Insomnia Cures?

[MikeMartial]

So...I've been battling this for a while now, and only in the past year (since I turned 30) has it gotten to the point that I've need to see my family doc. I do work shiftwork, so I know I'm kinda hooped right off the bat.



Tried pretty much everything under the sun, and most is hit and miss.

Valarian Root: Eh, not so great
Kava Kava : Not anymore! Need my liver
Melatonin : Not bad, but not great. Can't find the 0.3mg in Canada. Tried the 3mg tabs, and did 6mg one night. Nothing special.

I try and make sure my sleep habits are good. Low light, no heavy meals prior to bed, no alcohol, no caffiene within 6 hours, etc etc.

Got a rx for zopiclone from a walk-in clinic doc (my regular doc won't prescribe it for me, too psychologically addicting.), and it works, heh, REALLY well. Problem is, I don't want to have to depend on it. So...anyone have any sure-fire insomnia cures?

 

[TigerWoman]

Hey if you come up with something, let me know. What I've been doing lately is staying up until I know I'm dead tired. I exercise at noon because exercise in the evening revs you up. Hot chocolate, not so hot and toast is good for me. Can't remember its something in milk that makes you sleepy. I take Sominex usually but that doesn't always work either. I hate to take stuff like and get into a dependence habit. Haven't tried one of those sound machines, might work. A gurgling fish tank once used to do it to me. My problem is usually because I think about all my worries and frustrations before I fall to sleep. So, if you come up with a non-prescription method, let me know. TW

 

[Marginal]

I dimly remember reading a list that went something like this:

1) Don't obsess about it. If you're not falling asleep, go do something else to distract yourself, and try again later. The more you worry about it, the bigger the problem seems.

2) Don't eat, or exercise within two hours of going to bed. (YMMV tho. I exercise to distract myself from whatever I'm thinking about that's keeping me up, and you're not revved up when physically exhausted in my experinece.)

3) All sleep aids are habit forming.

 

[Lisa]

Got a rx for zopiclone from a walk-in clinic doc (my regular doc won't prescribe it for me, too psychologically addicting.), and it works, heh, REALLY well. Problem is, I don't want to have to depend on it. So...anyone have any sure-fire insomnia cures?

I had a bout of insomnia about 1 1/2 years ago. I also received a prescription. I took it and I quickly became dependent on it. It came to a point where I couldn't sleep without it and finally had to go cold turkey. Shortly after stopping the rx I started sleeping better. So my advice is to stay away from it completely.

 

[Rob Broad]

Usually when my insomnia is really bothering me, I read a few posts by rmcroberston, that usuallt bores me to the point where I fall asleep right at teh computer. I don't mind that but it is hard wiping drool off the keyboard all the time.

 

[Ceicei]

Usually when my insomnia is really bothering me, I read a few posts by rmcroberston, that usuallt bores me to the point where I fall asleep right at teh computer. I don't mind that but it is hard wiping drool off the keyboard all the time.

Oh, you're bad!!!!

- Ceicei

 

[TigerWoman]

LOL, Thanks for the advice Rob, didn't think about that... TW

 

[MA-Caver]

That was bad... poor Mike.

Anyhoo, I suffer occasional bouts of sleeplessness and sometimes have to go a full 24-48 hour cycle without sleep before my body says: "Ok, time to pass out now" and if it's too early in the day then I fight it and wait til the appropriate time for me to be in bed and then zonk out.
It varies with person to person as to the why's... but in-so-far the BEST advice has already been given... stay away from the non and prescripts sleep aids.
I know that my own insomnia is usually caused by my own stress at whatever circumstances I happen to find myself in currently. Since you can't sleep, you might take a look at what's going on in your life and find the things that are bugging you... even just a little bit and take care of them to where they aren't buggy anymore and then see if that helps.
Our bodies react oddly to the various stresses we experience day to day. Sometimes it's a insignificant reaction or a major one like insomnia or worse.

Try the old mom's cure for sleeplessness... warm milk... (ewww).

 

[Zepp]

I've never had to deal with long-term insomnia myself, but several friends of mine who do have told me that sexual activity helps them.

 

[bassplayer]

Have any of you ever tried meditation? Especially if the day's events (or life's events, for that matter!) are running nonstop through your mind, its good to increase your oxygen levels a bit - relax, breathe deeply, and let your thoughts linger on the rudiments of just that and nothing more! I've bought a couple of Qigong books lately and I'm reading 'Qigong, The Secret of Youth' by Jwing-Ming Yang right now. Good stuff, although he keeps referencing his book 'The roots of Chinese Qigong' in there in a prerequisite context, so I think I will pick that one up as well. Definitely worth reading! Most of my days seem full enough to an extent that I am dog tired in the fast lane by the time my head hits the pillow and I dont have much of a problem getting to sleep. The relaxation should help though!

 

[Bushigokoro9]

AMBIEN! (zolpidem tartrate) It is a non- benzodiazipine.

6.5 hr half life (no next day effects)

Selective binding to the omega 1 receptor. (which means it only effects sleep)

It helps with falling asleep, staying asleep and not waking too early.

If you do not have insurance it is a bit expensive (about $2.70 per pill).

I would ask for a sample from a Doc. It is not habit forming but as some one stated earlier, people are addicted to a good night sleep. (psychological)

It has a great safety profile but should be used to get you started on a good sleep hygiene unless you suffer from chronic insomnia then get some tests done. Are you or have you been taking any SSRI's???? They can cause insomnia in some people.

The dosing is 5 mg and 10mg. The 5 mg is used in the elderly or some one with liver problems (hepatic impairment)

And no, I do not sell the product but I have used it every now and then.

Best Regards

 

[Feisty Mouse]

My problem is usually because I think about all my worries and frustrations before I fall to sleep.

Testify!

For me, what works - a heavy meal right before sleeping - or at least something in my stomach. It works like a light sedative. Reading until my eyelids drop - unless it's a really engrossing book, in which case I stay up all night reading it. One thing works well - watching something incredibly dull on TV, like HSN or QVC. Ugly embroidered wall hangings make me want to sleep rather than watch people gush about them.

I have sleeping pills for when it gets really bad. I don't use them very often, and I think they are very low dose - I'm sensitive to meds.

 

[Lisa]

Ugly embroidered wall hangings make me want to sleep rather than watch people gush about them.

That one made me spit out my pepsi! LOL!:rofl:

For me, a change in location usually helps. I go and lie down on the couch.

Do you drink caffeinated beverages? I know that if I want to get to bed at a decent hour, like 11 pm or something I never drink anything with caffeine after supper. It really affects me for a long period of time buzzing me out something fierce.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Sometimes, if you have something caffeinated earlier in the evening, the resulting loss-of-caffeine-crash can put you to sleep, too.

 

[Bushigokoro9]

6.5 hr half life (no next day effects) \

Correction. 2.5 hour half life. should give 6 to 7 hours of sleep ( 6.5)

sorry folks.

 

[bignick]

reading also helps me fall to sleep...an enjoyable story helps distract the mind until you're tired enough to fall asleep

Usually when my insomnia is really bothering me, I read a few posts by rmcroberston, that usuallt bores me to the point where I fall asleep right at teh computer. I don't mind that but it is hard wiping drool off the keyboard all the time.

getting the impring of:

TYUIOP
FGHJKL

out of your forehead might get a little annoying too

 

[TigerWoman]

reading also helps me fall to sleep...an enjoyable story helps distract the mind until you're tired enough to fall asleep

getting the impring of:

TYUIOP
FGHJKL

out of your forehead might get a little annoying too

Oh you get my funny award of the day. Good one. Watching FX right now, really has some good MA fight scenes, review movies with Jet Li. Between watching that and posting till my mind is as dead as by bod will probably cure insomnia. TW

 

[Tae Kwon Doughboy]

I had it for awhile but managed to work through it. I a problem solver by nature and occupation and how feel a higher then normal (and perhaps less than healthy) sense of responsibility. I was working 80 hour weeks at the time, which lasted for a few years. I was physically active but didn't excersize due to my schedule. Anyway my mind would either not shut off at night or would turn back on in the middle of the night. Burnout followed. Melatonin didn't help a bit.

Fortunately the CEO recognized the situation and transferred me to another department. My new boss knew I had been interested in martial arts in general and introduced me to Tai Chi and Qi Gung. They both helped enormously. I was like a baby discovering its toes for the first time! I gradually reduced my work hours, increased my exercize and changed my diet. I have moved on to TKD and continue Qi Gung before before bed. I rarely lose any sleep anymore.

I plan to return to Tai Chi as I get older or can't keep up with TKD anymore.

 

[Chronuss]

okay...this semester has been killing me. I don't have a heavy classload, only fifteen credits, and MA class. I haven't been able to sleep worth $#$@! I haven't drank any soda in months, I have one cup of coffee in the morning to wake me up, and have been emptying between four and ten bottles of water per day. I literally don't get tired until 3 or 4 am, then I have to get right back up at 7:30 to get ready for class, so some nights I haven't even been sleeping. trips to the gym and MA classes should in theory tire me out, but even after the workouts and occasional sparring, I still can't get my body to shut down until the wee hours of the morn. I've tried warm milk, Unisom, Tylenol PM, Ambien, and Diazepam, granted not all at the same time, even wine or a drink doesn't help. reading doesn't help cause then I get too into what I'm reading and won't put it down for hours on end, which is how I read all the Harry Potter books in less than a month. videogames keep me too alert to tire me, so that hasn't worked either. hell, even watching info-mercials doesn't have an effect. :idunno:

 

[KenpoTess]

I've been pretty restless of late, going to sleep by midnite, but waking up every hour, getting up at 5 am... Growls...
I know the weather may have something to do with it, cooler et al, but I'm not tired either.. least physically.. mentally.. I feel like I'm totally unable to 'focus'... I dunno.. stress? The Moon? sure is buggy tis all I know......
maybe I should knock ya out.. *yeah that's the ticket*