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FluffyDinosaur · Aug 06, 2020 at 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

I could imagine that two little ones would be an extra challenge.

Have you added other sleep hygiene strategies? I'm talking really basic stuff, like a sound machine, better sleeping environment if applicable (dark, cooler, etc.). I have even found that yogurt is helpful. There are other foods known to help, as well (certain nuts, turkey, other dairy products, chamomile tea). I'm sure some people would laugh off these suggestions, but I am a believer, and they are not harmful in the least bit.

Again, I have no idea what will be best for you, but I can say that I observed a rather interesting thing when I lowered my Ativan down from unapproved higher doses. There was a point when I was taking 4 to 6 mg of Ativan, when I was only supposed to be taking maximum 3 mg per day. My anxiety worsened and worsened as I went up in the dose. When I started weaning myself down to PRN (with my pdoc's demand), my anxiety actually lessened. Weird, but true. I'm not sure if such a phenomenon would happen with sleep, but who knows.

Yes, this is a major part of why I dislike summer: too much light and heat in the evenings. We don't have airconditioning, but I recently bought a "mobile" airconditioner because there's a heat wave approaching. Hopefully it will help. Without it we get 90+ degrees in our bedroom, which is just impossible to sleep in.

Other than that I try to take it easy a few hours before bed (just reading mostly), although how much time I have for that depends on how easily the kids go to sleep. I try not to be distracted by anything stressful in the evenings. I've also tried white noise and ear plugs but I find they don't work for me. I've had ear plugs custom made for sleeping, but I still find them uncomfortable. Sometimes I listen to a sleep meditation. I don't really care for the spiritual aspect of it, it's just the voice that can be relaxing.

The stupid thing is that because of my sleep issues, sleep has become such a source of anxiety that it's become a vicious cycle. If I know I have to sleep well, for example because I have to be well-rested the next day, then that's pretty much a guarantee that my mind is going to be racing all night. In those cases, sleep meds are the only thing that really helps.