[JayEll]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned sugar or carbs late at night. I sleep great now that I've lost weight for the most part, but if I eat too much sweet stuff right before bed, I'll go to sleep OK but wake up two or three hours later. It's like I rebound off the carbs. I sometimes will also have a headache in the morning from carbs--almost like a hangover.

I have always had to be careful with caffeine late in the day, even when I was much younger.

Benadryl works fine for me, but 5HTP makes me feel very strange, so I stay away from that one.

Of course, from time to time I'll have too much stress going on, and that wakes me up. Don't you just love that--it's 4 a.m. and you're worrying about things you can do absolutely nothing about at that hour. Or you have to get up early for some kind of big thing the next day, so you wake up every hour to make sure the alarm clock is still set and hasn't gone off. ARRRR!

Jay

[Ufi]

How did you find out you needed to take Vitamin D?

My insomnia seems to come and go, but mostly the problem is that I'm a night owl. Always have been. It helps to use only dim lights after a certain time, like an hour before bed. No TV, computer, bright overhead lights. And no upsetting or energizing activities.

[choirgirlhotel]

Originally Posted by nods

I know when this all started. It was when I was finishing undergrad and doing my honors thesis. At the same time I was doing an independent research project, related to, but separate from my thesis and I swear to god I didn't sleep for 4 months. I did library research from 4 PM to 2 AM, and writing in my apartment until 6 AM. Grabbed a couple hours of sleep and went to classes between 10AM and 4 PM and then I'd do it all over again. That was like...4 years ago. And I still can't fix the pattern.

this part that you wrote sparked an idea -- adrenal fatigue. I have it and what you are going through reminds me of it. after taxing your adrenal glands for so long, your cortisol levels are shot and it's hard to fall into a natural rhythm of proper sleep.

maybe you can do a search for adrenal fatigue and see what I mean?

~CGH~

PS - there is always Valerian Root which is another herb to help sleep.

[fatmad]

re carbs< they are a great way for me to GET to sleep. I have modified this over the years, instead of having junk I have a carb rich meal, which helps me sleep. This is especially effective for me to have a long sleep during the day after being up all night. So I have a large bowl of chunky beef soup, or an egg mcmuffin with oj, or an egg/skillet melt with lots of potatoes. (I try to avoid the fried hash browns, but sometimes can't or don't) . Not waking up hungry is one way to stay asleep. I only do it when sleeping out of synch, and try to stick to regular mealtimes when sleeping at night, and not having a big meal before bed. That requires eating properly all day tho.

[JayEll]

Carbs put me to sleep also--but I don't stay asleep. That's the problem.

Jay