Insomnia

Tom

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I'm getting sick of this. Ever since Christmas, due to certain family problems, I have not been able to sleep properly. Most (good) days I've been getting up at about 1130 in the morning, and going to sleep at around 0300. I can tell you, its getting frustrating.

I seem to get tired, go to bed, and the moment that light is turned off, all the shit with my family seems to go around in circles in my mind. Thoughts of sleep soon disappear to be replaced with feelings of anger, guilt, and worry. It doesn't matter how tired I might be.

Last night for instance, I couldn't sleep even at 0500 in the morning. So I stayed up, kept myself busy (went out taking photos of traffic on the motorway), and eventually slept on the sofa at about 1200, for about 3.5 hours. I thought, 'great, I'll be dead tired tonight'. Yes, I'm fucking tired, but, I just cannot get to sleep.

If I was of a weaker disposition, I'd be seriously considering taking some type of medication now.
 

Xavier

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I think you need a bottle of wine tonight chap, start drinking it before 8pm, be relatively lazy, avoid the computers at all costs and sit in front of the tv instead...

I've been pretty similar since chrimbo, the only way I'll get my sleep back on track is to get up at 7am religiously, ensuring i'm tired by the time i should be going to bed, not 3-4am as I am currently!
 

Brynn

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Try avoiding all Tv - computer thingys. Read a book. Have a bath or if thats not possible go for a swim, or go to the gym - this will make you tired so you would be able to fall asleep rite there and then.

Something i do to help me sleep and i have been accustomed to - is have my tv running in the background as im lying in bed. But have it on a sleep timer so afte bout 15 mins it auto turns off. This helps me take the concentration off my life onto the program but with my eyes closed i go straight to sleep.
 

mank!

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I used to be like that, actually I still am but whenever I need to fix my sleep pattern I stay up overnight so that I get to sleep early next evening. Usually works for me.
 

raw

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I used to be a really shite sleeper while i was out of work, i found going to the gym helped loads!
 

DaGen

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See a doctor about it, he may be able to give you something to help you sleep. My brother was killed in a car crash in September :( , I couldn't sleep he gave me sleeping tablets, they worked a treat, I only used them for a week or so.
 

babs

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If I was of a weaker disposition, I'd be seriously considering taking some type of medication now.
There's no shame in that. Try some of the over the counter sedatives, get some exercise in during the day. It might sound daft but eat well as well, xmas means most of us eat total shite over the festive period, and it can mess you up a bit. Lots of veg, that sort of thing.

Failing that knock back a bottle of wine, not a good suggestion for a long term solution though.
 

Jonny_Darko

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Funnily enough I've not slept the last two nights. Exactly the same thing Tom, heck knows why. So many people in the office are complaining of the same thing - we've got one guy who says the human race has a sixth sense that's kicking in and that it means something bad is going to happen soon! :eek6:
 

RandomBastard

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I too over christmas felt like i was turning into an insomniac it got bad enough that at one point i was getting up a 12-2 pm but getting to sleep at 7am :/

I solved it by setting my alarm for 8am and religously sticking to that getting up time. And i avoided caffine and late night tv.
 

Will

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I get insomnia and/or oversleeping at this time of year. Its brought on by the depressing dark nights. Some excercise, (go for a good long cycle works for me) followed by a spliff and a beer, works for me.
 

gmloki

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Funnly enough Tom I am having the same problem about sleeping. Lack of sleep in some cases are stress related. Just before Xmas I was (Still am) getting stressed out a bout a relationship with one side of my family. As a result I was just laying there and letting things whirl around my head until I would fall into some kind of disturbed sleep. Certainly not a deep sleep. Wake up feel knackered and eventually start stressing about not going to sleep.

I avoided taking drugs(prescription or over the counter) as they address the symptom and not the cause of why I wasnt sleeping. Before I went to bed I started a 10 minute meditation and a cup of Camomile tea. I also had an oil burner with Pure Lavender Oil and Frankincense going. A bit new age I know but it did help me get some decent sleep every night.

Best of luck mate and I hope you get things sorted
 

anattic

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Operate heavy machinery - that'll send you right off to sleep :)

But seriously, one thing that works for me is reducing processed sugar and gluten-y carbohydrates (esp. bread). Having recently done this, one of the upsides I've noticed, has been much improved mood and sleep-patterns (remains of Atkins-evangelism omitted).
 

Doh_boy

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anattic said:
Operate heavy machinery - that'll send you right off to sleep :)

But seriously, one thing that works for me is reducing processed sugar and gluten-y carbohydrates (esp. bread). Having recently done this, one of the upsides I've noticed, has been much improved mood and sleep-patterns (remains of Atkins-evangelism omitted).
I think this is my problem, I only ever seem to eat stuff like that. Bread, crisps etc. My breakfast is usually a sarnie (Coz I'm lazy) or toast.

My sleep aint half as bad as toms but I've got used to waking up at least twice a night.
 

xane

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I have the same problem due to the extreme stress, I've tried all sorts of alternative remedies and they don't work for me, but one or two of bottles of beer seem to do the trick.

On consideration, beer might not sound ideal but in my mind its a lot better than prescribed pills. The fact medication is prescribed should be an indicator that it might have some unfortunatel side-effects.

Two bottles of beer isn't exactly going to kill you, and I doubt I'd have any problem kicking it, in fact some surveys point to it being a good thing, it's certainly better than the stress and lack of sleep, so put it in perspective and you'll be okay.

Just make sure it gets kept at 2 bottles max.
 

dr_jo

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It sounds like you're already doing all the right things, to be honest. Insomnia through stress, and worrying about problems is something that I've had for a couple of years now. So far I've avoided sleeping pills. Not because I have a general dislike for tablets, but because my consultant advised me to. He pointed out that after a week of taking them, your body starts to rely on their effects to get you to sleep and "forgets" how to go to sleep naturally. I'm sure in some cases they're necessary, but I wouldn't advise it, personally.

Make sure you don't lie awake in bed for hours on end. If by half an hour after you go to bed you're not asleep, get up and do something else. Make sure it's nothing which will involve adrenaline, so computer games and most tv's out. Read a book, or my personal favourite is doing puzzles. I get the magazines with prize puzzles in, so I feel like I'm doing something vaguely worthwhile with my time. Then when you can hardly keep you eyes open, go back to bed. Also, don't lie in in the mornings. If you're still alseep, fine. But when you wake up, get up.
Both of those are about your body associating bed with being alseep rather than with being awake.

Other things to try - Have some music playing in the back ground. You can get sleep timers for radio or tapes etc.
Or how about a milky drink about 30 mins before bed time? It's all sciencey and stuff, but it does actually work, apparently.

Sorry, didn't mean to write quite so much.
 

Tom

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FS

Here I am drinking Metaxa, and I still can't sleep. Only had 3 hours sleep last night. I have to be up for work at 0645, gonna be a long day (3 of em), hopefully that will tire me out.

There's something about hotel rooms that always lets me sleep peacefully. Perhaps its the blackout curtains.
 

Louster

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I haven't slept properly in at least half my life and have had a regularly irregular sleep pattern for the last 6 years, and nothing has helped at all. Sleeping pills make me dizzy, don't help me sleep, and make it harder to wake up in the morning, if anything. It's a good thing that at least I have so little life that I don't have to fight my tendency to live 28 hour days.
 

Tom

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Well, here I am again, resurrecting old threads in a vain attempt to grow tired and fall asleep.

The thing is, I don't actually want to go to sleep. There are too many exciting things to be doing, like sitting and watching Trisha in the morning. Or watching crappy DV programmes on the telly.

Hopefully I'll get some sleep tomorrow night. Perhaps I should consider cracking open that large bottle of Southern Comfort downstairs.....
 

Paradroid

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Insomnia sucks the big one (says he at 05:20 in the morning....4 hours before starting work). I'll be riding this one out. I'm looking at a 36 hour stint which will definately see me early to bed tomorrow (or tonight I suppose).

:D
 

JBP|

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tom try taking a brisk walk for half an hour before going to bed.


i have the opposite problem tbh

i get up about 5.30 ish and i usually fall asleep about 8pm
 
G

Guest

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Tom, i have as you know been through some dodgy family shit lately and i have found that the only thing the works for me to be able to sleep is to have a milk drink with melatonin in it, i drink something called "Goodnight Milk". It contains a high level of melatonin and that is the body's natural product to make you goto sleep (iirc). I have not found anything else that works, its pretty cheap and you can get it from most supermarkets (Sainsbury's etc)
 

TdC

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I can't sleep at night, and once I finally do I can't get up again. Trundled in to work at 11, my to the chagrin of my coworkers :/
 

FuzzyLogic

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Horlicks used to send me to sleep many years ago, don't drink as much now because I just can't be arsed buggering about anymore :p
 

jaba

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I sometimes have similar problems, I have either warm milk or a hot chocolate and then put some lavender oil on my pillow to help. Also lots of exercise, but not before you go to bed as it will only serve to get adrenaline pumping and keep you awake. A bit of fresh air might help and I sometimes listen to music to stop my mind thinking about stuff when I dont want it to.
 

Tom

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JBP| said:
tom try taking a brisk walk for half an hour before going to bed.

Not a bad idea, as well as the milk stuff too, I'll give it a try.

It only happens occasionally, I don't know why, but I sleep on the sofa sometimes with the fire on. Its a very nice comfortable sofa, and it forces me to get up in the morning, rather than lay in bed (if you can call 1130 morning).
 

jaba

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i really would recommend the lavender oil on the pillow too, its cheap and helps a lot imo
 

amobea

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Exercise is a very good one, not necesarrily just before bed but maybe something more vigirous a few hours before hand which will well tire you out.

And don't eat after 8:30, as you'll tend to feel less tired when you try to go to sleep.

I've never really had sleeping pills. but i've used over the counter anti-histimines quite a bit. just take 2 30 min or so before you want to go to sleep

obvously don't get the non-drowsy anti-histimines as they won't help :p

hope you have some luck sorting it mate
i know how ghey rooted sleeping paterns can be :/
 

GDW

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Id hate to still have insommnia. I now fall asleep within two minutes of going to bed even after stressfull days or weeks. The only times I cant sleep are:

If Ive been playing PC games for longer than 3 hours in a trot and then go too bed. I will then usually toss and turn for a couple of hours as my mind is still in game mode. (I rarely play games anymore and usually dont use a PC after 9pm)

If Im wild camping up some mountain somewhere it usually takes me a good 2-3 hours to fall asleep even if Im warm and comfortable.

I used to work shifts, which are bad news for insommniacs, working regular hours (9-5ish) and learning how to relax in the evenings sorted it for me.

I wouldnt rely on alcohol or joints to get to sleep. Find out what makes your mind relaxed and do this for a couple of hours before going to bed. This might be reading or watching emotion free TV, for everyone it is different.

Good Luck
 

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