Insomnia Totally Stinks !

[JTE83]

When I get Insomnia - that means an inefficient day at work. And sometimes I have to sneak in a nap by lying flat on the floor under my desk (hiding), or doing that somewhere else where no one can see me. My last job at Schlumberger - they realized that sometimes it was important for employee to take a break or nap and they actually had a special break room for that! Other places I just have to hide!

And Insomnia has hit me during the worst times! Like - the night before an interview, or the night I'm gonna leave the next day for a long distance road trip (like Chicago to Little Rock).

And now, with the time zone change - I'm suffering insomnia / poor sleep trying to change over to a new sleep / wakeup time. And then I heard on the radio that a lot of accidents happen during November because of the time change.

My solution to prevent insomnia is sleep by 10:45 at latest. Don't play video games, watch interesting TV, or do net past 11 or mind gets restless and then insomnia. Develop a biorythym pattern by sleeping by 10:30 to 10:45 each day. Don't oversleep in the morning or it will unduce insomnia / sleeplessness later at night.

But sometimes I need help and I resort to sleeping pills! The pills I have and used but still suffered insomnia on them - Lunesta 1mg, Diazepam 5mg, Clonazepam.mg. These are about $5 each sleeping pills!

Has anyone here used a surefure 100% guaranteed sleep sleeping pill? Anyone with good getting to sleep strategies?

I cherish a good night's sleep!

 

[Jonahhobbes]

Diazepam and the Clonazepam are both anti-anxiety drugs and I would not recommend them to aid sleep. They are also highly addictive. Also they tend to kick around your system for a bit. Lunesta - I am not 100% sure of this as it is an American named drug, but I think it is Zopiclone which is a hypnotic and makes you feel crappy after you have taken like having a hangover. These drugs have their purpose but need to be used sensibly with a prescription from a doctor.

To get a good nights sleep I would recommend:

Avoid caffeine after 16:00.

Eat your main meal a few hours before bed.

Make sure your bed is comfortable, change the sheets, cotton sheets in the summer etc. Check the heating-not to hot/not to cold. Make your bed the Temple of sleep!

If you share your bed with someone and have to get up earlier make sure they are quite when they come to bed or failing that if you work a rotation policy, (like doing a month of early shifts and then moving on to late shifts), go sleep in the spare room-its only for a short while.

Kick the TV out of the bedroom if you have one in there.

Avoid Alcohol/drugs.


As JTE83 says turn off the TV/wow or whatever you are playing and go and read a book before bed.

If you are sleeping badly go and see the doc and have a chat, if you have to go and sleep under a desk I would say you are doing to much.

 

[reub2000]

Have you tried melatonin?

I'm probably not such a good influence since I will get on my computer if I can't sleep, and sometimes go out for a ride on my bike.

 

[Cycler6n]

I wish I could sneak naps in school, would be kinda hard in that generous 1' by 4' locker they gave me... anyway, I have trouble sleeping, so I use a box fan at night for noise, normally helps me.

 

[dpetra]

Have you tried melatonin?

I'm probably not such a good influence since I will get on my computer if I can't sleep, and sometimes go out for a ride on my bike.[/QUOTE

They really need to stop all of this changing the clocks back and whatnot. Its just another way that the man is keeping us down. I first thought it was just my imagination or some other external stimulus affecting my moods. There really is something to seasonal affective disorder. Many other people that I have spoken to over the past week have also remarked how they have noticed that they have a hard time dealing with this archaic habit of turning back time.

Not only have i not been able to ride after work, I have not eaven been into getting on my bike either yesterday or today which have been marginally acceptable in terms of temperature.

Try the melotonin. I was skeptical at first but i'm here to tell you that even though its not really a "drug" that it really does work. Just take it about two hours before you want to go to sleep. Also, Ive noticed that after a night that I have taken it, I tend to wake up easily, none of the usual grogginess.

 

[Yojimbo_]

I think you should avoid taking any drugs to help you sleep. That leads nowhere but to more and more drugs.

The advice from jonah is very appropriate.

Perhaps you can't sleep because of stress - work stress, woman stress, life stress, who knows. Try to figure out what it is, then deal with it.

I read myself to sleep - works pretty well usually, but not all the time. Stress keeps me up sometimes.

 

[JTE83]

Another forum told me I should try Benadryl or Nyquil - anyone have success with these drugs?

Of course, I try not to get an addiction to sleeping pills. If I have to use sleeping pills for several days in a row, I alternate the pills I have so I don't build an addiction to one. This would usually happen if I take a long road trip and use my minivan as an RV - I put a mattress in it and sleep in 24 hr Walmart parking lots. I block out the lights with a sun screen, use earplugs, and pop a sleeping pill. Did this successfully on a road trip from Houston, to Dallas, to New Orleans, then to Chicago - all no hotel! The money I saved I blew on souveneirs!

I already see a psychologist for Geodon (anti - paranoia pills) and he writes my prescriptions for sleeping pills too.

It makes me wonder if soldiers ever get a good sleep in the battle field? Anyone here ever been a Marine or Army grunt? Do you carry around a sleeping bag and tent? - I thought I saw this on cable TV. But I see a lot of pics were soldiers have to sleep on hard ground, dirt, uneven surfaces, and worse! They must really suffer! (Battle Fatigue)

Of course, sleeping pills can be dangerous as Marilyn Monroe and Ann Nicole Smith died from them. But Anna Nicole totally abused them and her party lifestyle was not conducive to good sleep. She should have stopped party to hard into the night and not have depended on sleeping pill.

Well, me - I probably have insomnia maybe 12 times a year. But it hurts the most when I get it before a job interview or a long road trip. It had caused me to lose my 1995 Dodge Grand caravan on a highway wreck (3 car accident caused by me dozing off 5 seconds). So if your driving and feel sleepy - get on the side and take a nap! This would have saved my minivan!

Well, a real funny thing happened to me on an attempted long distance workout. I tried taking vitamin pills with a 100% daily allowance of iron to blood dope for better blood so I'd be a faster biker. But all this did was make me almost fall asleep during my workout! I just had to abandon my workout and go home for a nap. Never tried the iron pills again - maybe I was overdosing on iron. But actually I don't remember if I took my Geodon before the ride - maybe this pill makes you sleepy too, as the prescription says to take it after dinner.

I discovered I needed a good night's sleep to function well in my second semester of college. At this time I was seeing my dorm mates doing all nighters or studying late at night and maybe doing 16 to 19 hr credit hour too. Well, I tried doing late nighters but not all nighters but all this did was make me fall asleep in class and get bad grades on 15 hrs load. So the next semesters of college I only signed up for 12 hrs a semester and got a good night's sleep + some free time to enjoy! And a study was done and it stated that student who got good grades in college all usually had a good night's sleep too!

 

[Pendejo]

Are you perhaps overtraining on the bike? Having that wired feeling when I go to bed is a sure sign for me that I have to back off a little bit on my workouts.

 

[JTE83]

Overtraining? I've done pathetic miles this year! Probably 980 miles since Jan 1st! I blew off the whole summer because Houston was hot, humid, and had an incredible record number of daily rain! June - July 36+ days of rain!

 

[JTE83]

Overtraining? I've done pathetic miles this year! Probably 980 miles since Jan 1st! I blew off the whole summer because Houston was hot, humid, and had an incredible record number of daily rain! June - July 36+ days of rain!

 

[reub2000]

Try the melotonin. I was skeptical at first but i'm here to tell you that even though its not really a "drug" that it really does work. Just take it about two hours before you want to go to sleep. Also, Ive noticed that after a night that I have taken it, I tend to wake up easily, none of the usual grogginess.

At low doses melotonin doesn't knock you out, it simply makes you feel tired. And you fall asleep a lot easier. I wouldn't use it every night, just when I really need to get sleep,

 

[Jonahhobbes]

Hmmm... a side effect of ziprasidone is insomnia. I am not that familiar with this medication as it is not licensed in new zealand. but it could be contributing to the insomnia. I would go back to your psychologist. Although where I have worked England and New Zealand we never have pyschologists prescribing without being a psychiatrist as well. Do you not see a pychiatrist for your medication? Perhaps the US is different.

 

[mitchellslaw]

It sounds like there are a lot of issues going on here, but a while ago I had a similar problem and had to go on meds for a while, although they never really did much good. Now I do most of my exercising in the am hours so that it doesn't get me wired when my body's trying to wind down.

Nyquil may put you to sleep but it's mostly alcohol, and can be addictive. Benedryl's an antihistimine, and after enough use it probably won't effect you either. Drowsiness is a side effect for both drugs, not the main reason you take them (although when you're sick is it nice to get rest off of Nyquil).

 

[kdelong]

This stupid thread is keeping me awake!

 

[Oruboris]

A hard ride and a small brandy.

And DO NOT allow yourself to fall asleep during the day: that's probably at least half the problem

Melatonin is safe and very effective. It is your body's own 'go to sleep' hormone. The only problem you'll get from too large a dose is that you'll have a 'bounce back' reaction, coming awake in a few hours as the melatonin clears your system.

 

[feel]

Stress/anxiety? were keeping me awake. I could get to sleep easily but would then wake and not be able to get back to sleep. Then i took up cycling and have been much better, especially if i push myself quite hard - is it the endorphins?

 

[JSWin]

Isn't it funny how insomnia always happens before important days. Sometimes it can be something you ate if you pay attention to that. I think dairy does it to me. Some processed foods cause it. I think you have to try and get a lot of greens in I've heard this helps with sleep. Power naps during the day help. You are right about that. You've got to love a job that let's you nap for a break.

 

[Susimi]

I had insomnia for a time back in the summer of 2002. I only had it for around two weeks I think, but in that time it was a horrid experience.

Still, at least I got to watch some interesting late-night TV, and no none of it was pornography.

 

[Runnerdo]

I wish you didn't have to use drugs for insomnia. I am the very opposite of you and find that I sleep too much especially when I am stressed out. I think our bodies have different ways to deal with situations and mine is simply to shut down. Your appears to be to remain alert!

 

[Susimi]

I wish you didn't have to use drugs for insomnia. I am the very opposite of you and find that I sleep too much especially when I am stressed out. I think our bodies have different ways to deal with situations and mine is simply to shut down. Your appears to be to remain alert!

There are some natural herbal remedies that are supposed to help with insomnia. I've never tried them but if you have it and don't like the idea of pills then it's always worth a look. Just check out your nearest health or health foods shop and I'm sure they'll have something.