Sparrowhawk
Senior Member
- Messages
- 514
- Location
- West Coast USA
I tried everything but prescription sleep aids, including acupuncture, Chinese herbs, melatonin, valerian, kava, and combinations of those. Even when they would help me get to sleep I found within three hours I was having disrupted sleep. Often had to take more, and woke exhausted, sometimes worse than the night before. I don't know over time what changed but I decided to do the sleep hygeine thing and made myself go to bed EVERY NIGHT at 8:30, black out shades, and I had nothing exciting at all going on after 5pm if I could help it. Audio books or scrabble or both only between dinner and bed. Then once lights out I do calming meditation body scans and such. I am at the point where I can usually get to sleep within a half hour to forty five minutes doing that.
I still wake frequently, turn over, etc. especially after about 3am. But at least if I get in bed by 8:30 I net enough sleep by 5:40 or 6am to be somewhat human the next day. It makes a huge difference.
I still wake frequently, turn over, etc. especially after about 3am. But at least if I get in bed by 8:30 I net enough sleep by 5:40 or 6am to be somewhat human the next day. It makes a huge difference.