@AnnaB your sleeping pattern is definitely worse than mine. Have you seen a doctor about it and the long covid? You say you fall asleep at 2am, what do you do until then? Phones are the worst enemy of sleep but I understand the frustration and desperation to do something to pass the time. I do it too. Are you taking medication for other stuff? Some medicines interfere with sleep. My doctor does give me sleeping pills. I take them sporadically, when I am desperate: that gives me 5 to 6 hours uninterrupted. I listen to podcasts at very low volume with tiny headphones, In our time is my favourite. I also do breathing exercises. Some use melatonin, it's available over the counter although it didn't work for me. See people for a daily chat. I never heard of lemon verbena but it is definitely worth a try. Hugs.
Just about to get ready for bed - as I can only sleep in two hour stints I have to 'arrange' my days to manage. Sleep from 2 - 4, awake from 4 - 6, sleep 6 - 8 (sometimes if lucky manage until 9am), snooze for a siesta early pm to enable me to get round to starting the cycle again at 2am. Luckily I sleep immediately my head hits the pillow plus my great age allows me to follow the schedule that suits me and I can spend the rest of my daytime doing whatever takes my fancy (or needs doing in the general scheme of life). This has been my way of sleeping for nearly four years now since I caught covid while in hospital (do suffer from long covid with its many problems, so annoying and frustrating), but the strange thing is that virtually precisely at 2am I need to sleep, I climb into bed, instant sleep but again precisely 2 hours later I will wake and am instantly wide awake and ready to get up and away. Nothing I can do to prolong those 2 hours of sleep at all. So you lovely folk, give some thought to my problem please, any suggestions gratefully received. Hope some of you manage to get a good night's sleep if possible.
@AnnaB I do understand the regimented sleep pattern. I wonder whether your sleep pattern comes from being in hospital. I recall nursing staff coming round every two hours, or thereabouts, just to check pulse, etc. and to administer medication.
Most of the time I sleep for two hours, then wake about every 15 minutes. Sometimes, like last night, I wake about 4am, then that's it. Until 10pm.
I understand the frustration it causes. I gave up work 12 years ago, and still haven't managed to sleep much beyond 6am - the time I used to get up, to catch a train. I am improving a little each year, but by the time I can sleep (fitfully) until 7am, I'll be on my way out of this world.
Awake from 4 to 5am, had a read to clear out the dream I’d been having, then got back to sleep till 8am. There was a long article in the Times supplement yesterday about midlife insomnia. Not much new, more about the science of it. However it didn’t recommend last thing before bedtime drinks because of the diuretic effect, although a ‘nip’ of booze might help. Counting backwards from 1000 in 7s, good luck with that! And getting up and doing something else if you are still awake after 15 minutes is also recommended. I’m thankful at least I rarely have to worry about being tired the next day, although it was also recommended that you get up at the same time every morning.
My problem with the "getting up and doing something else" if I'm still awake after 15 minutes, is that I then disturb my wife. It was fine when she was away, because I went downstairs and watched TV. Then fell asleep because the programme was so boring. Even reading is out, because I need a light. So I stay put, and listen to her snore (sorry, breathe heavily).😉
@coccinella We do have a spare room, with a bed permanently made up, and there are times when my wife decides to even start the night there, if she needs to get a reasonable sleep. But it's not a satisfactory solution in my eyes, but it's better than nothing. Occasionally I go in there, but it's a single bed, and at 6ft 2in, I don't fit!!
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My doctor does give me sleeping pills. I take them sporadically, when I am desperate: that gives me 5 to 6 hours uninterrupted. I listen to podcasts at very low volume with tiny headphones, In our time is my favourite.
I also do breathing exercises. Some use melatonin, it's available over the counter although it didn't work for me.
See people for a daily chat.
I never heard of lemon verbena but it is definitely worth a try.
Hugs.
Luxembourg
I found these very comfy, you can sleep on you side. Long lasting too.
Luxembourg
I do understand the regimented sleep pattern. I wonder whether your sleep pattern comes from being in hospital. I recall nursing staff coming round every two hours, or thereabouts, just to check pulse, etc. and to administer medication.
Most of the time I sleep for two hours, then wake about every 15 minutes. Sometimes, like last night, I wake about 4am, then that's it. Until 10pm.
I understand the frustration it causes.
I gave up work 12 years ago, and still haven't managed to sleep much beyond 6am - the time I used to get up, to catch a train. I am improving a little each year, but by the time I can sleep (fitfully) until 7am, I'll be on my way out of this world.
It was fine when she was away, because I went downstairs and watched TV. Then fell asleep because the programme was so boring.
Even reading is out, because I need a light. So I stay put, and listen to her snore (sorry, breathe heavily).😉
Luxembourg
We do have a spare room, with a bed permanently made up, and there are times when my wife decides to even start the night there, if she needs to get a reasonable sleep.
But it's not a satisfactory solution in my eyes, but it's better than nothing. Occasionally I go in there, but it's a single bed, and at 6ft 2in, I don't fit!!
Luxembourg
It's not working for me!!
It's around 3pm I think. Can't see the clock. Too tired.