Sleep (Updated!)

1/7/13: UPDATED

A few people around me have been struggling with sleep lately. A couple of them have been guys. It reminded me that I’ve recently been using Nature’s Own Complete Sleep Advanced and that I might update this post. It’s seems to work in a similar way to Blackmore’s Sleep Sound formula (but its cheaper). It’s worked most of the time and is my new go-to formula. I think its a little stronger than the Blackmores Sleep Sound actually, it contains mild sedative.

I also just came back from a camp. Camps are the worst for insomnia sufferers! You can’t even sleep in the BEST of conditions, let alone the worst – lumpy/hard beds, people coming into the dorm in the middle of the night, weird bird sounds in the early morning…. I remember when my husband and I used to do camp ministry and I couldn’t sleep for the first two days of camps. Not the best condition to manage (sometimes) rowdy teenagers. The two things I MUST-BRING are:

• Foam Earplugs (make sure you figure out how to insert them properly, I usually bring some spares for the poor guys in the dorms with my husband :P)
• Some kind of herbal supplement (below)

I’ve just learnt now that I can’t sleep, so be it! I convince myself that I won’t die. I try to ignore it and soon enough, I’ll just push through the day without thinking about it. I avoid napping in the afternoon when my body wants to crash, and avoid coffee etc.

Remember to see a doctor if it gets really bad though OK? Have a good rest 🙂

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I didn’t realise that so many women seem to have sleep issues. As I’m getting a bit older now and facing the problems of just adult life its often that I’ll have a couple of nights per month where I’ll sleep a couple of hours only or not at all. Sometimes its anxiousness/worry but other times there is no reason. Its Catch-22:

• I can’t sleep if my husband isn’t there (it feels strange and cold)
• I can’t sleep if my husband is there (he snores)
• And I can’t sleep even in perfect conditions sometimes aiya

Because of this problem we’ve pretty much had to give up on camp ministries 😦 its so hard to lead and serve others when you’re grumpy and feel like a zombie…I’ll often be lying awake and praying to God to please let me sleep. Sometimes I find it hard to accept God would do this to me, especially if I’m on a Christian camp/retreat where I need to serve people! Seems strange.

People often say to me ‘just stop thinking about stuff’ and you’ll ‘just sleep’. Yeah right. If I said ‘don’t think about ice-cream, what are you think about now? ice-cream right.

Some older women introduced me to some good health supplements which work now and again. Please note I’m no medical expert (see a doctor!) but if you were a friend with the same issue this is what I’d suggest to try:

1. Tea:

I love tea’s! Lupicia has a great selection of premium grade asian teas. Check them out! Chamomile is probably your best bet in terms of relaxation for sleep but usually not strong enough for me.

2. Herbal Supplements

It’s definitely calming but a hit or miss in terms of getting to sleep. I’ve tried other herbal supplements too like Valerian. All natural but personally doesn’t work all the time.

Personally this works for me 90% of the time and what I turn to these days. Would recommend to others for a more natural way of trying to get to sleep without actual drugs.

3. Aromatherapy

My dear friend got me this recently. You spray on your pillow and yourself and its meant to calm and relax you. I’m really excited to try this. Will let you know how it goes – heard a lot of good things about it.

1/7/13: UPDATED

This smells SO GOOD. It does help a bit but by itself it won’t put me to sleep.

4. Medication

I’ve had melatonin prescribed to me before which pretty much helps regulate your body clock. And its naturally produced by your body. I’ve found it generally helps too but I don’t like drugs. I hear shift workers use this.

And finally, I suppose there are sleeping pills but want to avoid as much as possible.

Strict sleep hygiene also helps too like getting up and sleeping at the same time every day.

Some times I ask God why he made me like this? it feels like a limitation on what I can do for him and its so frustrating. Yet its a humbling reminder that I don’t have control over life and God does – over life, breath, sleep and other necessities and these sorts of problems will be fixed when we enter our future Rest 🙂 I’m reminded not to be anxious and give my worries over to Him.

Anything else you found helpful for getting to sleep? What things usually stop you from getting sleep?