Sleepstation for insomnia - horrendous punishment for being alive?

[Banjo55]

Hello, I have been struggling with sleep since having children (now aged 9 & 11!) But this is generally worse with stress and has got worse recently. I generally wake very early and cant get back to sleep and alsp sometimes wake in the night. I'm not sure if this could be beginning of perimenopause, or some other random reason. My sleep hygiene is pretty good, I have done online research into what I can do and have reduced caffeine, use earplugs, keep temp controlled etc.

I was referred to Sleepstation on the NHS and am finding it to be absolutely terrible.
They have advised me to stay up much later than my usual bedtime and to restrict my time in bed to build up 'sleep pressure'. I slept less than 3 hours last night and have a busy, high pressure job where attention to detail is very important.

I just don't think I can carry on with Sleepstation. It is affecting my ability to work and mental heath. I have raised concerns and questions with them, but responses are very generic, seem scripted and tend to ignore any specific questions.

Does anyone else have any similar experience with Sleepstation? and is there any point in continuing? If the idea is that things get worse before they get better I just don't think I currently have enough in the tank to do it.

I've had the kind of insomnia you describe (waking early and not being able to get back to sleep, sometimes having 3/4 hours a night and lying awake until the alarm) for 15 years or more. I've tried every remedy - exercise, sleep hygiene, hypnosis etc - they all help a bit, for a while, but the only thing that actually works is slow release melatonin. Just try it and see. You have to buy online. This is a hormonal problem and needs a hormonal solution. I don't have a problem dropping off unless I stay up too late and miss my sleep window, when my natural melatonin has dropped. Staying up later would result for me in no sleep at all.

I don't get a lot of exercise (unless you count hoovering and cutting the grass). Between full time work and 2 kids I find it hard to make the time. I keep meaning to try but it is low on list of priorities, especially when I am feeling really tired (i know this is bad). Also, although exercise does make me feel more tired, it still doesn't seem to make me sleep any better, and sometimes I seem to sleep worse if I have been active during the day.

Yeah, I can be utterly exhausted physically with my legs aching but still wide awake!!

Hmmm. I know that feeling, of having little time for exercise. Do you have a partner? Can they step up a bit?

Running works for me but it is not the only answer. Something like yoga can be done in your living room in front of the tv. Yoga with Adriene is excellent and requires no previous experience - her Foundations of Yoga playlist starts you from scratch. You could also look for a class in your lunch break perhaps - leisure centres often run them and are not too expensive. You could practice at home after the kids are in bed - it’s not a ‘leaping around getting sweaty’ type of exercise; so could mark a break between the working day and the evening wind down.

Obviously these are just suggestions, but with a bit of creative thought and support, you may find it possible to fit some exercise into your day. Even ten minutes is better than nothing.

I have always had insomnia but it became brutal during perimenopause. I am on HRT now, it fixed the problem within days. I also use a melatonin spray and don’t drink coffee after midday or eat late at night. It has helped a lot.

I hear you OP, I was in a similar boat with falling asleep easily but waking in the middle of the night and I found sleepstation made me more tired and more anxious. Not only was I spending less time in bed but because I was staying up past what I would consider my normal sleep window I was finding it so much harder to fall asleep.

It was frustrating that they didn't seem to care about total sleep duration, only sleep efficiency, and when I was reporting that despite following the programme my sleep efficiency was getting worse I had lots of frustrating, patronising exchanges with coaches saying that I was misunderstanding what it was to be tired. "As noted before, Una, sleep and tiredness are not closely linked. It's natural to look at sleep and sleep quality if you feel tired in the day, but sleep and tiredness are as related as drinking water and feeling hungry."

I did complete the programme but happily reverted to old habits once the programme was over. I know it works for some people but it didn't seem to have space for people like me. I do wonder whether they disaggregate their success data by sex, or indeed collect any data on the people who drop out to understand why it wasn't working for them.

I hope you manage to get some better sleep. I find sleep stories (the Nothing Much Happens podcast is a favourite) help me get back to sleep quickly and counteract the terrible whirling worry and churning mind that I tend to get when lying awake at 3am.

I think that if you're not getting enough exercise and you're not sleeping well, the exercise is, at east, the first thing to try. It might not work, but then, it might. It's the natural thing, it's good for you, it's healthy, and it might be all you need. If nothing else, it helps reduce stress levels, so being awake will be less gruelling.

I should say I'm in peri, on HRT which has definitely helped my insomnia but not cured it.

Picking up on a pp's points I do find yoga before bed sometimes helps as a way of calming the mind and body - I did have a habit of doing an Adriene video every night as they're short but seem to hit the spot. And when you're frazzled from childcare even a little bit of taking time for you can make a huge difference - and is in your kids interests as well as your own as you can't pour from an empty cup (sorry for the cliche but it does seem to be true!).

I have the wake in the night and can't get back to sleep insomnia and melatonin works for me. Not sure if mine is slow release - I might try that next time if it's not. I get it online from Piping Rock. I also take magnesium every night at the moment.

I've suffered with insomnia for 6 years. Since the menopause. I have tried everything, herbs, meditation and GP referred Sleep station. I was heavily dependent on Zoplicone sleeping pills to get me off to sleep each night. Sleep Station actually made my insomnia and anxiety worse so I gave up after 3 weeks. I am pleased to say I am sleeping better now and the source came as quite a surprise to me. I also have a knee problem (torn miniscus cartilage) and I went to see a Chinese Acupuncturist about some treatment for it. He asked to take my pulse and afterwards said"oh dear, you're so tired aren't you". I was astonished and told him about my insomnia. He said he'd treat it along with my knee problem. 3 days after that (first) session I stopped taking my sleeping pills and I haven't needed to take any since. It's been 3 weeks now. I'm amazed! I relied so much on those pills to get me to sleep and now I don't. I wish I'd known years ago that acupuncture can treat insomnia...so I'm sharing this with every anxious insomniac out there. It worked for me. I wish you all a good night...🥱🙂