Insomnia

[nonsequitur]

Hay guys. It's 4:30am here right now. I can't sleep again, which completely doesn't make sense because I slept only 4 hours last night. I should be exhausted and stuff.

I tried to go to bed about 4 hours ago, and ended up tossing and turning and worrying about visa issues. So I got out of bed, spent 2 hours trying to resolve it/plan to take an English language test as a requirement/organise my flights. Now I'm more awake than ever.

I also need to be at work in about 4 hours.

Do any of you lie in bed at night unable to shut your mind off? Like, it keeps planning, with aims, goals, contingencies, etc.? It's kind of like worrying, except that it's a brain-storming kind of worrying, and when you've settled one thing (mentally at least), it's on to the next. I guess that would be more of a TJ thing than a P thing.

Anyway. Sleep tips anyone? I'm lactose intolerant, so milk makes things worse because then I'll be uncomfortable, grumpy and unable to sleep.

 

[Chemgrl82]

Yes, I struggle with this a great deal. I lie awake thinking of all the things going on in my life, what I need to do to imrpove them, all the different possibilities and outcomes, etc... There are also nights when nothing is on my mind and I still just lie there staring at the wall. In an attempt to prevent myself from going any further crazy, I usually just lay in the bed with the laptop until I get sleepy.

Alas, it was 4AM this morning and I was still wide awake. It sucks, because I did finally fall asleep and woke up at 7AM completely exhausted with no time to sleep since I hasd to be at work. I'm here now and fine, but I hope tonight that I can just go home and crash.

I don't have much advice on this one.

Oh wait... exercise. Hard. It does help. I sleep better when I exercise really hard that evening.

 

[nonsequitur]

I'm actually lying in bed now with my laptop hoping that I'll feel sleepy, and trying to distract myself from my thoughts.

Yeah, exactly the same thing happened last night, and I hoped that I'd be able to crash last night (now this morning). It's so frustrating.

Heh, one of the few things that I'm more allergic to than "proper sleep" is exercise. But I really should. I've tried sleeping pills (temazepam), but they work far too well. I end up sleeping 12+hrs at once and feeling hungover and woolly-headed all the time. Not good for productivity.

 

[Chemgrl82]

I tried Ambien. It didn't go so well. I was high as a kite. I never slept, just ended up at Wendy's trying to order a "Jr. Bacon Taco". Not pretty.

 

[nightning]

Wow! I was just writing something up about sleep yesterday... It's to go into my blog series in Dec. Maybe you'll find the tips useful.

Tips for insomniacs
If you have difficulties falling to sleep or have restless nights, here are a list of things to improve your sleep.

1. Go to bed by 11
Studies have shown that we have spontaneous circadian daily rhythm in which the hormone levels in our body cycles from high to low throughout the day. This circadian cycle is our internal clock to tell time. Within the circadian cycle, we have what's known as sleep gates, or hours of the day when it's easier to fall asleep than others. These sleep gates are controlled by the level of melatonin in our brains. While the cycle varies from person to person, most people typically find it easiest to fall asleep at 2pm (your after lunch nap) as well as the period between 5-11pm. After 11, it becomes increasingly difficult to fall asleep due to a sharp raise in melatonin levels. (Note that low levels of melatonin has also been implicated for causing insomnia and disrupted sleep. So the hormone system is complex.) Therefore, if you have regular bouts of insomnia, try to be in bed by 11.

2. Turn off the lights before you head to bed
More facts about the circadian rhythm. The daily cycle is reset everyday by light entering in our eyes. Light penetrating our eyelids is enough to reset the cycle; we don't even need to crack open our eyes! Light stimulation decreases melatonin release. Therefore to ensure we do not accidentally reset our circadian clock too early, always sleep in complete darkness to ensure a restful night's sleep. Alternatively, if you share space with somebody else and cannot turn off all the lights, consider getting a sleep mask to block out light.

3. Avoid stimulation an hour or two prior to bedtime
This is common sense. Avoid strenuous exercise and stimulants like caffeine immediately before bedtime. All these activate the sympathetic nervous system to increase our state of arousal. They directly counteracts the sleep inducing properties of melatonin.

Instead, try to engage some light and relaxing activity such as reading or watching TV. You can also try meditation and relaxation techniques to help you unwind for the day.

A good and early night's rest means we wake up in the morning feeling refreshed. Alertness is much better for productivity than trying to work half awake at night. So consider making it your new year's resolution to go to bed earlier and get some decent sleep.

 

[runvardh]

I tried Ambien. It didn't go so well. I was high as a kite. I never slept, just ended up at Wendy's trying to order a "Jr. Bacon Taco". Not pretty.

That is too funny.

I find I have trouble getting to sleep with out increasing my dopamine levels then letting it crash.

 

[moonbaby]

Magnesium can cure insomnia.....(headaches, constipation) a slew of things. It is crazy if you read up on it.

 

[G-Virus]

Diphenhydramine aka benadryl is one of the most benign drugs on the market today and should be able to put you on your ass.

 

[The Third Rider]

I had some serious issues falling asleep not too long ago. What you need to do is like nightning pointed out, don't stimulate your mind before going to sleep (no video games, sports, exercising, etc.). Try to do relaxing stuff like taking a hot bath or meditation. Avoid sugars and alcohol or anything that make make your body anxious. Try to go to bed at a schedule time every night as well and when you go to bed tell yourself that you will take care of all your issues tomorrow not tonight. I started to take a cup of warm milk right before I went to sleep and that did wonders for my sleep. Make sure that you are not using your bed for anything other than sleeping, don't lay there, don't sit there. If you can only go to your room for sleeping porpuses only, your body will associate that with sleeping only. If you have issues staying a sleep in bed or you are tossing and turning, don't stay in bed, laying there for 45 minutes will not in anyway help you go to sleep, get up and do something (not mind stimulating) may be some reading and try to eat a banana or again some warm milk to help you sleep. I used to have some serious issues sleeping to the point that I took sleeping pills and all drugged up and all, I was still awake during the whole night and I used to go to work without 1 hour of sleep. after some serious reading and implementing all of this I sleep better at night and sleep comes esier too.

 

[G-Virus]

Oh, big one, don't freaking stare at the TV or laptop before you go to sleep, fools your brain into thinking its still day ruins your circidian rythm.

 

[Soileh]

Sweet! A up @4am club!


I've done the tour de pill myself, really nothing works that well......beyond sorting out the issues that keep me up at night

 

[Geoff]

Hay guys. It's 4:30am here right now. I can't sleep again, which completely doesn't make sense because I slept only 4 hours last night. I should be exhausted and stuff.

I tried to go to bed about 4 hours ago, and ended up tossing and turning and worrying about visa issues. So I got out of bed, spent 2 hours trying to resolve it/plan to take an English language test as a requirement/organise my flights. Now I'm more awake than ever.

I also need to be at work in about 4 hours.

Do any of you lie in bed at night unable to shut your mind off? Like, it keeps planning, with aims, goals, contingencies, etc.? It's kind of like worrying, except that it's a brain-storming kind of worrying, and when you've settled one thing (mentally at least), it's on to the next. I guess that would be more of a TJ thing than a P thing.

Anyway. Sleep tips anyone? I'm lactose intolerant, so milk makes things worse because then I'll be uncomfortable, grumpy and unable to sleep.

Get drunk, pass out (after posting on the drunk thread)

 

[dga]

get stoned and have sex

 

[01011010]

Try to exercise regularly and remember to eat. It won't solve it all the time as the issue is an active mind, but it does help.

 

[LostInNerSpace]

Have you tried meditation? Basically your short term memory gets overloaded with all the 10,000 different things you are keeping track of in your life. This causes stress to build.

I think of meditation as defragging your short term memory. You need to periodically reset it by emptying your mind of thoughts--effectively clearing out the junk. Five minutes, once or twice a day should be sufficent, some people recommend meditating five times a day.

There's a growing body of neuroscientific research that points to the positive effects of meditation. Tai chi and Yoga are known as meditation in motion--both typically involve some actual meditation.


Try this:

Amazon.com: 8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life.: Victor Davich: Books

 

[prplchknz]

so I pretty much took 3 otc sleeping pills and i still can't sleep. I usually take one-two a night and that usually knocks me out for about 4-6 hours. This was an hour and half ago, so maybe they will kick in, but I feel drowsy. Yet I can not fall asleep.

 

[CzeCze]

How bad are you fighting the sleep?

If you get in the habit of fighting sleep, be sneaky.

Sit in front of the tv, lie down, get comfortable, and be lulled to sleep.

 

[prplchknz]

the problem with tv is it would distract me even more from falling asleepp.

 

[laintpe]

Hay guys. It's 4:30am here right now. I can't sleep again, which completely doesn't make sense because I slept only 4 hours last night. I should be exhausted and stuff.

I tried to go to bed about 4 hours ago, and ended up tossing and turning and worrying about visa issues. So I got out of bed, spent 2 hours trying to resolve it/plan to take an English language test as a requirement/organise my flights. Now I'm more awake than ever.

I also need to be at work in about 4 hours.

Do any of you lie in bed at night unable to shut your mind off? Like, it keeps planning, with aims, goals, contingencies, etc.? It's kind of like worrying, except that it's a brain-storming kind of worrying, and when you've settled one thing (mentally at least), it's on to the next. I guess that would be more of a TJ thing than a P thing.

Anyway. Sleep tips anyone? I'm lactose intolerant, so milk makes things worse because then I'll be uncomfortable, grumpy and unable to sleep.

If it is really bothersome and incessant, you might consider reading about cyclothymia... it's kind of a stretch (insomnia and racing thoughts are only two symptoms), but i felt as though I was going absolutely insane before they pinpointed cyc as being the cause. when i couldn't sleep i would run... it didn't really lead to sleep, but it provided some anxiety relief. warm soy milk might help... or chamomile tea... or you could go the lunesta route... my bipolar friend claims it's really hard to wake up in the morning... however, she definitely can sleep now. i rarely have trouble sleeping anymore... and my CNS symptoms are insignificant in comparison to what they were... the only major change i made was going vegan/raw... i think psychotherapy may have played a role as well. best of luck to you.

 

[earthangel]

There is a natural supplement called 5-HTP that I use that helps tremendously. You take it 30 mins before bedtime, and it helps a small amount of sleep fell much more restful. I know exactly what it does but here's a much better description that what I could give:

"5- HTP provides the quickest, most effective, and most consistent overall results in treating insomnia. It is an effective alternative for dealing with sleep problems in a safe and natural way compared to sleep medicines. 5-HTP improves the quality of sleep. More importantly, clinical studies show that 5- HTP is also useful in the treatment of sleep disorders other than insomnia.

5-HTP increases REM sleep significantly (typically by about 25 percent) while simultaneously increasing deep sleep stages 3 and 4 without increasing total sleep time. 5- HTP accomplishes this by shortening the amount of time you spend in sleep stages 1 and 2, which in certain ways are the least important stages of the cycle. The higher the dose, the more time spent in REM.

By shifting the balance of the sleep cycle, 5-HTP makes sleep more restful and rejuvenating. Instead of waking feeling tired, worn out, and "hungover," people taking 5- HTP feel vibrant, well rested, and ready to take on the challenges of the day. When we sleep more deeply and dream more efficiently, we wake in the morning with our physical and psychological batteries fully charged."

Try it. Its super awesome and works great.