Main > Everything Else
Insomnia. The real thing.
RandyT:
All folks are different, and the underlying causes will be as well. It's probably important to do a bit of introspection to try to learn what it is that is causing your issue. Job or family stress? Overactive mind? OCD? If you can cross out most of those, then it may be a chemical imbalance, or some other physical issue that you need to have addressed. But if it's "you being you", then I recommend dealing with the cause of the stress and looking for resolutions to the problems that are keeping your mind whirring. Also, teach yourself to "shut it off". When your mind starts racing, give it some absolutely pointless busy work. This is where the "counting sheep" thing likely originated. If you can't do it yourself, try some sort of mild external stimuli that your brain can turn its attention to. White noise, the sounds of ocean waves, or anything that soothes and distracts.
These are the things which work for me. The military taught me that sleep is optional in extreme situations, and I can get by with very little. Unfortunately, knowing that I can, sometimes leads me to doing it when I shouldn't, and making it difficult to turn off. But it's a lousy way to live and mental performance is heavily affected by deprivation, so look for the thing that puts you back in control of you. For your organs' sakes, turn to prescription meds as a last result when nothing else works.
Dervacumen:
Okay,
I appreciate a lot of these ideas. Most of them are part of my routine now, a couple are not. This problem started in about the early 90's maybe '92. Yeah, it's been a while. I don't usually have a hard time falling asleep. It's getting back to sleep after I awaken at night. The mind just races. I will say I get a LOT of thinking done between 1:30am and 5:00am when I would normally wake up and get out of bed.
I don't eat right before I go to bed.
I've tried the benedryl route since the active ingredient is the same as OTC sleeping pills and I have allergies anyway.
I've tried melatonin, alcohol (which I know can be problematic as it metabolizes while I'm sleeping), and another, greener plant that is legal here in CA for these types of things.
I don't do anything in bed except sleep and, uh...never mind.
I have been on a regular sleep schedule for the past 6 years or more, even on the weekends.
If I'm having trouble falling back asleep I get up out of bed and find a boring diversion, sometimes reading these forums. (HA) Sometimes it works in an hour, sometimes I'm just awake the rest of the night.
I exercise 3-4 times a week to get out some energy.
I drink 1 cup of weak coffee in the morning usually 4 times a week and no more caffeine during the day.
If I don't wake up, I sleep great. When my daughter comes in and wakes me up at night, I'm hosed.
I don't take naps any more, cut those out long ago too to help with this.
I count sheep with numbers on them, and imagine drawing numbers backwards in my head, from 99 on down. I also recite the alphabet backwards while noting the it's number in the sequence - like Z26, Y25, etc... I'm pretty good at it now.
I tried writing down all the things I have to do the next day to get them off my mind.
I used to meditate but as rewarding as that was it didn't help with this problem.
I'm coming to the conclusion it's just part of the natural progression to full on restless leg syndrome, something I experience on and off. It's a neurological hereditary thing where the brain doesn't turn off.
There are meds for it but it doesn't help and you have to take holidays from the meds every now and them. My mother uses them. They're pretty intense.
HaRuMaN:
--- Quote from: pinballjim on April 28, 2011, 05:21:00 pm ---You can sleep when you're dead, embrace your waking hours.
--- End quote ---
Dad, is that you? ::)
RandyT:
--- Quote from: pinballjim on April 28, 2011, 05:21:00 pm ---You can sleep when you're dead, embrace your waking hours.
--- End quote ---
Which is fine, so long as you don't believe that the candle which burns twice as bright, burns half as long. The body also needs time to repair itself, and much of that comes during sleep.
Different individuals require different amounts of sleep as well. Dervacumen, how is the lack of sleep affecting you otherwise? If the answer is "not much", then perhaps you just don't require as much as others. Also, don't let the stress of knowing that you need to get back to sleep, and can't, make it become a self fulfilling prophesy. I feel for anyone in this situation, as I know that the sense of helplessness can be excruciating.
DillonFoulds:
What about polyphasic sleeping?
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version