Insomnia--let's talk solutions

[Harriet Vane]

Hi folks,

 

For the last two months or so I have been waking up at 4am most nights. Not just waking up a little either--I find that I am WIDE AWAKE and usually anxious about something stupid. I have tried everything to get back to sleep, and it almost never works. Every now and then I might drift off after laying there an hour or so, but most often I become wider and wider awake, and usually just get up at 5 or so.

 

I have tried taking antihistamines at 10 or so to help me sleep and even those do not work--I still wake up at 4am, but with the drug in my system I am unable to focus on anything meaningfully so am wide awake. I do not want to try drugs anymore. I tend to react poorly to medicines anyway (if there is a possible side effect, I will experience it in full force, so often take child-sized doses during illness or nothing at all). When I take an antihistamine, I end up awake at 4am, but unable to ever settle or focus on anything so cannot even DO anything to relieve the boredom.

 

Just a handful of times I have also tried drinking a glass of wine before bed, and each time I have been able to sleep all night, thankfully. However, with alcoholism galloping merrily through my family for many generations, I am not enthused about the idea of drinking each night, or of creeping downstairs by myself for a glass of wine at 4am to go back to sleep. I enjoy the occasional glass a great deal but cannot embrace a daily habit.

 

I am having hormonal issues but have been unable to get a diagnosis as to why. I suspect perimenopause though I am just in my late 30s. My midwife has suggested low-dose hormone therapy, but I am leery of that for a number of reasons. It's an option I am willing to consider, but with care and caution.

 

I have also tried staying up later, so that I am good and tired when I go to sleep, but still wake up at 4am. I've always been a night owl, but am starting to wonder if I should try going to sleep much earlier. I don't know if there is something magical about 4am or if I would just wake up even earlier in the night if I went to bed earlier.

 

Either way, I am exhausted and spectacularly unproductive, even before a recent horrible bout with the flu. It's been about two months--I need to figure out a solution.

 

I appreciate any thoughts you have to offer. Thanks.

[Homemaker]

I just posted a question about using the Arbonne hormone cream. Have you thought about using that?

[Pamela H in Texas]

You're NOT going back to sleep later are you? Not taking a nap, right? Those are the most common mistakes we make. We feel the need for sleep and yet make the sleeping at night issue worse.

 

Second, the thing that helped me the most (and I was sleeping only 2-4 hours on an ongoing basis at that point) was a regular bedtime. It was a pain at first, but it worked! I just said 10:30, no light, no tv, no anything.

 

A couple things that will help your head:

 

1) at 10:30 (or whatever time you choose), breath deeply. See the breath go in and out your nostrils. Pay attention ONLY to breath. If your mind wanders (it will at first), bring it back to the breath.

 

2) journal before bed. Let go of the day and then focus on the positives.

 

3) Visualization may help when you wake up. I often wake with a spinning head or a vivid dream. In my case, I focus on the paradise. Certain scriptures bring out parts I know I'll LOVE at that time. So I focus on those things, getting back to "abudance of peace" (Ps 37:11). Your choice may or may not be similar. Many people use whatever very peaceful, serene situation they can think of (paradise island, mountain top, deep ocean diving).

 

4) daytime sanity breaks, meditation, just breathing, whatever may also help.

 

Hope these help a little.

[Laura Corin]

What works for me:

 

- switching the computer off at around 8pm

- exercising every day (a brisk walk for at least half an hour)

- not going to bed too early (my optimum sleeping time is from 11:30pm to 7:30am)

- wearing ear plugs so I can't hear husband snoring.

 

Best of luck,

 

Laura

[Mom0012]

I had that exact same problem for 7 years. I've also suffered from hormonal problems for years as well. I would wake every night around 2:00 a.m. with that rush of anxiety over something completely stupid and never be able to get back to sleep. My doctor told me that your body produces a surge of hormones at night and that surge was probably just not right with me and causing the problem.

 

I have other health issues. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with lyme disease and after being treated for that I was finally able to sleep through the night for the first time. It was a tremendous relief. It could be that it was the lyme treatment that helped with the sleep or the fact that I was finally able to get out and exercise regularly for the first time in a long time and that I had the energy to start eating better.

 

BUT, this is what I really think -- I recently got diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and I bet that has been causing a lot of the major hormone problems I've been having for years. I suspect that once I got the lyme under control, my immune system settled down and stopped attacking my thyroid as much, so I that might be why I have started to be able to sleep better. It might be worth it to get a full workup on your thyroid and see if anything shows up.

 

My bloodwork shows that I am just slightly hypothyroid and I didn't really have many of the hypo symptoms. When I looked at Hashimoto's, then bells really started going off. I started on a very low dose of Synthroid a few weeks ago and the changes have been phenomenal.

 

I hope something in here helps because it is absolute misery not to be able to sleep. In my case, I was fortunate that my kids were old enough that I would go back to bed at 6 or 7 in the morning for a couple of hours but it was still took a real toll on me.

 

Lisa

Hi folks,

 

For the last two months or so I have been waking up at 4am most nights. Not just waking up a little either--I find that I am WIDE AWAKE and usually anxious about something stupid. I have tried everything to get back to sleep, and it almost never works. Every now and then I might drift off after laying there an hour or so, but most often I become wider and wider awake, and usually just get up at 5 or so.

 

I have tried taking antihistamines at 10 or so to help me sleep and even those do not work--I still wake up at 4am, but with the drug in my system I am unable to focus on anything meaningfully so am wide awake. I do not want to try drugs anymore. I tend to react poorly to medicines anyway (if there is a possible side effect, I will experience it in full force, so often take child-sized doses during illness or nothing at all). When I take an antihistamine, I end up awake at 4am, but unable to ever settle or focus on anything so cannot even DO anything to relieve the boredom.

 

Just a handful of times I have also tried drinking a glass of wine before bed, and each time I have been able to sleep all night, thankfully. However, with alcoholism galloping merrily through my family for many generations, I am not enthused about the idea of drinking each night, or of creeping downstairs by myself for a glass of wine at 4am to go back to sleep. I enjoy the occasional glass a great deal but cannot embrace a daily habit.

 

I am having hormonal issues but have been unable to get a diagnosis as to why. I suspect perimenopause though I am just in my late 30s. My midwife has suggested low-dose hormone therapy, but I am leery of that for a number of reasons. It's an option I am willing to consider, but with care and caution.

 

I have also tried staying up later, so that I am good and tired when I go to sleep, but still wake up at 4am. I've always been a night owl, but am starting to wonder if I should try going to sleep much earlier. I don't know if there is something magical about 4am or if I would just wake up even earlier in the night if I went to bed earlier.

 

Either way, I am exhausted and spectacularly unproductive, even before a recent horrible bout with the flu. It's been about two months--I need to figure out a solution.

 

I appreciate any thoughts you have to offer. Thanks.

[Impish]

I have no idea. I've tried melatonin, visualization, getting out of bed when sleep is longer than a half our in coming...

 

Mine's related to pain, and possibly related to meds. There are some nights that I'm exhausted, need sleep, but the brain.won't.shut.up. Probably related to pain, in the, "Pain's keeping me awake, so Brain, get useful!"

 

I'm grateful for the one or two (If I'm lucky) nights a week where I crash before/after supper, am up once around 10 pm, and then sleep the rest of the night without constant waking. Last night was every.single.hour. I'm talking, looking at the clock, and yup, it was an hour.

 

What I wouldn't do for a full night's sleep. People who don't suffer from insomnia for one reason or another really don't understand what its like to operate on only a few hours sleep for days, weeks on end. How sleep deprivation robs you of your reasoning ability, leaves you dizzy and nauseated, and lets not forget the good old migraines! And that's just the average insomniac. For me, it drives my RSD pain levels to the point where I've both blessed and cursed the fact we don't own a skill saw or chain saw. :o:crying:

[Parrothead]

If you think this is tied with hormonal issues, the best thing is to get to the doctor and have the hormones resolved. That might just do the trick.

 

If this is simple sleep maintenance insomnia there are strategies you can try with or without medication.

 

Mayo Clinic Sleep Maintenance Insomnia

[Only me]

People who don't suffer from insomnia for one reason or another really don't understand what its like to operate on only a few hours sleep for days, weeks on end. How sleep deprivation robs you of your reasoning ability, leaves you dizzy and nauseated, and lets not forget the good old migraines!

 

 

I completely agree. I don't have insomnia but as you know my almost 15 year old daughter does. Most of our friends and family are understanding but others aren't. For instance at our family Christmas party my mil was telling a relative about my daughter. This relative chimed in and said it was no big deal and that she is sleep deprived all the time. She is sleep deprived because she chooses to stay out late and go to bed late. She can fall asleep whenever she wants to-staying up late is her choice. I would give anything for my daughter to be able to get even a good 4 hours straight of sleep. It has basically ruined her life right now.

 

I can't imagine what you are going through with adding all the pain you have into the mix. Until we had this problem with my daughter I didn't realize that insomnia could be such an ongoing thing. I always thought that people suffered from it for a day or two at a time-not two years.

[bethben]

I have had years of not sleeping all that great. It got better and then we adopted little schnooky #4 and it's been a lot worse. Mostly stress for me I guess...I also have a sneeky suspicion that my thyroid may be at play since I only have 1/2 of a thyroid, but even the most sensative of tests say everything's normal...I hear you. I plan on getting another prescription for Ambien CR just to get me through. I wind up taking one if I haven't slept well for 4-5 days. It sometimes reboots the system and reminds my body what it's supposed to do.

 

My sleepyness shows up in melencholy. Until I had a stretch of sleeping well, I thought I was mostly pessamistic. Turns out, I'm naturally an optimist until I don't get a lot of sleep. Funny how it can change your own personality.

 

Beth

[Quad Shot Academy]

I have the same issue of being able to easily fall asleep (8-10pm), but then suddenly waking up with a panic attack feeling (2-4am), thinking about something ridiculous! Things that help me are:

 

reading before bed and thinking only about the book as I fall asleep

 

taking 5-htp and/or valerian

 

Progesterone cream and keeping up with my thyroid

 

Following a dairy free diet, especially avoiding it from dinner time on.

 

Melatonin made me far worse. :confused:

[eternalknot]

Look into adrenal issues, in addition to thyroid - the waking up around 2am sounds typical of adrenal problems.

 

Make sure your bed and bedroom are for sleeping only. No electronics (laptop, tv); no reading; etc. Sleep only. If you can't sleep and need to read or get online or whatever it is you do when you're startled awake ... leave the bed, and preferably the bedroom until the wide-awake feeling has passed.

 

If you wake up around 2am and are just restless for an hour or so, try a red light bulb next to your bed. The color is supposed to something or another (can't remember!) to help bring on sleep. It's dim enough to not disturb the people sharing your bed or bedroom -- I keep one, and my kids never wake up because of it. I leave it on for 15-20 minutes, lay there, and sometimes drift back into sleep long enough to carry me to dawn (4am-5am). Just a few dollars at most megastores and grocery stores; only reason I tried it.

 

I have sleep problems related to hormonal issues and stress. I crash around 3-4am and wake up between 7-8am -- on a good night. If I'm exhausted, I'll fall asleep when the kids do (9-10pm) but then I'm up at 2am and all through to the next day. I'm also a flight attendant, so work schedules prevent me from having a set bedtime routine even if I wanted to try one. I won't take sleeping pills or supplements because I'm a single parent and don't want to risk being to hard asleep should an emergency arise. I know lots of people who use valerian or ambien; even more who partake in a nightcap. My only course of action is a hypnosis CD. I use the one I bought through Hypnobabies when I was pregnant years ago, explicitly to facilitate sleep. I keep it on my iPhone and use it when I'm at work - usually does the trick getting me to sleep. It's called "Peaceful Sleep Now" but I'm sure there are others.

 

I've not found anything yet that helps me to STAY asleep. The red light is the closest I've come, and it's about 50-50 on effectiveness. One of those "can't hurt" kind of solutions.

[Susan in TN]

This may sound stupid, but it has helped me a ton, especially when I have to get up in the middle of the night with babies and don't feel tired or start to think/worry about things.

 

Lay in bed all comfy, close eyes. I "Pretend" I have won a sweepstakes/lottery, or whatever. I usually pick a hugely outrageous amount - like $120,000,000. Then I subtract 50% for lump sum payment (that leaves $60,000,000). Then I take out 40% for taxes (that leaves $36,000,000). Then I subtract an amount to give to the church, then family members (sisters, brothers, parents, in-laws, etc). Money to build a new house (w/details on property and house design), retirement savings, charities and organizations, etc., etc., etc. Since it's your fantasy, you get to choose how to spend and prioritize. Be as specific as necessary.

 

In a nutshell, you are doing math in your head, but in a pleasant way. I have almost never made it to zero.

[Harriet Vane]

Thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate it. Last night I actually slept well--I'm always amazed at how much better and happier I feel get that rare full night's sleep.

 

I am going to start with a stricter bedtime schedule and trying to get some light exercise. I am also going to follow up on the hormonal issues that have plagued me. If I cannot get this straightened out, I'm sure I'll be looking at some of the other options you have suggested--it helps to know there are several things I can try.

 

Thanks again.