Insomnia

[mickdel]

Insomnia is a right bastard.   I've tried stilnocht and other hypnotics, but they're no use.  Can anyone recommend a sleeping tab that will knock me out for a few hours?   I used to get mogadon, but it's not available now.

[martynR]

You mean even counting the elephants does not help? 

[Just Anne]

I have a cure, read the book on advanced cardiac electrophysiology that I'm reading for a course I'm going on next week, every bloody time I try to read it I drop off to sleep
 
Sorry not really helpful. The truth is that no sleeping pills are much good and they're all addictive. They're ok in the short term to restore a sleep pattern that's been upset but after a week or so they cease to be effective. The best thing is to find the cause of the problem. A therapist specialising in cognitive behavioural therapy is your best bet, it's likely to be caused by something you're not even aware of.
 
In the mean time, examine your bed time routine, best to avoid looking at anything with a screen for a couple of hours before trying to sleep. Also no caffine, alcohol or heavy meals after about 6-7pm if you're aiming to sleep at about 11-12pm. Write a list of things that worried you during the day and scrunch it up and put it in the bin (more effective than you might think) Your bedroom should be cool, about 18degrees but your bed should be warm,prewarm with a hottie if needed.Have a warm milky drink and a bath then read something in bed that's enjoyable but not too taxing till your eyelids droop. Turn the light off and have a CD with speech rather than music on just loud enough so you need to concentrate to hear, this stops your mind wondering onto things that worry you.
 
Hope this helps, it's worth the faf, honestly.
 
Anne

[Captain Haddock]

Just buy a foccing bandit and be done with it!

[griff86]

I have found that a supplement called ZMA helps me stay asleep.
I had major problems with being a light sleeper, waking up all the time, now though I can wake up in the night and fall back to sleep easily.
If you do try it, Maximuscle have a good one or Reflex have one called 'Zinc Matrix'.
Worth a try man.

[Farjo]

Propofol - just make sure you get a quack who doesn't know how to resuscitate (or hang a drip for that matter). Should cost no more than $150,000 per month

But in case you want to go the Health & Safety route, and further to Anne's tips, try and get out in daylight early in the morning and avoid it in the late afternoon / evenings. I read The Beano in bed and assume this works like Anne's radio tip - it forces other stuff out of my brain but isn't very taxing.

[Fazerider]

I always sleep better if I've had some exercise during the day, a swim or a few miles walking is good.
My problem is my kidneys no longer ease off working at night... by 6am I'm woken up by a full bladder whereas 20 years ago I could kip 'til
noon.

@ Just Anne
I'd very much like my bed pre-warmed by a hottie too.

[Robbie8666]

sorry cant add any advise, my lady was prescribed with a "mild" sedative by her Quack for depression they seem to knock her out but then she spends the next day feeling crap so I wouldn't advise them.
 
When I had problems sleeping due to silly shift patterns I was working my GP prescribed me some pills. was bit worried when I handed the chemist the script and when she handed me the tablets said " becareful when u use thes they may make you drowsy!!! " IDEAL!! actually they were anti-histamins! (sp) and they didnt work!!

[locksmith]

I read The Beano in bed

[Slaninar]

Churchill's Memoirs always knock me down in no time.

[Phil TK]

Turn the light off and have a CD with speech rather than music on just loud enough so you need to concentrate to hear, this stops your mind wondering onto things that worry you.

I'm a slave to insomnia a lot of the time, but listening to the BBC World Service (R4) with the volume set as above does get me off to sleep, sometimes I'll combine it with reading beforehand until I feel sleepy, it doesn't matter what sort of book really, - as long as its interesting, dull books simply let your mind wander, usually on to things to worry about..
 This time of year it's easy to be woken in the early hours by cold, so I wear a thin EDZ top which is comfy and warm, once the frosts get going the electric blanket will be going on, I switch it off when I get into bed and a timer switches it on again at 3.30am when the temperature drops.
 Sometimes I sleep well for weeks then go through a bad patch like I am now because it's a perfect storm at the moment. I have Crohn's, which is giving me cramps, I have a chest infection and it's gets cold suddenly because of some nasty easterly onshore winds coming in and the estuary was foggy the past week and I get woken up by foghorns! Bah.
 Oh, 'forgot, a proper neck support can work wonders, you can use a towel rolled up and held with elastic bands initially and/or progress to one of the many special pillows that do the same job.
 I might add I avoid 'nytol' type drugs and potions, you can't take that stuff for the rest of your life.

[VNA - BMW Wank]

I have to admit to being an insomniac also.
It's a pain, as a lack of sleep leaves you feeling, as you know, like shite.

The only thing that ever worked for me was sleep deprivation.  Yup madness, but it can work.

Basically to do it, you set yourself out on a months (or two) sleep deprivation.  Basically training yourself only to sleep at night.
No napping or snoozing during the day, no matter who shite you feel, stay awake and find things to do keep you awake no matter how focced you are.  Remember it's only for a month or two.
Then combine that with limiting the time you allow yourself to sleep at night.  6hrs should do.  That's 6hrs in bed, if you don't get a 6hrs sleep, tough, just keep following the routine.

Stick to it for one hellish month (or two).  In fact towards the end of the month it should get easier, and if you are an insomniac, despite being somewhat sleep depraved you should feel better, as hopefully, the 4 and a half to 6 hours sleep your are (hopefully) getting each night is quality deep sleep.

A word of warning however.  It can be addictive.

I guess also there must be different types of insomnia.  I'm the can't get off to sleep type, combined with being a fussy sleeper. 

A couple of drams at the end of the day also helps me, though any more than that impacts on quality of sleep.

Oh to be a sound sleeper.  It must be wonderful. 

 

[dolau]

I'm with Anne...... In the most respectful sense 

Although tonight I am here at 3am cos I cant sleep tonight its not a regular occurence luckily.... and I really like the idea of prewarming the bed with a hottie.... but at 58 I think that is unlikely and I think the wife would object 

For me it is definately the write the 'dayshit' down and then you can forget it. I have a pad by the bed and the scrawl I see in the morning doesnt help me remember from my night writing but it does let forget the things that are on my mind at the time

If the wife is away I cant get to sleep but as Anne says, a radio on sleep for an hour and I am away... especially the shipping foprecast on Radio4

[Farjo]

Tonight is my last night shift. the best thing about finishing them is the long sleep - I'll go to bed this evening at 6pm and sleep solidly for over 12 hours - bliss!

 

[rayburn600]

Get your Doc to give you Amatriptilene (spelling?)
10mg.
Its pretty good.
Non addictive and helps too with the Loo patrol during the night.
I find  them very   ........./;g pyl,,rl4o   f,blg