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Had a change of sleeping tablets starting tonight. Have to start on low dose to see what works best. Problem is I'm exhausted but can't sleep. Maybe it's the new meds. Maybe it's the thought of not knowing if this dosage will work. So niw I'm getting irritated. & the dog next door won't stop barking. Think I need ear plugs. Just needed to have a whinge.
The sleeping tablets I took in the year my mother was dying of lung cancer were a little help ... but thats all.
I am planning to go to bed soon, but really felt I had a breakthrough that I could chat occasionally here at Sane forums online at night rather than keep struggling with myself alone.
Bummer about the dog ...Grrrr...
In response to: Still Awake
pipSenior Contributor
Re: Still Awake
Hi utopia. Quite often, the more we try to force ourselves to sleep, the less we seem to. It sounds as though you're mentally exhausted, but not physically. I suggest, even though you're taking different meds, try staying up later. When we're trying to sleep, everything seems to irritate too. Cars going past, the dog next door, a party two streets away. Even if you stay up, but doze on the couch, you're sleeping. Going to bed usually seems to wake me up, so I stay up and doze on the couch. I turn the phone off, leave the t.v on low. I often try reading in bed, that seems to work too. I used to read in bed when I was a kid, that always seemed to help.
In response to: Re: Still Awake
Fancy_PantsSenior Contributor
Re: Still Awake
Hi @utopia,
I hope that you were able to get some sleep in the end and its not such a struggle tonight. i think that @pip has a great point about mental vs physical tiredness and great tips but I have read that dozing is a form of sleep (level 2 here) so by dozing we can actually reduce our need to sleep because we already have
besides the usual sleep hygiene (dont know why its called that) techniques like these
I found this recently getf.lux it is a free program for computers and androids that can stop the blue light on your android or computer so your melatonin is not reduced if you want to use your device late at night. I do think its been helpful for me
In response to: Still Awake
utopiaSenior Contributor
Re: Still Awake
Last time I looked at the clock it was 6.30am. Then slept on/off for about 5 hours. I hope tonight will be better.
In response to: Still Awake
utopiaSenior Contributor
Re: Still Awake
@Appleblossom@pip@Fancy_Pants. Thank you for responding to my post. I will definitely look into reducing the blue light on my phone. I think the sleep problem is probably due to withdrawal of the old drug and having to wait to get the new dose right. Was great when I was first put on sleeping tablets in hospital. But 3 months later, my body probably doesn't know how to sleep on its own anymore. Took tablets earlier tonight. Then listened to relaxation for sleep ap. Fell asleep before 11 but wide awake at 1.30am. Oh well. Still, I feel better than last night
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