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any tips for going to/back to sleep

11 replies

TracyK · 16/10/2004 21:36

It takes me ages to get off to sleep and if I wake in the night it takes me about an hour to get back to sleep.
Any tips?

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Natt · 16/10/2004 21:40

Hmmm, camomile tea, hot bath an hour before bed, vigoyrous exercise during the day, a hot milky drink, eating a baked ptotqto for supper, if all else fails, meds...

TracyK · 16/10/2004 21:43

can you take herbal sleeping tabs while bf?

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SoupDragon · 16/10/2004 21:44

Don't stress about it. The more you worry about it, the worse it gets.

Natt · 16/10/2004 21:46

Not sure, i will look at my box of valerian...nope not valerian, i don't know about other kinds, strangely potatoes really do help quite a lot, they have some kind of natural sedative in them. if you wake in the night and can't get back to sleep, it is often a good idea to go to another room and read until you feel sleepy, otherwise you tend to worry - are you especially anxious?

TracyK · 16/10/2004 21:47

thats my problem. If I wake I start to think about things and no matter how muh i tell myself not to think - I can't stop it.

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TracyK · 16/10/2004 21:50

Not especially anxious - just whatever seems to be happening at the time eg last week I was having a new staircase fitted and I couldn't decide on painted/stained/carpeted - it kept me awake for ages. Even though I told myself that I could think about it in the morning!
Maybe a sahm is not using my brain enough and I need to tire it out during the day somehow??

OP posts:
Natt · 16/10/2004 21:50

Me too, that's why it's a good idea to get up and do some reading. Apparently transcendental meditation is one of the very best ways of beating insomnia - i keep meaning to do a course. there are various books you can get on relaxation techniques (a simple one is making a list of thinsg beginning with each letter of the alphabet, eg films). Have you had insomnia much before?

Natt · 16/10/2004 21:51

oops crossed posts, sounds like vigourous exrecsie might be the answer...

TracyK · 16/10/2004 21:52

dont give my dh ideas!!!

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jojo38 · 18/10/2004 00:43

oooh, just stumbled on this post.. hope you don't mind... I have the same trouble at times TK, my mind just goes over and over things that have happened - even from years ago... I just can't get to sleep. Hence me being here now.
I do puzzle books before I try to sleep. That does work for 90% of the time. I read once that you have to do something boring, or mindnumbing to get back to sleep... I think it was something like dusting,cleaning the basin or whatever.

Do you have tea or coffee in the evening? Sometimes drinking any liquids can keep the brain going on and on. I love a cuppa before I go to bed - that, I know is my problem but I try to have decaff tea (yuk)... not the same but a good compromise. Smoking too can often be a cause, alcohol, food too... its not good to go to bed hungry but also as bad to eat close to bedtime.
On the other side of the coin, exercise - plenty of it but not too close to beddybise. yes, any sort...
Also, having a nice hot bath or shower is NOT good for you before bed. The heat from the water rushes the blood round the body, opens up your sinuses, pumps all that energy into the brain etc... a hot bath or shower in the morning is best for the day.
A cool shower, dip etc is best for relaxing and ready for bed.

Have you tried herbal tabs such as Nytol? DH uses them occassoionally. He is snoring like a gorilla at the moment. Hope this helps... try to do some relaxation exercises too... that will wind you down from the day and calm the mind... allegedly.
{{{Hugs}}} and sleep sleep sleep... hey, how about hypnotherapy!

jampot · 18/10/2004 00:48

i always take my mobile to bed and play games on it. It knocks me out every time!

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