Insomnia

[Venkys4eva]

330am and still wide awake, been in bed since 11pm and still no sign of sleep. Only another 2 and a half hours until time to get up though

[Venkys4eva]

Only 50 mins now

[Quicknick]

Try box breathing. Works well for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs9ckUeINlA&t=166s

[Vegas Claret]

this works most times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deQbm85Vk2Y

[tarkys_ears]

White noise

A must for me these days. Sleep like a baby away from home with it on the phone

[Quicknick]

White noise

A must for me these days. Sleep like a baby away from home with it on the phone

What is white noise?

[Burnley1989]

330am and still wide awake, been in bed since 11pm and still no sign of sleep. Only another 2 and a half hours until time to get up though

After a heavy 2-3 weeks drinking daily in December, I knocked it on the head in the new year and I’ve only just started sleeping a bit better, I was getting 3 hours broken sleep every night despite being in bed for around 10 hours.

Bit of a wake up call (no pun intended) shows how much of a shock the lack of alcohol was to my system.
I’ve never been a great sleeper for a good 10+ years and do wonder if drinking heavily for 3 days a week is a big factor.

My aims to stay off the booze until the end of March this year

[claretandy]

Getting to sleep is not the problem, it's waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back over.

[timshorts]

What is white noise?

The best track by Mike peters on his "rise" album. That would keep you awake though.

[Dark Cloud]

Watching TV and using phones or playing computer games in the last hour or two before bed can be a real problem. Good old fashioned reading in bed for half an hour is the best preparation for sleep. Watching Burnley Football Club is an absolute no, no!!!

[Fretters]

330am and still wide awake, been in bed since 11pm and still no sign of sleep. Only another 2 and a half hours until time to get up though

I really struggle with waking up during the night, then stressing about getting back to sleep.

One thing that really helps is a dose of night nurse before bed.

Also, regular exercise and less to drink.

Hope you got back off?

[Burnley1989]

I really struggle with waking up during the night, then stressing about getting back to sleep.

One thing that really helps is a dose of night nurse before bed.

Also, regular exercise and less to drink.

Hope you got back off?

If I’m up early for a stressful day, once I wake up I’m up, even if it’s 3am, if I’ve an early alarm I go to bed at about 8am because I know I’ll not sleep well.
It’s painful

[Jakubclaret]

After a heavy 2-3 weeks drinking daily in December, I knocked it on the head in the new year and I’ve only just started sleeping a bit better, I was getting 3 hours broken sleep every night despite being in bed for around 10 hours.

Bit of a wake up call (no pun intended) shows how much of a shock the lack of alcohol was to my system.
I’ve never been a great sleeper for a good 10+ years and do wonder if drinking heavily for 3 days a week is a big factor.

My aims to stay off the booze until the end of March this year

Alcohol can seriously interfere with the important REM cycles vital for a good night's kip in the long term you'll sleep far better without.

[dougcollins]

What is white noise?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMfPqeZjc2c

[Bosscat]

I really struggle with waking up during the night, then stressing about getting back to sleep.

One thing that really helps is a dose of night nurse before bed.

Also, regular exercise and less to drink.

Hope you got back off?

Does your Night Nurse make house calls

[Gaia]

If I wake in the middle of the night I play this llownin the background, work really well for me.
https://www.youtube.com/live/jOxOsLdwcg ... SKW5jBq95e

[Robbie_painter]

If I’m up early for a stressful day, once I wake up I’m up, even if it’s 3am, if I’ve an early alarm I go to bed at about 8am because I know I’ll not sleep well.
It’s painful

I think you might be going to bed too early.

[Rileybobs]

Watching TV and using phones or playing computer games in the last hour or two before bed can be a real problem. Good old fashioned reading in bed for half an hour is the best preparation for sleep. Watching Burnley Football Club is an absolute no, no!!!

I read in bed every night and I’m usually nodding off after 30-45 minutes. In fact I have to go to bed earlier to ensure I get through a decent amount of the book before falling asleep as otherwise I’d be on the same book for a couple of months. I find a Kindle on a low brightness setting is great as it doesn’t disturb the other half.

Would massively recommend reading to anyone who struggles to sleep as it takes your mind away from whatever else may be buzzing around in your head, and the actual act of reading makes your eyes heavy.

[Dark Cloud]

I read in bed every night and I’m usually nodding off after 30-45 minutes. In fact I have to go to bed earlier to ensure I get through a decent amount of the book before falling asleep as otherwise I’d be on the same book for a couple of months. I find a Kindle on a low brightness setting is great as it doesn’t disturb the other half.

Would massively recommend reading to anyone who struggles to sleep as it takes your mind away from whatever else may be buzzing around in your head, and the actual act of reading makes your eyes heavy.

Absolutely this and I've come across some amazing fiction and non fiction stuff in the past few years which has really sucked me in (as well as some dross!) The only thing is personally I'm not a Kindle fan and I always read "proper" books, although I'm not altogether sure why tbf.

[Rileybobs]

Absolutely this and I've come across some amazing fiction and non fiction stuff in the past few years which has really sucked me in (as well as some dross!) The only thing is personally I'm not a Kindle fan and I always read "proper" books, although I'm not altogether sure why tbf.

Love the kindle to be honest. I find knowing how long is left in the chapter to be useful when your eyes start feeling heavy and you don’t like stopping mid-chapter. A reading light wouldn’t go down well with my wife and I’m not sure how easy I’d fall asleep with the brightness. But whatever works for you.

[Dark Cloud]

I'm lucky because my wife always stays up later than me, so reading with the bedside light on isn't an issue, although falling asleep sitting up with the book still open frequently is!
PS. Recommendations: I'm not huge on non fiction and tend to read fiction mainly, but some brilliant non fiction books I read recently are "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" (can't remember the author) "The Secret Life of Trees" (again can't remember the author) and "Islands of Abandonment" by Cal Flynn. Excellent stuff.

[Volvoclaret]

I got a recording of the Friday pub quiz at the Maypole, puts me to sleep immediately.

[AGENT_CLARET]

Put this banger on https://youtu.be/P8JEm4d6Wu4?si=nxvGhx19sqgYIl2x This'll help

[Neil]

Try Melatonin tablets. You can buy them online. Makes you feel naturally tired about an hour after taking one. No side effects and no grogginess the next day.

[Darthlaw]

I suffered for a few years with a lot of similar issues as have been posted on here, particularly the waking up at 3/4 am and struggling to get back to sleep.

White noise helps me get back to sleep but I found a cure in a random place. I got recommended to try cold water therapy for some other stress related issues and this also sorted out my interrupted sleep.

Essentially its a paddling pool out the back of the house (for want of a better description) which I sit in for about 10 minutes at 9 degrees, so not particularly cold but afterward leaves you feeling a million dollars.

Might not work for everyone but certainly has for me.

[4:20]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMfPqeZjc2c

I listened to that very one for about a year, absolutely brilliant for helping me sleep and blocking out any irregular external noise like snoring (I turn into rain man upon hearing a mouse fart)

Then, last year, they released White Noise/Black Screen Vol.2 and it blew me away. Incredible follow-up album. Less tinny, more bass.

https://youtu.be/2sDZn83ZFfI?si=2gMOLx7W53hW8f2P

[Pickles]

The CBeebies radio channel on BBC Sounds. Yes, it's for kids but in the evening they play white noise/brown noise and other ASMR sort of stuff to help with sleep.

Again on BBC Sounds, there's something called the Sleeping Forecast which blends hypnotic snippets of the Shipping Forecast (delivered by a guy with one of the most soothing voices imaginable) with instrumental music.

There's also a whole channel, Radio 1 Relax, which is exactly what it says on the tin.

[claptrappers_union]

I find something on Netflix - a film or TV show that I know well. Ideally, something with lots of talking, something without loud noises or dramatic music. I’ll bring the brightness right down or turn the screen away.

Then I'll imagine reading the script, with the words typed in my mind's eye, while trying to imagine how it could look different. Imagine the film being in a different tone, or setting on a pirate ship or my local pub, or I’m directing directing a theatre version. I don't overthink it, and I go along with what my imagination conjures up.

Suddenly, I’ll notice that I jumped well ahead and I’ve not paid attention for about 5-10 minutes, it's suddenly too loud and annoying - thats when I switch it off and usually go straight to sleep.

Then the night after, I try to remember the point where I fell asleep. There might've been a line of a dialogue that I couldn't remember ‘typing’ afterwards. So I take it back 5 minutes and play the film from there. And I'll be nodding off about the same point of the show every time.

[JMU81]

Try mindfulness. There's a Great app for iPhone/android called Insight Timer. Plenty of different ones on there just use the search option. I use them after a stressful day to clear the head or put a longer one on to help you sleep. Try breathing ones or body scans. I suffer with OCD and can't shake negative thoughts out of my head and over time this app has helped me massively. Utc

[brexit]

Good album not their best, much prefer Sweet Dreams.

[jos]

Try mindfulness. There's a Great app for iPhone/android called Insight Timer. Plenty of different ones on there just use the search option. I use them after a stressful day to clear the head or put a longer one on to help you sleep. Try breathing ones or body scans. I suffer with OCD and can't shake negative thoughts out of my head and over time this app has helped me massively. Utc

£55 !

[Superjohnnyfrancis]

Loads of exercise and little to no alcohol is the key, cutting down on caffeine also helps. Milky drinks also help before lights out.

[Jakubclaret]

Valerian root tea or chamomile & a good book followed up with LBC on sleep timer, if you keep yourself active & busy enough during the day generally speaking that within itself is sufficient to promote a good night's sleep.

[Damo]

My wife thinks I'm odd, and she might be right, but I listen to old shipping forecast videos on YouTube to get to sleep.
She plays rain and wind noise though, so we are both using the white noise method

[Taffy on the wing]

Try reading a book.........works for me.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

My wife thinks I'm odd, and she might be right, but I listen to old shipping forecast videos on YouTube to get to sleep.
She plays rain and wind noise though, so we are both using the white noise method

Similar. I listen to recordings of the old “numbers stations” (spy radio channels) … the rhythm of the counting sends you to sleep.
Valerian tea. Tart Cherry Extract. Glycine. Quite a few natural remedies.

And then there’s one that’s legal in NM that I take in gummy form… shuts my brain down beautifully zzzzzzzzz

[Burnley1989]

Try reading a book.........works for me.

Tried that last night and had a shocker of a nights sleep, think it’s just that Sunday sleep that will always be a bad one.
Got up and went to the gym.

Sticking with the reading though from 9pm every night

[JMU81]

£55 !

Plenty of free things on there to use. I've never paid for anything and use it every week.

[evensteadiereddie]

Does your Night Nurse make house calls

No but I've heard good reports about his Goblin Teasmade.....

[Taffy on the wing]

Tried that last night and had a shocker of a nights sleep, think it’s just that Sunday sleep that will always be a bad one.
Got up and went to the gym.

Sticking with the reading though from 9pm every night

I'm not even trying....i want to read the book, but always fall asleep after a few pages.

[warksclaret]

There is insomnia and then serious insomnia which can lead to severe anxiety about your ability to sleep again. I have developed two bouts of severe sleep anxiety in the last 6 years-one lasted 4 months the other 9 months and it led to serious mental health issues as my mind focused all day on the fact I would not sleep that night. I got in a vicious circle and it was one of the worst periods of my life.

Fortunately I found a very good counsellor who got me through it and the local mental health group prescribed a drug referred to as a SSNRI which increases the activity of serotonin in your brain. I weaned myself off the sleeping tablets I had been taking for 9 months (incredibly hard),and only took the new medication for 6 weeks, but the purpose of this is to make serious insomniacs aware of a health compound, available at stores like Holland & Barret , that contains no drugs or medication. Its called 5HTP and I take a 50mg tablet one hour before bed.Its sourced from an African flower and it helps increase the production of serotonin in your brain and also stimulates the production of melatonin the sleep hormone. I have not slept so well in years, and my dreams are so vivid. And if there are spells when you temporary cannot sleep you no longer worry about the fear of tomorrow without having slept.