Bad sleep patterns,any ideas??

[Lozzie]

Well I find it very hard to get to sleep at night, I find that my mind is working overtime and I end up sitting in bed watching tv or reading a book.

I used to sleep fine and have never had problems with sleep before, I used to go to bed at 10:30pm and wake up at 9am.

At the moment I dont get to sleep till around 2am-4am and then I find I dont wake up till really late between 12-1pm!! This is very unusual for me and I feel like i have wasted half the day by sleeping that long.
Iv tried setting my alarm but I either sleep through it because im so tired or wake up and feel so tired I go back to sleep.

Does anyone else suffer with this?
How can I break this sleep pattern and get back to "normal" sleep??

Its really very frustrating, I have tried having a relaxing bath before bed and listening to soft music but I still cant get to sleep.:(

Any ideas would be greatly appreciatted and if anyone else suffers with this I really feel sympathy for you because its horrible!!

Laura xx

[india]

Hi there, i have the opposite problem, i'm usually asleep on the sofa about 8! Have you tried listening to a hypnosis/relaxation cd whilst lying down in bed?

India xx

[giddy]

Hi I have sleep problems too, at first it took me ages to fall asleep, I'd keep panicing everytime I closed my eyes, it often took until 2am and then I was awake by 4am. Now, I fall asleep quickly, but wake early, maybe 3 or 4am with a churning stomach and racing pulse!!
I think going back to work helped a bit as I'm exhausted by the end of the day ( I teach 5 yr olds!). I also listen to a relaxing CD use lavender/vetiver oil and take homeopathy remedy kali phos. I tried Valerian, but it didn't work as I'd got myself into such a state about taking it - I have a thing about medication of anysort and their side effects!! It took me weeks to be convinced homeopathy didn't have side effects! Valerian may work for you though
Take Care
Helen

[nomorepanic]

Try some of these....

Sleeping Environment

Look at your sleeping environment as several things will have an effect on your sleep. The main factors are as follows:

Light – Use thick curtains or blinds. Make sure the room is dark. If you can’t do this then invest in an eye mask.

Noise – In our own homes we become accustomed to the general noises that go on overnight – e.g. passing traffic, birds, the milkman rattling bottles, aircraft noise, trains, and even simple things like the heating switching on/off. You may notice that you sleep better or worse when you go on holiday or to stay away with friends/relatives and even in a hotel. I find that my sleep is even worse in hotels as there are so many more noises that wake me up and hotels are never the quietest of places! You could get the room double-glazed to reduce the noise levels or may even consider ear-plugs. Be aware though that sometimes you need to be able to hear noise e.g. a fire alarm going off – so try not to cut noise out completely.

Bedroom Temperature – It is impossible to give an exact temperature that the room should be as it is a combination of the sleeper’s own temperature, what bedclothes the sleeper is wearing and the ambient temperature. Most of the literature I read suggested the room should be around 62F (16C). Cooler temperatures are generally appropriate and some people actually like to sleep with the window very slightly open (even in the winter). Overheating will disturb sleep and can damage the skin too.

Beds – You need to get the right bed and pillows to get a good night’s sleep. Mattresses should distribute the pressure evenly over the body. If the mattress is too hard then you may get pressure leading to numbing and pain. If it is too soft then the neck and spine sag causing muscle tension and pain for some. Pillows should support your neck as well as your head. Some people (myself included) are allergic to feather pillows so a hypoallergenic material is preferable. Pillows don’t last forever so change them at least every 2 years and turn them over occasionally.

Sleeping Posture – Your spine will be aligned if you sleep on your side or back but is twisted if you sleep on your stomach, perhaps with one leg drawn up, bent at the knee.

Clocks - Most of us nowadays have digital clocks but they are illuminated at night so you can always see what time it is! Most sleep experts advice against clock-watching – keep it turned away from you and then you can’t keep checking the time and worrying because it was only x number of hours since you last looked at it.


Nicola

[Karen]

Hi Laura

I too have problems sleeping. It is best to avoid watching TV in bed if you can.

If your mind is racing with loads of thoughts you could try writing these down, as this can help free up the mind and enable your unconscious mind to think something has been done about the worries.

Having a routine to wind down for bed can help. I usually listen to a relaxation CD before bed.

Take a look at these previous posts too:

Sleep zzzzz
insomnia, insomnia, insomnia etc....
Sleep problems
HELP! Problems with sleeping.


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[Elle-Kay]

I've never really had a problem getting to sleep, except for once in a while, but a lot of the time I wake up and don't feel refreshed for having slept. I used to always fall asleep with the TV/DVD/Video on because I didn't like the quiet (I was used to sharing a room with my sister as a child), but have recently wondered if the light from that isn't helping my sleep, so read instead until I was literally too tired to hold the book up, but that made my neck ache, so instead I have invested in some audio books of my favourite novels, and listen to those at bedtime instead - no light, no aching neck, but I do still have my little bit of noise to keep me company

--- Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal.

[sal]

Hi hun

Know you have problems sleeping and i occasionally suffer from that when too much has gone on but otherwise just want to sleep all the time. Just whish you would get some sleep hun.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

[Ma Larkin]

Since suffering from PA's & anxiety my body clock has adjusted & I find that I rely on very little sleep. I have always been a light sleeper, but if I wake up now, I find it nearly impossible to get back to sleep. I toss & turn all night long, even wake myself up sometimes, but I find that if I have an early night, I look dog rough in the morning with huge bags under my eyes, yet when I have a bad night, I look OK!! I used to get really stressed out when my 2 eldest children were babies because I was convinced that I needed X amount of hours sleep & if I didn't get those hours, I would force my kids to have a sleep; it was like I was obsessed with it. It doesn't bother me now, I just grin & bear it but it is a bit of a pain, especially with working full-time, I'm always knackered after I've had my dinner! I have always been advised that if you can't sleep, don't lie in bed willing sleep to come on, get up & do something, even if it is reading, watching TV, having a bath or a warm drink.

I hope you find something to sort your sleep out lozpop & when you do, give me some tips lol!!

Les

[Dan]

am a bad sleeper to and always have been but it got worse with anxiety usually sleep ok till about fourish but sometimes find sleep impossible at all any way how about getting up 8/9 whatever and then you might feel more tired at your normal bed time cos if you asleep till 12 / 1 you wont feel tired till 2/3 you might just have to work on getting your normal sleep pattern back
happy sleeping
Dan

[Meg]

Sleep zzzzz
insomnia, insomnia, insomnia etc....
Sleep problems
HELP! Problems with sleeping.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
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