Sleep Problem

[kezzagold]

I have had a sleep problem for a few years, mainly since having children. I have a 7 year old and 5 year old. I have tried all the usual advice and have even been to the doctor and tried sleeping pills. Nothing really helps. Does anyone have any tips on alternative remedies (hypnotherapy or acupuncture etc), I would be glad of any advice to help me feel better.

What kind of problem?
Are you an insomniac?

I have trouble going to sleep, staying asleep and am woken very easily then can,t go back to sleep.

It must be awful for you.

I'm not going to be able to help you (I don't have any trouble going off to sleep but if I get woken after 1am and there is some minor worry in my life it takes me hours to get back to sleep.)

I'm sure I have come across threads by insomniacs before so you are bound to come across someone to support you.

Othersideofthechannel thanks for your support

Try bumping in the early hours when the insomniacs are about!

Here's what I've done:

restricted my caffeine intake to about 3 cups of tea a day, and only in the morning/early afternoon

Put single duvets on the bed so that DH's sleep movements disturb me less

Worn earplugs (can't always face this, as I find them uncomfortable, but good if DH is snoring!)

Got up in middle of night and decamped to the spare bed (change of scene quite often works for me, even though the spare bed is a slightly uncomfortable sofa bed)

Made DH sleep on spare bed if I'm really knackered

Got a radio with a sleep timer, so that I can drop off to it

Figured out a scenario in my head that stops my mind whirring - then i concentrate on thinking about it. As long as there is nothing else going on (noise, discomfort etc) this can help. My scenario is "me walking to the shops to buy something" - really boring, which is maybe why it works

Sorry if all these things are obvious. The thing that seems to shock people is that I like to sleep on my own, despite being happily married. This seems socially unacceptable to people, although it's not uncommon in other countries. And I've heard that the latest trend in posh housing is for new builds to have 'his' and 'her' master bedrooms, so maybe things are changing (for those who can afford it...)

Sleeping apart makes sense to me. I sometimes go to the spare bed but it is in DDs room and she sucks her fingers really loudly at night! I can be a soothing sound, especially when I am stressed.

A technique that works really well is waking DH up at 2am so that he can make me relaxed and sleepy IYSWIM. But I can't do that every night or it would lose its appeal for him!

I have tried sleeping apart. DH sleeps downstairs most of the time. This helped a bit, since the clocks changed the problem has got worse again.
Don't drink coffee anyway, but only have about 3 cups of tea a day and not in the evening.

I find that I am now really sensitive to noise. Louder noises outside like cars, trains etc do not bother me, but if my DH is snoring even quietly, or even just breathing really loudly I can't get back to sleep. I also find ear plugs really uncomfortable and sometimes one of us end up in the spare bed. There seems to be a taboo about this as people think it could damage a marriage. People don't really seem to admit to it. But it is so important to get a good nights sleep!

Know what you mean frankie about the breathing loudly thing - drives me nuts. My DH can't understand it, but he happily sleeps through DS crying, dog barking, alarm clocks, even me giving him a bit of a prod to make him turn over, the lot. God, I hate him sometimes!

KG - have you tried square breathing? I don't know much about it, but it's a kind of meditation technique. Might be worth checking it out...

Havent tried this - will look into this, thanks for the tip. Does anyone know it hypnotherapy or acupuncture works.