Insomnia... again! *cries*

[suzukigrrl]

My insomnia is back with a vengeance. I've been getting better at concealing the dark circles and getting enough caffeine in the morning, but I'm just so darn worn out and tired. I should be working right now, but I'm just too tired.

What makes it tricky is that I have the kind of insomnia where I wake up in the middle of the night and I wake up too early. No amount of tea or warm milk before bed does any good. I've decided that when it happens again I'm going to get up, lie down on the couch and read a book. I'd really rather just stay in bed but then I just toss and turn for hours. I don't have the money to do the usual treatments (acupuncture, melatonin, herbs) does anyone else struggle with this type of insomnia? Any suggestions? I like sleeping. I want to be able to sleep through the night and not be awake before dawn.

Thanks all! I wish I had more brain power to read through the board, but I'm going to turn the computer off and take a bath.

 

[NYAngel98]

sorry to hear Suzuki... besides herbs/pills - I really am not too sure what to suggest....

Maybe no caffeine after 4pm??

 

[Blondtgr]

Melatonin isn't that expensive. It definitely works pretty well for me, but not if I think about it, you know? The more you think about the possibility of not getting to sleep, the more awake you get.

 

[jennyb]

Ive been suffering from insomnia since I graduated from college. It's been about two months now. Knock on wood, it's getting a little better b/c I've been waking up early every morning and working a lot more. I had the type of insomnia where I couldn't go to bed until 3, 4, 5, and a couple times at 6. It was absolutely horrible to be awake and watch my dad and brother get ready for work (not literally, but you know what I mean). I would definitely try the book thing, and not the computer. Because something about the computer lights tricks your mind into thinking it's daylight. So stay away from MUT at odd hours of the night and morning, I know it's addicting, especially when you can't sleep, but I would opt for a book instead. Also, don't try tylenol pm, I still think that stuff is addicting which it says its not, but I would try to stay away from that stuff. Plus, I would take it, and 3 years later, ok not years, but I'm talking a couple hours, I would finally get drousy. Even though you don't want to work, I would suggest to try working more, that has helped me out a lot. Even though it was hard in the beginning. Some lavendar lotions or chammomile may help you feel more relaxed. I got a spray for my room, which was suppose to help me go to sleep (it was a chamomile spray by healing garden called zzzzzzzzzz therapy)----don't get this. It was nauseating, and if anything it kept me up longer!!!! Also, I would try to exercise at least 4 times a week. I seriously think that will help a lot. It will make you feel better and ready to hit the sheets at night. Hope I help, if I think of anymore things I will let you know.

 

[jennyb]

P.S. I know I already wrote a novel, but I really think you should work B/c that helped me so much. And the exercise thing. I know I'm being redundant but I just want to stress how it is important to get up and be active, b/c I wasn't for the first month after I graduated (not really working or anything) and I think that made it worse. Trust me, once you start it won't be so bad

 

[Geek]

Originally Posted by jennyb

Ive been suffering from insomnia since I graduated from college. It's been about two months now. Knock on wood, it's getting a little better b/c I've been waking up early every morning and working a lot more. I had the type of insomnia where I couldn't go to bed until 3, 4, 5, and a couple times at 6. It was absolutely horrible to be awake and watch my dad and brother get ready for work (not literally, but you know what I mean). I would definitely try the book thing, and not the computer. Because something about the computer lights tricks your mind into thinking it's daylight. So stay away from MUT at odd hours of the night and morning, I know it's addicting, especially when you can't sleep, but I would opt for a book instead. Also, don't try tylenol pm, I still think that stuff is addicting which it says its not, but I would try to stay away from that stuff. Plus, I would take it, and 3 years later, ok not years, but I'm talking a couple hours, I would finally get drousy. Even though you don't want to work, I would suggest to try working more, that has helped me out a lot. Even though it was hard in the beginning. Some lavendar lotions or chammomile may help you feel more relaxed. I got a spray for my room, which was suppose to help me go to sleep (it was a chamomile spray by healing garden called zzzzzzzzzz therapy)----don't get this. It was nauseating, and if anything it kept me up longer!!!! Also, I would try to exercise at least 4 times a week. I seriously think that will help a lot. It will make you feel better and ready to hit the sheets at night. Hope I help, if I think of anymore things I will let you know.


Very nice suggestions Jennyb. THanks.
Suzuki, do you smoke? I heard horror stories of girls who smoked and the nicotine (or lack there of) would wake them up to have a cig? Just a thought. I don't smoke, so I cannot comment

Also, for me, I NEVER go to bed until I am absolutely sure I am sleepy enuf to drop off.

I have had a few situations in the past years where I cannot sleep at all. Once while in Wisconsin and after flying in with that time change, I was all jacked up. I laid down around 12:45am WI time, and tossed and turned and tossed and turned until, I watched the clock go from 2-3-4-5am, then I had to wake up. OMG NO SLEEP???? no sleep at all. Was bad! I was so damn tired. But that night, I slept very early.

I have no idea what to do. Hope the best for ya.

 

[Pauline]

Hi, i know how bad insomnia is myself, and belive me it's not nice. I can totally sympthise with anyone not getting sleep. Lack of sleep can really damage the immune system and make a person feel awful with horrible symptoms.

The only piece of advice i can give that has worked for me is to make sure you get some sunlight during the day, plently of excersise (even walking) and put lamps on and dim the lights a few hours before bed.

Try not to drink anything with caffene or any other liquid an hour before bed. If you can make your bedroom very dark and keep it that way until the morning, that should help.

If you still can;t sleep after 20 mins,just get up for half and hour.Therse nothing worse than watching the hours go by miniute by miniute and feeling restless.

Maybe you should mention your sleep problem to your Doctor.

Hope you sleep and feel better soon.

 

[suzukigrrl]

well I started keeping a sleep journal so that I could track how much sleep I'm getting. Last night i went to bed at midnight, and then I woke up at 1, 3, 5, 7, and then I got out of bed at 8. The doctor doesn't to give me sleepy prescriptions anymore because I used them for so long. I'm just hoping that I will be able to get enough money together for acupuncture treatment this week.

Thanks for all the suggestions and concern!! Exercise is something that always used to help me sleep, so I think I will have to focus on that starting this week. (and I'm not a smoker btw. waking up with a nic fit? That sounds really strange!)

 

[envymi]

Ugh...I feel ya, that's what happens to me...I really have no trouble falling asleep, it's staying asleep that's the problem. I'm lucky if I get a total of 4 hours a night, I wakeup constantly and then I can't get back to sleep. I've given up trying, nothing really helps. There is one thing that helps me , but I only use that method occasionally because I feel too groggy when I wake up from it. I've mentioned it before, so I'd rather not mention it now cuz I don't really want to promote the use of it

Have you tried exercising or doing some sort of physical activities at night to wear yourself out??? I know some people find it helps, not me...exercising gives me more energy, Oh well!

 

[Sofia]

I suffer from insomnia quite often. I haven't found a reason or a cure for it, but when it hits, it lasts for months and I have no idea how I manage during the day. My typical night would consist of me being wide awake until 3am then slowly drifting away only to wake up by 6am and that's on a good night. Not too long ago, I was up for over 48 hours straight, I just couldn't sleep. I'd lie in bed for hours tossing and turning and I'd have to eventually get up, because I'd stress out over it. I was a walking zombie. I can't nap during the day and I refuse to take meds. I've never taken a sleep-aid for fear of getting addicted. I try to stay away from all meds unless absolutely necessary.

I hope you find something that works for you, because I know how bad it gets and the more you think about it, the worse it gets. Try not to stress yourself out, good luck.

 

[nghtmre]

i know that when i had insomnia it was because of a bad case of arachnaphobia. it could possibly be something deeper that is causing it.

 

[Leony]

Welcome to Makeuptalk nghtmre

 

[peekaboo]

Sorry to hear of you insomnia-some great tips..I need them too. Somethings that have helped for me are exercising during the day, stopping my caffeine intake around dinner, reading. Supplements I like are Valerian and Relora and have heard of Melatonin but have yet to try it. I used to use this tea called Sleepy time and it helped a bit. Stress is a huge culprit in insomnia-meditation can help. The sleep journal sounds like a great idea too.

 

[bluebird26]

Have you tried Melatonin? I take it half an hour before going to sleep, I lay down, watch TV and Im ZZZZZZZZzZzzZZzZz before I know, lol.

Otherwise, yes, I have insomnia too

I know how it is

 

[suzukigrrl]

Well right now I'm on a prescription that helps me sleep at night. As soon as I use it all up I'll go get acupuncture for insomnia. Acupuncture helps me so much!

 

[coconut_cutie]

I suffer from bouts of insomnia too, and i hate it! My best piece of advice is cut all stimulants out of your diet, even coffee in the morning, have lemon water instead! I find even if i have a glass of coke with lunch, it affects my sleeping that night, so cut out coffee, soda, cigarettes etc, I think some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others

 

[suzukigrrl]

Great tip, coconut cutie! I find that grapefruit juice is also a good replacement for coffee in the morning. With a taste that tart you don't need caffeine!

 

[Mod_squad]

excercise is good, but not tooclose to bed time.

 

[xeniba]

Originally Posted by suzukigrrl Well right now I'm on a prescription that helps me sleep at night. As soon as I use it all up I'll go get acupuncture for insomnia. Acupuncture helps me so much! Yay acupuncture! I'm an acupuncture student, so it makes me happy when I hear about others being helped by it. I've got insomnia (along with loads of other stuff) and I get treated for it. The treatments really help a lot. I know you mentioned in an earlier post about not being able to afford acu...have you tried getting treatments at an acu school? The treatments are usually much more affordable (since it's a training clinic), but still supervised by licensed acupuncturists. It's a great way for those of us who don't have a ton of money to still be able to get treatments.

Best of luck!

 

[suzukigrrl]

Oh yes! acupuncture has done so much more for me than prescriptions ever have. I usually do go to the local acupuncture school, but that's still $30 that I could be spending on groceries.

Originally Posted by xeniba Yay acupuncture! I'm an acupuncture student, so it makes me happy when I hear about others being helped by it. I've got insomnia (along with loads of other stuff) and I get treated for it. The treatments really help a lot. I know you mentioned in an earlier post about not being able to afford acu...have you tried getting treatments at an acu school? The treatments are usually much more affordable (since it's a training clinic), but still supervised by licensed acupuncturists. It's a great way for those of us who don't have a ton of money to still be able to get treatments.

Best of luck!