Sleep Problems

[pam]

I've had sleep problems and frequent bouts of insomnia for quite some time now.

What kinds of things do you do to help you sleep when it seems like it's just never going to happen?

[BenRaines]

I get up and go online and start to read what others have written. Puts me right to sleep. :)

Ben Raines

[john doe]

I get up and go online and start to read what others have written. Puts me right to sleep. :)

Ben Raines

You're welcome.

[Connie]

I get up and go online and start to read what others have written. Puts me right to sleep. :)

Ben Raines

That would probably work for me, too! HA, HA! But seriously, something that has helped me on occasion is to sing hymns in my head. Don't know why that is but it works for me--maybe i'm just a music freak. :)

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

Getting up and working an hour and then going back to bed sometimes works for me (been telecommuting exclusively since 1998).

Getting in the hot tub before going to bed really does the trick.

While I was meditating regularly, I never had insomnia. Down to bed, turn off the lights, and boom -- asleep.

I think getting away from the Internet, the radio and TV, and everything else for about an hour before going to bed might be a good idea.

Naturally,

R.O.

[StrawberryFields]

Try doing a nightly bedtime routine.

Write down the things that are on your mind so you can worry about it later.

Take a 10+ min candle lite bubble bath

Get ready for bed, cozy jammies

Wash your face, brush your teeth

Read something calming

Spray some lavendar on your pillow

Use as many pillows as needed for comfort.

I hope things get better

[Iggy]

Eliminate sugars from your diet about 2 hours before you go to bed. Apples, bananas and oranges too. They are high in sugar.

Also eliminate caffeine entirely. That means sodas and chocolate. Especially if you consume any after 3pm.

I suffered bouts of insomnia for nearly all of my life. When I finally quit with the caffeine (including sodas) then the insomnia pretty much went away.

Now I find that if I have a dish of fruit after dinner or fresh fruit - I am too wide awake to stay in bed. Plus being diabetic, I get the night sweats really bad from the sweets. Bad enough that I end up sleeping on top of a beach towel and putting a hand towel on my pillow! Yuck!

Go to bed at the first hint of being sleepy for the night. Don't put it off because you still have two pages of the Forum to read, shut off the 'puter and get into bed.

I find that if I wake up shortly after going to bed and think that I am not going to get back to sleep, I just sit in bed and be quiet. Generally my cat, Fred, will come and snuggle with me, and feeling his warmth and purring (I can't hear him purr, but I sure can feel it), will calm me and I will then drift off to sleep.

Also Pam, try sleeping in a different position. There is no LAW that says you have to have your head at the head of the bed. Flip around and put your head at the foot.

Before I married husband #2, I had insomnia something bad. In desperation one night/morning I rearranged my bedroom. What resulted was my bed was jutting out from a corner on the diagonal. No more light coming in from the window to distract me, I also couldn't see the bedroom door- thus no light coming in from the family room windows to distract me. Also when I would wake up in the wee hours I would just flip and put my head at the foot of the bed.

I do that now too- Husband puts off so much heat and I just can not tolerate it on my upper half, So I get up, put the bath sheet/beach towel down and sleep at the foot of the bed. I also have a wash cloth, wet, at my throat. Cools me down some. This way I am not running off to sleep on the couch, my flipping doesn't bother him one bit-plus when he rubs my calves and feet- Ohhhhh, that puts me to sleep too.

[pam]

Great suggestions everyone. Iggy part of the problem with flipping around is that I have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes so many other prorblems usually associated with pain because your body never gets the rest it needs. I use a cpap machine with an O2 regulator so with the tubes etc that makes it difficult. Only so much line on the tubes. hahaha I know I sound like I'm whining but it's a good suggestion.

I think part of my problem is my schedule. I have to get up at 4 a.m. every morning for work. I work usually a 10-12 hour shift. By the time I get home I'm so darn tired I lay down to take a nap for an hour. Hour yeh right. It usually ends up being 3-4 hours and then I'm awake for several hours. Get back to sleep and then it's time to get up again. I need to break myself of that "nap".

I didn't want to make this a "pam whining" thread. I had just noticed others at times mention their problems with insomina etc and wondered how they handle it as well.

[Elphaba]

I've had sleep problems and frequent bouts of insomnia for quite some time now.

What kinds of things do you do to help you sleep when it seems like it's just never going to happen?

Drugs!

Elphie

[Over43]

I go to the doc and get Ambien.

O43

[Misshalfway]

I have struggled with sleep issues and I know that the approach depends on the problem. If you just can't fall asleep that is one issue....but if you fall dead asleep but then wake up and can't settle back in that is another.

[pam]

I go to the doc and get Ambien.

O43

I have tried Ambien. Didn't do a thing for me.

[Hemidakota]

I've had sleep problems and frequent bouts of insomnia for quite some time now.

What kinds of things do you do to help you sleep when it seems like it's just never going to happen?

I feel your pain. I only sleep no longer than 4-hours. President Kimball had the same problem. We just live with it....

[Iggy]

All of my siblings have sleep apnea- they are all using the cpap- so Yes flipping would be impossible.

When I was working 8:30AM to 5PM- coming home to an empty house, knowing that husband would be home at 12:30 AM for dinner and not getting to bed until 2:30 - 4 AM.

I would go to bed at 7PM and get up at 11PM to get our dinner cooked. Then I would stay up with him, eat, and get to bed around 2:30 but more like 4 AM.

I tried the power naps. Eat my lunch at work, then nap the remaining time left of my hour lunch. I was fine for about 1 hour, then I would fall asleep at work around 4PM. My head literally hitting the keyboard.

I finally changed my hours at work. I have a great Boss, and she agreed to me coming in at noon, having my dinner hour from 5PM to 6PM, then working until 10PM. I work Tues through Friday. Now I get at least 6 hours of sleep on my work days. Sometimes more if I get to bed before 4AM.

I eat dinner when I get home rather than wait and eat with husband. I do eat a small salad with him though. I get up at 10 AM, he gets up at 11:30AM.

Pam, rather than lay down to nap, sit and read or vegetate for an hour. You need to unwind from work before you can wind up to get the evening home chores going - - dinner, laundry, etc. But it seems as though your nap is turning into more than that and robbing you of the deeper, longer sleep that your body needs.

As for whining- pooh, we all need to discuss things, and whine at the same time. At least you are not on an endless PityMeParty- you are looking for solutions to problems you are having.

[Misshalfway]

You ever tried Malatonin? It is suppose to help reset your sleep clock and some people swear by it.

[pam]

All of my siblings have sleep apnea- they are all using the cpap- so Yes flipping would be impossible.

When I was working 8:30AM to 5PM- coming home to an empty house, knowing that husband would be home at 12:30 AM for dinner and not getting to bed until 2:30 - 4 AM.

I would go to bed at 7PM and get up at 11PM to get our dinner cooked. Then I would stay up with him, eat, and get to bed around 2:30 but more like 4 AM.

I tried the power naps. Eat my lunch at work, then nap the remaining time left of my hour lunch. I was fine for about 1 hour, then I would fall asleep at work around 4PM. My head literally hitting the keyboard.

I finally changed my hours at work. I have a great Boss, and she agreed to me coming in at noon, having my dinner hour from 5PM to 6PM, then working until 10PM. I work Tues through Friday. Now I get at least 6 hours of sleep on my work days. Sometimes more if I get to bed before 4AM.

I eat dinner when I get home rather than wait and eat with husband. I do eat a small salad with him though. I get up at 10 AM, he gets up at 11:30AM.

Pam, rather than lay down to nap, sit and read or vegetate for an hour. You need to unwind from work before you can wind up to get the evening home chores going - - dinner, laundry, etc. But it seems as though your nap is turning into more than that and robbing you of the deeper, longer sleep that your body needs.

As for whining- pooh, we all need to discuss things, and whine at the same time. At least you are not on an endless PityMeParty- you are looking for solutions to problems you are having.

Thanks Iggy. I truly appreciate your kind words.

[Brenton]

It's a terrible feeling when you just cant sleep, and you lie there for hours trying to sleep.

Diet also plays a reallllly big part.

Take a look at your diet, are you eating meat sparingly (meat gives you a LOT of energy).

Dieticians say you should only eat meat about the size of the palm of your hand, per day. Not big servings.

I'm generally vegan, but sometimes I eat meat and animal products- on a really demanding day, or if im just flat out tired.

In sum-uppance; diet plays a big part.

Eat according to your energy needs.

[pam]

I can always use improvements to my diet.

[MarginOfError]

Try doing a nightly bedtime routine.

My eyes bugged out of my head when I saw this because I thought you'd said a 'naughty bedtime routine.' I think I may need glasses finally (I'm the only one in my family who didn't have glasses before age 20). However, a naughty bedtime routine might help. Statistically speaking, it works for most men.

[Guest GhostRider]

i have the same problem pam... as seen by me being up alot on the chat site at times. the one thing that works for me is sleepytime tea...never did get a response from the elders about it and the WoW. it is an herbal tea so it should be ok.

The other thing that helps me is playing with my little kids..i mean cats..their purr just knocks me out..and they get excersize!

I would try to limit strenuos activity.. lots of walking to get u tired and such. the reason is that after a good work out your endorphins (the runners high) kicks in and u wont be able to sleep due to that and high adrenal levels.

I've had insomnia all my life so i know what u are dealing with. try to do small changes at first then find what works for u. with me it may take me a while to figure out what that exactly is. So each person is different...and like Elphi mom says....DRUGS....that to me is a last resort.

get better pam!

[Fiannan]

You ever tried Malatonin? It is suppose to help reset your sleep clock and some people swear by it.

It is a great natural suppliment, helps you sleep and may be associated with slowing the aging process.

[Connie]

Okay, here is some more of my musical freakiness coming out again, but i love this song from White Christmas.

When I'm worried and I can't sleep

I count my blessings instead of sheep

And I fall asleep counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting small

I think of when I had none at all

And I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads

And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds

If you're worried and you can't sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings

But seriously, counting blessings HAS helped me on occasion.

[AngelonaWing]

I use 3mg of Melatonin.. it works for me. and sometimes I wear earplugs to drown out hubby's snoring.

[Moksha]

You ever tried Melatonin? It is suppose to help reset your sleep clock and some people swear by it.

For what it is worth, those guys in the movies smoking an opium pipe seem to sleep for hours afterwards. However, Melatonin is easier to score at the neighborhood pharmacy.

[Over43]

There is a new product, alteril, that I picked up a month sample for. It is melatonin, valerin and l-tryptophan (the stuff in turkey). It's been working pretty well for me.

O43