Sleep Problems

[Over43]

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.

What the heck? No wonder my wife's percocet made me so happy! I think you can even "score" melatonin at WalMart.

O43

[Moksha]

What the heck? No wonder my wife's percocet made me so happy! I think you can even "score" melatonin at WalMart.

O43

I like Trazadone for sleep. It is safe, effective and nonhabit forming.

[dazed-and-confused]

Trazodone works for me, too.

[KrazyKay]

What works for me is laying in bed reading the scriptures - usually the Old Testament, lol. Then of course I have dreams about what I was reading. The Book of Mormon I find too interesting, I just want to stay up reading it all until I've read the whole thing and it's 4am before I know it (I have to be up by 6am).

I've also tried laying there with my eyes closed and day dream and before I know it, I'm asleep.

[Over43]

I have restless leg syndrome. Trazadone, which I am familiar with, seems to exaserbate the problem. Melatonin helps, but on particularly bad evenins, doesn't alleviate the problem. I have been put on an anti seizure medicine (that I can't spell) which has worked very well. Another problem some might have is sleep apnea. although often associated with heavier people, my wife's doctor suspects she might have it even though she is a "skinny mini" as he calls her.

O43

[Moksha]

Restless leg, eh? Have you been evaluated for sleep apnea?

[ninjormon]

Bananas, penut butter, and turkey are foods that help

Work out, stretch, chase some kids, youll wear yourself out and want to sleep

I was raised pentecostal and they always said read the scriptures, the devil doesnt want you to so after a couple chapters he leaves you alone

[Puppenstein]

How long has it been since your last sleep study? Things can change and if your lack of sleep has been recent it is time to get it checked out again. Seeing a sleep specialist (not a general physician) will hopefully isolate what is going on and get you on more effective treatment - same goes with anyone who needs a prescription to fall asleep. It sounds like you get some sleep, but if it isn't REM cycle sleep, then forget about it. Doesn't count. I hope that you find what is going on and get some quality sleep!

[applepansy]

Drugs!

Elphie

I vote for drugs.

In all seriousness if pain is causing the insomnia then I take sleeping pills or Valerian. the Valerian is very helpful.

applepansy

[pam]

I can't remember if I mentioned this earlier in the thread. The nights I take something like Tylenol pm I have a much more rested sleep and actually sleep through the night. Even with the sleep apnea. But I have to be careful the nights I take it dependent on my work schedule. Last thing I need is to sleep in when I shouldn't have. lol

[Elgama]

have you tried a hypnotherapy tape/CD? mine is fantastic helps me sleep although for first few times don't listen when you need to get up for work lol

-Charley

[pam]

No I haven't tried that El.

[RobertP]

I learned something on my mission that worked so well for a week and a half that I was certain I had it, so I didn't write it down. It worked so well I forgot it. I was on splits with a pychiatrist who told me a dumb little sequence like my right pinky is tired, my left big toe is tired, then roll on your right side, boom, that's it. I didn't believe him but I never even remember finishing the sequence. If anybody knows... :)

Since then though, I found a food I was allergic to, removing that got rid of many sleep disturbances. Also I found an Omege 3/6/9 helps, evening primrose oil somehow turns to melatonin. I have had good luck with this. Tryptophan and 5HTP are great for some, but for me they are too good. They wear off at about 3 PM the next day, and waking up? Yikes!

[althetrainer]

I too have sleep problems. I don't have problems falling asleep but staying asleep. I am in excellent physical condition. I work out every day and eat very clean but not extreme. I am a mom to a 7-year-old and I work a part time job but I don't believe I am stressed out. I have been to the doctor and have tried pretty much everything under the sun, except hormone replacement (I am close to menopause). Recently I am taking melatonin but it doesn't seem to do anything for me. I am very sensitive to drugs so my doctor orders half of a 3-mg pill. I may have to take the entire pill to see if my body can handle it. If this one fails, my doctor will have to send me to a sleep clinic for evaluation.

[kendricktamis]

Hello I am an Engineer and i have to work about 9 hours on computer. So i got problem in my eyes. whether i have some tension to finish my other preparation and that's why i cannot sleep. However when i go to bed, i get sleep after one hour. I take sleep about 4 to 5 hours. so how would i maintain my sleeping hours?

[miztrniceguy]

Ambien didnt work for me. I have sleep apnea, too but i don't use a machine, as i couldn't fall asleep with the mask on. i would lie in bed all night freaking out about the mask on my face.

I use nyquil or benadryl...cheap walmart brands that is. i switch off between them. i get about 6 hrs a night.

[pam]

I've gotten to where I can't sleep at all unless I'm using my cpap machine for sleep apnea. I don't use the kind of mask that completely covers your nose. Just a thing that fits underneath. So much more comfortable.

[ryanh]

Pam, I was hoping to talk to you this Fri about this. I know the OP was pretty old, and I knew you had apnea, but didn't know if you felt the two were connected.

It took me a while to figure out that my insomnia was related to sleep apnea. It seems completely counter intuitive, but something about the apnea causes the mind to not want to go back to sleep. At least for me. One would think that being so sleep deprived would overrule insomnia, but apparently not.

My body hasn't respond to CPAP. It just doesn't relieve the symptoms. I've had several surgeries, and they have helped. But, what I am doing now seems to have the greatest benefit. I have found a way to keep myself from lying on my back - the position where the majority of my apneas occur.

What I did is take a one-size-too-small t-shirt (so it's snug and won't twist around my torso) and sewed a pocket in the upper middle of the back, right between the shoulder blades. In that pocket I place a hard plastic ball. So, anytime I roll onto my back while sleeping, I have a built in reminder to keep rolling till I'm on my side. After a couple nights, I no longer noticed it at all. It became pretty automatic that I simply rolled over to the other side without waking up because of the ball.

I used to wake up periodically from an apnea, and find myself on my back. Now, I don't wake up from apnea's at all, and I never find myself on my back.

Here are couple photos of one of the shirts I made. (I pleated the pocket so that it fit the ball well, but didn't press it into my back)

[pam]

Sounds good Ryan. We can talk about it Friday. Sounds like you have obstructed sleep apnea. That's what I have. I can't sleep on my back at all if not using my cpap machine. My throat closes up and causes me to quit breathing. I'd love to have the surgery to remove that little flap of skin that hangs that we are prone to get as we age in the throat. I've heard more pros for it than cons.

Edited March 30, 2010 by pam

[miztrniceguy]

I had a UPPP or UP3, in which they removed part of my soft palette, my uvula, tonsils, and fixed my extremely deviated septum. It helped. Last study I was down to 70 events per hour.

[ryanh]

Yes, I too have had the UPPP. Not a fun surgery to recover from, but it has helped quite a bit! I know a lot of docs are reluctant to consider it, and there are studies showing limited success. But, if OSA is the problem, esp with tongue or back of throat, I say go for it!

Even with that surgery, I still have problems if I lay on my back. Just not a bad of problems as before. And, the combo of the UPPP, sinus surgeries, and the shirt/ball seem to have really helped.

The shirt/ball is simple and inexpensive. It's well worth the try. It's been a great help to me.

[personne]

Pam hi, I do not know if your problem is resolved or not, it must think once, we're lying in bed that we are Light as a Feather we sink into the bed .. no it is not a nightmare .. its not working on some people.

I think our body sends us signs and we should not miss the train

[tefor]

I turn the alarm clock facing the wall so that the glare doesn't wake me up at 2:30 AM. The alarm's already set, so I don't have much need to be looking at it.

I also keep my iPod by my side of the bed. It has several episodes of The Meditation Podcast on it, which always helps me relax and get to sleep. The most important thing for me is to quiet the chatter that's always going on inside my head.

[pam]

Pam hi, I do not know if your problem is resolved or not, it must think once, we're lying in bed that we are Light as a Feather we sink into the bed .. no it is not a nightmare .. its not working on some people.

I think our body sends us signs and we should not miss the train

I certainly appreciate your thoughts personne. I really do. But those with sleep apnea have quite a few other issues than just thinking we are light as a feather in our bed.

[personne]

Pam thank you I appreciate you too. I am sorry that my answer did not help.