I can't sleep

[Gemma]

Hi everyone,

I am not doing too badly at the moment. Making steady progress moving forward. It’s been a few months now since I left. No contact, with no desire to. The problem I am having is poor sleep. I am tired, but when I get to bed my mind becomes overactive and suddenly I am wide awake. Or I fall asleep and keep waking. I do not really want to take sleeping tablets. Anyone else having this problem. Or had it and found ways of managing it. I am due to start my new job (Detail removed by Moderator) and I am worried I’d I don’t start sleeping more normally it will affect my work when I start.

[White Rose]

Me too. I’m putting mine down to a huge surge in anxiety and total failure to relocate the off switch in my head. I’m trying all sorts and haven’t found any one thing that results in a good sleep but some things seem to help.
Some things to consider….
Wind down with bath and gentle music add lavender oil to bath and pillow. Even if you don’t sleep you and your room will smell nice!
Drop caffeine after noon and avoid alcohol.
Exercise – I’ve tried a mid evening walk.
Imagine putting whatever is in your head making your mind buzz into a padded room and locking it up and putting the key away
Emptying your mind and count very slowly down from 5 to 1 doing relaxation breathing at the same time. Every time an intrusive though breaks through start again. I found I got so bored of repeatedly going back to 5 I dropped off! I do use this now and again but I think if i did it every night would drive me more nuts than i am already!
I have can issue with music/songs repeatedly going rpund on a loop in my head when I’m stressed and my GP told me to imagine singing the national anthem and it switches that off. Somehow it works and for some odd reason it doesn’t replace the song that’s driving you crazy!
Relaxation app – that worked really well for me for a while. White sound that simply forced me to stop thinking the thoughts that were going round and round.
My mum (who is ancient -her term!) tells me at her age sleep is difficult. She never stays in bed if she’s failed to drop off after 30-45 mins she moves to her sitting room and reads for 30 mins with a glass of water and then goes back to bed and she says that seems to reset her sleep routine. I’ve tried and it means I’m not lying there tossing and turning getting cross with myself.
I suspect the main solution is time and the nemory/anxiety/bad stuff fading. I’ve used sleeping pills about 5 times in as many years when really desperate and that too has helped – stopped me mithering over the fact I wasn’t sleeping which meant I couldn’t get to sleep worrying about impending tiredness the next day. If I got one good night it reduced the worry.
Phone and laptop screen time – none after 9pm is often recommended….
You may just be excited about your new job and probably a bit anxious too. Once you start perhaps you’ll sleep better. I hope so xx

[KIP.]

I’ve used the Samaritans during the night. It’s free to call and it’s nice just to hear a voice on the other end of the phone. They were good listeners x sometimes it helps to get the thoughts out x

[Twisted Sister]

write down the thoughts whirring round in your head
call 24 hour helpline to talk them out
stress busting exercise each day, but not too late (i have to stop everything really early to get naturally sleepy)
don’t overheat late, cold bedroom; body naturally drops in temp prior to sleep, and it helps to trick the body into sleep time, especially getting into cosy bed that then warms up.
i listen to radio/tv, very very low volume so i can barely hear it, i don’t watch it, but try to listen intently with my eyes shut, tune into something boring and the exertion will distract, so sleep will come naturally. i leave the radio on for all the night waking, its a great distraction from whatever woken up from, and also comforter to bring you straight back to reality and quiet talking tones. There is a risk of there being startling sounds also though, which have been very distressing for me at times, but generally no.
eat early, like between 5 & 6, this will lead to naturally low blood sugar levels for sleep.
I am just downloading stories to listen to on super low volume with eyes shut.
i can’t shower or bathe too late, or that interrupts my sleep.
…and, when its very bad, tablets! i find there is a place for them, as adrenaline is extremely difficult to dissipate and if its adrenaline that keeping you awake, something extreme like running or other hard exercise is only way, short of taking beta blockers/anxiolytics.

warmest wishes ts

[Author]

Posts