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Original poster

Sleep cycle help for adults

13 replies

SleepHygieneHelp · 08/04/2023 21:55

I'll start this thread by stating I've already been to my GP about being run down and exhausted all the time, some blood tests were ran and all came back normal.

Anyway, I'm a 36 year old female and my sleep cycle is fecked. I'm always tired. Not in the same way an early night would help but so tired that some days I can get to work and not tell you anything about the journey (gave up driving for the moment for this reason). I'm so tired I'm yawning by 9.30am. I'm having to drink copious amounts of caffeinated drinks, eat loads of carbs etc. I'm short tempered, snappy and emotional. And I'm finding daily life, especially work, a struggle as a result. Yet when I do get to bed I can lay there for hours and not sleep. Then once I'm asleep I wake multiple times in the night and struggle to get back to sleep.

I've tried all the usual, no caffeine before bed, no screens in bedroom, exercise in the day, pod casts, white noise, lavender etc etc etc and nothing is helping.

I'm desperate now 😭 so any ideas on what the heck I can do

OP posts:

LunaTheCat · 08/04/2023 22:05

I feel your pain! I am exactly the same! I am awake until 2. I made myself get up at same time each day… it made absolutely no difference!
Avoiding a glass wine made it worse .
All the standard advice about sleep hygiene was no help.
it’s called “Delayed Sleep Cycle disorder”
it’s worth trying melatonin which can be helpful.
The best think for me is accepting it and allowing myself to not plan things ( apart from work) too early .. the morning of my 8am start is hell but I love my 10am start!

Original poster

SleepHygieneHelp · 09/04/2023 06:33

@LunaTheCat my work starts are all 8am so have to be up by 5.30 as it's a 45 min walk (no busses that early) so I feel your pain there. It's so shit. I thought it would improve as the kids got older and didn't wake at night but it hasn't at all

OP posts:

embarrassed23 · 09/04/2023 07:00

Sominex works wonders and it's available over the counter. You are meant to take a tablet a day but I break them into 1/2 or 1/3 and that still works very well

duvetcovereddissident · 09/04/2023 07:08

can you try giving up caffeine?

Original poster

SleepHygieneHelp · 09/04/2023 07:47

duvetcovereddissident · 09/04/2023 07:08

can you try giving up caffeine?

I did but it didn't help and then I just felt awful throughout the day.

I know it's not ideal and perhaps it will take a while for the effects of going caffeine free to work but I couldn't be suffering as much at work as I did without it. I'm off for 2 weeks over the summer so may try caffeine free then when I dont have the responsibilities at work then (nhs role incase you are wondering - can't afford to make mistakes).

OP posts:

Original poster

SleepHygieneHelp · 09/04/2023 07:48

embarrassed23 · 09/04/2023 07:00

Sominex works wonders and it's available over the counter. You are meant to take a tablet a day but I break them into 1/2 or 1/3 and that still works very well

Never heard of this. Will take a look at it

OP posts:

Ridingthegravytrain · 09/04/2023 07:51

Melatonin is a life saver for helping fall asleep. It doesn't stop you waking up but had been a game changer for me for falling asleep

duvetcovereddissident · 09/04/2023 08:40

SleepHygieneHelp · 09/04/2023 07:47

I did but it didn't help and then I just felt awful throughout the day.

Show quote history

If giving up caffeine makes you feel ill, particularly headaches, then that is withdrawal symptoms, and you are addicted. I think you just need to push through those early days to see if you feel better without caffeine in your system, eventually

Original poster

SleepHygieneHelp · 09/04/2023 11:32

@duvetcovereddissident I'll have to wait till my 2 weeks annual leave as can't suffer the side effects and work well. Unless I swap one caffeine drink for one decaf for a while and then when I can cope reduce it by one again.

OP posts:

QuertyGirl · 09/04/2023 11:38

Get one of these:

www.lumie.com/collections#wake-up-lights

My body clock was Utterly FUBAR and this fixed it.

It's the sunset setting that did it.

I honestly don't work for them but it was fucking miraculous.

I now want them to do a travel version for work trips away.

BUY A LUMIE!!!

QuertyGirl · 09/04/2023 11:39

@SleepHygieneHelp

Just to make sure you see this!

Get a lumie!

QuertyGirl · 09/04/2023 11:41

No drugs, no GP appointment, no smelling like Miss Haversham with cheap nasty lavender oils or such bollox.

Just cool, dark, sleep

Pushkinia · 09/04/2023 12:11

Would an online insomnia course help? I had awful insomnia once I started peri menopause and got no help from the GP. Eventually I researched it myself and found Sleepio and Sleepstation - two different insomnia courses.

I chose Sleepio in the end (because they offered it to me for free) and it’s made a massive difference.

It can feel a bit brutal (sleep restriction is tough!) so I’d recommend timing it so your sleep restriction is on your annual leave, but it has worked really well for me.

I think the courses are offered free on GP recommendation in some areas, so it might be worth asking.

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