It’s 1 a.m. and I’m not having a good night.

I’m so sorry *Katek no wonder you can’t sleep. Hope your trip to the doctors sorts you out (that’s if your lucky enough to get an appointment) there’s often someone on the other insomnia thread late at night if you have another bad night.

I hope you bot some sleep, Kate.

I know how you feel Katek. I can empathise with you. Steroids are a such pain. My colleagues used to dread when I was on them, despite wheezing and struggling for breath, I could do the work of of two people and couldn't stop wittering on and rushing around the school like a headless chicken. My brain wouldn't stop racing.
Then there's the headaches, weight gain and all the other side effects. However, we have no alternative, but to take them.
Have you had an antibiotic, maybe it needs changed?
I wonder if it's this extreme cold which is making you worse. I'm wheezing too and feel as if I'm heading for a chest infection, despite being on prophylactic antibiotics for the rest of my life.
Off to the docs with you! Don't take any chances. I hope you feel better soon.

Things always seem worse as well when you can't sleep Katek, sorry to hear about your friend, our friend died on Monday so I know how you are feeling.
I give up now if I can't sleep and just read until I drift off. No good tossing and turning that's just frustrating.
Hope you feel better soon.

I hope you managed to 'catch some zzzs' as the Americans say (apparently).
What a miserable time for you. Take it easy today. Watch something so boring on TV that you nod off this afternoon?

Oh dear, I feel for you.
I was awake for a long time too.
Got up and had a cup of medium hot water and enjoyed the moonlight for a while, but I didn't really sleep when I went back to bed.
I expect we will sleep well tonight though Katek.
Good luck.

To all you insomniacs - it is 10 am now and I hope you are all fast asleep and catching up!

Sorry to hear about your friend Katek.

If my mind won’t settle at night worrying about everything, or even just going through the day’s events etc. I pop in earphones and listen to an audiobook, or book readings from radio 4, or Desert Island Discs podcasts. This takes my mind off most things and I generally drift off to sleep. Even if I don’t actually sleep I feel more rested in the morning than when tossing and turning. The downside is continuing the book the following night as I have difficulty remembering, and finding, where in the book I drifted off.

So sorry KateK. The following is not really for you because you are upset and also unwell so I just send you and hope you feel a bit better soon.

If I can’t sleep (rare occurrence as my painkillers knock me out - I suppose that’s my “silver lining”) I get up, don’t put on a dressing gown, go down and make a cup of tea and a biscuit, take them back to bed, which now feels very cosy, and have my tea. It cheers me up if I can’t get back to sleep.

Most nights it takes me ages to get to sleep, turning over and over in bed while DH goes straight off. Any little thing bothering me makes it worse. I try to go through the alphabet with girl's or boy's names or perhaps fruit and veg. It sometimes works if you can keep the concentration.

The more you try the less you are able as things are going around in your mind and news of a bereavement will make it worse when you should be 'shutting down'..
Give up trying, wrap yourself up warm and go sit in an armchair feet up, and sip a cup of hot water if you have indigestion.I have found this works for me and woken in the morning, still in the armchair ,but at least having slept.

I think if sleep is impossible, the thing to do is to stop trying to sleep. Set yourself a task - e.g. read the next 4 chapters of my book before I fall asleep - I guarantee that sod's law will swing into operation and you will be asleep in no time! It is amazing how often you can drop off when you are deliberately trying not to - but it does not work the other way around!

I'm so sorry you are feeling so rubbing Katy; hope the dr. helps. And worrying/being sad doesn't help either.
I don't sleep well - I tend to nap all night, and usually give up around 5 am. I unashamedly have a nap most afternoons. I also find having "Plastic" FM on, very very softly all night helps me drift back to sleep. That and T'ai Chi breathing exercises. All the best.

rubbish...

So very sorry that you have all these things to cope with. I hope that today brings some relief and that your health improves. I endorse the headphones and audiobook technique. Wishing you a better night tonight.

Very sorry about your friend, KateK. First husband died of bowel cancer very young; very sad. I sympathise with the steroid problem too. I've just had 6 rounds of chemo with Dexamethasone taken for 3 days around each dose. I was only sleeping 4 hours per night for 3 nights, and then crashing 2 days later. Horrible! Your mind races and it's really unpleasant as any worries are put through the spin cycle repeatedly. Hope you get some rest soon.

I couldn’t sleep for aching pain in my arm( I suffer from Fibromyalgia) and I too have a friend who is in the Hospice right now. Just wish I could quieten my thoughts.Sending Hugs X

I'm so sorry Katek it's always harder to sleep when you're brooding over bad news. Things will no doubt 'settle' over time. I have an old friend who's likely to get a terminal diagnosis and this has worried me. I couldn't sleep for a couple of nights - but that is nothing compared to what she and her family are going through.

I have nights like that sometimes, often around a full moon, don't know why. If I've lots on my mind, or I've eaten chocolate or had a cup of tea after 7pm, I know I'm in for a bad night. My cure is taking a cup of chamomile tea to bed with me. ( made with 2 bags so double strength). Then I read for 20mins, write down my worries or plans, drink the tea and off to sleep. Usually works well for me. Good luck give it a try.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and suggestions-if tonight is as bad I’ll certainly be trying some of them. I usually do the times tables to try and focus but even that wasn’t working. I am surprised, however, that I can still remember 13 x table. Why on earth did we learn that?

Managed to get appt with our ANP who is very good indeed so have to increase nebuliser dose and frequency. Temp ok so no infection thank goodness, she thinks I’m not doing too badly given the number of bugs doing the rounds so that’s encouraging. Still no word regarding our friend-his poor family have been by his bedside since Sunday evening.

All the best - glad that the ANP gave you acceptable news.
My thoughts will be with you.
Have you tried starting at 1000 and subtracting 7? pretty hard...

Katek
So sorry to hear about your sadness over your friend.
Also your difficulty in sleeping, which I can totally sympathise with.
As to digestion problems, my doctor prescribed Omeprazole tablets to help with any digestion problems that may occur whilst I’m currently on a large dose of steroids.

Wishing you a calm night tonight katek, it isn't surprising you struggled, hope some of the suggestions made here help.

Katek, I am so sorry to hear about your worries, and lack of sleep, I hope tonight will be better and you get a good nights sleep,take care, sending hugs.