← Return to Please help with sleep problems

Discussion

Please help with sleep problems

Sleep Health | Last Active: Oct 24, 2022 | Replies (160)

Comment receiving replies
@woogie

Anyone purchased a bed that raises the head? I can't sleep!! I am like a zombie. I am tired all the time. I have many problems but no sleep is definitely not helping! I watch TV in the evening. I go to bed. Then I am awake! So, I turn on TV in bedroom. I like the Golden Girls and they are on until one am, still can't sleep. Watch Frazier. May go to sleep three or four o' clock. Dry mouth. Have to pee about ten times a night. No sleep. Go to sleep. Up in half hour to go to bathroom. I actually went to sleep on the commode and went flying into the side of the tub at great speed and hit top of my head--neck hurt for weeks and weeks. Four days later, had x-ray. Had a fractured continuous process on C-4 in neck. Very painful! Purchased online a commode chair for bedroom at price of $310. Shower/commode chair on wheels. Arrived by UPS. Shipping charges. Purchased belt to go around me on chair. When it arrived, husband unpacked, very large, made for jolly green giant! If I used it, I would have to scoot way back to even line up with pot. Had to send it all back. The belt was so hard to open, I would have been stuck on it until husband woke up. He's a good sleeper. I have sleep apnea, can't wear machine--can't breathe thru nose. So, I'm back to square one. Have a terribly dry mouth, also. Tried Biotene until I read it contains parabens. I read a long time ago and wrote it down in a journal that it is cancer causing. So, even though it worked, I don't want to use something that causes cancer. If anyone read this all the way through, thank you. God bless you all. We thank Him for all he has done and all he is going to do.

Jump to this post


Replies to "Anyone purchased a bed that raises the head? I can't sleep!! I am like a zombie...."

@woogie Did you see my response to your breathing and deviated septum question in the PMR and Corona Virus discussion? - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-and-corona-virus-vaccine/?pg=5#comment-456424

I also have an adjustable bed that you can raise the head and or the feet. It's a Ghostbed Split California King bed we purchased through Costco. It's actually two separate Twin XL bed frames put together to make one bed. If you just want to raise the head area you could buy one of the foam wedge pillows for the top part of the bed.

Oh woogie!!! I feel for you.... couple years ago (wont go into detail) I hardly had any sleep for well over six months every night and it was awful. Long story short, afraid I have had to go back to taking Clonazepam/Klonapin/Rivotril. I know it has, like ALL medications, bad effects but I could not go on without sleep.
Now as not feeling well go to bed around 7pm, not "in" bed.. "on" bed, watch TV, use my Ipad, read, or listen to a you tube tape of relaxation etc.,or "short audio books" - or you might try regular book being read on Internet and use headphone-buds if disturbs sleeping partner? ?
Having to urinate through the night was also a problem and I bought, as I have in the past. a "female urinal" - as I sleep alone in this room. Keep by side of bed, so no having to walk to the bathroom, squeaky floors, bump into something, turn light on/off, open/shut bedroom door, etc., wash hands, flushl just use it, wipe and have those baby hand wipes.... it means a couple of minutes to accomplish rather than at least five minutes.. ..... just make sure "jug" is stable and dont do what I did and knock it over!!!!! I then found a little waste basket that would hold it. Then in morning, empty and rinse out with soap/water, bleach/water, I use bathtub tap, ready for next night. I know it sounds a pain but I can almost do it with my eyes closed and doesn't wake me up as much. (My family take one along when camping.. just make sure they have a place to empty and clean it - so handy)
Your going to bathroom 10 times is a lot.... I cut down on liquids about 2 hours before bed. OK then lights out and half a pill around 9pm plus or minus.... finding I am sleeping til about 4.... if cant get back to sleep take the other half of the pill and sleep til about 6, 6.30.... which is better than before.
Regarding adjustable bed, I didnt get one as I try and sleep on my back but find myself on my side when wake up... cant do that with a raised head. My daughter has one and loves it. I do use a wedge pillow if having a bad day (every day) and lie on top of bed for a few hours .. it stops pillows from sliding around.
Best of luck and I hope you find a way to get more quality sleep, J.S

@woogie I am sorry for all of the problems you are having but I can sympathize. I am up about once an hour for bathroom calls also. I have not fallen asleep while up, do you take some type of sleeping pill? On particularly bad nights, when I can't back to sleep, I have to take a nap mid-morning, or sometimes in the afternoon.

I too would love to have a bed where the head rises. We rented a VRBO a couple of years ago that had one of those and I absolutely loved it. We would have to get a king-sized one though so that the two sides could be raised independently of each other and that would be tight in our bedroom. We are hoping to get our act together and move when things get better and if so hopefully we will have a bedroom that will accommodate a K bed better. I do have a wedge pillow. That was recommended to me by a gastroenterologist due to having Barrett's Esophagus. He also suggested putting some blocks under the legs of the bed at the head of the bed so the bed is at an angle. We have done that and I rarely use the wedge.

Have you seen a urogynecologist about your urinary incontinence? I did and it helped. I had botox injections two times and it particularly helped at bedtime. They need to be repeated every 3-6 months but I haven't had them since the beginning of the pandemic.

As @lacy2 mentioned, cutting back on liquids can help some but it didn't help me entirely. What was explained to me is that during the day the fluid settles in your lower extremities but when you are prone during the night it travels back up to your mid-section, thus causing you to have to urinate frequently during the night. This is of course especially true if you find you have fluid retention in your legs and feet by the end of the day.

I hope you can find some help for your problem. At the very least try doing Kegel exercises to increase your ability to hold your urine. That can be some help.
JK

Welcome to the all night up club. I have an adjustable bed, head and feet/ legs rise also. Mine has many other features. I love ❤️ it.
Bought it in summer 2009. There are many brands out there, but I went for top of the line since I am a light sleeper.
I get dry mouth from time to time.I use ice cube or sugar free hard candy. Mine comes from allergy medicine.
Have you thought of not drinking anything 3 hours before bed?
Getting up multiple times at night is very common as a person ages.
As for the bed,I recommend it, at least you will be comfortable.

@woogie, back to you. Are you further along on your research for a new bed?

I have severe dry mouth also. I use to use Biotene as well. My sleep doc suggested I try Xylimelts and they work wonderfully! I buy them on Amazon in bulk (100 per bottle). Nothing more miserable than waking up several times a night with completely dry mouth.