Ways to some you love regain a better sleeping pattern

[gld]

Hi,

I am hoping someone out there has some good suggestion out there for helping people to regain better sleep patterns.

The last few months have been very busy after i found my husband unconscious in the shower after a long period of time. This led to an episode and impacts on his well being.

He is now a lot better, but still has weird ass patterns of sleep which then in turn affects my sleep and this then put my well being open to melt downs and irrational thoughts. I do look after myself but i feel i am still on edge after the events that have happen in the past months.

Better sleep could help us both without the add of drugs. I do have something from the doctor for myself but love to gain some knowledge to help myself and husband to relax so we could sleep better.

Looking forward to some feedback on this topic.

Gen

[Touille]

Hi Gen,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry for what happened to your husband and I'm glad he is a lot better now. You seem to be on edge at the time of fall, which is understandable.

I have suffered with sleeping issues all my life, especially now as I'm not working. What helps is that an hour before bed, I turn off the television, electronic devices and relax and read a book to wind down. Listen to soft beautiful music is great to. A nice bath can also relax the body before bed. A glass of milk helps or a sleepy time tea just before going to bed.

If after 30mins or an hour, you can't sleep, get up and read or do something which isn't a physical activity until you feel tired. It can be frustrating.

Let me know if this helps you. I don't agree with sleeping pills. If your condition persists, you may need to contact a good GP in a sleep clinic.

Take Care

Touille.

[GeminiGirl]

I too am sorry about your husband but glad he's better now.

I have very bad sleep patterns so I'll be watching this thread to see what people can come up with.

I have tried all the things that Touille mentioned and nothing works. I don't stay in bed for 1 hour though because my brain can take off in some very strange directions which don't help me at all.

I use to get up and do something boring, like the ironing (lol) but even that doesn't help now. Reading doesn't help me because once I start a book, I can't put it down.

I've found just lately, to keep my mind centered on one thing, I play solitaire on the computer. There are other games there too but I like solitaire.

I'm about to start taking something to help me sleep because I'm getting way too tired (fatigue) during the day and have to lie down. I have other health issues which don't help too.

Good luck.

I'll be checking in to see if there are more suggestions.

Bev

[Sophie_M]

Hi everyone, please have a look at the Sleep thread in our Staying Well forum:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/sleep

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi gld,

Thank you for posting.

Having a good sleep pattern can be incredibly difficult and what works for some may not work for others. Some people may find that they wake repeatedly throughout the night and others may find that they can stay awake not being able to sleep for hours. Different techniques will work for different people depending on why they feel their sleeping pattern is disrupted. With all that being said though;

- Sleep diaries. People record what time they go to bed/turn off the light/wake up. They may also record how their day was and how they felt/mood and what they did. Often people can find a great pattern in their mood or behaviour and how it affects their quality of sleep.

- Exercise and diet. I'm sure this is something that you would know about already but it's important to remember especially as these things can fall to the wayside with depression/mental illness. I know I personally have a terrible sleep if I eat after a certain time or if I eat too much of a certain food type.

- Sleeping environment. Ideally this means using the bed for only sleep however this is not always practical. Other times it might be looking at the temperature (i.e. fan, heater, air-conditioner), bedding (comfortable pillow/mattress, clean sheets), lighting (having a room too bright can prevent sleep) etc

- Activities pre-sleep. What do you and your husband do before bed? Do you read, watch TV, watch a movie, play on the computer/games? Often high-brain stimulating activities like movies and gaming can make it harder to switch off which is why many people like to read before bed. Journalling can also be really helpful as it can be a great way to clear-the-cobweb's and destress.

- What happens when he wakes/can't gets to sleep. Again, different people do different things but laying awake overthinking for hours is not going to help. I've always found that getting up is helpful and then trying again later (when my mind is exhausted). People may also use mindfulness/relaxation techniques to help quiet the breathing and relax the body.

- Herbal/alternative remedies. Highly advise you to double check with the pharmacist first before trying anything just in case there is an interaction with medication or any pre-existing medical conditions. I have a few herbal supplements and have found them very helpful.