Sleep Pattern

[emmie]

mine is out the window, i don't know what's going on. been awake since midnight, it's now 1.30 and can't get back to sleep. anyone else have this problem and what to do about sleeping through the night.

[pixie374]

It's also a diuretic.

[naomi24]

Emmie, It’s just a thought but it might be worth considering. I know you live alone so I wonder if part of your problem may be a combination of loneliness and boredom? Not having enough to fill your days? Have you considered taking up a hobby - or helping out in a charity shop - or joining something like U3A? Even with Covid restrictions they have schemes running to keep people busy. I know someone who is learning German - ‘zooming’ with a group of people.

We’ve always got a jigsaw on the go in our home. I dread sitting down to it sometimes - it’s so compulsive my plans for other things go to pot because I’m so reluctant to leave it. Just find another bit - and then another… and so on it goes. Thoughts of all else disappear.

[ladybirder]

That reminds me of playing Chess Naomi. I had a male friend and we used to play Chess, mainly on a Friday night and the hours flew by. More often than not it was 5am before we packed in as we had become oblivious to time. Unlike me, he had to work on a Saturday poor chap.
Emmie, from the Good Morning thread //it means having to take six parcels of goods for refunds round to the post office, another pain\\
This sounds like an addiction to me. Can I ask is there something wrong with these goods or have you changed your mind?

[emmie]

nothing wrong with goods except wrong size, too big in other words.
have taken on board what you said, will try the ibruprofen gel, yes i know i am awake now, but will be going back to bed shortly.
yes the lack of sleep is making me crotchety, normally i cope, but this waking every few hours is difficult. My body clock doesn't cope well with this change of time they foister on us.

[JimF]

Can't blame it on GMT v BST, I'm afraid. I should be fast asleep, but I'm wide awake, at 01:47. Not sure it would be any different it was 12:47 or 02:47...

[emmie]

i do get out quite a bit usually, so that's not a problem except the pain, rather overshadows things. usually i meet up with a pal at the end of the week and maybe a couple of visits to see some others. i do get bored i grant you, and loneliness does creep in some times, but since Mr Em died, there have been traumatic times, which has been covered so won't go into that again.

[emmie]

hello jim, i am back to bed very shortly. i have slept quite ok, except to get up around midnight to pop to the loo, which is also a problem.

[JimF]

Ah yes, the nightly visits are not unknown to me either...

[emmie]

indeed. the worse part is waking up gasping for a drink, i have something, then go back to sleep and then the inevitable happens, wake again, it's a viscous circle.

[ummmm]

Do you drink plenty of fluids during the day?

[JimF]

Hmm - have you had a test for (pre-)diabetes?

[ummmm]

You shouldn't be gasping for a drink.

Like I said earlier, I can't wake up to 7 times a night for the bathroom (meds) and I go to bed late and get up early. I very very rarely have a drink or even feel thirsty.

[emmie]

my flat is very warm, even though i have no central heating, so i do wake wanting something to drink, have something and then go back to bed, which often means getting up again later in the night, morning to wee.

[emmie]

i have loss of bladder control if i drink too much liquid. so just enough to stop the thirst

[ummmm]

You need to drink plenty of fluids regardless of your bladder. Do it early in your wake time so you can have all your wees before you have a nap (plenty - as in make sure your urine is quite pale in colour) avoid caffeine....

When you say 'gasping for a drink' how much do you actually drink?

[emmie]

not as much as i should ummmm

[emmie]

i had a couple of drinks with a mate the other day, and went to loo at least four times. It's why i don't try and drink too much day or night

[emmie]

apart from not sleeping well and a tendency to chronic pain, which i have tried to combat, no idea what else to do

[rowanwitch]

Morning all,

Emmie, if you want to sleep at night
A) deal with your problems don't dwell on them
B) Get some exercise
C) do not sleep during the day night even if you are desperate
D)Go to bed at the same time every night do not do anything else in your bedroom but sleep and get dressed/ undressed no tv, no radio, no electronic devices
E) get up the same time even if you are wide awake earlier.

Eventually you will program your brain to the idea bed is for sleeping if you have to get up for a see in the night just go back to lie in bed in the dark until you do we off.

A is the most important if you know you have done what you can it is easier for your brain to switch off. Telling everyone all the time how bad you feel just reinforces the negative feedback to your brain deepening the anxiety and stress. Sympathy is soothing not healing but doesn't solve problems Action works.
As for pain control I believe you have been referred to a clinic, don't be surprised if you are told some of your pain isn't pain at all but due to anxiety about the pain again deepening the feedback so you perceive it as far worse than it is. No less real as you feel it but if you deal with the things that upset you you will probably ease the stress and deal with the pain better.