Help with sleep

[hardtailstar]

Short version of this is:

 

Since I had the house intruder last year, some nights I can't sleep and very jumpy at every noise inside and out which I have to go and investigate.

 

Sometimes I can go weeks of being able to sleep then something will happen and I have at least a week or more of being jumpy and no sleep.

 

I'm currently on night three of no sleep and getting up at every noise.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Bill

[Achandler]

Have you changed anything since you has a house intruder, you know the like of a house alarm? To alert you if you were unlucky enough to have another break in. Then at least you know that sound from inside isn't anyone.

 

I don't think it is actually something that can easily be fixed to make you feel safe in your home again, I think it takes massive amounts of time and the time varies massively between people. There are people who move homes after a break in because it affects them so badly. Probably not what you want to hear.

 

Someone else might have better advice for you.

[elsiegee40]

If it’s been going on this long ... get help! You have made the first step by asking us. The next is looking in the thread I will link to at the end of the post and realising these apply to YOU @hardtailstar!

 

The mindfulness app will probably help, but don’t rule out talking to a professional too.

 

Like it or not, you have a mild form of Post Traumatic Stress.

 

It took years for me to recognise when I had it (after surgery) and CBT helped massively. I really wish I had done something about it sooner.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/200283-mental-health-wellbeing-support.html

Edited April 14, 2020 by elsiegee40

[hardtailstar]

Have you changed anything since you has a house intruder, you know the like of a house alarm? To alert you if you were unlucky enough to have another break in. Then at least you know that sound from inside isn't anyone.

 

I don't think it is actually something that can easily be fixed to make you feel safe in your home again, I think it takes massive amounts of time and the time varies massively between people. There are people who move homes after a break in because it affects them so badly. Probably not what you want to hear.

 

Someone else might have better advice for you.

 

Not got an alarm but it is something we were going to do before lockdown.

 

I live with my parents and they have said we're not moving.

 

Even with an alarm I think i'd wake up.

[hardtailstar]

If it’s been going on this long ... get help! You have made the first step by asking us. The next is looking in the thread I will link to at the end of the post and realising these apply to YOU!

 

The mindfulness app will probably help, but don’t rule out talking to a professional too.

 

Like it or not, you have a mild form of Post Traumatic Stress.

 

It took years for me to recognise when I had it (after surgery) and CBT helped massively. I really wish I had done something about it sooner.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/200283-mental-health-wellbeing-support.html

 

Already been talking to a counsellor about it with the after help we we provided.

 

Was seeing if any had some tips but I'll read through the thread again

[elsiegee40]

Already been talking to a counsellor about it with the after help we we provided.

 

Was seeing if any had some tips but I'll read through the thread again

 

I didn’t find counselling helpful. There’s more to mental health therapies available than counselling. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy changed the way my brain was processing the stress and helped my brain file away the memories better. [emoji4]

[tmoon-mint]

I've been through this so fully understand what you're going through. Luckily when my house was broken into they only took a laptop, could have been much worse. The slightest bit of noise and I was up, checking the doors were locked 3 or 4 times a night. Couple of things really helped me.

 

* Download and use the Headspace app. Working in education entitles you to access to it for free: https://www.headspace.com/educators

* Keep a journal. This particularly helped with getting up and checking the doors. Whenever I locked a door I would make a note of it in my journal and sign and date it. Then if I felt the urge to get up in the night and check I would just check my journal instead.

* An alarm system for that extra peace of mind.

[hardtailstar]

Just an update, slept all the way through the last two nights.

 

The only thing different I have done is put loads of stuff behind front door and back door so that if anyone comes in it'll make a racket.

 

We also have a door by the kitchen through to conservatory (back door is on conservatory) which I closed as that makes a noise too.

 

So far so good!

[Achandler]

House Alarm seem like the long term option here then.

[hardtailstar]

House Alarm seem like the long term option here then.

 

Yep, I live with my parents and at the moment they have other things on their minds with trying to stay healthy amid the world situation so any mention of someone coming to put an alarm in will be a straight no.

 

Both doors are secure when locked, The guy walked in through the unlocked back door while his mate knocked on the front door.

[Ditto]

Just an update, slept all the way through the last two nights.

 

The only thing different I have done is put loads of stuff behind front door and back door so that if anyone comes in it'll make a racket.

 

We also have a door by the kitchen through to conservatory (back door is on conservatory) which I closed as that makes a noise too.

 

So far so good!

Good to hear you've managed to get a couple of good nights sleep. I've no experience on this topic, but can see you've had excellent advice. Where I'm working now, I'm surrounded (virtually nowadays!) we have support workers helping young people with all sorts of issues. As a result I have come across the concept of 'Beditation' which is new to me but might be worth looking at. No doubt there are endless resources on the internet, but here is one that is on the NHS site. https://www.nhs.uk/video/pages/beditation.aspx. If you do look in to it, do let us know what you think.

[hardtailstar]

Good to hear you've managed to get a couple of good nights sleep. I've no experience on this topic, but can see you've had excellent advice. Where I'm working now, I'm surrounded (virtually nowadays!) we have support workers helping young people with all sorts of issues. As a result I have come across the concept of 'Beditation' which is new to me but might be worth looking at. No doubt there are endless resources on the internet, but here is one that is on the NHS site. https://www.nhs.uk/video/pages/beditation.aspx. If you do look in to it, do let us know what you think.

 

Will try that. cheers

[5tu]

I can sympathise with this post as we got burgled during the night in Jan last year and it really unsettled the whole family, especially at night. I ended up installing an alarm with zones so that it could be armed downstairs during the night. This really helped us all with our sleep, kids included.

[Jamman960]

Take a look at some of the self install alarms, I purchased a ring alarm with a couple of cameras recently and it was very easy to setup, I can see the status of any sensor wherever I am whether the alarm is armed or not.

 

James

[mavhc]

lots of tips here