What herbal remedy can I suggest for my non-sleeping nan?

[Mum2Ela]

She is 74 and has a bad knee atm which is keeping her awake at night. She is going to the docs on Wed to ask for sleeping tablets, so I want to make some suggestions to her beforehand to stop her getting the sleeping pills.

Does anyone know if anything I can suggest?

x

camomile tea

there are 'calms' and similar products. didn't do anything for me though. someone i know swears by lavender spray.
my gran (84) has been taking sleeping tablets for over 20 years. i don't think she ever sleeps without taking them first. but then she expects to sleep 8 hours a night, but i am sure elderly people tend to sleep a lot less.

i find Kalms pretty good, also Nytol, but i have to say there is nothing wrong with taking sleeping tablets, my FIL still takes them after the death of his wife a year ago and he has no ill-effects

my dh also takes amytriptylline (which is a sedative, but in small doses as my dh takes can be used as a painkiller) which he finds is great and he only takes maybe twice a week, as required

all the other things like not watching telly right up til bedtime, doing something else like the ironing or the dishes, taking a bath with lavender oil, cup of hot milk etc can work

although it can be difficult to do some of these things if you are 74 and have a bad knee

xxx

dh has a long term shoulder injury, if that helps

She's very active and usually goes to bed early(ish) and wakes early. She wears a pedometer so she knows how many steps a day she is doing and I saw her in Tesco's one morning at 9.15am and she had already 'done' her daily 10,000 steps or however many they recommend!

I think its thrown her a bit not being so active.

My auntie is worried about her taking sleeping tablets because my nan won't take any medication properly (she rubs ibuprofen rub on her knee and takes the tablets as well at the same time - that kinda thing).

I will have a look at Kalms and Nytol, and I had heard before that Lavender is good. I have Lavender essentials oil at home so perhaps could give her some of that to put in her bath.

she is maybe caught in a vicious circle, my FIL is like that, he gets up really early, so is tired by lunchtime, he has a nap and then goes to bed early, then wonders why he wakes so early

i have been trying to persuade him to go to bed later and not have the afternoon nap

are sleeping pills the answer? why not ask her GP for painkillers for her knee? Ibuprofen obv not working

sleeping pills may not work if its pain keeping her awake

These will probably sound a bit mad. However chewing on poppy seeds can help sleep. You can get them in most health food shops or indian food stores, all she needs to do is chew on a small amount and this usually does help sleep.
Valerian root also helps sleep, but I am not so sure about the effects it has on other medication if she is on anything else. Ask a qualified person.

I take valerian - or did, a root herb, u can have it in liquid/tablet form. not sure it's suitable for a lady of that age thou so might be worht asking in the herbalist shop.

There is a great tea - valerium or something or it might be doctor something, night time tea. You get it in the health shop. It really does work. Unfortunately I ahve been pregnant over last couple of years so don't have any. But it really does work. A bit of a non-answer really - but go to the healths shop and they should be alble to help.

If it is the knee that is keeping her awake she needs to get effective pain relief from the doctor. TBH Herbal remedies or sleeping tablets probably help much if she is in pain.

should read probably won't help much.

Kalms do a night time version now that i found really helpful. It comes in a purple packet instead of the usual blue one.

My friend's gran (95) swears a tot of whisky every night helps her to sleep . Seriously, she needs painkillers not sleeping tablets. Insomnia is a common problem for older folk, whether they're in pain or not.