[Anonymous]

Hey guys, just looking for a bit of advice here..


Basically I'm in my first year at uni and have exams coming up next week. My boyfriend is a really really light sleeper, and recently he has not been able to sleep through the night at all.
He is absolutely knackered at can't concentrate on revision/work

The problem is, he doesn't have issues actually getting to sleep, its just when he's woken up in the night, he then can't get back to sleep again.
The guy in the room next door to him always talks on skype to his family back home (he's an international student) between like 1 and 4 in the morning because of the time zones and that wakes him up. He's tried talking to him about it but he just won't listen and carries on.

I don't know how to help him, so I was looking for advice from other light sleepers. Personally I'm a really heavy sleeper and will sleep through anything and go straight back to sleep if I get woken up, which is the complete oposite of him so I don't know what to suggest!

Any help really appreciated

[StuPro]

Hi,

I'm a very light sleeper. My uni shop sells earplugs. Really cheap and easy to put in. I found they took a bit of getting used to, but if you are really that tired I'm sure he's willing to try anything by now! I personally would avoid sleeping pills etc. I find they make you feel like a zombie the next day and a bit of a space cadet. Also, try to get a good routine before sleeping. Such as not eating before, having a bath/shower, not watching tv for at least an hour before sleep and also try not to relax on the bed before sleep. Watch tv on a sofa, at desk, etc. Can't stress that enough. Also, get him to write a note to the housemate. Sometimes reading it makes it a lot easier to absorb than words. Plus it helps to articulate the issue. Get him to suggest to the housemate an alternative location for speaking to his family. If that doesn't work I would personally wake up the housemate so he knows what it feels like, or hide the router!

[moya]

(Original post by Anonymous)
Hey guys, just looking for a bit of advice here..


Basically I'm in my first year at uni and have exams coming up next week. My boyfriend is a really really light sleeper, and recently he has not been able to sleep through the night at all.
He is absolutely knackered at can't concentrate on revision/work

The problem is, he doesn't have issues actually getting to sleep, its just when he's woken up in the night, he then can't get back to sleep again.
The guy in the room next door to him always talks on skype to his family back home (he's an international student) between like 1 and 4 in the morning because of the time zones and that wakes him up. He's tried talking to him about it but he just won't listen and carries on.

I don't know how to help him, so I was looking for advice from other light sleepers. Personally I'm a really heavy sleeper and will sleep through anything and go straight back to sleep if I get woken up, which is the complete oposite of him so I don't know what to suggest!

Any help really appreciated

Light sleeping can be related to general sleep problems. Does he have any trouble getting to sleep? (and by that I mean, sleep latency = the time it takes you to fall asleep should be around 15-20 minutes).

(Original post by StuPro)
Hi,

I'm a very light sleeper. My uni shop sells earplugs. Really cheap and easy to put in. I found they took a bit of getting used to, but if you are really that tired I'm sure he's willing to try anything by now! I personally would avoid sleeping pills etc. I find they make you feel like a zombie the next day and a bit of a space cadet. Also, try to get a good routine before sleeping. Such as not eating before, having a bath/shower, not watching tv for at least an hour before sleep and also try not to relax on the bed before sleep. Watch tv on a sofa, at desk, etc. Can't stress that enough. Also, get him to write a note to the housemate. Sometimes reading it makes it a lot easier to absorb than words. Plus it helps to articulate the issue. Get him to suggest to the housemate an alternative location for speaking to his family. If that doesn't work I would personally wake up the housemate so he knows what it feels like, or hide the router!

Watching TV in bed is not really a bad thing, as long as you put it on a timer so it's not on all night (and not watching 28 weeks later or something).

[marcusfox]

Not sure what's really embarrassing about having people on TSR aware of the fact that you have a boyfriend who is a light sleeper attached to your username so you need to be anon?

[moya]

(Original post by marcusfox)
Not sure what's really embarrassing about having people on TSR aware of the fact that you have a boyfriend who is a light sleeper attached to your username so you need to be anon?

it could be that she/he doesn't want the boyfriend to know the name of the account

[marcusfox]

(Original post by moya)
it could be that she/he doesn't want the boyfriend to know the name of the account

Well, there is that, but if you're that worried, then there's not a lot you can do about someone who knows your circumstances in real life recognising you on TSR from the things you post.

[TyrannosaurusBex]

I am the same as your bf. I find that earplugs and a sleeper mask are pretty invaluable.

[plimsolls]

Start composing pot and pan music when the international student is sleeping. They'll soon get the message.

[Zyyz]

I'd have another word with the immigrant disrupting your boyfriends studies, it's not really fair

[Mother_Russia]

I have the same problem. I used to have real difficulty in falling asleep in the first place, but now I've overcome that. Just like everyone said not doing something over zealous before bed, I just read a book, have some horlicks (gotta love a bit of horlicks), light music (I love Sigur Ros or zen meditation music) and sleep mask (whatever it's called). I also found that by separating my work from my bed to my desk really helped. I used to work on my bed, and then in the evenings found I couldn't relax as I couldn't separate the two (sounds really strange but I think it helped)

My flat mate has taken to working in the library nights, and comes home 4/5 am. Whereas I'm up at 7 to go to the library,and I get waken up every time he comes in, and because I know what time it is, it starts to annoy me how I have only two hours left etc. I just try and relax about that, and think I'm just falling asleep for the first time again, put my music back on again (I only play the album once, not on loop), sleeper mask back on and away I go.

At one point I started to take these relaxation pills (kinda herbal ones), don't think their really . Helped but maybe it was just the placebo effect. And some nights, when Im having real difficulty i'll just take one to make myself feel better. Can't remember the name of it right now, but I'll find out. I've also given up trying to tell my flatmate to keep it quiet when it comes in, but to no avail. So if he's tried once, doubt it's going to work again. Sorry

Don't know how I managed to write such a long post on falling asleep, but hope it helped!

[StuPro]

(Original post by moya)
Watching TV in bed is not really a bad thing, as long as you put it on a timer so it's not on all night (and not watching 28 weeks later or something).

I'm referring to a study I have read and what is now considered general advice for sleeping well. A quick google brought up this...

http://health.usnews.com/health-news...y-hamper-sleep

I don't personally know how responsive to light your boyfriend is, for example some people can sleep in a bright room, whilst others need pitch black, but its worth knowing.

[moya]

(Original post by StuPro)
I'm referring to a study I have read and what is now considered general advice for sleeping well. A quick google brought up this...

http://health.usnews.com/health-news...y-hamper-sleep

I don't personally know how responsive to light your boyfriend is, for example some people can sleep in a bright room, whilst others need pitch black, but its worth knowing.

Well it differs from person to person I guess. So I would recommend that people should try both, see if casual TV makes you tired, if not, cut it out completely.

[buildalegohouse]

I'm not a light sleeper, but my Mum suffers from it really bad. She'll go to bed at a normal time, and wake up for no reason every half hour until morning- drives her nuts.
She uses these herbal remedies on particularly bad nights, and...this might sound stupid, but Horlicks works. Has your boyfriend tried music? If he listens to something soothing it could help, it works for my Mum.

[t0ffee]

Take away all sources of lights, including computer phone and clock ones. Make sure you cant see the time when you wake up.

[Drifting_Snow]

Is it really supposed to take only 20 mins to fall asleep?? It takes me about an hour.
I'm a real light sleeper too. This year I went to Ireland to stay with my friend. Turns out she snores. Anyway long story short, in 5 days I slept for 10 minutes a night - the time from when she got up in the morning and went into the bathroom for a shower until she came out again. It was...interesting. I can't really offer much advice, I feel for him!

[Linzikins]

I suggest earplugs, possibly some kalms.

[S_123]

Earplugs sounds like a good option. It's a bit hard to ask your neighbour to stop talking to his family since that's the only time he can so I think earplugs are the best bet.

[Rybee]

It's by no means a long-term solution but it is a possibility for use during a short-lived exam period; to use sleeping pills.

Due to a change in my medication for depression I found it fairly easy to fall asleep but after that I would wake up ever half an hour for just a few moments and then fall back asleep. It doesn't sound bad but it really disrupted my nights sleep and didn't allow me to have much REM.

I used Zopiclone with great success, I fell asleep as normal and was out until my alarm went off. It was such a relief to have a good night sleep and was literally a god send.

I'm just throwing this out there as a possibility/suggestion. I know a lot of people are against prescription sleeping pills for reasons that are probably justified, but as said, it's just a suggestion.

[Rescue Remedy]

im a light sleeper normally.. but then when i get so tired i just go into a very deep sleep and nothing wakes me up. which is great but it has its downsides like not hearing 4 alarm clocks.

im not in uni right now waiting til sep, but i know when i was i had super thin walls to deal with. even at home here my curtains are very light, any cars passing on the road, dogs barking. even if a light is left on in the hallway i can see it under the door it wakes me up ) and other members of my family snoring. even if the tumble dryer or washing machine if any of the internal doors are left open i can hear them and its the other side of the house. the immersion if its on makes a noise aswell. even someone turning in their sleep in the bedroom next to me.

i either have some freaky night hearing or this house is really loud. but normally i read a book or watch some movies. if they dont work i listen to my ipod ( docking station ) ... i just get comfy in my bed close my eyes taking deep breathes and listening to the music. oh if its raining i open the window a bit i love listening to it.

if that doesnt work i grab my mobile. play angry birds and wordsearch. then i read apps for news. then after doing that for a bit i get tired and feel sleepy.

sometimes though i just collapse on the bed and thats it i cant be woken up for 10 hours.