Insomniacs not so anonymous!

NO I’m here again. I can go months and like now suddenly POP wide awake at 3! I’ll be tired all day. I wonder how long it’ll go on for this time. I need a strategy to put in place as soon as it starts. Here I am in the living room with an electric throw so as not to disturb himself because he gets up for work at 6. What’s a old gal supposed to do? Any advice.

No magic fix from me, sorry morethan, other than the more we worry about being awake the harder it seems to be to sleep. I find Mindfulness helps sometimes (lots to listen to via the web, I like the Oxford Mindfulness Centre stuff), I tend to have a night or two most weeks with disturbed sleep and can be relatively relaxed about it. Your strategy seems a good enough one, relax as much as you can, keep warm, maybe some catchup tv and a warm drink but above all don’t worry about it. Hope tonight is better.

Strange to be the only one awake! Had such a good nights sleep last night though, so probably shouldn’t complain that this morning I’m wide awake at 3 yet again......

Thanks for the advice cornergran I’ll certainly give it a try. Commiserations situpstraight I was in your position last night(not the sit up straight position! the wide awake at three in the morning one ) I slept well last night. Mostly what works for me is don’t fall asleep the next day and go to bed as late as possible, definitely after 11. Then I’ll sleep. Fingers cross for us all tonight.

Sigh! I'm a reluctant member of this club too! Miserable isn't it? Haven't tried Mindfulness online, will give it a go, thanks Corner Gran. Have had some awful nights this week, no idea why. It does seem to go in phases but can't ever remember sleeping through the night.

I have resorted to prescribed sleeping pills which generally work well though some leave a very unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth.
Have had a couple of different ones, but my favourites are zopiclone, I sleep through until at least 5 am, and there’s no nasty after taste. Have had my first full nights sleep in over a year. It’s heaven.

But does it leave you feeling a bit ‘foggy’ the next day silverlining ?

I am always awake by 4am at the latest . However I do retire early and have had my quota of sleep by then. For me the early mornings are just wonderfully peaceful and quiet. My brain seems to be more alert and I do my best work at that time. It bugs me that my husband is still in bed and I cannot tip him out to make the bed or vacuum the floor ! They say it has something to do with when you were born and I was delivered at 3.50am and I have always been an early riser as far back as I can recall .

I know many of you don’t want to hear this but I’ve just gotten up and its after 9.however in my defence for visiting this thread I did wake at around four and went back to sleep. I’ve got a little un here so I can’t troop around the house too early or she’ll be up and at it, and she’s the hardest work of the lot of em. I find the earlier I go to bed the earlier I get up. One of my boys was born at 6.20 Mazza and through out his childhood he awoke sharp at 6.20. He’s still a fairly early riser. Strange isn’t it. Not many of you visited in the early hours so I hope that means your all having relatively good nights.

I'm a newcomer to GN and only just found this thread, so haven't read all the posts, but I too suffer from waking during the night, or sometimes going to bed and not getting off until 3/4 or even 5am, usually due to a racing heart!

It's so frustrating, as being a light sleeper, I spent years after having children, being woken up by them as babies, then as teenagers, laying awake waiting for them to come home. Also, other things like the milkman clancking bottles or late night revellers walking home, or neighbours going to work early - all manner of things would wake me up, but now I live in a dark, quiet village and sleep on my own, there is nothing to disturb me, but I still wake up for no good reason. Grrr!

Anyway enough of my rant. What does help is counting backwards from 100, or taking a Melatonin pill before bedtime. I bought them originally from USA about 10 years ago, as they weren't available here, but I've recently managed to buy exactly the same brand from ebay. I swear they do help, but are only supposed to be used occasionally, so I try not to use them too often.

I have woken with “Sing out my soul” playing in my head. We have chosen it for Mum’s funeral, a fortnight today. And I suppose talking to the vicar yesterday has done it. I really think we need more crematoria if it is common to wait over a month for a funeral.

Sorry to hear that Jane, your mind will be in overdrive at the moment. Still two weeks to go to the funeral is a daunting thought.

I'm just awake, not in pain just awake. I find getting up and doing something better than lying with thoughts buzzing round my head.

Take care of yourself.

Silverlining - Zopiclone as a sleeping tablet works well, but alas my GP will not prescribe it, says its too habit forming.

Haven’t woken early for ages, around 4.30 today. As ginny says, no reason, just awake. Sorry you’re having to wait so long jane: sadly it will have an impact. I think waiting time is very geographic and also seasonal sadly. Hope you can get some rest later.

My sleeping has been getting worse and worse, so when I can get an appt I'm going to the doctors.
I can't function anymore.

Horrible isn’t it MissAdventure it’s bad enough that things seem much worse at night but it’s worse trying to cope the next day. I hope your trip to your doctors provides some relief. If we don’t hear from you on this thread I’ll assume it’s sorted. Good luck

Huh! When visiting DD recently I asked, with a smile, her DH-consultant-what he could prescribe for insomnia. . . . so I could fall asleep easily, stay asleep and wake refreshed. . . and, guess what, no such thing☹️
And so it goes on. . .

Billy bob i only get 14 at a time and they have tried to fob me off with others, namely phenergan which leave a dreadful bitter taste in the mouth fir the rest of the day. Then It amytriptelene which were prescribed for depression, but they said coukd work as sleeping pills, they didn’t work,! I woke with a muggy head too which took a while to clear.
So zopiclone it is unless there’s something else. I know they are addictive and I think I might be as i have taken one every night fir the last week, have slept like a log, then missed a night and slept not a single wink. so worry If i don’t get zopiclone nex t time i may never sleep again. Yes addicted probably. No muggy head either, I wake bright eyed and bushy tailed....I only have 7 left .........

Now where is that sad face icon when you need one.

Well here I am again. Had a lovely evening, went to bed feeling tired about 11.30. Fell asleep. Woke about 1am. So came downstairs and did the ironing. Then watched some mindless prog on telly. Tried to sort out forthcoming train tickets online without success. Remembered I hadn't taken my hay fever tablet earlier so am now feeling a little sleepy.
DGC tomorrow so will feel very tired when playing (very competitive) Monopoly this afternoon. Weather permitting-and forecast looks ok-will make us take a walk outside every now and then to keep me going. . . .

Siverlinings - Zopiclone does guarantee you a good nights sleep, as I know from past experience, however my GP does not prescribe any sleeping tablets at all, but she did give me one piece of advice....count your blessings! very helpful when I clockwatch throughout the night.

Tried a night without my ‘prop’ last night, lay aWake for 2 hours relaxing, doing breathing, mindfulness etc. Etc with no success, before giving in and taking a tablet. Went straight off to sleep.
I Try to count my blessings and though I am sure there are many, they are outnumbered by the difficulties going on in my life.

Awake far too early again. Will be tired tomorrow.

Hello nana3. Wide awake at 4am. No idea why as I had a good and active day. Off to make a cuppa and plan to listen to some music. Hope you can go back to sleep soon.

Morning, or late evening? I've not gone to bed yet. I've bought new curtains, put them up about an hour ago (well, my son did) and the pattern is upside down! They're Catherine Lansfield too, nice flowery ones.

I'm busy now uploading photos from my phone to the laptop to send pics to the seller. I have managed to upload the photos though, with some help from a man on youtube.

Brew, maybe some food and then bed. Hope you're all sleeping soundly now. Love to all. Xxx