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Insomnia?

Vie

Giggity
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Messages
792
MBTI Type
ENTJ
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Anyone else have issues with falling asleep and even worse, staying asleep? I find myself unable to get more than a couple hours of sleep a night, even when I try going to bed early. I usually drop off to sleep around 4ish, three if I'm lucky.

For those who suffer from insomnia, can you tell me what you do in order to "shut off your mind" and finally get some rest? I've tried over the counter sleeping pills, but nothing seems to work. They just make me agitated.

If you suffer from insomnia, is it because you can't stop thinking? Or is it merely because you just can't sleep? I find that mine is a mixture of both. I haven't really slept well for a month now, and it's started to wear me down.

I don't really like doctors, so I'm putting off going to one. Any hints on how to get to sleep?

Thanks. :)
 

upamountain

New member
Joined
Jul 17, 2010
Messages
17
MBTI Type
INFJ
I'm in a pretty stressful job and have had trouble sleeping for the last 6 months or so. I generally fall asleep ok but then sometimes I wake at about 2 or 3 am and stay awake for a couple of hours or more. Otherwise I wake at any time between 4 and 5.30 and can't get back to sleep, it's just kind of 'it' and this is usually the case at weekends too sadly enough.
I've had periods of insomnia before when I've been lying awake just thinking over things that have happened and trying to re-write history. But that isn't happening right now, I just wake up. So somehow, I've managed to shut off my mind, but I don't know how. I usually read in bed until i'm just about asleep. I also try to watch something light-hearted on TV for a bit before going to bed.
I'm definitely off caffeine after about 6pm.
But I'd also be interested if anyone has any ideas for how to stay asleep!
 

INA

now! in shell form
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
3,195
MBTI Type
intp
The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep is a typical symptom of depression (and aggravates it, too). If you are still suffocating in depression, addressing that first makes sense.
 

Nijntje

Warflower
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
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3,130
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I suffer from insomnia, however it's tied in with my bipolar, so unfortunately my treatments for it come as part of my normal medication regime.

I'd fall asleep about 1am then be awake again bright as a button around 3:30-4am. Now my insomnia is the typical just not sleeping at all if i don't try and calm my mind down.

Before rest came as part of my daily medication, i would write to help calm my mind. The internet is awash with my hidden blogs, i wouldn't write them for anyone in particular, and would just write about the dumb things that would happen to me during my waking hours, but it really did help. I still do this if it's too late to take my kick-arse insomnia tablets.

Hmm. My post makes no sense, sorry =( i blame the fact that it's 3:46am here currently and i only got about 4 hours sleep the night before...
 

Stanton Moore

morose bourgeoisie
Joined
Mar 4, 2009
Messages
3,900
MBTI Type
INFP
I've had insomnia for many years. Depression too. When I'm medicated, I feel like a zombie, when I'm not, I have panic attacks at 3AM. I started therapy about a year ago, after my sister died, and it's made a big difference. My therapist is an amazing person, extremely intuitive and caring. She taught me that family relationships are the key to my depression, and also insomnia. Anyway, the process she has put me through has really helped, although I still get symptoms of ptsd ocasionally. The panic attacks have reduced a lot too.I've been going to a yoga class once a week, and that has also helped with sleep. Cutting back on caffiene is something to consider, although right now I'm enjoying my americano... If I just can't get to sleep, diphenhydramine (12mg) works well, but there is a hangover the next morning from it. It does knock me out completely.
 
R

RDF

Guest
Earlier this evening I contributed to the thread "A Gnawing Feeling In My Stomach" in this same forum, and I talked about gastritis as a cause for the problem discussed in that thread: http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/health-fitness/36689-gnawing-feeling-my-stomach.html

Then I just saw this thread about insomnia and noticed a couple of the posters talking about waking up 3-4 hours after going to sleep. Usually when I think of insomnia, I think of people who have trouble getting to sleep at all. But when people are getting to sleep okay but waking up after 3-4 hours of sleep, I know that that can sometimes be a symptom of an irritable stomach (gastritis).

Specifically, gastritis is overproduction of gastric acid leading to irritated stomach lining. Gastritis tends to be worst when the stomach is empty--the gastric acid eats at the stomach lining. When most people go to sleep they still have some food on their stomach from dinner. But slow digestion continues during sleep, and after about 3-4 hours of sleep everyone's stomach becomes empty. At that point gastritis sufferers tend to have an attack of sour stomach and irritation. The result will be poor sleep for the remainder of the night or an inability to sleep more than 3-4 hours.

A snack of bready food can help--the food will soak up the excess acid and soothe the stomach lining by putting some food on it. As a result you get the infamous 2 am snack with sleepwalkers raiding the fridge. But of course a longer-term fix would be to address the gastritis directly.

If you wake with a mild case of gastritis, your stomach may feel vaguely irritable/hungry/empty; due to the acid and upset you may wake up feeling pretty alert or even a bit hyper. Of course, gastritis is only one of several possibilities for an inability to sleep more than 3-4 hours. Still, it's worth checking. Basically, like I said, this kind of insomnia can be an early indicator for gastritis; by the time gastritis sufferers make it to the doctor, they often have longstanding sleep problems. (Later indicators would be gnawing in the stomach or physical pain, as in the thread I mentioned.)

If you want to experiment, then take 150 mg of Ranitidine (generic for Zantac) at bedtime (and at least 1 hour after any food). If you wake up in the middle of the night, take a sizable shot of a liquid antacid with aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, like Mylanta or Maalox. All these drugs are all sold over-the-counter at drugstores and even at supermarkets in the drug aisle. Try this regimen for a week or so (so as to give your sleep habits a chance to adjust accordingly).

Some background: PPIs and H2 blockers like Zantac (Ranitidine), Pepsid, Nexium, Prilosec, etc. suppress acid production at the source and are for longer-term relief (they work for 6-8 hours.) Antacids with aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, like Mylanta or Maalox, neutralize any acid physically present in your stomach, giving you immediate/short-term relief.

I'm not a physician; check the literature that comes with the drug or check their websites on the net if you have any concerns about interactivity with other drugs you might be taking.
 
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