Sleep Problems

[eash]

I am having problems sleeping, getting to and staying asleep! I got some herbal tablets to try which made me get to sleep fine but I was still tossing and turning and woke up several times in the night. I'm exhausted! Can anyone recommend anything to help me sleep and/or stay awake during the day??
Thanks

[claireyfairy]

As simple as it may sound, do you have a routine? By that I mean do you get up at the same time every morning and go to bed at around the same time every night? I used to have real problems sleeping, no matter how tired I was it would take me about 3 hours to get to sleep and then I would be waking all the time.

But when I started this new job and got myself into a routine, it helped. it now only takes me about 10 minutes to drop off on a night now and i usually sleep straight through.

[KittyGlitter]

Here are some sleep tips:

http://www.horlicks.co.uk/pdfs/SLEEP%20TIPS.pd f

[eash]

Yeah i have a rountine, in bed by about 10.30pm on week nights and alarm goes off at 6.15 and i get up straight away.

[Daisybabe]

You may also want to try lavender in a sachet put inside your pillow. That works for me!

[Carakeel]

Well, I use the night time version of 'Kalms' if I can't sleep. If I cannot stay awake during the day and am not able to take a nap I use Pro Plus. Just please don't over use any of these things, always stick to the directions on the box. More importantly though, I would go and see your doctor. There many be a physical reason why you are struggling that needs investigating. Better safe than sorry. Hope you feel better soon. Also, going for a brisk walk in a safe area, preferably with a companion before you go to bed can help.

[Pisceangirl]

I agree with carakeel on the excercise method...I used to suffer with insomnia pretty bad until I started excercising...usually if you can't sleep it's either psychological (anxiety from life stress playing on your mind), or physical (you may still have some energy in your body which should have been burned up during the day...I get nervous energy & fidget if I've not worked out.). Try not to eat anything sugary after 6pm, increse your excercise, try guided meditation which will help calm the mind, and try not to become anxious if you find yourself laying there for a while (will make things worse as you get frustrated!), just read a book for a bit (always makes me tired...especially if it's a boring jounal!). As for staying perky during the day, caffeine drinks will help temporarily but are not good for the health on an endured basis (they can actually make you more tired as you experience an energy "slump" after the initial "high"). Drink plenty of water. It's the only thing which has got me through the day for the past few years, after suffering from crippling lethargy for years. Good luck :)

[jennyp]

Get checked out to see if you are suffering from sleep apnoea - especially if you feel as though you drift off in daytime. I know what you feel like,

[eash]

Thanks for all your help and advice and suggestions. I got some Badger Balm from Boots which you can rub more or less anywhere on your body which helps to calm and relax. I used this last night after having a candlelit bath and I fell asleep by 9pm and, apart from having a few weird dreams, woke up at 6.30 this morning! :-)

[papia]

Insomnia (sleeplessness) is due to stress, dietary and medical problems. By making small lifestyle changes like having a fixed daily routine, relaxing and eating properly, insomnia can be cured. I found the information at http://tinyurl.com/jfzpz useful for getting sleep.