Not Sleeping

[MMyers]

Anybody else have problems with this? I'm borderline insomniac right now. For the past few days, I've been going to bed at 9, and falling asleep around 1 or 2.

I haven't been getting enough deep sleep, and the muscles I worked Monday are still pretty sore.

Any tricks I could try? I've tried everything, and I've asked everybody. My mother says I'm thinking too much. But, for hours, I'll keep a blank mind, until I just start to..... fade, I guess. Around 1, my vision narrows and I get dizzy until that tunnel vision just takes over my eyesight, and I wake up with my alarm clock four hours later around 5:40.

Any help is appreciated.I don't know what to do.

Thanks

[67alecto]

I had a bit of this last year - as my workouts got more intense, I found that it was taking way too long to wind down and get to sleep...I'd lay in bed for hours.

Not sure what your schedule is, but you may consider shifting the time of day of your exercise. For me, I mvoed it from 10pm, to 9pm, and eventually all the way to 5pm (right after work).

Now, I've settled on a 7pm time as a good compromise.

If you're working out late, try earlier or even in the morning.

[Alethea]

I really sympathize with you. As you can see, I'm a bit of an expert on insomnia. One of the biggest things standing in your way could be frustration - the more irritated you get (or expectant) that you can't sleep, the more impossible it is to sleep. It's not going to happen all at once, but if you practice good Bedtime Etiquette and are patient with yourself, your body should figure out what is expected and start cooperating.

1. Structure: Are you getting up at the same time every day? Getting sunlight soon after you wake up? Going to bed at the same time? Consistency is important.

2. Conditions: Do no physical activity close to bed time. Do not eat close to bed time. Do not drink caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime (12 if you can manage it). Your bedroom should be very dark. Your bedroom should be quiet, or have natural noises. Warm your body then cool it slightly, i.e., by having a hot shower. Body temperature drops close to sleep and it's a cue. Do nothing in bed that isn't bed-related, i.e., don't read or watch TV. Associate bed with sleep. Associate bedtime with sleep.

3. Ritual: You should have a routine that you follow for 30 minutes or so before lights out. 30 minutes, because we are trainable creatures, and because our body has a shut-down routine that takes around that long, so if you cue it to start winding down beforehand, it's less time spent lying in your bed staring at a clock and getting vexed. If you can read before bed (I get too into stories, so I cant), do so. Stretch gently. Have a hot decaffeinated tea, camomile for preference. It encourages sleep. Write out your thoughts and plans and worries so they don't bother you (keep your notepad by your bed in case a nagging thought won't go away). Have a leisurely shower, brush your teeth, floss, brush your hair. Do nothing too stimulating. Be happy. This is a pleasant time for you.

4. Relax. Once in bed, do not think and brood and worry and plan. Practice a quiet happy contentment. Enjoy your clean sheets, the darkness, the non-activity. When you're ready to commit to sleep, use 61 Point Relaxation to systematically relax your body ( http://www.dreamviews.com/f74/61-point- ... ique-8534/ ). If you finish before falling asleep (not uncommon, especially the first several times), do it again. And again. Each time, become more relaxed, more peaceful, and just melt into your mattress. Take your time.

Keep this up for 1 week. If there's some improvement, stick with it. If there is no improvement, you should see a sleep specialist.

[MMyers]

I had a bit of this last year - as my workouts got more intense, I found that it was taking way too long to wind down and get to sleep...I'd lay in bed for hours.

Not sure what your schedule is, but you may consider shifting the time of day of your exercise. For me, I mvoed it from 10pm, to 9pm, and eventually all the way to 5pm (right after work).

Now, I've settled on a 7pm time as a good compromise.

If you're working out late, try earlier or even in the morning.

I actually work out early afternoon. When I work, or have school, I do it around 4-5.

[MMyers]

I really sympathize with you. As you can see, I'm a bit of an expert on insomnia. One of the biggest things standing in your way could be frustration - the more irritated you get (or expectant) that you can't sleep, the more impossible it is to sleep. It's not going to happen all at once, but if you practice good Bedtime Etiquette and are patient with yourself, your body should figure out what is expected and start cooperating.

1. Structure: Are you getting up at the same time every day? Getting sunlight soon after you wake up? Going to bed at the same time? Consistency is important.

2. Conditions: Do no physical activity close to bed time. Do not eat close to bed time. Do not drink caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime (12 if you can manage it). Your bedroom should be very dark. Your bedroom should be quiet, or have natural noises. Warm your body then cool it slightly, i.e., by having a hot shower. Body temperature drops close to sleep and it's a cue. Do nothing in bed that isn't bed-related, i.e., don't read or watch TV. Associate bed with sleep. Associate bedtime with sleep.

3. Ritual: You should have a routine that you follow for 30 minutes or so before lights out. 30 minutes, because we are trainable creatures, and because our body has a shut-down routine that takes around that long, so if you cue it to start winding down beforehand, it's less time spent lying in your bed staring at a clock and getting vexed. If you can read before bed (I get too into stories, so I cant), do so. Stretch gently. Have a hot decaffeinated tea, camomile for preference. It encourages sleep. Write out your thoughts and plans and worries so they don't bother you (keep your notepad by your bed in case a nagging thought won't go away). Have a leisurely shower, brush your teeth, floss, brush your hair. Do nothing too stimulating. Be happy. This is a pleasant time for you.

4. Relax. Once in bed, do not think and brood and worry and plan. Practice a quiet happy contentment. Enjoy your clean sheets, the darkness, the non-activity. When you're ready to commit to sleep, use 61 Point Relaxation to systematically relax your body ( http://www.dreamviews.com/f74/61-point- ... ique-8534/ ). If you finish before falling asleep (not uncommon, especially the first several times), do it again. And again. Each time, become more relaxed, more peaceful, and just melt into your mattress. Take your time.

Keep this up for 1 week. If there's some improvement, stick with it. If there is no improvement, you should see a sleep specialist.

1. I lay down at 9, and set my alarm clock for around 5:30. Lately, it's just a big problem. I go to bed at the same time, but I get less sleep, with last night being the worst. No matter how tired I am, I can't make it work.

2. I try to limit caffeine. To get up lately, I make coffee around noon, freeze it, and put it near my bed so it liquefies by the time I'm getting up. Waking up has never been a problem. I had to start doing this so I don't fall back asleep.

3. My ritual is basically talking to my girlfriend on the phone around 9. I bring the phone downstairs, drink some milk, go upstairs, and turn everything off but the fan.

4. I've actually been doing the inhale through nose, exhale through mouth thing lately, but I give up after about 45 minutes. I turn my alarm clock away so I can't see the LED. I'll try the 61 point thing.

Thanks Ala and 67

[Crowbeak]

Some days, you need more sleep than others. Instead of trying to go to bed at a certain time, stay up until you can't stay up any more, but get up at the same time every day no matter how much you want to sleep in. If you get in the habit of doing that, you train your body to decide to sleep when it needs it.

[MMyers]

To update, I haven't gotten more than 5 hours, and as little as 2 hours of sleep a night. For the past 6 days this has been going on.

It's getting bad enough that I got out of the shower and it looked like the door was stretching like it was waaaay more than just 5 feet away.

When I lay down, it literally feels like I just forgot how to sleep, and I do eventually sleep when I start getting tunnel vision, and then wake up with my alarm clock.

I give up.... I'm going to start exercising Monday, and I will make myself do enough that I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.... I hope.

[Alethea]

Okay, there's always the shock treatment if you hate yourself but want to fix this.

Basically, it's a forced reboot of your system. It's going to make you a zombie for several days, but I've heard of it helping many people, and it's sleep-therapist approved. So, if you currently sleep 5 hours a day, you need to cut it to 3-4 hours for 3 days. You want to make yourself so tired that you zonk as soon as your head hits the pillow. Given that you're so short on sleep already, you may need to stay up all night and all day to get things started, so you fall asleep at your bed time. You FORCE yourself to sleep when you say sleep, then get up still tired so you'll fall asleep on time the next day. Once you're in the habit of falling asleep at your bed time, then getting up deathly early, then you start adding an hour to the length every 2 days. Eventually, you should be able to build back up to something sane.

Is there a psychological or physiological reason this insomnia started? It doesn't usually just... happen. If there is, you need to address it. Your body is telling you that ignoring it isn't working.

[MMyers]

Okay, there's always the shock treatment if you hate yourself but want to fix this.

Basically, it's a forced reboot of your system. It's going to make you a zombie for several days, but I've heard of it helping many people, and it's sleep-therapist approved. So, if you currently sleep 5 hours a day, you need to cut it to 3-4 hours for 3 days. You want to make yourself so tired that you zonk as soon as your head hits the pillow. Given that you're so short on sleep already, you may need to stay up all night and all day to get things started, so you fall asleep at your bed time. You FORCE yourself to sleep when you say sleep, then get up still tired so you'll fall asleep on time the next day. Once you're in the habit of falling asleep at your bed time, then getting up deathly early, then you start adding an hour to the length every 2 days. Eventually, you should be able to build back up to something sane.

Is there a psychological or physiological reason this insomnia started? It doesn't usually just... happen. If there is, you need to address it. Your body is telling you that ignoring it isn't working.

My girlfriend went to college, and I haven't seen her since. Or, it could be that I started to get sick, and her leaving could be a coincidence.

Me being sick steadily got worse along with not sleeping, until it hit me full force last night.

[Suse]

you could try taking a magnesium supplement. Just be warned though that it can have a laxative effect if you take too much. I too have dreadful sleep issues from time to time. I can get to sleep fine, but staying that way, grrr drives me freaking insane.

[Alethea]

Not surprised you're sick - your immune system must be in chaos right now.

Blech, I'm sorry to hear that. Not much you can do to fix that situation, just adjust to it. Concentrate on calming yourself down and being positive at night. No brooding, you hear!

[MMyers]

Not surprised you're sick - your immune system must be in chaos right now.

Blech, I'm sorry to hear that. Not much you can do to fix that situation, just adjust to it. Concentrate on calming yourself down and being positive at night. No brooding, you hear!

Yeah, it exploded full force a few nights ago.

I was walking through a store the night it got really bad. I was just strolling along and a huge pain shot through my side and my lung felt like it was going to explode.

After that, I felt great. I'm easing back in to my workouts now, and I got about 10 hours of sleep Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Still feel really tired though. That's why I haven't been updating anything.

I actually think that me not sleeping came about because my immune system was fighting off this virus. Oh well.

[Dantes]

you could try taking a magnesium supplement. Just be warned though that it can have a laxative effect if you take too much. I too have dreadful sleep issues from time to time. I can get to sleep fine, but staying that way, grrr drives me freaking insane.

Never ever take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night, results will not be nice.

[viking89]

you could try taking a magnesium supplement. Just be warned though that it can have a laxative effect if you take too much. I too have dreadful sleep issues from time to time. I can get to sleep fine, but staying that way, grrr drives me freaking insane.

Never ever take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night, results will not be nice.

I agree!! Waking up in a bed splattered with your own stank-filth is much worse than waking up tired!

P.S. ...wasn't it first Confucius who first said this nugget of wisdom??

[Alethea]

Viking, I believe the original quote was "He who takes laxative and sleeping pill in the evening, wake up to stank-filth in the morning".

[maisigh]

Melatonin is a natural chemical in your body that relates to sleep that could be kinda mixed up. You can take supplements of those to help with a sleep schedule. I know someone who has and she said it was awesome.