| Author |
Message |
    
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 741
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 11:58 pm: |     |
Anybody else? what do you do?
This could go in "please help" but I thought the answers would be more fun from here. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 330
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 12:32 am: | |
from the insomniac stream of consciousness:
Turn on the radio and catch a little of Brian Lehrer or Lenny Lopate if I'm lucky, otherwise BBC.
When it's not winter, listen to the night sounds from outside and pretend I can rest by dozing off and on like a wolf (at least according to Never Cry Wolf).
Try not to get cranky about my neighbor's yard lights, which make my bedroom like something in a stalag, because getting cranky just makes me more wakeful.
Be assertive with the cat, because it's easier to sleep with more than a 14" space along the edge of the bed.
If there's any excuse whatsoever, take Nyquil.
If desperate, go down and get a cookie or 1/2 a glass of milk.
Lack of sleep is hell on the complexion, though.
wishing you sweet dreams, and soon -
MC |
Dego Diva
Citizen
Username: Fmingione
Post Number: 285
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 12:38 am: | |
Do you have trouble falling asleep, or trouble STAYING asleep?
For trouble FALLING asleep: Yoga and exercize. I have found that I have my best sleeps on the days that I have a good workout. Yoga also helps me with deep breathing techniques. Many times when I can't fall asleep it's just because my mind is racing. I find if I just stop and concentrate on the word "in" as I breathe in deeply, and "out" as I exhale, I fall asleep within minutes. Other than that, I was raised on chamomile tea and swear by it for a variety of ailments, including sleepless nights.
For trouble STAYING asleep: I'm a very light sleeper, so there are periods of time when I'll wake up in the middle of the night a lot. After 2 or 3 nights in a row, I know it's time to take Melatonin. It's a natural supplement - works every time, and I just use it for a few nights, until my body gets back into its rhythm.
Good luck! |
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 742
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 12:57 am: | |
Where do you get melatonin? I thought that wasn't sold any more.
I have both kinds of insomnia - more often the first kind, falling asleep. Sometimes awaken at 2 AM or thereabouts though, and that is the utter worst as falling asleep again is impossible.
I've had a really bad bout for the past two weeks or so - I think I've had one full night of sleep. I'm not one of those people who naturally never sleeps. I really need 9 hrs. a night.
Webboggle helps sometimes - it is so incredibly mindless and soothing. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 650
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 4:49 am: | |
Cathy here's a place you can still get Melatonin. I still have a bottle of it because I was afraid to take it. I was going to offer it to you until I read the expiration date! April 02. Think I'll flush it when my sister gets out of the shower.
http://www.naturesbounty.com/pages/search.asp?SearchText=melatonin&submit.x=10&s ubmit.y=10 |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 651
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 5:03 am: | |
Melatonin can be found at the following chain drugstores
CVS
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/search?ActiveCat=499&Query=Melatonin+&Clic k+to+go+to+search+results..x=9&Click+to+go+to+search+results..y=8
http://riteaid.com/
Costco
http://www.costco.com/Common/Search.aspx?whse=&topnav=&search=Melatonin
|
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 743
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 5:51 am: | |
Think I'll stock up on some melatonin. I guess they cleared it - I do remember some controversy about it. Also one about l-tryptophan, another "natural" remedy that I use for a while. I don't remember seeing that one around for ages & ages.
You can subtract the time on this post from my last to see that I didn't get much sleep last night, and with a packed meeting schedule today this totally sucks.
But then, I notice that JTA got evenless sleep than me. You were posting in some forum or another when I finally went to bed last night, but were posting in this one at 4:49 AM. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 652
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 6:44 am: | |
I had one of those sleepless nights last night. Luckily I can come home and nap at 10am until I have to be at work at 2pm.
We had a scare with the kitty last night ao I couldn't get back to sleep. She was choking on her collar. We had to cut it off her.
I think she's using up her lives pretty fast! This is the third time this happened. On Christmas day she got tangled in one of the nephew's cords for their game boy and was choking.
That's four lives gone!
|
Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 419
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 7:59 am: | |
Valerian root. I get bouts of insomnia every now and then, especially when the weather changes. Pop 2-3 valerian root capsuls about 1/2 an hour before you want to sleep and it will come. They do kind of smell like feet and will make the cabinet or drawer where you keep them kinda stinky, but I swear by them for insomnia. Any health food place will have them - I think the bottle I currently have I got from It's a Wrap. |
Rick B
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 494
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 8:14 am: | |
well if you want fun answers...
we have a 3 week old boy....if your up, come on by, you can handle some of the late night feedings!  |
gretchen
Citizen
Username: Gretchen
Post Number: 159
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 8:31 am: | |
I have suffered from insomnia for years--the staying asleep variety. At one point I was told by a doctor that mine wasn't "real" insomnia. On day 10 of falling asleep at 10 and waking up at 12:30 unable to go back to sleep until 5 that was a little hard to swallow.
I have taken Ambien, but found that it stopped working after awhile. Also, I would take it in the middle of the night (which you're not supposed to do) and would find myself on the train suddenly thinking "wait, did I take a shower this morning?" The memory problem they talk about on the commercial. I can't take the over the counter stuff--it makes me feel cloudy the next day.
Mostly I come down and read on the couch or put on NBC All Night and close my eyes and listen to Conan/Jay Leno reruns. Sometimes distracting myself from thinking about falling asleep will help me fall asleep. On occasion I have turned on the computer and started to do some work. I get a lot done, but it wakes me up and before I know it it's 6:30 and my husband is in the kitchen making coffee.
When I worked at a job I hated I was never sure if it was anxiety causing the lack of sleep or the reverse. Now I stay home and I (mostly) love my job. I still suffer from insomnia.
My mom has also suffered from insomnia for years and it has only gotten much worse with age. I think I'm facing a long life of this. She's gone to a sleep center but hasn't had much luck.
Of course, anyone who suffers from insomnia should swear off caffeine and alcohol and I just can't seem to do that.
I find that I can cope with a few nights in a row of 3-4 hours of sleep. Then I start getting a little stressed. Eventually the cycle breaks and I can sleep well for weeks.
Anyway, you're not alone. |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 442
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 8:56 am: | |
What a great topic.
For FALLING asleep, I recommend the following:
Start thinking of celebrities or cartoon characters that have a first and last name that begin with the same letter. Go through it slowly. So, for example, "Alan Alda", "Barbara Bush", Cindy Crawford", etc. When you do it the first few times, you'll probably get to the end of the alphabet (minus "I" and "X" and maybe a few others. I don't get past E or F now. I'm asleep by then. It's kind of a meditative sort of thing - you train your body to know it's sleep time when you start doing this. This worked for me, and I recommended it to my insomniac sister, and she said it worked like a charm.
I also recommend Melatonin (sp?) It helps the body when it's not producing enough melatonin of its own. The way it helps me is that if I wake up during the night (e.g., to go to the bathroom or some thought wakes me up), it's easier for me to go back to sleep. I also don't feel groggy in the morning like I would with sleep pills.
Good luck!!! |
Strings
Supporter
Username: Blue_eyes
Post Number: 421
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 9:39 am: | |
Being tired and wanting to sleep but not being able to really is one of the worst feelings in the world. It used to upset me so much, which only would make the situation worse. My mother is a nurse and she assured me that your body will get the rest it needs when it really needs it, and that helps me relax a little, even if it is difficult to function some days.
Also - the Valerian root has never made me groggy, so I wouldn't worry about that if you decide to try it. |
Cathy
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 745
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 2:16 pm: | |
I drink SleepyTime Extra which has Valerian in it, but it doesn't help that much - maybe it doesn't have enough?
Thanks for all of the support and suggestions, MOL pulls through as usual. :-)
My insomnia is a lot like gretchen's, except that it is both the falling & staying asleep kind. But it can happen whether I'm stressed or not stressed, depressed or happy, etc. (although having it does sometimes lead to stress and/or feeling depressed.) But the cause seems totally random. And I also get it in bouts, that resovle after a week or two of hell. Also like gretchen, it also seems to run in my family. My mom gets it sometimes. When I was a teenager we used to meet each other in the kitchen at 1 or 2 AM. |
Mark Fuhrman
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 1369
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 3:02 pm: | |
Try a little essential lavender oil on your pillow (sold at Whole Foods). Some find this helps, but I find it more like Valerian Root--does not really do the trick for me (although my pillow smells nice).
Do you snore? Are you congested a lot? Hate to ask, but have you put on some extra weight lately? All these can be signs of sleep apnea. Lack of REM sleep can get your body so out of whack that you do not fall asleep well, also. You may want to have a sleep study done. Dr. Nahmias (Millburn Avenue) is one doc in the area who specializes in sleep disorders. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 655
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 9:31 pm: | |
Morristown Memorial has a 'Sleep Center' as well. Was told I had Sleep Apena and that I stopped breathing several hundred times a night. |
Andrea Weisbard
Citizen
Username: Njnetsfan
Post Number: 52
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 12:04 pm: | |
I watch infomercials, or the Home Shopping channel they are both boring(to me that is) |
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