*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I think I have insomnia.... I just can NOT get to sleep at a decent hour. Even when I'm really really tired... I go get in bed and as soon as I lay down, the tiredness disappears and my brain wakes up and starts thinking. Usually, it starts thinking about all the problems in the world, and how to solve them, or worrying about them.... Sometimes it's stuff like planning out school for the week/month/year.... Or planning my sons wedding (he's 10)... Or, or, or.... I really would like to go to bed at 10 or 10:30 but usually that time comes and I am just *not* ready for sleep, despite having taken 1-2 melatonin, and I don't want to lay in the dark for hours worrying about nuclear war and whether or not a bomb dropped on DC would make it out to my suburb or not :-/ Last night I didn't go to bed until 2 am.... Is there something safe and non-addictive (but stronger than melatonin) that will knock me out? Would it work to take something like that for one or two weeks? I'm hoping that's all it would take to reset my body, but that could be wishful thinking. Bonus points if you can tell me what causes this? I think I have low progesterone, and that might be one issue... My husband is *out* 3 seconds after his head hits the pillow... It makes me SO jealous! Sometimes I stew over it instead of worrying about nuclear war. I can't even nap- doesn't matter how tired I am. The only time I'm ever able to nap is when I'm sick.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 What has helPed me. No computer an hour or two before bed, no caffeine after 3p, eating better and most of all, for me,regular exercise especially some light weights. Now there are times life problems keep me up and I just keep reminding myself that "this to shall pass" and there are times there is nothing I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 The only two suggestions I can think of is 1.) Do you get regular exercise? and 2.) Have you experimented with deep breathing exercises to slow your heart rate and relax your body? I'm a champion sleeper, but it is a bit of a meditative exercise and it takes practice to reign in a spinning mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Are you able to get to bed to SLEEP within 20-30 minutes of taking the melatonin? If it is much later than 30 minutes you will have missed the window. Exercise is helpful as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I can't help at all with what causes it. I have had life-long insomnia. My best and most sound sleep comes after 3am, which is not good when you get up at 5:30am. I don't respond to melatonin until the dose gets high enough to make me sick Benedryl will work for about four hours, so I use that when I travel. If I do go to sleep, I usually wake up in under an hour and start the cycle all over again. And no sleep apnea here. What has worked for me is a mental discipline. Every night for the past 15 years, I have listened to audio books The same audio books - in fact Harry Potter volumes 1-7. My DH says he has listened to these so many times in his sleep that he has them memorized. I lie down, turn on the CD and focus on listening to the narrator's voice. I decided years ago that it doesn't matter if I sleep as long as my body is still and resting. Putting my brain into the "sleep groove" with the CD and being still usually lets me fall asleep. When I wake up again, I turn on the cd and start all over.. Maybe a sleep CD would work for you? I had one similar to this one when my oldest was a baby and it really worked - again, putting my brain into the right mode for sleeping. When it wore out, I moved on to Jim Dale and Harry Potter. http://www.amazon.com/Just-Relax-Relaxing-meditation-relaxation/dp/B00007FPKD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2hunangirls Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I deal with the same thing. Have since I was 18...I'm 43 now. Occasionally the audio book thing works for me too. I think it just keeps me from listening to my own racing thoughts and concentrate on something else. I'm amazed at the dumb things I will worry about at midnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 What has helPed me. No computer an hour or two before bed, no caffeine after 3p, eating better and most of all, for me,regular exercise especially some light weights. Now there are times life problems keep me up and I just keep reminding myself that "this to shall pass" and there are times there is nothing I can do. I need intense exercise to sleep well. Also, getting an audio book that is a little...welll, dull might be the best word might give you someting to occupy your thoughts until you drift off., I'm a Christian, so I pray the 23rd Psalm in my head to the Lord when I can't stop my thoughts whirling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Thanks guys. No, I don't get enough exercise- at all... And I really need to. And yeah, I need to cut off the screen time before bed. I have lavender scented Epsom salt... Maybe a bath, then do the audiobook thing... Or just music? Melatonin, bath, then audiobook/music? I was just thinking that I'm going minimalist and really don't want to buy audiobooks... But I just realized I get some from the library.... I need to do something. I'm totally worthless today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cobweb Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 TwinLab Stress B-Complex. I had the same kind of problem with insomnia for many years. As I approached 50 it was getting worse. I've also tried various natural products along with plenty of exercise but the thing that really helped me was a b-complex vitamin. I take it every day in the morning. Some people have trouble with it keeping them up at night if they take it later in the day. It started to help me within about 3 days of taking it. I really notice if I forget to take it. I went from having about 1/2 of my nights being 3-5 hours of sleep, to now, only 3-4 nights a month that get that little sleep. I hope it can help someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I can't help at all with what causes it. I have had life-long insomnia. My best and most sound sleep comes after 3am, which is not good when you get up at 5:30am. I don't respond to melatonin until the dose gets high enough to make me sick Benedryl will work for about four hours, so I use that when I travel. If I do go to sleep, I usually wake up in under an hour and start the cycle all over again. And no sleep apnea here. What has worked for me is a mental discipline. Every night for the past 15 years, I have listened to audio books The same audio books - in fact Harry Potter volumes 1-7. My DH says he has listened to these so many times in his sleep that he has them memorized. I lie down, turn on the CD and focus on listening to the narrator's voice. I decided years ago that it doesn't matter if I sleep as long as my body is still and resting. Putting my brain into the "sleep groove" with the CD and being still usually lets me fall asleep. When I wake up again, I turn on the cd and start all over.. Maybe a sleep CD would work for you? I had one similar to this one when my oldest was a baby and it really worked - again, putting my brain into the right mode for sleeping. When it wore out, I moved on to Jim Dale and Harry Potter. http://www.amazon.com/Just-Relax-Relaxing-meditation-relaxation/dp/B00007FPKD My best friend has listen to the Harry Potter audiobooks to fall asleep for probably the last 10 years, at least. Every night. Luckily, her DH likes them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooakharborhicks Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'm a daily vigorous exerciser and have been for years and it has never helped me at all. There are still 2-3 weeks a month that I pretty much don't sleep at all. Audiobooks are helpful only because they give me something to listen to while I'm busy not sleeping. Melatonin was a bust and so were over the counter sleep aids. Even the prescriptions my doc has put me on (Ambien and a few others) did nothing but relax me. It's like the second I lay down I have no choice but to think about every single mistake that I have ever made in great detail so I definitely feel your pain. The only helpful observations I have to offer is that it definitely gets worse when my issues with depression get worse and that it's definitely tied to my monthly cycle because the only time I get any sleep is right after my period. You can always try the sleep journal thing. Write down what is going through your mind on nights when you don't sleep, note what time of the month it is, what kind of day you've had, caffeine consumption, what you've eaten and when, and how much exercise you've gotten and then look for patterns in the information and adjust your behavior. Doing that has helped me get a few extra nights of sleep per month though it definitely hasn't cured me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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