Sleep Problems

[bobbie22]

Please can anyone give me advice? I don’t get to sleep sometimes until 4 am. I have tried over the counter tablets and they work. But they have possible side effects which I looked up. Does anyone know what I should do for the best Thanks

[tonyav]

I get up when I feel like it, make sure those that need to know that do too.

Ohhh only another few months and that could be me to.

[douglas9401]

You may yet be rudely awakened by the dustmen.

[tonyav]

Only on a Wednesday.

[Barsel]

If I don't need to be up early, I set the alarm for 8am, get up and open the curtains, then go back to bed!
Opening the curtains makes my neighbours think I'm up!
Tony ///Ohhh only another few months and that could be me to.///
Are you retiring?

[jennyjoan]

I;m the same Barsel - I have venetian blinds and I open them to let the world I;m up - . I can;t believe I'm up at this time and yawning. I;m getting into bed with this Mr Maxie fella.

My "nice" time for getting up is 10.00 - just right for me. so off I go again.

[Redhelen72]

Try some rest and relaxation techniques

[Hopkirk]

Who is Mr Maxie?

[davebro]

Do people still darn socks?

[rowanwitch]

I wonder if you realise as you get older it is quite common to need less sleep. So long as you don't feel unwell after a spell of bad nights then think about adjusting your routine to either a later bed time of earlier get up time. No electronic devices and that includes tv for at least an hour before bed time, which should be the same every night as visual stimulation is more likely to keep you awake. Reduce the ambient lighting to a minimum. It may also help if you allow your body to cool slightly. Just taking off a layer 15 minutes before you go to bed, is enough. No books, no tv in the bedroom, keep it strictly for sleeping. If you are still wide awake after half an hour get up, and do something non stimulating like listen to a talking book rather than reading. Give it an hour then try again. And set your alarm clock for a sensible rising time say 0700, no matter what time you went to sleep, get up and get on with your day. The idea is to condition your body to a new habit. Can take up to 3 months of sticking to it.
However if it is age related sleep reduction you may have to accept this is your new normal and stop worrying about it.

[Peter Pedant]

buy the tablets and take them?
am I being unfair?

[Barsel]

Hoppy //Who is Mr Maxie?//
I'm pretty sure it's JJ little doggie.

[Barsel]

bobbie, I go to bed very late, usually between 2 - 4am and the earliest I get up is 8am when my alarm goes off.
If I have to go somewhere early, I stay up, but am yawning for most of the day.
Went to bed at 4am today, up at 8am to open the curtains, back to bed and woke up at about 2pm this afternoon.
Sometimes I get no sleep at all and so I feel I need this extra long sleep at the week-end to make up for it.
The best thing to do is go to bed at the same (reasonable) time every night and get up at the same time every morning, but up to now, I haven't been able to get into that routine.

[pastafreak]

When I was working, I found it difficult yo establish good sleep habits. My desire at the time was lights out usually between 1 and 2 am, and up between 8:30 and 9:30 am. Not possible whrn I need to be up at 6am 3 days a week.
I retired at the end of 2019 and have spent the last 18 months gradually finding what works for me...every day. So now, it's in bed around midnight with lights out before 1am. According to my fitbit I usually get better, sounder sleep when I go to sleep earlier. My alarm goes off at 8:30...I may get up before then...but no later than 9. Supposedly my actual sleep time is 6.5-7 hours.

[Barsel]

That's the sort of thing I'm trying to aim for pasta.
I'd like to be in bed before midnight and get up between 8 - 9 am depending on what I'm doing that day.
Problem is, if I go to bed before midnight I can't get to sleep before my usual bedtime which is usually not before 3am.
I suppose it takes time to get your body clock to get used to a new routine.

[eve1974]

melatonin can be prescribed on NHS for those over 55 (as far as I'm aware?) and its a natural hormone.

[bobbie22]

Very interesting answers. I can see that some people have problems and others have sorted out their sleep. As for me, I slept only 2 hours even after taking a tablet. I have been dozing on the settee off and on all day.
Could be something to do with age maybe.

[jno]

try a different tablet then?

[calmck]

I use a natural occurring melatonin found in Montmorency cherry. Available from Amazon as Neuro Night Relief. I take 1 tablet around 11.45 and am asleep by 12.30. Awakened around 7 by fur babies wanting food!

[bobbie22]

Ok thanks. Will look into that

[jennyjoan]

every medication is different for different people

have been prescribed Melatonin (didn't work for me) nor my neighbour as he was telling me.

That Montmerry cherry thing (didn't work for me either). You may need to ask your GP for a stronger sleeping pill and no you won't get addicted but you may get 6 hours of sleep.

When I think of going to bed I call it "Bed Dread".

"Different doctors different patients die".