what else can i do that will elp me get to sleep??

[peanut273]

I am a 20 year old Forensic student who for the past year cant sleep at night...It always frustrated me but now with starting uni its really getting me down. I'm going to go to the doctors about it but just wanted other people's suggestions on what I can do.

I have been to the doctors before and they prescribed tamazapan...but still does not actually send me to sleep after taking 2 at night. I've tried herbal over the counter stuff such as nightol, herba care...but still no luck.
Warm milk...NO, Swimming...NO :(

Please give me some sugestions for tonight! I just wana sleep! :(

[Eve]

Do you ever let your head switch off and your body relax enough to get to sleep?

Can you try and concentrate on relaxing and switching off rather than sleeping and making it an obsession which may be keeping you awake.

Do you have a bedtime routine?

[pipneed]

I think so-called sleep hygiene is v important, ie having a pre-bed routine and making sure you unwind sufficiently before trying to go to sleep. Also, when I had a really bad bout of insomnia for a few years I eventually got the better of it by reading a lot of books about insomnia and learning not to worry about it too much. If you reach the point where it's really going to do you harm, you'll fall asleep. I had to convince myself it wasn't such a big deal and then I learned to sleep again.

[Bathsheba]

What strength are the Temazepam, peanut? x

[peanut273]

Sometimes I just lie there thinking of random things like what i'll have for breakfast & find myself thinking about anything. I cant seem to switch off :(

I just feel tired all the time & I cant concentrate. Not that long ago I fell asleep on a bus and ended up 50 miles away from my stop :(

The tamazepan is 10 mg's

[MsEVP]

Valerian works well for me.

However, if you are good at `mind pictures` here`s one that works as well.

Picture a blank blackboard in your mind`s eye. Hold it. If anything pops up push it away and try keeping the blackness in your mind blank. If you can do it long enough you should sleep without any problem.

[Panic Button]

If you are ever on holiday in the USA buy some melatonin.

It is freely available there, but cannot be bought here.

It is a natural hormone which even in tiny doses can assist sleep. I used to use it to control jet lag when I flew as aircrew, and found it induced the most fantastically restful sleep.

[pastafreak]

It may depend on how much sleep you actually NEED.....you may need less than you think you do. What time do you turn in.....how long do you 'toss and turn'.....or do you just wake up at an ungodly hour??

[terambulan]

R u serious about help? Try this.

Up at 6am. Toast & tea then run for 3miles. Days work - if not physical then another run before dinner. More physical activity then bed....you'll sleep with exhaustion.

REPEAT till your sleep pattern is set. Much better than pills!

[jno]

terambulan is right, physical activity that tires you out should help. Perhaps as a student you haven't had much time for this? It is worth a try. And yes, it is worth trying to establish a proper sleeping pattern. For students that sometimes seems to mean between 4am and 10am, I know. But it may be that you don't actually need vast amounts of sleep. Mrs Thatcher got by on four hours. Some people are lucky that way.

[peanut273]

I'll try more physical activities. I dont really do much fitness. 3 miles...haha...I may pass out with exaustion! :) Thanks guys for the advice! I normally toss & turn for about 4 hours. I'll go to bed at 11 and still be awake at 3 sometimes 4 in the morning and i'm up at 7!

In the morning however I really struggle to get up & I'm always tired and nearly fall asleep in classes. Maybe I should take up more fitness though...make myself sleep through tierdness. I'd love to go to the gym its just none of my friends would go & I hate the thought of going on my own :(

[Petal~flower]

hi peanut. Have you tried Night Time, a herbal tea (Holland and Barret) its pretty good. Tastes, not too bad!!

reading a book sends me off to sleep.

also read that only go to bed when you are tired. So you dont lay in bed, trying to get to sleep, and dont have a nap during the day. And get out of bed straight away, rather than laying in for "five more mins"..... know its not easy.

[peanut273]

ok so i'll try the fitness and reading a book...never really thought of that one before, thanks! thats a really good idea. Now I must purchase some good books. haha. Thanks for all the advice! :) Really appreciated!

x

[emma177]

I usually cry myself to sleep. :)

[pinktwink]

you need to develop a bed time routine that allows your body recognise the signs for sleep. Like a bath change to pj's hot milk etc. Try some relaxation techniques meditation,burn lavender oil etc. Allow yourself permission to rest and don't put too much pressure on your self to sleep as you ly in bes use imagery for relaxation

[Lore]

I used to suffer insomnia and through work, a guy asked which side I lay on at night.......... I didn't understand how that would help as long as I was comfortable then surely I'd sleep.
Anyway, we all have a dominating ear and eye..
If you just stop for a moment or two, concentrate on your hearing pattern and find out which ear is the most dominant.
To find which eye is the most dominant... make a small triangle with your hands, focus on an object then in turn close one eye at a time. The object can only be seen by the most dominant eye - it's completely out of sight with the other eye.

I'm a right eye and left ear!

I now sleep with my left ear against my pillow - can't here a damn thing once I've drifted off to sleep. If you sleep with your most dominant ear 'open' (not on the pillow) then you continue to listen and think about things throughout the night.

It all sounds a bit daft but it worked for me.