Timely article - 4 ways to overcome the sleep anxiety of insomnia : NPR
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I was always a light sleeper so with age things got worse. I tried everything and nothing worked …..until things started to work. What happened to me is that I would try suggestions and dismiss them because they did not work immediately. But I discovered some things started to work after a while. For example earplugs. I wake up very easily to noise (also can not stand white noise) so it was natural to try earplugs. First I had no idea that I needed to find once that fit well so I tried some ill fitted ones and did not work. Second I was so used to hearing noises that I would subconsciously try to hear through the earplugs. I immediately dismissed them. Out of desperation though I tried again and now I can not sleep without them. So much better. What I want to say is when try new suggestions/routines give them a bit of time, see what works for you.
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I could be your twin! I also tried several times over a several year period. They just didn’t seem to help, so I quit. I didn’t have the right kind. And I also didn’t know how to put them in properly. And I had to laugh at you trying to hear the noises despite them. Yup…
But now, just putting them in seems to tell my body “It’s time for sleep.”
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I hope @Illinoisparent12 doesn’t mind my repeating their post here from the new product thread:
I’ve never heard of these. DH has sleep issues, and I’m thinking I might gift him with a pair for his upcoming birthday. He uses earplugs, and I bought him an ergonomic cervical pillow a few months ago, and those help but not entirely. The sleepbuds are expensive, though, so I’m wondering if anyone else who has trouble sleeping/staying asleep has thoughts about them.
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@ClassicMom98 and @am9799 could you share the earplugs you found? I have some that are ok but still bother my ears a bit. I bought them for a trip where I was going to be sharing a room with various other women. Thanks!
These are mine. They’re nothing special. The big thing for me is the shape. The ones that are straight don’t work in my ears as well.
The ones that work for me are straight. They called “Mack’s ThermaFit Soft Foam Earplugs” and they are hard when you first touch them. You mold them slim with your fingers and then insert. They expand and become very soft with body temperature. I tried at least 10 other kinds and nothing would work. It has to do with the shape of your ear. For reusable ones again after spending a lot of money buying all kinds of expensive earplugs I ended up liking a cheaper kind called : Alpine SleepDeep Mini - Soft Ear Plugs for Sleeping and Concentration. This one comes in 2 sizes and only the small works for me. Unfortunately everybody has a different ear and recommendations can be very off.
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Similarly, I’ll pick a category, say “food” “animals” etc, and go through the alphabet trying to find five items from the category that start with each letter. Don’t always get five and then I’ll go on, but I need a ruse that can stretch out a while to keep my brain occupied with nonsense for as long as possible until I fall asleep.
I try to name all the states in alphabetical order. I almost never end up with 50!
I do variations on alphabetizing or naming all the states or naming as many movies as I can or whatever and almost always works to turn off my brain. But I’m a pretty good sleeper overall.
Do you have a link to that pillow? I have a long history of neck problems and pain that sometimes wake me up.
DH snores, which also wakes me up, so maybe I’ll buy a pair.
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You’re so right. A few months ago, I was hospitalized with dehyrdation and a critical low blood sodium level. It was scary. I felt very light headed, almost dizzy, not cognitively 100%, and suddenly felt I needed to grab on to furniture to get around. I finally had to wake up my husband early in the morning and ask him to take me to the ER.
I had to receive slow IV fluids because replacing some electrolytes quickly can cause brain swelling. It took over 30 hours to get my levels right.
Yesterday I started feeling those exact symptoms. By this morning, I was almost about to cry when I told my husband about them. This time I also felt more dizzyness. Back to the ER we went.
Some of my electrolytes were low, but none critical. I got an IV and just general fluid replacement and was sent home after a few hours. The doctor told me that having such severe insomnia for so long, combined with a couple of wonky electrolyte levels, could definitely have caused these symptoms. He gave me a very short course of a low dose benzo, saying sometimes if you can just shake a cycle, you can improve and the other sleep hygiene techniques can then be more effective. Also the benzo can help with the anxiety that comes along with some of these absolutely miserable long nights. He gave me a referral to a sleep specialist (MD).
I took the pill this afternoon and I guess I got about an hour nap. Would have liked more, but we’ll see what happens in the next few days.
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I try to name all the states in alphabetical order. I almost never end up with 50!
In addition to the naming things, another technique is to take a mental walk through somewhere you’ve been and remember well like your grandmother’s house. Might work better for folks who have strong visual memories.
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I’m sorry you had to make a trip to the ER but I’m so glad that doc didn’t dismiss you and gave you some immediate options and the referral. 
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Hope things turn around quickly for you.
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I name the states alphabetically sometimes. It is especially helpful in dentist chair, but it can help with falling asleep. I’ve been doing it many years, and I have a method counting on my fingers. 4 A states, 3 C states, Deleware, Florida, Georgia… then flip back to the first hand for Hawaii. 4 I states, etc etc
Me too!! But I usually lose track around the M’s.
Not surprising. There are 8 letter M states - I have a system for getting through them.
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If you’d like to DM me with your system, I’m all ears!
Having separate bedding really helps, even when sharing the same bed. I like sleeping with different amount of bedding than H. I normally sleep with a flannel sheet, folded in half. H sleeps with a cotton thermal blanket. When we each have our own bedding I sleep much better. Sadly it has taken me decades to realize this! Haha—oh well, better now than never. I don’t even wake sometimes when he gets up to use the bathroom. I just sleep on!
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