Advice on Sleep

[HelenM]

I know that somewhere on this site is a section on sleep but I can't find it.

I possibly know the right stuff. I'll tell you what I do

: I go to bed and get up at the same time.

I don't drink caffeine or alcohol in the evening. I usually have some warm milk which can help.

I don't read or watch anything that can disturb me.

I manage to relax in bed and I don't get up as that makes me worse.

I should go for a walk before bed.

The thing is, my sleeplessness is no longer anxiety related but seems to be based on nothing. I'm 54 and wonder if it's connected to the menopause. I take the odd sleeping tablet but our Drs won't prescribe them too much. Anyway, any advice would be welcome.

Thanks, Helen

[Beltane]

Hiya, insomnia sucks! And the worst part is there isnt a lot doctors can do.

you already seem to be doing all the "sleep hygiene" stuff ok.

exercise would certainly help- i exercise in the evening and find it not only burns away all the stress of the day but leaves me tired and ready for bed. others find exercise in the evening keeps them awake though, and they prefer the mornings. or afternoon.

When i had bad insomnia i ued to use relaxation apps on my iphone- it'd work the same with a cd player if you dont have a smart phone. basically you can either just get relaxation type music (whatever you find really relaxing), or you can get music with guided meditations (eg deep breathing techniques, relaxation meditations). guided meditations tell you what to do, so dont worry about not knowing what to do. these helped me relax a lot- i often just fell asleep with it playing. you can even get special headphones that are comfy to wear over night so you dont wake anyone else in the house up with the music.

theres quite a few natural remedies- maybe you'd be interested in trying naturopathy, homeopathy, etc? i've tried naturopathy and found it very helpful- they know their herbs and can probably find out whats causing the insomnia and how to fix it without just treating the symptoms. the problem with sleeping tablets is that they dont actually fix the problems thats stopping you from sleeping- they'rejust making you sleep.

i suffered terrible insomnia for a long time until i got onto my current medication for bipolar/ anxiety. worth asking your doctor. firstly insomnia can be CAUSED by many medications- so if you're on any medication at all, ask your doctor if insomnia is a side effect. its a side effect of quite a few psychiatric medications.

insomnia is also a massive problem in people with depression or anxiety or other mental issues. the imbalance of chemicals in those peoples brains can cause disrupted sleep, not enough, too much, bad nightmares, waking up too early etc. in that case, treating the underlying depression and anxiety is the way to treat the insomnia. often this would require therapy, or even psychiatric medication.

as i said, i had it terribly- i'd only get a couple of hours sleep, night after night, unless i took sleeping tablets. but once i got on my current med 2 months ago, i've had a perfect 8 hours night sleep every single night.

good night and sweet dreams! (i hope)