ok - tried what was suggested in that bug report. Like I said before - I'm not knowledgable with any of this, but I copied what was suggested:
apt-get install python2.5-qt4-common=4.7.4-maemo0

this got the correct version of python in place.
Because I as already in x terminal I tried installing from there. Installed no problem, but when I went to open it, the icon was just a blue square. And when I tried to open it it failed to launch - no errors just started to open - Sleep Analyser in the top of the screen with the hourglass type progress thing going round and then gone...nothing....
So I removed it and tried installing via app manager. This time correct icon - but the rest of the symptoms the same....
so another night of unanalysed sleep....