SLEEP

[Doolhof]

Hi All,

In the past there may have been threads on sleep and how to improve our quality of sleep.

I am starting this thread up and hope to include past thread titles.

For some of us sleep is a real issue, the more we can learn about it the better informed we will be.

Funny stories on weird places you have fallen asleep are welcome as well.

For me, I had just moved house and was very busy getting everything organised. Friends invited me to the drag races. I was so tired and exhausted that I sat down, leant against the fence right near the starting line and fell asleep for most of the evening.

Hope to read some of your stories and tips.

Cheerio for now, from Mrs. Dools

[Doolhof]

Hi Paul, Karen and Everyone,

Hey Paul, you are more than welcome to re-charge this thread. There have been some wonderful suggestions written here over time that may well benefit some of our newer members and also remind me even of different ways to improve my sleep!

Karen, if you don't mind me asking, do you not sleep due to intrusive thoughts or something else? If it is the thoughts going around in your head, is it possible for you to sit for a few minutes an hour or so before you go to bed and write out everything that is bugging you. Than add three things you are thankful for at the end to help balance it all out.

When I have trouble sleeping I try some deep breathing. I count the breathe in and out. I find doing that I can't think negative thoughts at the same time! Ha. Ha.

If I am really having trouble sleeping I will read for a little while. I find the computer to be too stimulating and I just want to stay sitting in front of the screen too long. A book tends to make me sleepy.

Hope you and everyone else looking here finds a few tips! Thanks again Paul for giving this thread a bump!

Cheers for now from Dools.

[Ggrand]

Hello Dools,

Thank you for your post,

Dools yes intrusive thoughts are going round like a tornado when I lay down for sleep, I always do meditation then play soft instrumentals and usually fall asleep some time later, but sleep is only for around and hour or so, then I repeat the meditation etc after I've been awake for a number of hours..but this time sleep doesn't come and I could lay awake until the sunrise..

I will try your suggestions tonight about writing out my thoughts...lol probably take a whole book to do so..haha. Seems once I lay down, the cage has been opened and my thoughts are fighting to see who can escape first to annoy me..

I will read through the thread slowly through the day..Thank you Dool for a really good thread..

Grandy.....Karen

[Doolhof]

Hi Grandy and Everyone ,

Certainly sounds like you are trying to make the bedroom a peaceful place for sleep with the meditation and music. Do you leave the music on all night? I found once that helped me.

I will be curious to know if writing down your thoughts an hour or so before bed helps. You can buy some really cheap exercise books to write in and you don't have to read back the negative stuff. Maybe use a different pen for the positives you write each day and concentrate more on those.

I've been working more on talking back to my thoughts, thanking them for being there and then telling them to rack off and leave me alone. The thing is, I then need to find something for my mind to think about so those thoughts don't come back again.

During the day I try to find activities to keep my mind busy, when I am struggling I will read a book if I can, that keeps the unhelpful thoughts away.

At night, like I mentioned I try the deep breathing or try to recall things I am thankful for.

Telling myself I need to get back to sleep does not work for me! Makes me feel worse. So I have to accept sleep may not come, but I can still lay there a while longer and relax my body and mind and appreciate the rest.

Hope this helps in some way Garndy!

Cheers to you and All reading, from Dools

[Ggrand]

Hello Dools,

This is such a helpful thread, thank you for making it.

I think sometimes it helps me to write out my thoughts before bed, but I have a little trouble..lol they keep coming, and coming..I'm still new doing this one so will continue to try this.

When I was working I could get enough sleep, I'd go to bed always 10.30pm and sleep right through until 5.30am, I never had a sleep problem in fact I could have slept longer. Now I go to bed when I feel tired and when I do fall asleep it's only an hour or so, then I'm awake, trying to go back to sleep in near impossible..

You said earlier we might have to reset our body clock..i am at the moment getting some Morning sunshine as recommended by you. I'll also try and start going to bed at 10.30pm and set my alarm for 7am..and try this..

I'll keep you updated on how it works out and if it works, although I think it might take a week or two, to reset..

Dools the music I play after meditation is my insight timer app, there's music on that which turns of after an hour, or half hour depending which one I choose, haha I usually end end playing a few and still awake, eventually I will fall asleep and wake before the music is finished, that's how I know how long I've slept for..

I will read a few more posts later today on this thread, and see what else I can try.

Kind and caring thoughts,

Grandy.

[blondguy]

Hi Dools and everyone

Just in my situation I wasted nearly 15 years with waking up 3...4...5 times a night (untreated anxiety...me thinking I could self heal) and was still working in senior roles in the private sector

I eventually took the advice from 3 GP's to have a tiny dose of a benzo every night so I could function during the day (with frequent counseling of course)

The sleep has been blissful since 🙂

Note....I was always anti-meds until my mental health started to tear my life apart in the 1990's

Just food for thought

My Kind thoughts

Paul

[Music_Freak]

My sleep has been reasonable since I kicked my dad out and have half paid his rent debt off, but with applying for uni and waiting for a possible offer, it's iffy again. Hopefully it will settle back to my normal soon.

The reason I'm posting here is my habit of waking up before my alarm goes off. For instance, today, I'm planning on doing long put off tidying and moving furniture (far from exciting or anxiety inducing) and had my alarm set for 9am...here I am typing here at 7 after waking up at 5:30...does this happen to everyone else?

[Doolhof]

Hi Everyone,

Grandy, it is certainly worthwhile giving different things a try to see what might work for you. There may well still be some nights where sleep is disjointed and unsatisfactory, stuff like that happens now and then. When it goes like that for me, I try not to become too stressed, keeps me awake even more!

Paul, you are very fortunate to have Drs that recommend something to help you sleep! I have asked in the past with little success. Sleep really is so important!

Music Freak, I am having a little laugh to myself! If I have to set my alarm to get up at a certain time, yes I do wake up heaps during the night to check the time! It is silly really! Just another of those things our minds does to us.

Hope you are able to sort everything out so you have less stress and anxiety!

Cheers all from Dools

[Chloe_M]

Hi lovely people 👋😉 wouldn't have seen this thread if Paul hadn't bumped it up, the new posts tab gets so full and some stuff just gets pushed to the bottom. Which is why when I go to answer new posters posts, I look on not just the first page. So thanks Paul 🙂

Have been reading and finally decided to say something lol. But not rn have to go. Will be back soon 🙂

chloe 🙂

[Chloe_M]

Okie dokie I'm back!

So, a bit about my sleeping patterns and habits.

I find that doing mindfulness, reading, watching tv or listening to music helps calm me down before going to sleep.

I go to bed at at reasonable time (between 9-9:30), but still find myself waking up at 5:30 every morning 🙄☹️.

i struggle to get to sleep, all these thoughts are buzzing around my head. I worry about lots of things. I think a jut what I could have done to prevent something happening in the past. I worry about the future overmuch, and the next day.

I wake up in the night a lot, whether I'm thirsty or I've had a nightmare or something has woken me. I hardly ever have nightmares, usually have dreams that I wish would actually happen in real life ☹️ So in reality, I prefer life while I'm dreaming than when I'm awake.

so, I would appreciate some tips that might help me sleep better 🙂

Have a good night,

Chloe x

[Tams20]

Hi Mrs Dools,

Just tagging this thread so I can come back later and read through it.

Sleep has always been something I’ve struggled with - I do some of my best thinking when I’m in bed... 🙄

Tams