Sleeping

[White_Kimono]

I've always had spouts of sleep deprevation and still fine after it, but overall I do find it hard to get to sleep at night. It doesn't quite bother me now, but I know over all it will badly effect my health.

 

Could anyone suggest ways to get better sleep?

 

thank you

[Scout]

Taking a melatonin supplement around 8:30 each night has really helped me. I'm sleepy by 9:30/10, go to bed, and can get up at an early hour.

 

And I'm someone who has seriously struggled with sleep issues, I even used to have to take Ambien. It would knock me out very soon, but after two weeks, I started waking up in the middle of the night again. With melatonin, I don't.

 

Other tips - don't eat a heavy meal, exercise, or drink alcohol within three hours of bedtime. Keep your bedroom clean, restful, soothing in ambience/furnishings.

[White_Kimono]

Ah thats something I've over looked. I do have have a rather up and down eating habit, i tend to eat alot mostly not at routine times, and i find i get the most hungry at night also so that could definitely contribute to the problem

 

I have yet to try supplements, not thought it was the best stage as of yet

 

I agree with the resting environment, and thats something I always have to have and try to make sure my room has that

 

Music use to send me to sleep, but it no longer does, i think it only wakes me up minutes later.

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

I've heard benedryl is good. I haven't tried it yet. You're not supposed to take it with alchohol. Which I guess is why I haven't tried it yet.

 

Any non-drinkers wanna guinny pig it?

[Scout]

Melatonin is a natural sleeping pill. You could take it a few nights in a row just to get your sleeping pattern a little more stable.

[White_Kimono]

I've heard benedryl is good. I haven't tried it yet. You're not supposed to take it with alchohol.

 

I rarely drink so that not a problem

 

I was told about some relaxation techinques that might work. To be honest I really doubt that they will work, I don't know the meaning of the word relax

 

maybe resorting to medication would be the best anwser

[patch2006uk]

I've heard benedryl is good. I haven't tried it yet. You're not supposed to take it with alchohol. Which I guess is why I haven't tried it yet.

 

Any non-drinkers wanna guinny pig it?

 

As in the antihistamene allergy relief tablet? I can imagine those working, as my brother took one once at around midday and slept through until 9 that evening. And they were the non-drowsy variety! Natural is probably a better way to go though to be honest.

[BrokenWingedFaery]

Benedryl knocks me out within an hour of taking it (I had some this morning...lol)

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

As in the antihistamene allergy relief tablet? I can imagine those working, as my brother took one once at around midday and slept through until 9 that evening. And they were the non-drowsy variety! Natural is probably a better way to go though to be honest.

 

Yeah the allergy pill. Straight, and 25mg. I've had both my Pharmacist and Physician say it's effective, safe, and non habit forming. But can't take it with beer. I'm too chicken to try it. Any takers?

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

Benedryl knocks me out within an hour of taking it (I had some this morning...lol)

 

How many mgs did you take?

 

If you took it in the morning, I guess you took it for allergies?

[patch2006uk]

Yeah the allergy pill. Straight, and 25mg. I've had both my Pharmacist and Physician say it's effective, safe, and non habit forming. But can't take it with beer. I'm too chicken to try it. Any takers?

 

If i had trouble sleeping, i would volunteer. As it is though, i don't usually have trouble gettin to sleep, so i feel that it would be a little pointless...and as i would probably get a decent night's sleep either way, i doubt there would be a very effective comparison! Ah well.

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

..and as i would probably get a decent night's sleep either way, i doubt there would be a very effective comparison! Ah well.

 

lol...true! Any one else

[MARYGIRL]

I posted this under another thread:

 

I totally feel for you!! I too had insomnia for a little over a year! It sucked! Mine was different from yours though. I couldn't fall asleep, I'd lay awake and stare at the ceiling until 3-4am. And when I did fall asleep, I couldn't stay asleep. And I didn't feel like I had slept. The only reason I knew I had fallen asleep was because I'd look at my clock and see that almost 2 hrs had passed, though it felt like it had only been 10 minutes!

 

You just go around like a zombie, never really awake, and never really asleep.

 

When I talked to my doctor she gave me some suggestions before they finally decided to temp. put me on Ambien:

 

* get a regular excersise routine

* ONLY sleep (and sex of course) in your bed. No eating, reading, watching tv in bed, etc.

* No caffeine after 4 or 5 pm

* Take a relaxing bath before bedtime

* Make sure your room is totally dark at night

 

 

Looking back a few things contributed to my insomnia. I had just moved out of my parents house and in with my BF (at the time), I had just quit smoking cold turkey, I was working more hours at my waitressing job. So I had a lot of stress going on, plus the stress of worrying whether or not I was going to fall asleep that night made things worse.

[MARYGIRL]

I've heard benedryl is good. I haven't tried it yet. You're not supposed to take it with alchohol. Which I guess is why I haven't tried it yet.

 

Any non-drinkers wanna guinny pig it?

 

 

Try this on a night when you don't have to get up at a specific time. I'm one of the "weird" ones who get the OPPOSITE effect from antihistamines! They get me wired and I absolutely can't fall asleep after taking them! When I have colds, I can't take Nyquil at night. I have to take DayQuil (it doesn't have the antihistamine) and sometimes get prescribed a week's worth of Ambien.

 

The only "PM" medicine I've found that kind of works has been Tylenol Cold PM.

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

You know, when I've had the flu and taken "Theraflu", it sure knocks me out! And it makes me really mellow and happy, too. I wonder if that stuff is addictive?

[MARYGIRL]

Really though, don't start trying to use medicines to help you sleep. Even if the medication is "not habit forming" or "not addictive" you get psychologically get addicted and feel like you CAN'T fall asleep with out drinking Theraflu, or taking a shot of NyQuil, or taking Benadryl, or whatever. My brother started taking NyQuil before bed every night to help him sleep. Now he can't sleep without it.

 

It's best to figure out why it is you aren't able to sleep, and solve that problem. 9 times out of 10 it's stress related and getting some kind of relaxation and bedtime routine will help more permanently than medication.

 

It also helps to go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning. Even on the weekends.

[vandgsmom]

I have gone through a couple of month long insomniac periods in my life.. to the point where I would sleep walk to the bathroom when I would go to sleep and paint my toenails. Actually it ended up being more the whole end of my foot and the bathroom floor which was technicolor by the end, but...

 

A sleep therapist told me to stay out of my bedroom except for shoes and sleep.

 

She also said to start waking up 2 hours earlier in the morning, even if all you do is go to sit at the kitchen table, to stay awake.

 

Lastly, stay up till 9, then aerobic exercise for an hour until you are trembling. Douse yourself in a hot shower and fall into bed. After a couple weeks, gradually wean yourself off the 2 hour early thing by half hours every 3 days and then wean off the exercise and see if you aren't going to bed at an earlier time and sleeping well.

 

Worked for me, but it was probably more the fear ofgetting up early again than any cure. I HATE MORNINGS! That felt better... Hope this helps

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

It also helps to go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning. Even on the weekends.

 

I know, I try to still get up early on the weekends, but it sucks because usually Saturday night I'm out till maybe 2 or 3 or 4 in the morning, so I'd like to sleep in on Saturday morning, at least so I know I'll be wide awake to enjoy my 'fun day' (Saturday)!

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

Maybe I'll try that. I hate mornings too!

[MARYGIRL]

Staying up and sleeping in so late REALLY messes up your sleep cycle! Since I've been on my sleep "routine", devating by even just a couple hours on the weekends screws me up to where I can't fall asleep Sunday night. It's worse when I stay at my BF's house, he loves sleeping in until 2pm...

 

Your body needs to get back into it's natural rhythm. But it's hard when you're young and going out with friends! I guess I'm just a really old 25-year old!! haha!

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

Well I'm 35, but I don't want to miss out on going out and having fun with my friends. I really enjoy it. I guess the next best solution is to sleep late Saturday, so I'm ready for a big day and night! Then get up early on Sunday, even if it's just 3 hours' sleep!