Sleep (or lack there of)

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satyrsnymph28 -> Sleep (or lack there of) (9/5/2009 6:23:51 AM)
I was wondering if anyone on here happened to have experience in how to deal with not being able to sleep. I am having the HARDEST time sleeping. I'm not really sleeping much at all, and when I do, I have terrible nightmares. I'm up til sometime between 4-6 in the morning before I get tired, but that's probably because by the time I go to bed, I don't wake up until mid-afternoon or early evening. When I actually DO sleep, say I go to bed at 10pm. Undoubtedly, I'm awake again at 11:30 for some reason. I can usually go back to bed rather quickly, but I don't know why I'm waking up to begin with. Last night, I got to bed around 10:30pm (after taking sleeping pills) but then after I woke up at 11:30, I slept til 9am. My alarm went off, but I still felt exhausted (because I didn't sleep at ALL the day/night before) so I ended up sleeping til 4pm. As of now, I haven't slept since then. I'm just now starting to get tired. It's almost 6:30am Also, I'm having a strange problem where if I am woken up before I sleep a full 8 hours, I will sleep 7-8 hours from the time that my sleep was interrupted, no matter how much sleep I had gotten prior to that. Even if I've slept 6 or 7 hours and then something wakes me up, when I fall back to sleep I will sleep 7-8 hours from that point before I wake up again. So it's like either I'm sleeping a ton, or not sleeping at all. I have decent eating habits: healthy, fresh food with a balance of fruits and vegetables on almost a daily basis. I don't exercise much, but I do get outside for a little while every day. I don't have this issue when I share my bed with someone. If someone else is in my bed, I sleep when they sleep without much of a problem. I just don't have someone to sleep next to every night. Just wondering if anyone knows what to do to help this, or if I need to go see a doctor about it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

CallaFirestormBW -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/5/2009 9:46:59 AM)
I don't know if you can get it where you are, but because of the MS, I often have a difficult time with sleep -- a couple of things that has helped substantially are Dreamerz supplements or MidNightPlus supplements, both of which provide some melatonin and relaxant herbs/nutritionals (like GABA) to help me get to sleep and be able to go back to sleep quickly when I wake in the middle of the night (which I often do because of pain). It's helped to regulate my sleep cycle, so I have a more consistent sleep cycle, and so that I don't have the erratic sleep patterns. The other thing that's made a major difference, for me, is that I don't do funky sleep hours any more -- I have a set 3 hour window in which I go to sleep, and a set 3 hour window (bedtime +/- 1 hour either side) in which I wake, and that is every day, weekend, holiday, or work-week (suffice to say, I plan it around my work-week, because that is the most inflexible schedule.) Dame Calla

lovingpet -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/5/2009 12:06:23 PM)
It is not diagnosed yet (give it a couple weeks for the appt LOL), but I have watched my preferred sleep patterns and I have found that I tend to want to sleep during the day, after sunrise. If I do, and wake up after a normal 8 hourse I usually feel reasonable. If I sleep the same at night, I wake up feeling very sick. There is a sleep disorder called non circadian sleep rhythm. It means you prefer to sleep on a schedule other than that of sleeping straight through the night. Sometimes my sleep will break over night and day like 6 at night and another 4 during the day (fibromyalgia, so I could sleep as a hobby LOL). I probably have other things going on, but this seems pretty likely to me. I could probably work night shift really well if I didn't have the rest of my kaboodle of health stuff. I would recommend trying to forcibly alter your patterns. It will mean that, even if you are exaughsted, you do not fall asleep until 10:30 every evening. Do not vary your sleep schedule at all. Also get up at the same time of day, perhaps 7 am. Avoid caffeine and sugar at least two hours prior to going to bed. Do not exercise late in the day, again about 2-3 hours prior to bedtime. Do not do work or any other activity in bed except sleep. This includes things like reading. When you lay down on your bed you want it to signal sleep and relaxation, not excitement or stress of any kind. Do take a relaxing bath if you can and have a light snack including perhaps some sleepytime or chamomile tea. Hopefully, your body will adopt the pattern you set. It may take awhile and be prepared to be sleep deprived and strung out for a bit. I would recommend a full physical including bloodwork. I would also recommend getting sleep studies done if you are able. Also, melatonin has always worked better for me than any sleep medicine. There is one I want to try, but it is expensive and hard to get a doc to write a script for. Good luck and hopefully a good night's sleep to you soon! lovingpet

Steelslilbit -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/5/2009 2:15:10 PM)
There are times when my sleep is all out of whack. Usually happens when the weather/seasons change, or when i'm abnormally stressed out. The longest it's ever lasted is three months where i slept for next to nothing for up to two weeks, then only wanted to sleep for like a week. That was during my divorce soooo.....yeah. If this is something that happens to you on a regular basis or doesn't even out for a decent length of time? Definitely seek the help of your physician. i'd totally agree with lovingpet's advice though and make yourself stick to a sleep schedule for a bit and see if that helps. Constantly altering when or how often you sleep can screw up your ability to sleep pretty quickly. And it always takes some time to get it to level back out. But seriously, don't wait around too long if you don't feel any better. Some people are just not good without sleep. lil bit

ShoreBound149 -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/6/2009 7:21:51 PM)
Rub one out............or two

DavanKael -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/6/2009 9:42:09 PM)
I don't have this issue when I share my bed with someone. If someone else is in my bed, I sleep when they sleep without much of a problem. I just don't have someone to sleep next to every night. This part stood out to me personally. I am not saying that this is what is going on with you but for me, sleeping alone is horrible. I didn't like sleeping alone as a kid. Didn't like doing it when my ex- was deployed, working nights, or whatever. We separated almost 2 years ago. I still am not used to sleeping alone. The male I saw for the first year after my separation did not share my bed but when we slept together, I slept more easily. One male has shared my bed since my separation (And I his sometime) and that was earlier this year; during that relationship, when we slept together, I slept very comfortably. Since he and I broke up, screwed up sleep again. And, someone dear to me was in town a few weeks ago, despite having a fairly traumatic conversation, once we settled down, I slept better than I would have alone. Several things: I have never felt safe sleeping alone (I think it's a hind-brain thing that, for whatever reason, is heightened for me). Also, the effects of depression should not be ignored. Now, I wish I could give you some fabulously healthy way that I deal with it. I'd be a liar if I said I did. I either tough it out and fall asleep or I take the medicine that's prescribed for my jaw/neck/shoulder (Which I do not take all of the time, and far less than some doctors would like) and occasionally that knocks me out, I've resorted on occasion to Nyquil. ShoreBound149's suggestion to "rub one out...or two" may have efficacy if your orgasmic response is working promptly and if you get sleepy after you get off. If you're depressed, that may be wonky and wake you up even more when you get frustrated 'cause you're not getting off. If I'm in a decent frame of mind, I highly endorse this one (Or several). If I am more depressed, it's just gonna piss me off and frustrate me more. Anyway, I don't know if anything that I shared helps. I hope it does. At the very least, know I'm sending some empathy your way. Davan

DavanKael -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/6/2009 10:00:50 PM)
Oh, yeah, thought after scanning responses again: as far as sleep meds go...I had a doctor prescribe a few Ambien after I got separated. I have had all sorts of weird reactions to medications (I'm just sensitive) upto and including some hallucinations that were really uncool. I would take every bad side-effect I've ever had stacked one on top of the other all at the same time rather than touch Ambien EVER again. I took it 2 nights in a row. Within 20 minutes, the keyboard I was typing on was melting (Not that big an issue, realized it was time to go to bed), the sleep it provided wasn't restful, and on waking the second day, I was so hung over that I did not even try to drive for 8 HOURS after I got up and I almost crashed my car going around a traffic circle. I know a lot of people swear by Ambien. That stuff scares me muchly. Be careful if a doctor offers it to you. Davan

cagliostro -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/7/2009 7:34:19 PM)
There are a lot of home remedies and over the counter stuff you can try. Melatonin is legitimate, it helps trigger your body's sleep cycle. Be careful though, some of the otc sleep aids are well, poisons, administered in low doses. There are a ton of prescription aids. There is a new ambien that is time released, which might help with the staying asleep part. And yeah, there are sleep disorders like apnea and restless leg that you're only going to find out from really expensive sleep studies. If you have decent insurance you can probably afford it and you should find out just to be safe. Depending on the nightmares you might need counseling too.

firmlove -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/8/2009 12:43:57 AM)
I have had a hard time sleeping all my life. I think, like all things different people require different things. I have tried all types of things to get the recomended 8 hours, nothing works. What I have found out over the years, is that I am just not somone that needs 8 hours. I sleep about 4. I know it isnt for everyone, but just because 8 is recomended dosent mean you personally need that much, some may need more some less.

Missykink -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/8/2009 12:47:43 PM)
Hi I regulary suffer from insomnia and trawled the internet for ways to help. I have found the best one's for me have been getting a really soft cuddly toy to snuggle ( I raised my eyebrow at this but it really does work) and 5HTP have been really good and they help with several other things too [:)]

Falkenstein -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/8/2009 1:29:31 PM)
Dear Satyrsnymph, If you were in Europe, I would definitely say go see a specialist. I got my own insomnia problems (which were not as severe as yours, but still debillitating) using a method quite common in Germany: Autogenic training, where you learn to relax yourself. Here is the wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogenic_training. An extract: Autogenic training has been subject to clinical evaluation from its early days in Germany, and from the early 1980s worldwide. In 2002, a meta-analysis of 60 studies was published in Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback,[2] finding significant positive effects of treatment when compared to normals over a number of diagnoses; finding these effects to be similar to best recommended rival therapies; and finding positive additional effects by patients, such as their perceived quality of life. I wish you a good restful night, Henry

switch2please -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/9/2009 3:25:41 PM)
My sleeping patterns are very similar. Usually it's more lack of sleep than too much sleep, though it has happened, and I sleep great when there's someone next to me. I do get a fair amount of exercise out of necessity (walking/biking to/from places) and I eat more fresh produce than anything else. I do probably drink too much coffee/tea, but even without the caffeine I have a lot of difficulty first falling asleep, then staying asleep. My mother has similar problems (genetic or just similar lifestyles, I wonder?) and has had dependency issues with sleeping aids, so I avoid pills. I will pop a couple melatonin (which mimics a naturally occurring neurochemical) if I haven't slept at all, but I still wake up 3 hours later - after having very strange, sometimes disturbing, remarkably vivid dreams. After 3-4 days of no sleep I will get a little loopy and my fine motor skills don't work quite so well, I get very uncoordinated and occasionally slur my speech. Luckily this doesn't happen often, and after 4 consecutive sleepless nights I will take an Ambien or something. Even with sleep deprivation I'm usually fairly lucid and energetic, I'm used to it and it doesn't seem to affect me much. I just have more free time than most :) Good luck, and if you find anything that works let me know! - M

Sunnyfey -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/9/2009 3:37:52 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Missykink Hi I regulary suffer from insomnia and trawled the internet for ways to help. I have found the best one's for me have been getting a really soft cuddly toy to snuggle ( I raised my eyebrow at this but it really does work) and 5HTP have been really good and they help with several other things too [:)] I <3 5HTP. I really need to find where they sell it here in VA

Rainfire -> RE: Sleep (or lack there of) (9/9/2009 7:47:35 PM)
Any health food store or even most chemists, errrrr, pharmacies that sell supplements have it now, Sunny. As for me, I too have fucked up sleep problems and Ambien worked like a dream for me yet the Canadian equivalent gives me horrible nightmares, a foul taste in my mouth, and if I have to take it too long, uhhhh, it changes my personal aroma. At least to me, and I can't stand that. [&:] In addition to insomnia, I can't fall asleep under 45 minutes unless drugged to the eyeballs, and even then I still push 30-40 minutes. I can't do some natural supplements like valerian because the dreams it gives me are the weirdest things, leaving me feeling horrible and out of sorts for days on end. So if it's a bad night here, like I go to bed, take an hour getting to sleep, Daddy comes into bed and wakes me, then it's another 45-60 minutes to fall back to sleep and then just the other night, after THAT, Mr. Smarties woke up with nightmares and it took ANOTHER 45-60 minutes to get back to sleep. For some reason, I didn't get much sleep that night. For me, warm milk with a dash of vanilla and cinnamon in cooler weather is nice, plus listening to music on my iPod. And as I type this, I'm dreading another night, staring at the sleeping pills wondering if I dare or just say fuck it and don't sleep. Again. shrugs

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