Severe Insomnia

My mother has slept 8 hours all week. She is not feeling very good right now. I'm worried about her. Tylenol PM makes her sick, she doesn't want to use regular sleeping pills, and Benadryl didn't work. So I figured I would see if any of you have insomnia and know of something that helped you sleep better. So does anyone know of something that works and might help her sleep tonight? Thanks.

Originally Posted by georgiagirl8

My mother has slept 8 hours all week. She is not feeling very good right now. I'm worried about her. Tylenol PM makes her sick, she doesn't want to use regular sleeping pills, and Benadryl didn't work. So I figured I would see if any of you have insomnia and know of something that helped you sleep better. So does anyone know of something that works and might help her sleep tonight? Thanks.

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I was hooked on prescription sleeping pills for years, so I wouldn't suggest them at all, but I've finally just started to get a full night of SOLID sleep without them after having rebound insomnia for the past couple of months, which is a real milestone for me.

Though I'm still trying to develop a normal sleep pattern, I'm trying to focus on doing whatever will help me relax before going to bed. It's called "sleep hygiene", and it includes such things as setting up a routine before going to sleep, only being in the bedroom when you're ready to sleep (not laying there in anxiety), getting in some heavy activity/exercise at least a few hours before sleeping, not eating sugar or drinking caffeine a few hours (at least) before bed, and some medications induce anxiety and insomnia (like antidepressants) which I'm not taking right now.

I hope that helps. This was a serious problem with me for years, and all of the things I mentioned above have helped eliminate my insomnia and the anxiety related to it! Best of luck to your mother.

I use over the counter sleeping pills. They work pretty well. She might want to see her doctor about it though

I feel so bad for your mom! How debilitating that is. Please forgive me for being nosy or preachy in any way....but I had severe insomnia for a long recurring time. I tried everything. I did go to a neurologist to see if "things were mis-firing" - which is very often the case. There's an underlying issue that is often times neurological...as well as psychological. But mostly it's something deeply psychological that we need to move past. This happened about a year after I became a widow, a very long time ago (many people on TCS don't know this) and I had some deep, deep issues I could not let go of that had festered for years, I mean crippling issues inside of myself. Only with being able to face them through some careful counseling coupled with the right nighttime medication, was I able to move past it. Now having revealed all this, I don't know how long your mom has been suffering, but being that it's Mother's Day I want to wish her only the best!

I can only agree with what has been said above. Talk to your mum - see if you can find out whether something is worrying her.

If she has got to the point where not sleeping itself if worrying her, then a good bedtime routine as said above is important. A good walk in the afternoon if possible is thought to help. Avoiding stimulating drinks before bedtime. Taking a warm, relaxing bath and avoid engaging her mind so that her brain is busy before bed. Make sure the time before bed is gentle brain time - not having lots of thoughts whizzing around makes for easier sleep.

I wish her all the best - I can imagine that not being able to sleep must be so hard. The early hours of the morning can be quite lonely I would think.

I agree with the others, she should seek help, insomnia disrupts everything. BTW just so you know Tylenol PM is Benedryl, with tylenol. I mention this so she does not take both, therefore doulbing her dose.

All great advice. Especially to have her call her MD to see if they can suggest something shortterm to help re-establish her sleep pattern. (I'm a psych nurse, so am probably biased towards the good that correctly prescribed meds can do!)

Also letting her talk to you or a good friend may help, although after severe sleep deprivation she probably can't even think straight!

I truly feel for your Mom, and for you.

I don't know how old you mother is but I've read as we age our sleep patterns should change. Senior citizens should be going to sleep much earlier in the evening as the can waken quite early in the morning hours and be unable to fall back asleep.
My mother is a worrier and I hope not to inherit that trait. This will prevent she from getting a good nights sleep. For instance they leave on their cruise in a little over a week and I know she is all nutso (for lack of a better term) about this. I've read that is people do worry that they should write their worries down as so they can gain some relief about them. I also agree with others about having a nighttime routine. This is one item I believe in greatly. Good luck.

No advice for you, but your Mum is in my thoughts!

Thanks for all the help. Mama does worry a lot. She's really bad about that. She has trouble relaxing. She is also an extremely light sleeper, which really doesn't help the situation. A pin drop could actually wake her up! And, to answer another question, she just turned 60 years old. I went to Wal-mart today and bought "Simply Sleep" from the makers of Tylenol and some Melatonin. She used to take Melatonin because a friend of hers had recommended it and it seemed to help so she wanted me to get some to see if it would help again, but it takes a few days or so before you start noticing a difference. She has been taking a lot of Bufferin lately. I wonder if that could be interferring with her sleep. She is going to start back on the Melatonin for a while and she took one of the simply sleep pills tonight, so everyone pray that she sleeps tonight! If not, she is going to the doctor if I have to drag her there myself (she's a very stubborn woman - it runs in the family ).

we're big into natural herbal remedies around here so she could drink chamomele (SP?) tea or get some herbal pills called "calm tabs" at the local health food store.. when i cant sleep one of those babys knocks me out.. Sooo good for when i have a cold!