OK...so for about the past week or so I have been sleeping terribly....Like absolutely terribly. I have no problem getting to sleep in the first place but the quality of sleep I'm getting just stinks (I'm tossing and turning, having bad dreams, I'm hot, I'm cold etc.). Getting out of bed is a task, I literally have to drag myself up and I'm just still tired, and its the kind of tired that lasts all day long, I can't focus, my eyes are burning and its almost that sleep isn't alleviating my tiredness...if that even makes any sense. This is how I felt when i was eating badly and drinking and smoking all the time only without the hangover.
I'm still eating healthy, and have been going to the gym regularly and have had no major changes in my schedule. There is a bit more stress at work going into our busy season but not a ton. I've been considering the time change with daylight savings and it being lighter out later and also the changes in the weather which may be a factor...thinking that hopefully as the weather gets warmer getting outside and just getting some fresh air may do the trick but in the meantime I just can't get past this.

Here is what I know, I've made no major changes with diet or exercise...just what I have been doing (eating healthy & working out on average 5 times a week) I've been limiting caffeine (1 morning coffee) and alcohol (just a tad here and there if any at all), I don't have any problems with depression, my stress levels are just average, TOM just finished the other day so I'm not pregnant.

Here is what I've tried, sleeping a bit more, or a bit less, adjusting the temperature in my apartment, avoiding alcohol and afternoon caffeine, exercising at a higher intensity and at a lower intensity, yoga

Has anyone ever encountered any exhaustion bouts with no obvious causes before? Anyone have an recommendations on things I can try to get a good nights sleep (with out any sleep aids - prescription or over the counter I can't take them) I'm at the point where I just want to claw my eyes out!

You wouldn't be nearing menopause age, would you?

If not, then you could try a glass of lowfat milk half an hour before going to bed and see if there's any difference.

Also, be sure you aren't trying to go directly from a news program or other TV show to sleep. The idea is to get quiet before going to sleep rather than being stimulated.

Otherwise, you may need to try something like Benadryl (which is an antihistamine, but it was originally used as a sedative) or some other sleep aid. I don't know what else to suggest.

Good luck!

Jay

Usually, my bouts of insomnia are caused by stress (either good or bad stress). I find that it's best to not stress about insomnia, and to realize that when your body needs sleep, it will sleep. It's frustrating, but not impossible, to function without sleep. There are plenty of good online resources for this, although I'd stay away from anything sponsored by Lunesta or any other sleeping-pill company (I distrust the system in that way - LOL).

I personally have started taking melatonin supplements, and that seems to help. I split the pills in half and take one about a half-hour before bed.

Nope, not menopausal...I'm only 26. The milk I can try...but the sleep aids I have to stay away from....really I have to stay away from any drugs. Natural remedies I can flirt with and would be willing to take a shot at (maybe there is a tea, or the milk even) but any sleep aid drugs are out of the question...lets just say that any pills other than my birth control and daily vitamin don't mesh well with my addictive history.
My evening routine sort of goes like this:
7:30 - get home from work, get changed go to gym
8:45-9:00ish get home from gym, have dinner (which I prepare in advance so there is no cooking so I can eat right away)
After that, the tv is generally on but I don't watch much of it, its sort of background noise, and I get ready for bed (ie, remove makeup, pull back hair, clean up the dishes) I live alone so its fairly mellow. I have been falling asleep with the sleep timer on on my tv though so that will be something I try tonight...milk and no tv.

Thanks!

Suggestions:
Bananas are high in potassium. If I think I might have a hard time falling asleep, I'll have a half a banana. Or some Sleepytime, Chamomile, or Traquility tea.
Also there is the yogic breathing exercise which may sound like it's not your thing, but works for me:
Breathe in for a count of four.
Hold for a count of seven.
Exhale for a count of eight. (I count by heartbeats, because listening to a heartbeat is so soothing)
Or plain old visualisation; while blocking out any of your daytime thoughts.

Okay now I sound like a hippie, and I am going to go and gather flowers and maybe protest.
Good luck!
Tammy

Maybe you're eating dinner too close to bed time? Or maybe working out too late in the day?

Melatonin is a hormone, actually, and would probably be considered more along the lines of a vitamin than a drug. That's how I understand it, anyway.

Do you need a new bed? What happens if you try sleeping on the couch?

I don't feel like I technically have insomnia...or at least insomnia as I understand it...I fall asleep just fine...no problem...but once I'm there its just crappy type sleep...
As far as working out and eating dinner...it is late but I'm limited on time constraint choices with that because I get out of work later and have a long commute...I try to have about 1-2 hours between gym and dinner and actual bed time which puts me hitting the sheets around 1030-11pm (and I get up around 7am) As the weather gets nicer and its not like the tundra outside I'd like to start working out in the mornings so hopefully that late night working out will change soon as I'm not sure it is a cause of the problem, but I'm sure it doesn't help.

Tammy: You're totally up my alley! Tea, bananas, breathing...all things I will try (haha, you're talking to a girl who sports a 'tree hugging dirt worshiper' bumper sticker!)

Phantastica: I'll look into the Melatonin, vitamins I'm fine with...my issue is a dependency one, I won't even take anything doctor supervised but vitamins or natural supplements I should be ok with.

Tonight I'm going to try to get home from work a bit early and have dinner first before going to the gym, I'll still get home about 9ish but I'm gonna shoot for having an hour of quite time before bed, no tv (no tv with the sleep timer when I get into bed either) maybe some relaxing music and try some breathing and tea and see how that goes over.

Thanks so much for the advice!

Another voice of support for trying melatonin if your plan tonight (sounds excellent!) doesn't work. I've been taking it for the past couple months and it works wonderfully. No problems the next morning or anything. Since you're just upping the amount of something your pineal gland already produces, it's not supposed to cause dependency. (I find that I can't sleep without it right now, but my body's actually not producing enough melatonin on its own atm, so that makes some sense.) Definitely a night or two wouldn't be an issue -- and trust me, I'm extremely resistant to pills and prescriptions, I don't blame you for being hesitant.

You can't go wrong with tea and breathing either. Sweet dreams!

Do NOT try melatonin. In my psych 101 class (I know, basic stuff, but still) we learned about how melatonin pills cause your body to stop producing the necessary melatonin. Therefore, though the pills might help you sleep, you will be addicted to them and/or unable to sleep without them for the rest of your life.
Try upping the exercise amounts. That helps my bouts of insomnia.

Personally, having struggled with insomnia most of my life, I have to avoid exercise before bed. Even yoga in the evenings can be too much. Anytime I elevate my heartrate closer than 4 or 5 hours before bed (and yes that includes...ummm.."in bed" ) I have terrible insomnia and cant sleep well for hours.

All the other suggestions have been good and I second (or third..) melatonin, I seriously don't think it's something that causes dependency issues but I don't know your body or your situation so

I do know that when I go too low on my daily calories (maybe you're unknowingly burning more calories then you were previously...something in your diet has changed without your knowing.................) anyway, it makes sleeping SOOO HARD. The hot and cold, the flipping and flopping. Ughhh. Try the half a banana or milk or something else maybe. Hope it works out. Sleeping poorly affects everything.

I also wondered it the time change messed me up. I have had the same problem with not wanting to get up. I had gotten used to it being daylight when I woke up, now it is dark it the morning again. Also, I am not tired at my bed time, so I have been staying up later. My mom will also tell me that eating before bed is not good. Certain foods, I know for myself, are harder to digest. My mom also said eating beef will keep you up. I hope you get some restfull sleep soon.

If you want to try a good herbal tea for sleep--I recommend The Republic of Tea's Chamomile Lemon Surrender to Sleep Herb Tea. The brand is somewhat expensive compared to most, but it is worth it. RepublicofTea.com if you can't find it in a local health food store.

Jay

Hi NESunshine,

Your plan of eating dinner before working out, as well as the other things mentioned sound good. I am a fan of chamomile tea, I was brought up with it. My mom buys the chamomile flowers, it always worked wonders for me. When I was a teen, we would boil the chamomile flowers and I would inhale the steam, voila! cramps gone! lol : ) Jay, I'll have to check out the chamomile you mentioned. Sunshine, in the meantime if your at the health food store look into getting the chamomile flowers and boiling them, strain for tea. THe potency is higher and it really has soothing effects. THe taste may take some getting used to, you could put a little sweetener in it or a teaspoon of honey.

As for your being hot and then cold, it could be due to a number of things but I personally get that way during TOM! I get hotflashes and also chilled inbetween. My sleep was off the first few nights of the time change, as was my DH's and mothers. I have had many encounters of the type of sleep you mention and yes, you feel exhausted after.

You mentioned the weather. It has been absolutely crazy here, we went from that 70 degree day and warm spring days to the snowstorm and cold we had last thursday! THere was such a drastic and abrupt change in weather. I think our spring is finally here. As for getting outdoors to walk or exercise, that always helps me tremendously.... the fresh air, just the whole shebang and I find myself sleeping better.

You mentioned bad dreams lately as well which may be an indicator that something is troubling you, yet it's not at the surface and in your subconsience. I would keep that in mind as also a possible variable. THough it could of been nothing more than seeing a stupid movie or something! That's happened to me before.

What I have been doing lately and which really helps me to sleep well is soaking in a nice hot bath before bed time. It relaxes me. Also, be weary of chocolate, if my husband has some, he does not sleep all night!!!! Also, if I drink chocolate hot cocoa, I wont sleep all night! my cocoa days have been over for a long time now : ( I don't drink coke, but that's another thing to watch out for at night. Goodluck, I think it may of been a number of reasons why you didn't sleep well and hopefully it was just a sh ort lived phase. ENjoy the weekend, I think we are having a nice one

There is a homeopathic option you can take called "Quietude". It's made by Boiron. You can find it either at a natural foods store or maybe even your supermarket; Giant just put in a "natural/organic" aisle and they now carry this. It's for sleeplessness and restless sleep. I've taken it as well as my kids, even when they were like 8 or 9 years old. It's completely homeopathic, non addictive, you don't zonk out like w/the OTC sleep stuff nor do you wake up feeling anything but normal.

Are you also feeling ill w/the hot and cold stuff? My brother is going throught something very similar. His body temp drops and he feels sick -- like if you had a temp. He's had TONS of tests, all negative so far. He's exploring all options and is currently trying the homeopathic route. Good luck!

Jo