Lack of sleep

I was tested for Sleep Apnoea some time ago - given a meter which had to be taped to one finger which Clinic can get readings off to help with diagnosis - only one problem I would wake every morning with part that should be attached to my finger hanging on by the tape - I must have been pulling it off in my sleep

I have radio on low, read until eyes are closing although more often than not I waken some hours later, glasses on & book somewhere !! I too have to get up for the loo at least once, I try to stay fairly sleepy so I go straight back to sleep, I only need to turn bedside light on & (stumble) walk to bathroom If I can't get back to sleep I just pick my book up again.

Now I am retired I stay up until around midnight & am usually up by 7/7.30. My last coffee is usually around 9 & last drink (marmite in hot water - ok I can hear the yuk!!!) an hour before bed. It makes no difference how much I drink in the evening to the number of times I have to go to the loo

I have spells of insomnia and it is awful. I think it is an age thing, I definitely don't sleep as well as I did when I was younger, not that I was ever one to sleep in late, I have never done that. My brain can be active all night and yet I am sort of sleeping, but sometimes I do not switch off at all. It doesn't matter so much now that I don't work, I try not to stress about it as I think that makes it worse.

I do sympathise, I regularly survive on about 4 hrs per night. Sometimes it is OH disturbing me (he's been dx'd with Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, takes medication to control it but still has breakthrough thrashing around), sometimes it is 'busy brain', sometimes it is both. Remedies? No caffeine in the evening, read half an hour before sleep, decamp to the spare room if OH is disturbing me, start off in spare room if I've had a bad night the night before, & in extremis take the Tesco version of Nightol. I would sell my soul for a guaranteed 8 hours per night.

My problem is I sometimes get in bed then I start to itch, no reason whatsoever, trying not to scratch doesn't work, it makes it worse, I can be awake for most of the night, the Dr advised me to take a piriton before bed, not only to stop the itching but to help me sleep, it works. Maybe I'm just weird!

I found that low rumbling noise like trains and planes actually lulled me into sleep. By accident I bought a huge fan for our bedroom which thrums cancelling out any background noise, (although little as we live in a quiet area). This also worked for me but for winter? We visited The Hive at Kew recently and the hum/thrum from the bees began to lull me again. I'm buying the CD with optimism. My poor husband can't stand the low vibration of the fan but glad not to have me twisting, turning and muttering!

I've suffered insomnia all my life and recently I downloaded " gastric band hypnosis" on my phone to help with weight loss , and I've slept really well ever since

I have always had trouble getting to sleep at night. Recently I have been using a pillow spray and that helps a lot. I was given one made by Naom, and I know that Avon make one. I still have trouble some nights when I can't get to sleep at all and I get so upset I think that makes it worse. But I find that if I watch TV when I lie down on the settee I drift off quite quickly. Simply Infuriating!

Do you fall asleep in front of the TV? I have one in my bedroom and set the sleep timer on it for an hour. I find I've watched 5 minutes of my favourite programme and wake up again at 5/6pm. Worth a try - I know what it's like.

When I stayed with a friend I slept right through the night. I saw that she had bowls of dried lavender from her garden in the bedroom so I now sprinkle oil of lavender on cotton wool pads in my bedroom ( refreshed every week) and although I have the occasional bad night I now sleep like a log. It is worth a try.

I don't know if this, or something similar might help. I needed to lose weight and after reading the reviews, looked at this (not suggesting you need to lose weight): Vitual Gastric Band Hypnosis by James Holmes, on the Apple App Store. I am the world's most sceptical person so really didn't believe hypnosis would work for rational, resistant, cynical me. But it did. Not only did I lose weight but the relaxation technique, the soothing sound of the voices and the images they put into your mind all worked to send me off to sleep - I never got to listen to the end of the session while awake. This particular app would not be good if you do not need to lose weight but something similar might help you. I know this company do hypnosis for other situations so might be worth a try. I listened to other hypnotists before settling for this one and found some voices just didn't work for me, so you might need to try a couple. Six months on, if I can't get to sleep I still use this app and it still works. I hope you find something that works for you too.

I only have decaff tea during the day and find that this does help. Yorkshire tea make a good one that tastes exactly like the real thing. I also have an iPod with spoken word stories on which I listen to in the night if I wake up. This seems to send me back to sleep after a while. I always sleep better on the nights I don't have any wine unfortunately! Lavender on your pillow, milk at bedtime, all the usual remedies sometimes help.

Such alot of good suggestions here, it is kind of comforting to know that I am not alone in this, sometimes when I am sitting in the kitchen at 3 am or whatever time it feels like the whole world is asleep except for me .

I am not hormonal, I am in my sixties and over all that. I do not have a TV in the bedroom, in fact it isn't something I watch at all. We do eat at about 6 ish. I always have a bath, and not a shower, although I do have it at 7pm so that I can have my 15 min soak listening to the Archers! I will try an Epsom Salts bath though, that sounds tempting, and also the Bach Flower remedies.

This all started when my Husband was diagnosed with PD. He has some bad nights, and I find now that I lie awake anticipating that it is going to be a bad one, then whilst I am lying there I start to worry about all sorts of things that may or may not ever happen.Stupid Woman that I am .
Once I am asleep though I am fine. I don't wake up early, unless DH wakes me with a bad do of course. It is just the initial dropping off which seems to be a problem for me right now.Thanks again to everyone who made a suggestion.

Are you on medication? This can affect sleep in some cases. I had trouble some years ago and it was the high blood pressure tablets I took. After a change, it improved.

Just seen Blueskies post. I have Lavender all over the house
and still I lie awake thinking what a lovely smell !!

oh and no I take no medication, and I a pretty fit and not overweight at all. 5 feet 8 size twelve. Is there hope for me short of asking DH to hit me with a mallet at bedtime

I registered with audible- and listen to any books of my choice and it definitely helps me sleep! I have bought hypnosis/ meditation books and also listen to them - just listening to a soothing voice makes me drop off without fail!

Get out in the fresh air and go a long walk. You'll soon sleep well

I used to be like this. I think it must've been due to the menopause.

I sleep much better these days; I make sure I get lots of exercise, I don't drink caffinated drinks after 4pm, and make sure I don't drink alcohol if I need a proper night's sleep (if i have a particularly busy day, say).

I use the Rescue Remedy occasionally too.

And I'm not sure if this has been suggested already, but apparently Night Nurse is terrific for insomnia.

We have classic fm on quietly. I read that listening to classical music for 30 minutes before sleep was as good as a sleeping pill. We put it back on for another hour if either of us wakes in night..
Works for us most of the time. The advertisements can be annoying if you let them but I now don't hear them.

I find that the human voice (either radio or audio books) will often send me to sleep when all else fails. I also found some amazing tea bags in Brazil which put me out like a light. Unfortunately, they are not available in the UK but they contain a mixture of camomile, lemon-grass and passion fruit. It might be possible to find a similar combination somewhere. When using these I can sleep for 6-8 hours which would otherwise be impossible.

If you tend to get into cycles of worrying when lying awake, would it help to seek counselling, CBT or similar help to break the worry cycle, so that your mind can just float loose.

I use radio therapy, also R4, but I have it on so low that I cannot, quite, hear what is being said, that way I do not get pulled into programmes. The background murmur of voices I find quite comforting because it brings back memories of childhood, lying in bed and hearing the indecipherable murmur of the voices of my parents chatting in the room below.

Late to this thread, so i may be repeating things, apologies if I am. I have had periods of over thinking events and failing to sleep as a result. I find music helps, I use my MP3 player with earphones (that way I don't annoy MrsP). I usually drop off after a short period.

Try a magnesium an hour before bed, my DH really struggles to sleep but finds this works most nights. Hope you sleep well tonight.

I have had insomnia for years on and off
Nearly always when I am mentally or physically not relaxed
I know if my brain is buzzing or I amworriedn( often)! I have no chance but knowing I don't have to be up at a certain time helps though in the past as a working mother it was a nightmare. I flew to a meeting I Europe with no sleep,whatsoever and thought I was going to die I felt so bad !
Any phone or tablet screen activity before bed is bad
Certain vitamins taken other than in the morning can really disrupt sleep.as caffeine can obviously
Alcohol makes you wake up in time night but helps you nod off
I go to a deep,sleep sometimes now a days only to wake up ten minutes later
I find a ritual helps and if it's disturbed the it s hard to relax
Bath Camomile tea with a book in bed
Dark room and ear plugs
My sympathies
Sometimes you have to break the pattern of insomnia with a mild sleeping pill because it take the edge of the anxiety that comes with insomnia
Before prescription drugs try nytol
Good luck

Grannygrunt I do walk whenever I can, although some days I do not even have time to walk as far as the garden! I certainly would not be walking around at night in the dark just before bed, that's for sure.