Mum can't sleep

Flay

For a long time my mum has been having trouble sleeping. Recently the problem has gotten a lot worse, since she's no longer taking antihistamines to help make her feel drowsy.

I'm assuming this is stress-based, but I can't be sure of the exact cause. Can anyone give me any advice on how I might be able to help her out?

Euphoriac

Help sort out whatever is stressing her out. It's that simple (but not easy).

dispatch.o

If she's been relying on something to make her drowsy, it will get worse when she stops taking it. Most of that stuff IS habit forming. She probably needs to see a doctor and get some tests done.

General stuff would be cutting out caffeine and other stimulants entirely and making sure she's getting some excercise. This isn't a family dog we're talking about however, so you can't just walk up and say "look here, no more of this or that and I mean it!".

Have her talk to a doctor. They usually do some bloodwork, a sleep study and advise excercise and cutting out the stuff that distracts you in a bedroom. Like television and computer monitors, flashing or bright alarm clocks, doing anything in bed other than sleeping.

Bed is a time for sleep. If you do other shit in your bed, your body wont shut the fuck up and go to sleep because it's just another place to think and do shit.

The Black Hunter

No energetic intake

hell, nothing but water after 8 oclock

out of bed before 10am

get tired through the day

Cerpin

I have had some pretty serious sleep problems (medication related) and just ensuring I got regular exercise made a huge difference. Even going for a brisk walk for half an hour or something during the day.

onceling

Proper sleep hygiene will fix most people's issues of this kind. The problem is that people aren't willing to stick to the plan, they pick and choose the easy parts. If someone is serious about it, they should do all these:

1. Sleep the same times every day, even weekends with no drastic changes.

2. Do not do other stuff in bed, no TV, no reading, etc. Sleep and sex only, read in an armchair.

3. No TV or computer screens for at least an hour, if not a couple before bedtime.

4. No caffeine or alcohol for 6 hours before bed.

5. Exercise daily, but in the morning or early afternoon.

Flay

Pretty much everything that's been mentioned in this thread she's already tried, unfortunately. She's seen a doctor several times, but they can't do a sleep study and can't/won't prescribe any more medications.

From what I understand her sleep patterns consist of getting around 2 hours sleep a night, with long-ish periods of restless semi-consciousness. Once she wakes up, she finds it very difficult to go back to sleep.

I'd really like to help, does anyone else have any other advice?

admanb

Flay wrote: »

Pretty much everything that's been mentioned in this thread she's already tried, unfortunately. She's seen a doctor several times, but they can't do a sleep study and can't/won't prescribe any more medications.

Um what? Why are doctors blatantly failing to do their job?

AmytheLibrarian

probably not something that's comfy to discuss with your mom but i thought i'd throw in a daughter's perspective...

onset of menopause perhaps?

http://www.cfpc.ca/english/cfpc/programs/patient%20education/menopause/default.asp?s=1

Zek

Does she get any exercise? Also, she should talk to a psychiatrist, they would have more experience in this sort of medication than a regular doctor. It could be anxiety-based rather than a specific sleep disorder.

onceling

Is she overweight?

What is their reason for not doing a sleep study?

Does she get migraines?

What is she doing to relieve the stress?

Flay

Zek wrote: »

It could be anxiety-based rather than a specific sleep disorder.

Anxiety is probably a major factor.

She's not overweight and doesn't get migraines, and exercises regularly. I'm not sure exactly what's going on with the doctor, I'll have to ask about it.

underdonk

Has she tried any benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, etc.) an hour or so before bed time? They're not supposed to be used as sleep aids, because of the way they tend to fuck up REM sleep, but if her inability to fall asleep is stress related, this may be just what the doctor ordered. No pun intended.

Ok, pun totally intended.