h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's starting to get seriously silly now so any advice on how to sleep would be greatly appreciated
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So, waht is the problem?; is it difficulity falling asleep in the first place, or is is a problem of waking up during the night and getting a disturbed sleep?

Combination of both, I can't remeber the last time i slept right through the night but it generally takes a a couple of hours to drop off even if i'm shattered
Plus when i do manage to fall asleep i have some really weird vivid dreams and end up waking up feeling fairly disturbed!!

Is there anything particularly stressful going on with you right now?

az

A yes or no answer is fine if you don't want to go into the details.

I tend to suffer a lot from insomnia myself.

az

No more than the normal really, i think its more a case of managing to shut my brain down, i hear some fairly grim stuff as part of my job but generally i can switch that off

They say that having a 'going to bed' routine can help with falling asleep. Such as taking a bath or shower beforehand and maybe doing a few yoga stretches.

My problem is not being able to stay asleep (I tend to fall asleep okay) - but I end up wide awake at 3-4am even though I'm clearly exhausted. Yep, can't shut the brain off.

How about 'compartmentalising' your thoughts? Take them one by one as they come, acknowledge they are there without 'falling into them' - and instead mentally put each one of them into a box and then stack them on a shelf and say to them that you'll get back to all that in the morning. That way the thoughts aren't being ignored, just laid aside in a safe place while you sleep.

And then BREATHE like you are already asleep.

Can't hurt, might help...?

az

One trick that works for me when it comes to 'emptying the mind' is to have pen and paper next to my bed. I write down whatever it is that spins around in my head and promise myself to deal with it next day.

Not that it helps me stay asleep all night through, though - I too wake up at what we in Sweden call the 'wolf hour' (3-4 am). No thoughts swirling in my head and yet I *still* have trouble falling asleep again.

Trivia:

Ingmar Bergman made a film titled 'Hour of the wolf' with this prologue:

'The Hour of the Wolf is the time between night and dawn. It is the hour when most people die, when sleep is deepest, when nightmares are most palpable. It is the hour when the sleepless are pursued by their sharpest anxieties, when ghosts and demons hold sway. The Hour of the Wolf is also the hour when most children are born.'

yeah i'm generally awake at that time - i then manage to drop off again about three quarters of an hour before i have to get up
I'll give the stretching a go and see if that helps

In the last week I've discovered the key to a good night's sleep. It was simple really. I just let my wife take our 7 month old son away for a few days with her parents. Best night's sleep I've had in months.

Admittedly, this solution may not work for everyone...


Geggs

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Oh LUXURY!!! For me it's only about 15 minutes before ...

az

that Ingmar Bergman quote gave me goosebumps. when i have problems sleeping i use a hypnosis tape it helps soothe my thoughts and help me drift off to sleep. just make sure its one that is designed for sleep and not one that ends with "EYES OPEN AND WIDE AWAY"

My God
I should just install a desk into my bedroom since i seem to be able sleep like this but as soon as i actually prepare to sleep at a sensible time i stand no chance!!

When I can't get to sleep I'll use these tricks

1. Alphabet boredom
Pick a letter of the alphabet (A will do for this example) then think of a name where the initials are A A then B A then C A etc etc - do NOT move to the next letter until you have done each one.
Boring? Yes! That's the point - basically any long boring list will do - I've known people who do their times tables, or their address book.

2. Intense relaxation
Start with the toes and concentrate on completely relaxing them, until you can almost feel the flesh hanging on the bone - then the feet, then the ankles and slowly move up the body. Once again, do not move on until each part is TOTALLY relaxed. I don't think I've ever made it to the shoulders

Also, do not eat before bed - I saw something on TV that said that eating within 2 hours of sleeping will upset the sleep cycles, though they did say that warm milk will help.

They also said that if you wake up during the night do NOT just lie there and try to sleep - get up, walk around a little and then go back to bed. The harder you try to sleep the less likely that you will.

Found this though I suspect you've already been here? What the... you'll be no worse off.

What's the treatment?
Sleeping tablets may be prescribed for short-term use only, when the cause of insomnia has been identified as bereavement or jet lag, for example.

However, it's usually more important to address any underlying cause of the insomnia - ensuring your bed is comfortable and your bedroom dark and quiet, for example. Try going to sleep and getting up at the same time, and not working or watching TV in your bedroom.

You should also try avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Getting more exercise during the day, having a warm milky drink before bed, and herbs such as valerian and camomile can also help.

I have my own cure. I just get settled down in front of the brainkiller to watch something I'm really intersed in an whadya know zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Sorry it won't help but might cheer you up?
Here's hoping.

Mjst chexk mt ty[pimg.
Please read interested not intersed.

Yes I did preview.
Blind, deaf, grumpy old git. Then there's me.

I wanna live long enough to get even with the kids.
Good luck again.

Hi! Sorry to hear about the sleep/dreams.

Just 2 comments; I read an article that said that waking up for an hour or so in the middle of your sleep was normal pre-industrial times. Everyone would go to bed when the sun went down and then the adults got their adult time in the "wee hours" (does that phrase come from hours without the "wee ones," one wonders). It was in a Time bumper issue so respected publication.

Also, there's the aspect of repressed memories. It's not fun but if there was some nasty memories that your mind quashed, they would come back when you least expect it; When your at a point when the mind feels there's enough brain power to finally deal with. Dreams and memory are very closely related and that part of your brain that protects you, could be trying to ignore what's coming back.

Keep well!

Go to a doctor and make sure your underlying health is OK. Things like a thyroid disorder, depression, or even nasal congestion can interfere with sleep.

I suffer from pretty bad insomnia which is probably as a result of lots of stress last year (which kick-started the insomnia), shift work, and ultimately stress relating to the pressure to get a good nights sleep (especially when I'm on an early shift). Sometimes it takes me a long time to get to sleep and on some occasions I have had no sleep at all and had to go to work like a zombie (although without the desire to consume brains).

I can be totally shattered and about ready to drop but once I switch the light off and close my eyes it's like my brain (and body) goes into overdrive. I am plagued by single lines of lyrics from songs repeating over and over and my heartbeat increases. I then find it hard to actually keep my eyes closed.

I've found that melatonin helps. This is a chemical secreted by the brain when it gets dark that tells us it's time to sleep. It is supposedly good for insomnia and jet-lag and is obtainable over the internet. According to data I have read the best time to take this is at 10:00pm as this is when your brain starts to secrete it naturally.

I have had pretty good succes with this over the last couple of months, with only one serious bout of insomnia (last week) where I didn't get to sleep until 07:00 and then had to get up at 08:45 for work.

I have now bought some night nurse which I have found to be helpful (on top of the melatonin) to stop the anxiety that I get when I feel the pressure to get to sleep by a certain time. Was on an early this morning but still had a good night's sleep from 11:00ish onwards until my alarm went off.

Placebo effect? I can't be sure, but whatever works right?

I'll second the pen-and paper method - if something's bugging you at 4.44 am (my invariable insomnia moment) then getting it out of your head and onto a notepad is a big help.

Lavender oil, or a lavender bag. Sprinkle some oil on your duvet or pillow, making sure it wont get on your face.

Concentrate on the heaviness of your body on the mattress - visualise the outline that you would be leaving if you were in that position on a warm sandy beach.

Read something boring - I can lend you my old copies of Tolleys Tax Guides.

Womb music.

Not always an option, but sex?