Bedtime

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
These days I am always on tenterhooks at bedtime. Will I be able to keep mum awake till at least 8.30 pm and when she goes to bed will she stay there without her little dog by her side. Will I have to put a dvd on to keep her happy and because she only likes war films sure it will be too loud and keep her awake. Or maybe she will decide to get up and dressed and come into my room full of chatter which makes no sense at all, or will she start sneaking around the house checking everything, last night she took my diary back to her bedroom, will she do this again tonight. Too hot or cold. When she does fall asleep, at what time is safe to sneak in and turn off bedside light and electric blanket probably midnight! An added possible problem tonight is mum has not got her ankle boots with Velcro fasteners had to take them to cobbler today she is obsessed with them and the repair will take at least 6 days. These boots are a very useful alarm for me, when she gets up I can hear her open and close the Velcro and depending on how many times she does this I can judge if she is just sitting on her bed or getting ready for a right royal walk around the house.

I may be lucky tonight think she is asleep so going to sneak in and turn off dvd, she chose The Great Escape. I know that I will not be able to relax completely till we have past midnight and if I'm lucky again she will still be asleep.
 

Mums helper

Registered User
Sep 7, 2014
19
0
You must be shattered!
Nightimes with my mum wandering were exhausting. She had hallucinations and wanted to escape the bombing.
We put newspaper on the floor by her bed so we could hear her, a slip hazard, so the occupational therapist told us and used a baby monitor to hear her. as time went on, we added a bed leaving alarm, then a video monitor. We also put a gate at the top of the stairs. Lastly we got some medication which helped settle her. Good luck, I really know that early evening feeling of anxiety. take care x


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Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
Well not so lucky tonight, did not get far beyond midnight and mum is up, dressed and wanting to go to my brother's house. I have unlocked the door and followed her to the garden gate about 8 times then she we turn around because mum has decided she wants to stay. Fortunately I do not feel sleepy tonight so I'll just have to ride this one out till she decides to go back to bed.
 

Ann Mac

Registered User
Oct 17, 2013
3,693
0
I hope that she settled after your post, Tin, and that you got some sleep!

I don't think anyone can continue with night after night like that, you must be utterly exhausted :( Seriously, go ask the GP for help, Tin - even if you only use it a couple of times a week, there surely is a good chance that there is medication that will help your Mum (and you) get a good nights sleep. Sleep deprivation is horrible - and it has such an impact on your helath - you are going to end up crashing, and then where will your Mum be? For both your sakes, I think you have to seek help for this xxxxx
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
Thanks Ann, gp is looking into some other forms of medication for the evening. The Lorazapam is only good to give when I see her anxieties building and of course cannot give too much and definitely not mid anxiety.

Last night was not too bad, I started the thread a bit tongue in cheek and had no idea the evening would go **** up! She was up at 11.45, some dream set her off and the usual obsession with my brother and that I don't understand the special relationship they have. Kept very calm and just put BBC Iplayer on and locked the front door. Long story short she finally got in to bed fully dressed at 4.30 and up at 6.30am. We have been out to do a small shop, but no more trips out today, its very foggy here and I am of course very tired. Although I have just received a call from cobbler, her boots are ready so maybe just one more trip out this afternoon.
 

Miss shiraz

Registered User
Dec 24, 2014
79
0
Midlands
You must be shattered by all this.
hopefully her gp can prescribe some tablets to help her sleep. Then could you set timers to switch off the dvd/tv and electric blanket, then you can relax (hopefully) and not be thinking about when you need to sneak in to switch off, trying not to wake her etc.
Hope you can get some sleep tonight.... and your mum drops off at an early hour. War films are hardly relaxing to watching at bedtime. Could you convert her to something else.. buy some cheap classics from good old A****** (or the other one)
good luck and happy sleeping :rolleyes:
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Choose war period films without the bangs and bombs - Brief Encounter, Mrs Miniver and all that stuff.
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
Thanks ladies, I have a massive library of 'soft' wartime films all classics as well as musicals, dramas etc, I just love film, but mum for some strange reason only likes the soldier packed films with guns and bombs blasting the hell out of the enemy, she chooses which one to watch normally ok as its down to timing and I keep the volume down. 4 favourites: The dirty dozen, The great escape, Battle of Britain and Where eagles dare. Does not happen every night.

Tried a timer for the lamp, but she gets frustrated later when she wakes and its dark, even with a soft night light plugged in. She has gone from a lady who could not stand having a single light on at night time.

Now I have everything crossed that tonight she will go to bed at a reasonable time with no dvd. We have hit 6.30pm and she has not asked to go to bed with a dvd, usually that has happened by now.
 

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