Kalms

Hi everyone, i work night shifts in a Hospital & use night nurse, capsules or syrup to initially help me get off to sleep sometimes. This isn't an ideal solution but does work & is widely used by night staff. Taking two capsules can zonk you out the next day though.

 

I have to say that living in a creaky old house, as we do, has it's compensations - even when the cat walks up the stairs you know exactly which step she's on by the particular noise each one makes and then of course there's the dog whose fearsome bark belies the fact that, given time, she'd lick anyone to death!

We all have those occasions when the body is ready for sleep but the mind has other ideas. All I can suggest is that you satisfy yourself that doors and windows are locked, gas and/or electrical appliances are turned off, that you have 'an escape plan/route' in place in case of fire for example, and that you have a wind-up torch and phone of some description within easy reach.

My Gran (whose sleep patterns were a law unto themselves) used to do exactly what Sue's recommended above, if that didn't work she'd either read or just get up and do the ironing, bake cakes or anything else fairly quiet - her philosophy was, '... clearly I'm not meant to be asleep so I'll put to good use the extra hours I've been given'. I'm told night-time TV is one of the best cures for insomnia.

The very worst thing you can do is 'worry' about the fact that you might not get to sleep.

 

I bet one of the night watchmen at my last work would disagree. When someone switched on the big telly in the canteen at 8:30 one morning, they were surprised to find that instead of being on Sky News, it was on Babestation. We never saw that guard again after that.

 

No, not too nosey, I worry that one of my dogs may be unwell and bark or that one of my large aquariums starts leaking, all silly stuff that only seems likely when I am in bed.
Ideally I would have my bed in the living room where I would be sure to wake up but my elderly labrador snores like a train and that would definitely keep me awake, I can't win!!!

Val

 

I go to bed about 11.30p.m.Half an hour before I go to bed, I have to take 2 codeine and paracetamol tablets and prescribed Phenergan, I suffer from sleeplessness, due to Fibromyalgia, and so to try and get some sort of sleep, I wear eye covers sprinkled with Lavender oil. I am lucky to have a bed that is a rise and recline, as because I have arthritis in my neck,I also use a memory foam pillow as I need support under my neck. I find a read for a few minutes, a massage around my face and pressure points either side of my head next to my eyes. I also suffer with chronic sinusitis, so I have to sniff my Vick inhaler, and then Vaseline my lips, After this ritual I then settle down to sleep. If I am lucky, I might get 3-4 hours, I will probably have to let my dog out for a wee, he's 14 years old, and a slightly weak bladder.I am usually able to get another couple of hours, then at about 5.30a.m. my hubby will get up, make me a coffee and 2 biscuits, then I go back to sleep for another couple of hours. Sounds like a right performance, does'nt it, but it's what works for me.

 

I have never tried it, but valerian is used for sleeping problems.

Valerian is used for insomnia and other disorders as an alternative to benzodiazepine drugs, and as a sedative for nervous tension, excitability, stress and intestinal colic or cramps

Holland and barret sell it in tablets or tea bags.

 

On one of my attempts to quit smoking, I bought some valerian root capsules from the local witches shop. I told the witch I wanted something to help combat cravings, and something to calm me down, so she sold me valerian root and some potion containing nightshade and various other things.

It didn't enable me to quit smoking, but it didn't half send me off to sleep.

 

sounds to me like it could be loss of control issues. I'm a control freak, so I can sympathise. Has anything happened recently to set it off? Something happened that was out of your control and it scared you? Your insomnia could be an extention of that

 

witch century are you in, clueless?

 

I'm not joking, she is a witch. You walk into her 'herbal' shop and it feels like you've just stepped back in time by a century or two. Low ceiling, gloomy lighting, loads and loads of mismatched wooden cabinets, a pair of counter-balance scales with a set of cast iron weights to go with it, and such a pungent smell of all manner of dried roots and oils. The witch herself is a middle aged lady of very eccentric appearance, who never says a word. Instead she communicates through her sidekick, a young man in his early 30s. When you speak to her, you address her directly, and then she'll just stand there looking at you, deep in thought. Then if you're paying attention, you will notice a very slight flicker of her eyes and then the young man will start to answer your question slowly and in monotone. Once his answer is complete, the witch will issue a very subtle, almost imperceptible nod, and then the chap pulls a shocked impression as though he's not quite sure what's just happened. I went to see the witch on a number of occasions, and after a brief chat I always came out with something that proved effective, even if not always for its intended purpose. When my wife was pregnant and had morning sickness, I went to see the witch. She refused to sell me anything except ginger, reporting through her sidekick who was clearly repeating instructions verbatim, that despite what many modern herbalists say, herbs are potent medicines that affect your inner energy flows, and so are not always safe, so she wouldn't sell us anything more potent unless she saw the wife first.

Definitely a witch

 

OMG I soooooooooo want to go there now, she'd have her work cut out with me, I've got so many health probs. Are you sure he's a sidekick and not her familiar?