Sleeplessness

I have suffered from sleep problems for years and like you I don’t want to take prescription medication for it so I often use OTC Morrisons sleep aid which you buy from Morrisons pharmacy or sleep patches from Amazon, I try not to use them every night

I wake several times in the night. Get up and make a drink and refill the hottie. No way would I pace the floor however worried I am...and I certainly have worries. You can't fall asleep while marching about.

A book to read close by is the best for me. If I go on line I stay awake too long. I often fall asleep over a book.

There was a thread called something like the 3 am crew which was comforting to know you are one of many awake in the early hours. Perhaps we should start a new one.

Sorry OP can't really help as I suffer from the same. I do make sure I am warm enough in bed, but that doesnt keep me asleep! But I expect you have tried everything. Medicationmis probably the sure fire way. Or perhaps medication from your GP for anxiety not necessarily for sleeplessness may help.

My son has awful problems with sleep. He can go days without it. I got him some gummies with magnesium glycinate and they seem to help. I got them in Holland and Barratt.

I have found that ordinary Paracetamol help if I am awake during the night. Within 30 minutes I often doze off. Playing word games can help too. I decide on a category and try to name one item for each letter of the alphabet. I rarely get to the end.

Have you heard of Sleepio? It is an app that helps you to sleep. Also, there is a process called CBT I which I think you need to find a specialist for or get referred by your GP.

I too take magnesium which has helped a lot, I also rub Feather & Down magnesium cream on my legs (also contains magnesium) to help with restless legs.

Try Kalms nighttime, the tabs contain valerian so will help with the anxiety that is keeping you awake.

Reading is the answer for me. It always sends me to sleep.

I try to make a list in my head such as finding a flower beginning with each letter of the alphabet. I used to count sheep but got so good at it I could count forwards or backwards to 1,000 and it stopped working.

Thanks everyone, I'll try some of the things you have recommended. I am unable to read in bed as it would disturb my husband who us a very light sleeper. The slightest movement made by me seems to wake him up which is why I have to get out. Fingers crossed for tonight 🤞

Hi I’m not sleeping well at the moment either. I tried Kalms but they made me dizzy apparently it’s a side effect of them, I’ve also tried Bach’s night pastilles their a gummy and seem to help, also I can take them in the early hours without having a hangover next day.

If I wake up in the early hours, I listen on my phone to something on BBC Sounds App. I use Ear Buds so not to disturb DH and have the volume low. I often drift off, my phone turns off at the end of the programme.
In in the morning I sometimes can’t remember what I listened to!

My chum is a practice manager and her GP's suggest taking Magnesium as first port of call. I had difficulty a while ago sleeping so tried Magnesium (from Holland and Barrett) I checked with my Pharmacist in case the were contraindicated to my meds, to be told as its a Mineral alls good.
Worth a go

DD has brought a big jar of Melatonin back from a US holiday. I'm a bit scared to try it. I usually have two or three nights of not much sleep a week then have one really good one. This averages out quite well. I'd prefer a reasonable sleep every night though.

For me I use audio books to get to sleep, cancels out the worries going round in my head,I fall asleep with an ear bud in and put a time limit on the app, when I wake which is a couple of times I start the app and listen till I fall asleep again, works for me, at the moment I'm listening to Ruth Rendle inspector wexford on borrowbox.
My fitbit tells me I get enough sleep and am actually awake for a few minutes at a time,

Aveline

DD has brought a big jar of Melatonin back from a US holiday. I'm a bit scared to try it. I usually have two or three nights of not much sleep a week then have one really good one. This averages out quite well. I'd prefer a reasonable sleep every night though.

Melatonin is something I have ( my daughter gets it in the US) it’s fine in an emergency you shouldn’t use it for more than 3 consecutive nights..

I take magnesium glycinate every night it’s excellent.

If I’m going through a bad patch, I send my husband in to another room!

Aveline

DD has brought a big jar of Melatonin back from a US holiday. I'm a bit scared to try it. I usually have two or three nights of not much sleep a week then have one really good one. This averages out quite well. I'd prefer a reasonable sleep every night though.

You can buy Melatonin in the uk , but according to friends in the US , they can buy a stronger one there . They use it for jet lag and to sleep on the plane .

Broken sleep for me too.

Get up make a cuppa bring it back to bed, read my Kindle, then listen to a sleep tape from CALM it is a subscription app but worth it in my opinion. Then snuggle down put my feet on hottie and listen to Calm. I also have the app Insight Timer, odd name I know. I don’t pay for a subscription but do listen to Andrew Johnson on his 32 minute Deeper Sleep recording. I must have listened to it at least 100 times and it gets me back to sleep I would say 90% of the time. Worth a try.

Best of luck.

Aveline

DD has brought a big jar of Melatonin back from a US holiday. I'm a bit scared to try it. I usually have two or three nights of not much sleep a week then have one really good one. This averages out quite well. I'd prefer a reasonable sleep every night though.

Your body naturally makes melatonin ....my aussie and Canadian family bring it for me when they visit.....its what's prescribed to very young children with ASD ...no need to be scared

I suffer from Insomnia too Tinygranma I have accepted it now and read or play word games in my head as others have said. Have you considered sleeping in a separate room to your husband as he is so easily disturbed. Once you reestablish a better sleeping pattern you can go back to him. You will be more relaxed knowing you are not disturbing him.

Tinygranma , I fully agree with sodspop- my thoughts exactly. If you are anxious about disturbing your husband then you will not be relaxed and that will prohibit sleep. My advice is to move into another room if you have one , you will then feel free to read or listen to music and relax! A kettle in the bedroom may help too, caffeine free tea or just hot water is beneficial. Good luck, find your own so space and feel free to be awake if necessary. I hope that private space will re establish a good Sleep pattern. Sleep well 😴 and good luck.