I can't sleep

LegacyUser

this is awful

I can never get asleep. I need to. I've so much to do with college and I just lie there awake til 4am getting steadily more violent. I can't take sleeping pills/melatonin as I have to actually function in the morning and shockingly enough, I function better after 3 hours sleep than after 8 hours drugged sleep.

I just lie here keep getting more angry and more violent kicking the duvet and matress. I'm after giving myself a massive bloody kick in the shin tonigth after getting caught up in the duvet while kicking the matress.

unless i actually pass out with lights on etc I don't sleep. as soon as the lights go out my mind goes into overdrive.

I've tried meditating (with what litlte info there is online about how to do it properly) but I just end up thinking more effeciently (i think a lot) and ah this is just ridiculous.

Please if you have suggestions I need them.

Victor

Have you discussed this (recently) with your GP?

Could I suggest you get exercise in the evening to tire yourself out? And stop kicking it only wakes you up more.

deadpoet

I'm with you on the functioning better after sleeping for less than eight hours as opposed to eight. I function on four amazingly well.

As with Victor I would suggest you get some exercise in the evening. This problem is more often than not due to excess energy in your body that you need to get rid of before your body will be tired enough to sleep. A brisk walk half an hour down the road and then turn around and do a brisk walk back should help.

Reading an actual book as opposed to reading from the computer screen will help tire your eyes and eventually you'll find yourself nodding in no time. Its important not to read from the computer screen because the light that's being emitted tricks your brain into thinking its daylight and inhibits it from releasing melatonin which as you know is essentially what sends you asleep. The same principal applies to trying to sleep with the light on. As a general rule, the darker the room the better the sleep and more well rested you'll feel in the morning.

Also, eating - especially anything containing sugar - or smoking nicotine before bed will further decrease your chances of sleeping soundly.

If you cant sleep dont just lie there torturing yourself, walk around or jog on the spot for while.

krudler

Exercise is a big help, there are some natural herbal things you could try like valerian that help you sleep without the druggy effect, try to not do anything that makes you concentrate a lot before sleep like playing video games or watching a tense movie. Have you thought about getting a massage? does wonders for your system to help it relax and relieve unwanted tension, I get one every week as part of a class I'm doing and I sleep like a log that evening. I find that if I'm having a sleepless night instead of lying there forcing myself to sleep I'll pull out a book and start half reading it, the more I try to stay awake the faster I'll nod off.

KittyeeTrix

Excactly the same for me guys. Back to college as a mature student. Have to get up at 6.30am in the mornings but can't go to bed before 1.30am-2am
Find if I sleep more than 7-8 hours that I feel worse the next day than I do with 3-4 hours sleep!

Dark Phoenix

valerian is good as is rubbing lavender oil on your wrists. However you need to do this an hour before bed so that you are nice and sleepy when you go to bed and fall asleep. There is no point taking any pills (sleeping pills or herbal) at early hours of the morning as you won't wake up on time or will feel awful next day (been there, done that).

Excerecise really does help! If you are physically tired as opposed to just mentally tired / wound up you will sleep much better so try getting some excercise in the evenings and see if that helps you.

If the problem persists it would be worth talking to your GP about it

LegacyUser

As many others have said, exercise is great to try get rid of excess energy.

Turn off your computer/tv/games console etc at least (if not more) than an hour before going to bed

Cut out any caffine

Start a bedtime routine, it helps the body realise its time and so prepares itself for sleep.

If you're wide awake and really no hope for getting back to sleep, dont lie there tossing and turning. Get up, read a book, do some exercise etc.


It can take a while to get a good sleep pattern going and it takes time an patience

LegacyUser

I went through something similiar.

What I did was forget college work for a few days. I went to the doctor and got sleeping pills (melatonin). I took these at around 10pm for a few days and got into a sleeping pattern. It took a lot of self discipline and I still find myself lying there wide awake some nights... but most nights I get to sleep before 12 and get 8 hours of sleep with out tablets.

I know how frustrating it can be but self discipline is important and recognising you are different to everyone else when it comes to sleep is good.

cherryred

if you have a TV/computer in your room take it out, if you read in bed, stop. Bascially turn your room into a sleep only area, at bedtme turn of the lights and get into bed, if you can't sleep after half and hour get up go into another room read till you feel sleep then go back to bed.

Valerian is also really good, it got me out of bad habits.