sleeping problems...

[unozero]

Lately I have been having trouble falling asleep before like 5:00am even if I force myself to bed around 12 I just toss and turn for hours before I finally fall asleep.And when I have to go to work early the only choice I seem to have is sleep meds which helps staying asleep but not really falling asleep.Also the Meds give disturbing vivid dreams which sometimes ruins my whole ****ing day.
Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Baal]

Do you regularly exercise? If not, start with that. You might not be burning off enough energy throughout the day, so your body doesn't want to sleep.

Are you tired when you wake up early? If so, can you still not sleep that night?

 

[ríomhaire]

Try reading in bed/before you go to bead. Don't go from the computer or tv to bed, it's harded to sleep if you do.

 

[unozero]

Do you regularly exercise? If not, start with that. You might not be burning off enough energy throughout the day, so your body doesn't want to sleep.

Are you tired when you wake up early? If so, can you still not sleep that night?

Your spot with the exercise thing. It's work, come home go out for 2-3 hours then come home play games.
when I do get up early I get tired around 9pm...then fall asleep around 10 but if I don't take any meds I can't sleep through the night

 

[Tyguy]

i've been having sleep problems for the past 2 weeks. last week i got about 2 hours of sleep in a 3 day period. just like you i sit in bed with my eyes closed and try to pass out but nothing seems to work. i even took an ambien a half hour before bed and it didn't work either.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Do try at least a short workout after coming home from work - exercises you don't need equipment for, or go running or something.

When my friend had sleeping problems he found it helped to commit to staying in bed for a certain number of hours in the day. Whether he was asleep or not, he'd assume the position from 12am to 7am or something like that.

 

[Tyguy]

it sucks to be stuck in a weird sleep cycle and even if you force yourself to lay there you are so concerned about not being able to fall asleep that it makes it even more difficult.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Just a few things to add here. First of all, don't do intense cardiovascular stuff right before bed, your brain will be chemically jazzed and endorphins can actually keep you up. That's not to say you shouldn't be keeping in shape--just get exercise midday.

Also, watch what you eat. Avoid simple carbohydrates--I can't emphasize this enough. I can't tell you how many people I've helped restore to normal sleep schedules just by cutting things like soda, crisps and white bread.

Lastly, don't deliberately "try" to sleep. Become accustomed to your body's natural sleep rhythms and abide by them, if possible. If you're not physically capable of sleep, merely lying in bed will exasperate the problem and make things worse. If the problem is anxiety related consider seeing a therapist or counsellor if you don't have the resources/cash for a good psychologist.

Otherwise simply listening to your body instead of trying to abide by the supposedly "normal" sleep schedules imposed on you may land you some great sleep. Remember, 30 minutes of natural REM sleep midday is better than spending hours in bed anxiously shifting positions. 99% of sleep disorders and insomnia can be attributed to neglect of natural biorhythms and daily anxieties--so give yourself a damn break and try to enjoy life and take those late nights if you want 'em. Nothing wrong with being up until 5 if you can catch up later without hurting your life goals.

There is perhaps nothing worse for those with trouble sleeping than laying in bed trying to force sleep. It's just simply not how our bodies work.

 

[ktimekiller]

Just a few things to add here. First of all, don't do intense cardiovascular stuff right before bed, your brain will be chemically jazzed and endorphins can actually keep you up. That's not to say you shouldn't be keeping in shape--just get exercise midday.

Also, watch what you eat. Avoid simple carbohydrates--I can't emphasize this enough. I can't tell you how many people I've helped restore to normal sleep schedules just by cutting things like soda, crisps and white bread.

Lastly, don't deliberately "try" to sleep. Become accustomed to your body's natural sleep rhythms and abide by them, if possible. If you're not physically capable of sleep, merely lying in bed will exasperate the problem and make things worse. If the problem is anxiety related consider seeing a therapist or counsellor if you don't have the resources/cash for a good psychologist.

Otherwise simply listening to your body instead of trying to abide by the supposedly "normal" sleep schedules imposed on you may land you some great sleep. Remember, 30 minutes of natural REM sleep midday is better than spending hours in bed anxiously shifting positions. 99% of sleep disorders and insomnia can be attributed to neglect of natural biorhythms and daily anxieties--so give yourself a damn break and try to enjoy life and take those late nights if you want 'em. Nothing wrong with being up until 5 if you can catch up later without hurting your life goals.

There is perhaps nothing worse for those with trouble sleeping than laying in bed trying to force sleep. It's just simply not how our bodies work.

I enjoy a good bit of workout before falling asleep =(

 

[unozero]

thx for the help guys especially BHC.

 

[Raziaar]

I've always used melatonin tablets. Crazy dreams though. I find myself drowsy in about 30 minutes after taking one tablet.

Never take more than one, unless you want to get a shitty rest that you wake up from quickly and exceptionally terrible dreams.

However, if you want to do without the chemicals as you said... maybe you need to examine how you sleep and what the best way for you to fall asleep fast is.

I absolutely hate sleeping on my back. I prefer being on my side in my special little pose... but when I do sleep on my back I find that I fall asleep much faster.

 

[Sulkdodds]

There is perhaps nothing worse for those with trouble sleeping than laying in bed trying to force sleep. It's just simply not how our bodies work.

Evidently I was foolish for advising this - all I can say is I got it from a friend of mine, and he said it worked for him. Perhaps there's a lot of individual variance.

 

[VirusType2]

Another thing is, an active mind can easily keep you awake, so keep that in mind. I try to set a time limit for organizing my thoughts and such. It's good to go through your day and all, but you've got a time limit: you must be asleep before your bed starts getting too hot.

Which brings up another thing, a cool, dark and quiet room is the best environment for sleeping. Darkness and quiet are obvious, but a lot of people don't realize - the optimal temperature for sleeping is actually cool. Many people have great difficulty falling asleep in the summer, without air conditioning.

 

[CR0M]

Mirtazapine. Life saver.

 

[Tyguy]

However, if you want to do without the chemicals as you said... maybe you need to examine how you sleep and what the best way for you to fall asleep fast is.

I'm all for chemicals, i've stopped caring what I put into my body. I took an ambien last night and it was beautiful...i had about 3 different dreams and they were all fun.

 

[CyberPitz]

I usually fall asleep relatively quick, but when I wake up around 2 AM, I'm up until 3-4....it sucks. I blame my mind racing, though.

 

[Eejit]

Don't we get a "Halp me sleep!" thread every month or so? Go search.

 

[cleverendeavouR]

There's this herbal supplement called 5-HTP that's actually supposed to help you with sleeping and depression. My dad swears by it and the few times I've used it I thought it helped.

 

[15357]

Heh, I can't seem to sleep as well, and when I do, I can't wake up.

 

[VirusType2]

After all these years, I am still learning how to sleep. I have had a sleep problem my entire life. Sleeping is something that comes naturally for nearly every person, but it's actually very easy to develop a sleep problem.

All animals operate on a cycle, and this cycle is regulated by the Sun. If you are having a problem with sleep, you must be strict with yourself about going to sleep at a similar time every night. There's no special trick to safely and effectively get around that.

I found that when I got home from work I was absolutely exhausted, but I was so glad to be off work, I couldn't help but reward myself with TV, movies and games. But this can actually rest you and make it difficult to fall asleep afterward. You burn more calories sleeping than watching TV.

 

[sinkoman]

Lately I have been having trouble falling asleep before like 5:00am even if I force myself to bed around 12 I just toss and turn for hours before I finally fall asleep.And when I have to go to work early the only choice I seem to have is sleep meds which helps staying asleep but not really falling asleep.Also the Meds give disturbing vivid dreams which sometimes ruins my whole ****ing day.
Does anybody have any suggestions?

I get this too, I usually can't fall asleep till like 4am. BUT, that's 100% because my sleep schedule is super ****ed. Monday Wednesday Friday I wake up at 8ish, but go to sleep at 4ish. Every other day I sleep at 4ish, and don't wake up till 2-3.

But, on days where I don't get a chance to ride my bike, it doesn't really matter when I go to sleep. I can expect to be tossing and turning for a couple of hours before I go down.

Oddly enough, I usually have more energy on the days where I get only 4 hours of sleep. I've also got 3 hours of classes on those days, which makes it extra weird. The days where I get a tonne of sleep, I just want to chiiiil and relax all day. But on the other days, i'm all over the place on my bike.

Exercise moar, like that one dude said.

 

[Stigmata]

Some dude at my school said that the main reason people have trouble falling asleep is because they don't do any cardio workout during the day. If you can't fall asleep, it's because your body has this unused store of easily-accessed energy that it feels it should use before you sleep. Run for 20 minutes or so, at least an hour before bed so your body has time for a cooldown, and then you'll sleep like a baby.

It worked that one time this week when I ran for 20 minutes, and every other night I've laid in bed with my eyes open for at least an hour before falling asleep, so it might be true!

 

[Maria Flores]

Slightly off-topic but once, I didn't eat for about 10-12 hours and when I came home (about 7 PM) I had a great feast. Then I slept at about 8 and woke up at 6 AM.

Worst day ever. After finally getting out of bed, I almost collapsed when trying to perform the morning piss. The worst symptom was not being able to focus on any object in front of me - my eyes would literally start vibrating and my eyelids felt heavy throughout the day.

 

[VirusType2]

Slightly off-topic but once, I didn't eat for about 10-12 hours and when I came home (about 7 PM) I had a great feast. Then I slept at about 8 and woke up at 6 AM.

Worst day ever. After finally getting out of bed, I almost collapsed when trying to perform the morning piss. The worst symptom was not being able to focus on any object in front of me - my eyes would literally start vibrating and my eyelids felt heavy throughout the day.

Holy ****, that sounds awesome. What kind of shit were you feasting on?

 

[Saturos]

Slightly off-topic but once, I didn't eat for about 10-12 hours and when I came home (about 7 PM) I had a great feast. Then I slept at about 8 and woke up at 6 AM.

Worst day ever. After finally getting out of bed, I almost collapsed when trying to perform the morning piss. The worst symptom was not being able to focus on any object in front of me - my eyes would literally start vibrating and my eyelids felt heavy throughout the day.

Maybe eating a big meal before bedtime wasn't such a good idea?
Probably what happened was that your body actually didn't get much rest if it was busy digesting a whole supermarkets worth of food.

IIRC, I think I heard somewhere it's best to have a huge feast midday and just eat lightly in the evening for that reason.

 

[Viperidae]

Hopefully one of these will hit your problem on its head.

 

[VirusType2]

If you eat just before sleeping all the time, eventually you get acid reflux, which can often give you painful heartburn after meals, among other problems. It's pretty easy to get, since I believe I have it and I'm only in my 30's.

For the past 5 or 10 years, I often ate before sleeping. I thought it was a good idea. I guess I was trying to put on some weight and avoid being hungry while lying in bed - ****ing hate that.

Lifestyle modifications

Dietary modification

Certain foods and lifestyle are considered to promote gastroesophageal reflux, but a 2006 review suggested that evidence for most dietary interventions is anecdotal; only weight loss and elevating the head of the bed were supported by evidence.[16] A subsequent randomized crossover study showed benefit by avoiding eating two hours before bedtime.[8]

The following may exacerbate the symptoms of GERD:

* Coffee and alcohol stimulate gastric acid secretion. Taking these before bedtime especially can cause evening reflux.
* Antacids based on calcium carbonate (but not aluminum hydroxide) were found to actually increase the acidity of the stomach. However, all antacids reduced acidity in the lower esophagus, so the net effect on GERD symptoms may still be positive.[17]
* Foods high in fats and smoking reduce lower esophageal sphincter competence, so avoiding these may help. Fat also delays stomach emptying.
* Eating within 2–3 hours before bedtime.
* Large meals. Having smaller, more frequent meals reduces GERD risk, as it means there is less food in the stomach at any one time.
* Carbonated soft drinks with or without sugar.
* Chocolate and peppermint.
* Acidic foods: tomatoes and tomato-based preparations; citrus fruits and citrus juices.
* Cruciferous vegetables:cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
* Milk and milk-based products containing calcium[citation needed] and fat, within 2 hours of bedtime.

 

[TwwIX]

Masturbation always works for me.