through the day.

And my GP did give me diazepam for that panic feeling. Low dose.
Sounds like you really need urgent GP appointment.

Olimar

Sleeping tablets are useful in the short term. Longer term, you need to work on what is causing the insomnia

What happens if it is caused by the menopause. How do you fix that

I take Melatonin
Used to get stuff from the US (Dh worked over there)
Because of Covid I went through my stash

Bought some online from a reputable website but whilst these pills are supposed to be twice as strong as the ones I got directly from the US they really don’t work as well.
Do get 3-4 hours but I noticed it straight away as I was getting more like 4.5-6 hours from the ones that were off the shelf from the US.

OP what time do you usually go to bed? When I went to a sleep clinic the doctor told me off for going to bed at 10.30, she said that was far too early.
Good sleep hygiene is very important and the first stage of Sleep CBT.
It sounds like you've got yourself in a situation where you're stress and worrying about not sleeping, which in turn is stopping you from sleeping.

Get yourself back to the GP and get a bedtime routine - no TV, mobile/computer at least an hour before bed, go to bed and get up the same time every day, a dark, ventilated room, a warm non caffeinated drink, don't eat too late - ideally a couple of hours before bed. And definitely no naps during the day. These things are very important.

I genuinely think that you should go back to the GP, OP, and ask for some different drugs. If it's been going on since childhood you need something else and a referral to a sleep clinic. It's awful to suffer like that.
I take Mirtazapine. Yes, it made me put on weight but I do not care because I sleep like a top for the first time in years and years and years.

I put on half a stone on mirtazapine, realised what was happening, went on a diet, and lost it again then two stone more. Weight gain isn't inevitable.

ValancyRedferm
Just reading through Mumsnet threads on insomnia and wondering how you're doing now?

Amitryptiline.

You need something long term. Melatonin works at first, but it stopped working at 6 months for me. CBT just made me sleep even less

I know how you feel. I just went 5 days with 2 hours of sleep a night and finally last night I slept but woke up early. I still feel rubbish though. I’ve been on mirtazipine and it seems to not be working as great as it did before.

I meant I’ve been on mirtazipine for over 2 years*

Ambs97 what dose do you take ?

Melatonin
The CBT therapy app Sleepio

• both evidenced to reduce insomnia

Propanolol for panic attacks

I loathed the Sleepio App. It's just performance sleep ("sleep restriction"). Taht means, instead of hoping to sleep 7 hours/night, revise your expectations to only sleep 3 hrs a night & call yourself a success if you sleep 3 hours without waking up (especially if no more than that is allowed each night). I imagine it's a good strategy for someone.

I take 15mg which is a low dose for mirtazipine

Hello. I got better for a bit and then worse again. Didn't realise this was my thread when I clicked on it! I tried sleep restriction but couldn't hack it. I'm taking melatonin at the moment but it only gets me to 3am. Having a lot of relationship troubles as well which isn't helping. And school starts on Thursday (teacher) so already panicking about how tired I am. Have to remind myself I've survived 43 years and I'll probably survive a few more...

Sometimes when I’ve been in bed trying ANYTHING to relax, and I’ve been there for hours getting increasingly upset and frustrated, I’ve found the only thing that’s worked is to get up, go downstairs, make a cup of decaf tea, lie on the sofa and stick a series on my laptop or the tv, and just watch that. After an hour or so I fall asleep. Albeit on the sofa, but at least I’m asleep!

As for series, I recommend House MD. There’s about 190 episodes, they’re all the same but a bit different 😅 or you could try a David Attenborough nature documentary, they’re always good.

I realise this is the complete opposite to what everyone says you should do, but it’s worked for me on MANY an occasion when nothing else has!