insomnia

[petal54]

am suffering(so,therefore are the sleep logs to a degree)with lack of zzzzzzzz,which has goten worse during past 2/3 weeks,even ppb's not helping!went to the Docs,who's put me on 10 nights(2 nights on trott,1 on alternate nights)taken the 1 st 2,1st one i was like some one on booze & cocaine,2nd night did sleep a bit,but very odd dreams,even for an over 50's type person.as now on a B/H week-end,would like some ideas please,Johnny Depp maybe!cheera

[saxy_jag]

I had difficulty sleeping, partly due menopausal hot flushes. The doctor's put me on Citalopram, which works a treat for me, but she also suggested switching to soya milk. I have done and now have my cocoa made with it every night. It could be the tablets, but I swear it's helped.

If you buy it, go for Alpro or SoGood - it's creamier.

[petal54]

sounds like it's worth a try,am also onCitalopram,thanks

[Rodge2]

There is a drug free procedure that you can try. It goes something like this. You try to get to sleep for 20 minutes, and if at the end of it you are still awake, you get up, leave the room and go somewhere else in the house and do something for 20 minutes ( I read a book) , then you go back to bed and try again for 20 minutes, if you still don't drop off, you repeat the getting up, doing something for 20 minutes, going back to bed and so on. It is important that you leave the bedroom in between attempts. I found that I fell asleep after doing this rigmoarole about twice.

[hollyuk]

I also have problems sleeping. A GP friend of mine suggested Phenergan 25mgs tablets, one to two tablets one hour before bedtime. These can be bought over the counter although they are a bit expensive, around £7 a box. They really worked for me. Hope you find something that works for you.
(Check with your GP they are compatable with current meds).

[Eve]

I find routine helps me, my body knows it's getting ready for bed, I don't necessarily go at the same time but I have the same pre-bed routine. I find switching off beforehand helps as well, not going straight from one thing to trying to sleep.

I also make sure my bedroom is just for sleeping (and getting ready etc...) and don't watch TV in there, again part of routine I guess. I had a period of listening to music or Sky News (quite repetitive - if something happens you're screwed though!) which helped me drift off and now am fine without.

I have to have fresh air so make sure the window in my room is open and even have a fan set on timer if needs be.

I find daydreaming can help, let my mind drift to something not too involved which inevitably leads to me dropping off. Interestingly, I do the similar to what Rodge suggests, I can't just stay in bed if I can't sleep, I get up and go downstairs and have a drink and maybe a piece of chocolate then go back up, usually less than 20 minutes but it tends to work well if I'm tossing and turning.

Do be careful on sleeping tablets, I had a very bad period of insomnia some years back and I had to take more than prescribed to get to sleep then found them very hard to come off.

[Jemisa]

Do you sleep alone Petal?
Oh I used to have soo many probs trying to sleep,I took Zoplazone for 3 years but got used to them and doc wouldn't up the dosage. My probs I blamed on my H,He's got restless legs and twitched all night, he snored like a train, he'd get up in the night for the loo,and flatulence, well don't ask.
We had a spare bedroom but he had it as his office/den because I would have happily moved in there.
When we decided to move here I insisted we find a place with 2 double bedrooms so I could get some peace at night. It worked, I now have peaceful quiet nights with no disturbances I go to bed when I like and get up when I like (& so does he) I sleep a good 7 hours now and the only disturbance I get is the cat, if she wants to go out.

We are both happier for it and if we want to get together well there's all day isn't there?

jem.