Insomnia?/Tips for good sleep

Tar.Aldarion · 31-07-2006 9:48am

/falls forward on to keyboard.
I had 2 hours sleep every night last summer and I was working...Not cool.

Ruu_Old · 31-07-2006 1:11pm

Well my problem is stress right now, has been for sometime and I'm trying to deal with it right now. Its been so long since I got the feeling of a full nights sleep.

31-07-2006 4:16pm

I joined a gym so i'd be tired enough at night to sleep, its laeving me feel more exhausted during the day and only aids sleep sometimes!

molypiper · 02-08-2006 3:54am

a warm bath, warm milk and a soothing music will do the magic..so does a warm hug!:)

Aard · 02-08-2006 4:03am

The only sleep problem I have is that it usually takes ages to fall asleep. It's not uncommon for me to be lying there for an hour before nodding off. I'm pretty sure it's because I just can't switch off my mind; usually even though I'm really tired I still can't fall asleep because of thinking too much. That's a problem that no amount of excersise, healthy eating, no rec-drugs, darkness, silence, you name it will have an effect on. I've always been like this, and I've always thought it was weird; especially when there's somebody else in the room, I can always hear them snoring/breathing deeply after a few minutes and there I am lying awake trying to think how to fall asleep faster ... vicious circle. It's very not cool ;_;

Nevyn · 02-08-2006 4:06am

Strenous sex and lots of it.

Aard · 02-08-2006 4:31am

Thaedydal wrote:

Strenous sex and lots of it.

It's helped before, but I'm not in a, um, position to do that every night of the week.

murrayeel · 02-08-2006 2:14pm

a good exercise will do! tired muscles usually rules down the brains to sleep..;)

Tar.Aldarion · 02-08-2006 6:01pm

My thread, she is edited!

I got rather drunk and slept for hours and hours last night, woo.
Can't remember my dream though.

Black Swan · 05-08-2006 4:01am

I find that Asti sometimes help, but not every night. Strenuous exercise helps.

Lust4Life · 05-08-2006 4:32am

Blue_Lagoon, has your insomnia only affected you since moving to the US?
Perhaps it is the extreme difference in time zones that your body is fighting? I'll bet that is difficult to adjust to!

Wish I had suggestions to offer, but it sounds like everyone has mentioned some very good ones.

Working at a hospital, I can tell you that they do have "Sleep Labs" where you can check in at your normal sleeping time and they monitor you and give you pointers on how to make adjustments to what you are doing when you sleep so that it is a better quality sleep.

Does it work? I have no idea. I just check in the patients. I don't get feedback. But I do see plenty of them coming for just that.

Tar, in your case, this may be a very good suggestion. Surely you can't continue running on no fuel! something has to change!

But be open and honest with the doctors about your personal ideas as to why you can't sleep. I totally understand you not wanting to put that on display here, but at the doctor, confidentiality is utmost.

Hugs,

L4L

Tar.Aldarion · 11-08-2006 12:19pm

I think I have moved on from teh not beiong able to sleep to the waking up all the time insomnia. I *think* that is a step forward. Nightmares are annoying though.

Lust4Life · 12-08-2006 1:49am

Glad to hear you are making progress!
You know, some colleges/universities have sleep labs as well! you might look into it!

Black Swan · 14-08-2006 9:43pm

Lust4Life wrote:

Blue_Lagoon, has your insomnia only affected you since moving to the US?
Perhaps it is the extreme difference in time zones that your body is fighting? I'll bet that is difficult to adjust.

I exported my troubled sleep with me to the US. Since a child I've had occasional nightmares, sometimes into the relm of night terrors. Picture silly me running around after a "big one" checking windows and doors to ensure they are locked, looking under the bed, in the closet, and bath. Have been counselled, but to no avail.:( It's one of the reasons I'm in martial arts. I generally feel safe when awake, but often fear going to sleep.

Ever see the old Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts film, "Conspiracy Theory?" If so, remember when crazy Mel (and later Julia) balanced a bottle on the front door knob? I tried that in California, and found myself jumping out of bed and running to the door to confront an intruder on several occasions, only later to find out that California is a state with a lot of earthquake tremors (enough to upset the bottle). Talking about feeling foolish! Well, I can laugh about it now...:rolleyes:

Lust4Life · 14-08-2006 9:51pm

Posted by Blue_Lagoon:
Since a child I've had occasional nightmares, sometimes into the relm of night terrors.

Oh, it troubles me to hear that.
My son has had them since a wee baby and still has not grown out of them.
I would hate to think they will follow him into adulthood. It is awful trying to calm him after. It is like he is awake, but still asleep.
Have to give him 30 minutes and just let him scream (Can't touch him, he's like a wild animal during these!). Then, finally he will cuddle and fall back to a peaceful sleep.

L4L

Black Swan · 14-08-2006 10:12pm

Lust4Life wrote:

Oh, it troubles me to hear that.
My son has had them since a wee baby and still has not grown out of them.
I would hate to think they will follow him into adulthood. It is awful trying to calm him after. It is like he is awake, but still asleep.
Have to give him 30 minutes and just let him scream (Can't touch him, he's like a wild animal during these!). Then, finally he will cuddle and fall back to a peaceful sleep.

Screaming? Oh, well that sometimes, too.:o Less frequent than when very young, if that's any consolation.

Lust4Life · 20-08-2006 11:34am

I'm afraid that I am starting to fall into this category lately!
I awaken early for my job, but these days, even when I am not working and stay up late, I still wake up very early and can't drift back to sleep.
Today I was wide awake at 4AM. I tossed and turned and then gave up at 5AM. Here I am!

It sucks! I end up tired through the day!

Guess I'll have to start taking naps!:p

Lust4Life · 05-09-2006 7:01pm

Blue_Lagoon, my young one was having night terrors last night (Today is the first day of school so I'm sure he was anxious).
We actually got him to talk about what his dream was about - first time EVER he would talk about it...

Wowzas! He really has some creepy dreams! (Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up hearing him speak of ghosts and blood and mayhem). Hopefully if we can continue to get him to talk about them maybe we can reduce the frequency of them. Where the hell does a child get such notions? We don't expose him to such things.

Did you have such nightmares at 5? Just curious since we're dealing with this and hope to cure it if possible.

L

Doomspell · 07-10-2006 2:10pm

Lust4Life wrote:

He really has some creepy dreams! (Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up hearing him speak of ghosts and blood and mayhem). Hopefully if we can continue to get him to talk about them maybe we can reduce the frequency of them. Where the hell does a child get such notions? We don't expose him to such things.

While I don't know where they get it, I know what you mean. When my sister was about that age she had the weirdest dreams about witches/warlocks and magic. And we figured that it was from watching scooby-doo!
If you can keep trying to get him to share his dreams and explain them, but don't force him. Thats all he needs really, and talking does alot more than people think, it's just getting started that's hard.

Lust4Life · 09-10-2006 12:28pm

Doom, I think you may have something there. He does love Scooby Doo.
And yes, we keep him talking. I think it's helping. They are a bit less frequent lately. Mostly when he's had a very stimulating day or has exciting plans for the next day.

It also helps a lot if I read to him before bed. Give him warm fuzzy stories to dream about.

Doomspell · 10-10-2006 2:04pm

Glad to hear his nightmares are getting less frequent. I
find that bed-time stories are the best solution so I'd
keep that up. My friend has a little girl and she
refuses to go to sleep without at least two stories but
about halfway through the first one she's out like
a light.

Lust4Life · 12-10-2006 12:20am

My little one has always insisted on 3 stories a night.
He's going to be an avid reader like his parents!

jezza · 05-12-2006 3:14am

Sleep may be overrated! Or maybe I just like having an excuse for being a contrary biotch.

foxy_19-89 · 22-04-2007 4:55pm

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

If you're a crap sleeper, then it could be lack of the following:

● Sunlight (for the melatonin)
● Exercise

Also, make sure your body clock isn't out of whack... try waking up and going to bed at the same time every day. Yes, there might be the temptation to sleep in or stay up late at the weekend, but this will seriously hamper your ability to sleep deeply throughout the week.

Have to say, after knowing and applying this, the quality of my sleep has improved ten-fold.

i work in the nightclub business. its imposible for me to sleep like a day or two days after work. my body is on late night functuin when i want to go to bed early

:(

besty · 18-07-2007 2:04am

I stay up very late pretty much every night (around 2-3 AM). I think the reasons for this are practical though. Wireless internet + laptop. TV at the end of bed. Xbox at end of bed etc. I'm also doing evening course now which I don't finish until 10.15 PM, home around 11 and have something to eat which probably compounds the issue.

Piste · 19-07-2007 4:54am

When I was about 6 it would have been around the time of the Good Friday Agreement in the North and we'd always have the radio on in the house, so between the Troubles and goings on in the Middle East I would hear so much about bombings and shootings and people dying, so I had a terrible fear of dying in a fire or explosion in my sleep, so at bedtime I'd always scuttle back down to the sitting room (where my parents would probably be watching the news- didn't really help!), so for a good long while I wasn't able to sleep well at all.

So if there are parents there whose kids are getting night terrors or who can't sleep, even if they're only exposed to kids programs they may be hearing the news on the radio if it's on around the house, and you know the imagination kids have, they'll always make things much worse in their heads!

golfgirl · 24-08-2007 12:41pm

Hi, For all those who mull over anxieties at night and can't sleep as a result, I've always found jotting things down with a pen and paper works wonders. So if you've something on your mind, just try writing about it. This helps to figure out exactly what's going on up there and things might look a bit clearer. I guess it's a kind of diary, but more about feelings than daily routines. It has definitely helped me ... and you don't have to spend long, just a few mins ... give it a go ... that's my suggestion anyway!

sharkemon · 25-08-2007 6:22pm

Magnesium tablet 30 mins before you go to bed helps.
Some people find Camomile tea helps, but hasn't for me.
For more extreme cases check out an amino acid called 5-HTP you can buy in a health shop. 5-HTP helps balance seratonin levels and aids insomnia, depression, and a number of other ailments. Read up about it before taking it because it cannot be taken with some medications.

marco murphy · 14-09-2007 11:55pm

Glass or two of red wine puts me sound a sleep and wakes up all energetic in the morning. Is this normal?

ian_m · 25-09-2007 6:05am

Red wine does the trick for me too. The BBC World service at a low volume ticks my mind over until I fall asleep. A dark bedroom at a cool temperature (around 18-19C).

Insomnia?/Tips for good sleep

Comments