Sleep problem

[Arch]

There was a piece on this in the Indy yesterday, I only skim read bits of it, but I remember a couple of things. If you are lying awake, don't force yourself to lie there and try to sleep, get up, do something useful for a bit, then go back to bed and try again. And you may find that as you fail to get to sleep, you're expecting not to sleep, and creating a vicious circle or asscociating bed with sleepnessless. So taking a dose of something to make you drowsy, just for a couple of nights (I think they recommended an over the counter antihistamine - but obviously not a non-drowsy one!) can help - it gets you to associate bed with sleep again your mind and breaks the circle, so you should then be able to drift off un-aided.

I've found having the radio on quietly (so just audible enough to make out the speech), on radio4 (goes to world service after 1am) helps if I wake up in the night - instead of allowing myself to think (and hence brood), I have the radio to distract me and so I drop off again.

 

[Cush]

Two years after finishing nearly thirty years of mainly night and twilight (17:00- 03:00) I now find I am wide awake reguarly at 04:30, which used to be either when my break finished or I got home.
Cush

 

[simoncc]

(herbal) sleeping tablets ?
But shouldn't you be prowling around the neighbourhood ? ;-)

Waste of money. I tried non-herbal Nytol ages ago, and it works for a night or two but not if I take it for longer. I thought I'd give the herbal Nytol a try too - no effect whatsoever. Herbal Nytol is on the open shelves at the supermarket whereas the normal Nytol is behind the counter and you have to answer questions from the pharmacist to be allowed to buy it. Obviously herbal Nytol is so harmless and useless that it can be sold openly like sweets.

 

[catwoman]

Oi, wake up Catwoman, it's time to get up!!

I always fall into a deep sleep when I've had a sleepless night about half an hour before I have to get up, irritatingly, and feel like death warmed up.

That was about right this morning. I managed to get a couple of hours in but have felt dreadful all day today. Thanks for all the tips, I shall pay attention and try to take them on board.
It doesn't help that I work one night per fortnight, that really messes me up for a couple of days.
Hot bath and an early night tonight hopefully.

 

[tdr1nka]

In answer to Arch's post,

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080402/tts-health-sleep-education-teenagers-c1b2fc3.html

 

[Dayvo]

Sounds silly, but it's obvious really; confront the problems and clear the clutter away.
I'm the world's worst procrastinator, and it always used to come and wake me in the middle of the night, when problems seems much more alarming.
I have almost literally started from scratch again; I left one country and finished all the hassle there (insurance, tax, banks, selling my van, residence permits, finding accommodation, looking for a job, etc.) and am now sleeping VERY well and undisturbed just five days after arriving in Norway.
Obviously you're not expected to up and away, but try and tackle things before they get too big (in your mind, that is).
Good luck; you'll be alright.

 

[Dayvo]

I've found thinking of a relaxing situation helps a lot in preparing for sleep.

For me it's a small boat in a wide lagoon at sunset. There are cushions in the bottom of the boat and I can see the sun slipping below the horizon and gradually the colours fade to silouttes. All the time there there is the gentle rocking motion of the boat and water lapping at the sides. As the image darkens my breathing slows and the pulse hammering in my head fades away.

Sounds ideal, but doesn't it make you feel sea-sick?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I could dress up as Batman if it helps?

 

[Dayvo]

I could dress up as Batman if it helps?

*note to self and everyone else* DO NOT think of BTFB in an outfit tonight!

 

[bobg]

FWIW I was going through some rough times a few years ago - new baby, house move, new job, ill father etc etc and I ended up having some counselling ... he suggested that I sat down with a diary every night and listed all the things that worried me or that I needed to do the following day/days ... it was a bit like a "doiwnload". once I'd "listed" them, I didnytseem to need to turn them over in my mind for hours and I slept much better - really hope you find some solution soon

 

[Milo]

I find the shipping forecast does it for me.

 

[tdr1nka]

I find the shipping forecast does it for me.

I use the shipping forecast as a gauge as to how well I'm sleeping.
On good nights I'm readying for bed around the time of the sf, on a very good night I'm in bed before the sf.

Mrs. tdr1nka & I also listen to talking books which is helpful, if I am on my own I just leave the radio on with timer that turns it off after 2hrs.
I grew up in a house where the radio was on near constantly and neither my brother or I can sleep without some sort of background noise to distract us from our thoughts.

 

[gambatte]

Few years ago I was the only 'earner' in the family incomings only just = outgoings with massive sacrifices and the stress levels were thro the roof.

Strange thing was, I only realised once I'd got out of the hole. At this point I figured I wanted to avoid that situation happening again. OK money might get tight again, but I wanted to avoid stressing about things I couldn't alter.

Solution I eventually came up with was meditation. works for me for the sake of 10-30mins a few times a week. Basically I do a simple/basic type. Its called 'mindfulness of breath' do a google (heard a couple of weeks ago, mindfulness is now being approppriated into various forms of cognitive behaviour therapy)

Essentially its not about controlling the mind as such, but recognising what the mind does. What your description reminds me of is what I've seen referred to as 'puppy mind', it races off, brings back a stick/ball and before you can pick it up its running off with something else to worry you.

Basically with the mindfulness you concentrate on the breath and how it feels, you concentrate on NOW. You'll get thoughts intruding, its what the mind does. You just try to recognise that the thoughts appeared, let it go and get back to the breath. Sometimes you'll not recognise you've been distracted with planning whats for tea for several minutes, doesn't matter. get back to the breath.

Some people might think meditations rubbish? doesn't matter. Works for me.

 

[bobg]

Some people might think meditations rubbish? doesn't matter. Works for me.[/quote]

I'm right with you on that Gambette. I learned it "Buddhism" classes a few years ago. I was absolutely amazed at the sense of calm and wellbeing that resulted from about 10 minutes of silence and proper breathing. We so seldom experience those quiet moments any more. I know this is going to sound silly but the first time it was almost an out of body experience.

 

[Arch]

Yes, I saw the thing about meditation on BBC2 a couple of nights back and it seemed to make sense - they mentioned mindfulness - I was only half paying attention (I was knitting - another form of meditation in a way!)