I cannot sleep at night. For the last week I have attempted to sleep several times durning the night. I'll toss and turn for about 30 mins, get up do something and try again. I'm exhausted. I'm getting really bad headaches. It's getting later and later the time that I actually get to sleep. last night...well today more like it was about 9.30am. I woke up at 6pm. Thats the worst it's gotten.
It's not something I'm doing on purpouse. I'm trying to sleep I just can't for some reason.
Whats worse is I haven't been in college in a week. I sleep through my college hours....
Going and getting sleeping pills will be my last resort, I'm not a big fan.
Does anyone have any advice? Something I can do to make myself go to sleep? I have a 9am start in college tomorrow, about the time I got to sleep today. I need to stop this cycle, I'm almost in tears. It's really frustrating.
I have been through some of this stuff before. I like taking advil pm for a night or two just to get back on a routine. But if you don't want to do that....you have to figure out a way to get yourself in a sleep routine....so you need to reset your body clock. Decide what time you want to go to bed and get up. An hour and a half before you want to be asleep take a long hot shower. This will heat your body temp. up and then let it fall back to normal which is what your body does as you enter REM sleep. In the remaining hour you need to do some type of quiet non-stimulating activity, reading, meditation, etc. (No TV and No Internet)....these types of activity lull your mind into a sleep state. No matter when you get to sleep make sure that you get up at the time that you picked the next day and repeat for a week. I hope that this helps!
I noticed a pattern in my sleep (and son and hubby). We do NOT sleep well if we have taken in any MSG. Since I was able to recognize the problem I am very conscious of keeping it out of our diet.
Omigosh - I can totally relate.. well sorta. I was working, so i'd get like 30 minutes of sleep and then work 8.5 hours, and then repeat. I thought I was gonna get in a car accident a few times because I was sooo tired, it was bad. I resorted to sleeping pills, just the type from the drug store, nothing too strong. I am now back on track with my sleeping, didn't get addicted, and I am SO thankful I took them.. my life needed to keep going, can't not go into work because I'm tired. The above ideas are great! I might add taking some calcium, thats supposed to help you sleep as well.
I have tried tea with valerian root, and it worked wonderfully, especially when I used two bags. The kind I bought was the Yogi brand. I have been taking sleeping pills for two and a half years. Do not get started! It's horrible to feel frantic when I am close to running out because I know I cannot sleep without them. I tried to go cold turkey and I stayed up three days in a row until I gave in to a pill-induced slumber. So try the tea, for sure.
I totally agree with no surfing the web or tv. For me, I need to do crosswords. It's what I have done for six years, and it's just habit now. I used to take a warm bath every night, not hot, because that would just calm me down regulate my normally very cold feet. I think it is also important to have a very clean bedroom, clean sheets, no clutter, and no alarm with big bright numbers. I use my cell plugged while plugged in. Good luck. I totally feel for you. I wish I was more like this when I started taking pills.
I just want to add as well, if you do end up turning to pills, not all is lost. Maybe use them to regulate your schedule and then ween yourself off. I would start by doing 15 minute increments every night a little earlier. It takes time, must like it took time for you to get to this schedule. I go to bed at 3:00 a.m. and am trying to get to eventually midnight. There was a brief period, a month, where it was 6:00 a.m. though. Don't worry because if you do have to take some ambien or something, at least it will give you some much needed relief and get you back on track. The only thing with Ambien is that you build up a tolerance. My doctor said that wasn't true for everyone, that she has people who have taken it for years. I built up a tolerance in two weeks and went from one pill to three. So Ambien is only a quick fix for some people.
I suggest reading as well, just nothing too interesting! When I get really into a book it causes me to stay up all night. I also have a heated blanket that I keep on until I go to sleep, which keeps me nice and warm and I've noticed it does make me tired a lot sooner than normal. I have also been prescribed Amitriptyline (low dose, used for treating sleep disorders and chronic headaches) for my constant headaches, I take it an hour before bed and am usually out like a light, and I go to bed at 9pm and up at 7:30 every day! I flunked out of college because I used to go to bed at 7am and sleep all day too, I suggest doing something ASAP and not taking that route.
i have been contemplating something while lying there at 7am, while the sun rises....I was thinking about just staying up, going to college and then I'll be exhausted enough to go to bed early....Terrible idea???
I take Melatonin which is a herb in pill form that helps you to fall asleep naturally. It is not a drug you can find it with the vitamins. I also like Valerian but the Melatonin seems to work better.
i have been contemplating something while lying there at 7am, while the sun rises....I was thinking about just staying up, going to college and then I'll be exhausted enough to go to bed early....Terrible idea???
This was going to be my suggestion. By sleeping so late you are re-setting your body to sleep during the day. So, go to bed at a scheduled time and get up at a scheduled time. If you don't sleep, still get up! It'll be hard for a few days, but this may help you get back on schedule. If after a few days of this you still can't sleep, then go see your doctor.
Insomnia runs in the family, but only occurs 2-5 days every 6 months. If I cannot sleep after 1 night, I try to manage my sleep the next day. I don't eat anything sugary or caffeinated and take Tylenol PM early. I usually go back to my usual sleeping pattern the 2nd night.
Last edited by redflatshoe2; 02-25-2009 at 07:51 PM.
i have been contemplating something while lying there at 7am, while the sun rises....I was thinking about just staying up, going to college and then I'll be exhausted enough to go to bed early....Terrible idea???
If you are young enough to handle that, it can help you get back on track, but the most important thing is to force yourself to get up in the morning, because if you do, you will eventually be tired enough at night to start falling asleep earlier. I also advise trying Melatonin, or Benadryl to help you sleep, but they may leave you a bit groggy in the morning. Go to bed with a boring book (something for school), and don't read an exciting novel or watch TV or a movie. Crossword puzzles are a great idea...never tried that.
I wonder if you might not be suffering from some depression?
The hot bath at night may also help.
Good luck. I suffer from insomnia a lot and because I don't have a schedule that forces me to get up in the morning, it can get really out of hand. But...I notice when I'm excited about something, and not feeling depressed, it's much easier to get up in the morning, and much easier to sleep at night...that's why I'm wondering if you aren't using sleep as a way to hide from the day?
I wonder if you might not be suffering from some depression?
I've been contemplating that myself. I've been severly depressed before but I felt a lot worse then this at its best. But it possible. I feel a bit low because I moved to a new place and making friends isn't coming easy. I have no social life here. the weekends come and my house mates go home and I am alone for 3 days. Very alone. and it bothers me. So yes it could be possible.
OT: I'm at my wits end...
