Insomnia cures

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What works for you?

I’m losing my mind. My son has finally started sleeping through the night (🥳) but now I can’t.

Nights are hard for me and I have a lot on my mind and I’m finding it so hard to shut off. My mind wanders to topics it shouldn’t and then I get kept up by it. I need to shut it off and sleep before I get there.

What works, if anything? 😴
 
I will get up and go downstairs even for 5 or 10 minutes, sometimes I will sort some washing out or something like that. It helps me to resettle once I go back up.
 
Nytol
Bath before bed
Lavender spray on pillows and duvet
Dont use your phone or have any screens on
Put a sleep hypnosis to listen to (they have them on youtube and Spotify, i find this really helps to stop your mind from running as your concentrating and listening to something)
Leave a small window open in your room so you dont get hot in the night.

I am on chemo and steriods at the moment and they keep me up all night and its really difficult to sleep. I do find all this stuff helps.
Hope you manage to get a good nights sleep soon!
 
I find reading a physical book (ie not a kindle) before bed really helps. Even if you only manage a few pages. Read until your eyelids are heavy and you can’t hold the book anymore. Hopefully you’ll then just drift off. Try to keep your mind on what might happen next in the story or mentally compose a GoodReads review 😂

If I wake in the night and can’t get back to sleep and my brain starts ramping up, I’ll read a few more pages (I have a book light).

Also this time of year... make sure you are getting good natural light in the mornings, so stand outside or sit by a bright window or in front of a SAD lamp first thing. It helps with circadian rhythms which hugely affects sleep patterns. Good luck.
 
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Think I spoke to soon with this because my son had me up constantly last night 😂

I am a reader but I've found it hard since kids to keep my mind focused for long enough to read for very long. I have to really be in the mood to read. I have been going on my phone too much before sleeping which is a habit I really need to break as I know it doesn't help.

.

I am on chemo and steriods at the moment and they keep me up all night and its really difficult to sleep. I do find all this stuff helps.
Hope you manage to get a good nights sleep soon!
Oh my sons sleeping pattern was wack when he was going through chemo. He was awake most of the night most nights, felt so bad for him because he'd end up so sleepy and cranky. I hope you're doing well
 
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Read before bed, avoid caffeine after lunchtime, don't use screens/tablets for at least 2 hours before bed, use ear plugs, if you have a clock in your bedroom cover or remove it, write a list of things you need to do or things on your mind, concentrate on slowly relaxing your body bit by bit from your toes up (easier said that done!)
 
Writing a list of everything that's worrying me.

Not having any caffeine after noon.

Not having any screens in the bedroom, not looking at a screen an hour before bed.

Having a blue light filter that comes on at sunset.

Trying to not eat late at night (not difficult with commuting and going to the gym on a work night) or eat lightly at night.
 
White noise is an absolute must for me. I can’t sleep without it at the moment as my mind is constantly racing. There are some good ones on YouTube, the sound of rainfall is my favourite
 
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fully recommend the sleep hypnosis vids on YT/Spotify but found the simple rain sounds with black screen work even better, there's allsorts on there- if you type sounds black screen into YT ( my faves are rain on car window , rain on window and walk through park with umbrella)----
wireless heaphones are a lifesaver!
cutting caffeine completely will help.

the best thing to do is stop putting pressure on yourself, think to yourself that if you sleep that's great , but if you don't - you'll still manage and get through.
get yourself as relaxed as possible, make your bedroom your calm place , only use it for sleep and the other thing :sleep::sneaky:

good luck
☘
 
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I listen to this and some of the other ones when the insomnia kicks in. Good sleep hygiene helps, but that difficult when you’ve got a little one.
I know how hard it can be not sleeping. Hope you catch some zzz’s soon.
 
I’ve had insomnia for years. Things I’ve found that help are Phenergan. You buy it over the counter. My doctor said it was fine to use but you’d better check with yours first.

And it was expensive but a weighted blanket has really helped me a lot.

Also CBD bath bombs seem to help me fall asleep.
 
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the best thing to do is stop putting pressure on yourself, think to yourself that if you sleep that's great , but if you don't - you'll still manage and get through.
I am another lifelong insomniac and this is such an important mental tip to take as opposed to physical ones. There is nothing more counter productive to sleep than frettting you aren’t getting it and can’t drop off and are going to be so tired. I always remind myself I may not yet be asleep but i am resting with my eyes closed. That will recharge my mind and body somewhat, and I try to enjoy the feeling of being quiet and dark and horizontal.

At the same time, if you want to get up and do something, do it. If it’s playing on your mind it can help to achieve it. Like someone said fold your washing or change your sheets. If you are hungry have a small snack. That’s a way of showing yourself you aren’t freaking out about being awake but it also takes your mind off it.
It’s easy to feel like the next day will be impossible. It won’t be. Especially if it’s your first night of poor sleep. You probably won’t be as tired as you think - after all you’re at least resting, like I said. It’s not like you’ve been clubbing all night, and a few bad sleeps are manageable - they might even help you get a better one the next night.

A really basic one that sometimes helps is chamomile tea. Honestly it sounds silly but sometimes it can really relax you. It may be placebo but sometimes a well timed chamomile tea before bed almost feels like Valium - without the hangover. I used to take strong sleeping tablets, im not a lightweight. Of course other factors matter but try it out. You might be surprised....

Thanks for the sleep hypnosis videos idea. For some reason I’ve never thought of something like that so am interested to try next time I need to.
 
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Sounds ridiculous but when I had bad insomnia I would eat two kiwis before bed sometimes and I had a really good sleep! Think they have a lot of melatonin in which helps you sleep :) same for bananas! Google it!
 
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I’ve had insomnia for years. Things I’ve found that help are Phenergan. You buy it over the counter. My doctor said it was fine to use but you’d better check with yours first.
Am seconding Phenergan. It is just an antihistamine but can also be used as a mild sedative. It's an absolute lifesaver for me and without it I can only get 2-3 hours of sleep a night 😩
 
nytol one a night is very good at making you sleepy. Makes you feel drowsy and sends you off to sleep pretty easily...
UNLESS like me, you suffer with restless leg syndrome 😭 the diphenhydramine makes it worse.

so if you don’t have troubles with RLS I highly recommend trying nytol.

Isn’t it funny how some things work for some people and not others? I have tried white noise/rainfall/ocean sounds many times and it just makes me more anxious and restless. it almost makes me overthink about getting to sleep, like I feel I SHOULD be why is it not working etc 😂 nightmare

I cannot fall asleep without the tv on. I guess that’s not a great thing but I hate the silence.
 
Is your problem falling asleep or waking up and not being able to get back to sleep? Are you currently working through the things that are on your mind? Xx
 
I always read before bed and it really helps. I do have a kindle but you can adjust the brightness on them so it doesn't feel like technology when its dimmed. I also sleep with a fan on, even in winter, because I hate silence!