Anyway to stop peri insomnia?

[clockandstagger]

I had a really bad period of insomnia earlier this year which honestly traumatised me a bit. I am not a lot more concerned about my sleep and I still get around 1 night a week where no matter how tired I am I'll wake up after an hour and then lie awake all night. I do use HRT both patches ang utrogestan which doesn't seem to help my sleep especially.

I have tried magnesium glycinate which made things worse for me, I do use CBD oil which I am not sure is doing anything. When I have a bad night it ruins the following day and maybe even the day after. I notice that if I have to attend an event or party it takes me a quite a while to wind down so I prefer to leave early to have that at home so I will sleep ok.

I just wish there was a way to ensure I'd have a good 7.5 hours a night at least most nights. I don't do caffeine after lunch, I don't drink I did take a nytol last night but I prefer to avoid it as it doesn't even work that well and I feel awful the next day also use of the anti-histamine in it has been linked to dementia and the other safer antihistamines don't do anything.

Anyone found a reliable cure?

I'd try cutting all caffeine out. That has helped me. And black out curtains. It's surprising how much they help.

Most days I don't have any caffeine but the odd day I have an earl gray mid morning. So I never have it after noon and I never drink coffee. I have blackout blinds and an eye mask. Most of the time I am ok and get about 6 hours at least but often I have night with hardly any sleep at all.

I'm going to get blackout curtains, but in the meantime I'm finding a sleep mask helps - Boots do a nice soft one, I think it's a travel mask, about £6.

Sympathies, I know exactly what you mean about it making the next day or two really gruelling - it's not just 'ooh, I need a coffee!' - more like a total physical and psychological reaction, horrid anxiety and vulnerability... It makes me think 'There must be something more wrong with me!' Then I get a good sleep and bingo - I'm fine again... 🤗

Melatonin? When you next speak to the doctor for a repeat HRT prescription, I would discuss some medication to help you sleep.

Sorry, just read that you have an eye mask... 😎

@BonHepatitis Absolutely you totally nailed it with that description. When I was younger I could get away with a night of bad sleep or even pull an all nighter if I had to but now I find it so debilitating.

@FuzzyWolf I did previously speak to my GP and he gave me a short course of beta blockers he was opposed to sleeping aids and I am wary of them myself. He said they don't really fix anything and have side effects or you can get dependent.

I'm assuming you've given up wine? That can be bad for keeping you awake. The only other thing I can think of is getting the room temperature right. I listen to meditative podcasts if I wake up. That can help. It's really debilitating though if you've to get up for work or school early.

I had to give up caffeine completely and it took about two weeks of being 100% caffeine-free to notice the effects.

Now instead of being awake for 3 hours 3-4 nights a week I am awake for 1 hour maybe once a fortnight.

I don't drink and never have. I did try the relaxation recordings during my really bad phase but they didn't help then as I had very bad somatic anxiety by then. To be honest that isn't as bad at all now so I could give them another go.

Yes, I was a proper night owl when I was younger! 🦉Now I feel like a right ninny...

But it does help to think 'Okay, I'm going to at least rest. No pressure to sleep.' I try to accept that my body has changed and it needs what it needs.

And I do nap in the day if I need to - I know the advice is not to, but my theory is that being underslept produces cortisol as your body fights to keep you awake - there's less pressure to get a full sleep if you've had half an hour in the day.

I agree about the nytol - in an emergency it helps, though has a bit of a hangover - but I'm also concerned about the link to dementia when getting older. I buy it in 25mg form so I can take a half dose, or sometimes a piriton (the old, chlorphenamine kind) can get me started.

Sorry for the essay, you can see this is my Mastermind specialist subject! 😄

@BonHepatitis I appreciate your input and I totally agree with you on the cortisol and napping, sometimes it does help with that wired feeling! I know they say you shouldn't pressure yourself to sleep but just lying their "resting" isn't enough, I am just so unwell the next day and everything's a struggle.

I will try this although I heard it's only good to help you fall asleep not stay asleep but I will get some to try.

I like the Michael Mosley Deep calm ones on BBC Sounds.

I find thinking about something I REALLY DON’T want to do will help me get back to sleep (I’m being serious - it does help)! 😃

I've found that these really help my anxiety-induced insomnia. Even helped last night when I woke up at 3am and took one then. https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/health-her-sleep-aid-supplement-capsules

I also found this helps, although you said you've tried CBD. Not sure how much is in this, it's more about the smell for me (although assume the CBD does something)

That depends. You can get prolonged release but sometimes even getting six hours of sleep before you wake up is a massive improvement. Tirate the dose though as 10mg is often recommended for adults but typically a much lower dose works to begin with and it can be surprisingly effective.

Sorry, 2nd link fell off https://uk.sanctuary.com/product/sanctuary-spa-wellness-solutions-calming-cbd-oil-45ml/

@FuzzyWolf Where do you get it? I just had a look on iherb and its all unavailable. Do you take it nightly or just as and when?

I have the same problem and it is crippling.

I have recently been prescribed amitryptiline and that has helped me fall asleep so it has ensured I get a few hours at least. I still wake up though and when I’m awake that’s basically it. But I wasn’t able to get to sleep either before so something has improved.

The other thing I’m trying is the Sleepio app and it is helpful.

Ask your GP about prescribing it.

Yes, just when needed.

@FuzzyWolf Ah I didn't realise the GP might proscribe it. I will ask them about it. Thank you!

@Maplebean Did you get the amitriptyline for insomnia specifically? Sorry to hear you are suffering too, its so awful.

Completely agree with this. No caffeine at all, and that includes decaffeinated coffee (which has some caffeine in it), tea, chocolate and black pepper. Black pepper has very high levels of caffeine. I found giving up caffeine entirely quite depressing at first. However it really is necessary and honestly chicory coffee (or barley or dandelion) is really quite ok as a substitute. I was in denial about this for years but honestly it helps sleep so, so much.

Black out really helps as well. I notice that in Spain and Germany where they have the external roll down blinds, I sleep very well.

What dosage of utrogestan are you on OP? And do you take it for a fortnight on and off or continuously? At the higher dose it often is very helpful for sleep.