Bad night.....groan!

I'm lucky enough to sleep like a log now I'm retired and don't relive the stresses of work and wake up in the middle of the night fretting about deadlines and spreadsheets! Along with all that gubbings, I used to find that I had trouble getting back to sleep when the room was light - we have a streetlamp very near our bedroom window which didn't help. I bought a blackout blind which just velcros to the window frame at night and blocks all light, and this helped a lot. It's also useful to put over the spare room window when the DGCs stay over.

I don't drink tea after 16.00 hrs. I thought it might be that making me have to get up for the loo two or three times in the night. I usually only get up once now. I had a better night last night. I went to be at 19.30 and read Feet of Clay for half an hour. When I put the book down I went straight to sleep. Didn't hear my DH come in from work, which was a surprise. Up to loo about midnight then nothing until my alarm went off at 03.00. Marvellous! Tonight will no doubt be back to normal!!

Well, I am hanging on still at 14.18, but I think I will be away for a nap soon. Just binding it hard to stay awake, my head is buzzing after a busy morning.

I was still awake at 4 having made porridge and watched a fascinating programme about organ retrieval(!) but must have gone to sleep eventually as I woke with a shock when the phone rang at 10 past 9. I hate getting up late - it puts me out for the rest of the day .....

Five times last night: out of bed...loo...back in bed...sleep for 1.5 hours...out of bed...loo... and so an ad infinitum. Well not ad infinitum of course, just ad 07.30 this morning when I gave up and got up.

Much better night last night-actually started to doze off before light went out. What a relief!

i had such a bad night last night, i feel really sick. Busy morning ahead, then I may get a chance for a short break.

I've been awake on and off all through the night - feeling rubbish and have an important meeting this afternoon so will try and catch up with some sleep later this morning. If only there was an off switch for a too active brain eh?

Here I am, wide awake, after about 30 minutes of sleep - turned the light off at 11.30 and then, boom! I don't know what the answer is; I only wish I did. My mind is whizzing away 19 to the dozen and my eyes feel like they have been hanging on the washing line. I have had an active day- walked for miles, cut the grass, sorted out a load of paperwork so I should be sleepy...... I think I will go and make some porridge and have an early breakfast ............

I was really tired on Monday night and happily settled down to sleep only to be woken an hour later by the pain of my Morton's neuroma, on and on it went until I got up and raked in my suitcase for pain killing gel, I was in a hotel. Fell asleep and had about thirty minutes before the alarm went off. On Tuesday night I was so tired and went to bed at ten and slept like a log until the alarm went off an hour too early, DH had forgotten to put the clock back to UK time.

I am like this every night. Tossing and turning with my brain working overtime together with horrendous night sweats. I am up and down all night. Toilet, cup of tea, look out of the window, cup of tea etc. I have a fan blowing on me all night and DH is huddled up like Nanouk of the North, snoring for England. I feel so tired when I have to get up for work. Life is sh*t.

Exactly--yes, I do that too. !!

Even worse when you're bursting to go but trying to convince yourself you can just go back to sleep. Eventually you get up but if you'd got up in the first place you'd be back asleep by now!

i am like that Candelle--cannot sleep till i have been to the toilet--one last time--and if i wake in the night, I have to go again--just in case !!!!
really annoying when you are nice and comfy.

Candelle . So good to know I'm not alone. It does drive me nuts though. I always use the loo before I get into bed and then I usually read a few pages of my book before sleeping. I can never simply turn out the bedside lamp and snuggle down to sleep, though. I always have to visit the loo again, even if I've only been reading for about 10-15 minutes. I've tried, telling myself it's ridiculous, that of course I don't need another wee. But it's no use, if I don't pay another visit I can't settle to sleep - the thought that I probably do need to go just completely takes over, so out of bed I get . I know this is habit, but don't know how to break it!

I have found lavender oil on my pillow helps but it also makes my eyes water really badly!

Second night of being awake at about 3 am, no idea why, so I am downstairs with a cup of tea sorting e-mails, reading early newspapers on line and hoping I will feel tired enough to get back to sleep or I will be like a zombie later today. Doesn't help that DH is fast asleep!!

I'm still wide awake....
Had a look at Facebook, handbags on Ebay, Facebook again, a few pages of my book....I'd better go to the loo now, I suppose.
I've come through to the spare room as DH was snoring a bit....but even though all's quiet now, my mind is jangling: 'What if this - or even that might happen?' My mind's a minefield at night!

Ash Tree: Are we twins? Your nights are just like mine!
I have terrible trouble (sometimes it takes several hours and I can still be awake at 6.00am) going off to sleep. When I do fall asleep, I do 'dance to the loo' many times, too. Such fun. I try to think positively and think of all the exercise I am having..... Hmmm.
I have read books about 'good' sleep and followed ideas slavishly but nothing except a strong antihistamine or painkiller works. Not wanting to be a druggiegranny I pace myself and only take two pills a week which at least keeps me from going completely dotty.
Are there other grans out there for whom a darkened room, comfortable bed, no use of computers (OK, I am typing this after midnight, hmmm) for an hour before bed are just a red flag for 'the thoughts'?
The thoughts are flashes, just as if there is a flash camera in front of me, of anything, everything. Flash! Did I turn the television completely off? Flash! Mother Teresa. Flash! Orphans in Namibia. Flash! Shoelaces. Get the drift? I have absolutely no idea where these mad thoughts come from but come they do. I would love to know if I am alone or there are other dotty grans like me out there too?
I shall investigate Zambuk, as another aid can't hurt and I think my DH might enjoy applying it and incidentally, no! 'That' (what the application could lead to) may aid his sleep... but not mine!!
Any other sleep-inducing ideas, Gransnetters? I would love to read
them.

grannyknot , thanks for the link. Took me back to the 1940s. My dad always had zambuk, in fact he used to smell of it. Bright green stuff. So if I put it on my feet I should sleep better ? Well, I can but try. And if I'm still
awake at least my feet will be lovely and soft.

It was a new moon last night. I've always found that affects me in a negative way far more than a full moon.

i wonder if it is a weather related thing , But i know i was up later than usual on my computer-it could have been that.Plus something was on my mind last night, that just would not go away.

vq that really does sound as bad as having broken nights or not enough sleep. Yes, I have to admit that I felt a teeny bit envious at first, but truly it must be a pain in the butt for you to have to fight sleep so much and feel constantly tired. I would be inclined to go back to your GP, or see a different GP at the practice if you can. Have you thought about finding out about sleep centres where they can study your sleep patterns and brain activity and so on?

Here's a strong for you - it's a double espresso

Interesting how many grans had a bad night last night - I normally sleep reasonably well but last night was dreadful for me too. Light off just after 11 but still awake at 2, then woke frequently throughout the night. However, I think I know the reason... I usually read and gradually feel sleepy and drop off, but last night tackled a tricky Sudoku which took ages. Then turned off the light but brain still buzzing and I felt wide awake. Back to the book or magazine tonight and, hopefully, Zzzz

I had a really bad night last night. Not even sure if I got to sleep at all. I had my hot chocolate a usual, and listed to a sleep hypnosis talk on my mobile phone [search Youtube]. They usually work really quickly for me.

Of course today had to be one of my busiest days for ages. WI committee meeting till gone 12.30--dash home. let the dogs out, grab a quick bite and a drink. Out again by 1.45 for Tuesday craft afternoon---someone wanted me to do a crochet border all round a baby blanket she had made. Counted up the tea money, put it all away-someone found some more on another table !!! Bucketing down with rain. Got home 4.30. Had to start writing cheques for church account--then balance the figures for that mornings WI, plus I still have a load of entries to make on the church spreadsheet.

I am shattered, so there is no way I am doing that today.

I hope for a good night tonight as I have a hospital appointment in the morning, another meeting at lunchtime, and Sainsburys in the afternoon.