Insomnia

Laurelin

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#1
I have these random bouts of insomnia. They happen maybe once every two weeks and it happens for a 3 or so days at a time. On other nights I typically lie down and pass out pretty quick.

Is there anything you can do to help this? I seriously got < 3 hours of sleep last night, just tossing and turning. The longer I'm awake, the more anxious I get about having to wake up at 5 and the more unlikely I am to sleep. I wish I could predict the insomnia.

Right now I'm feeling like tonight will be bad too.
 
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#2
Melatonin perhaps? or herbal sleep supplements? A glass of cool milk seems to do the trick for when I'm feeling restless - boring, but it seems to work.
 

Fran101

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#3
I don't have "real" insomnia.
I have ridiculous anxiety insomnia that makes me do dumb things like stare at the ceiling fan thinking about class the next day or a stupid wrong answer I gave to a question..until 5 in the morning.

I have two options that I turn to

- the first and best is melatonin. These worked wonders on me and settle me into a great natural sleep and I wake up rested. These are time released so you STAY asleep. I use these. It also helps get my brain into the groove of a normal frikin sleeping pattern (I went all nocturnal for a while lol)
http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Right-M...qid=1349146703&sr=8-1&keywords=sleeping+pills
any other sleeping stuff makes me wake up CRANKY or helps me fall asleep but then I wake up 2 hours later. This stuff has worked wonders for me.

- other option..good ol fashioned cold medicine/nyquil. I think my friends and I used this stuff to fall asleep every night the entire semester lol. It does help me go to sleep for sure. but yea, you are going to wake up a little off if you don't get enough sleep and you have to keep upping the dose for it to work lol would not suggest it long term but it does work pretty well. It's much quicker then the melatonin (it's more of a drug induced knock out then a gentle ease into sleep lol)
 

Laurelin

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#4
Do you take melatonin every single night? I already feel like I'm on so many pills these days lol.

I think mine is anxiety based too. I get to thinking and my brain goes 1000 mph and can't sit still and then I am realizing it's late and then I freak out more because I have to wake up at 5. and then I get more thoughts about how I NEED to shut my brain off. But then I can't. Then I worry more. And it feeds itself.
 

Fran101

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#5
Do you take melatonin every single night? I already feel like I'm on so many pills these days lol.

I think mine is anxiety based too. I get to thinking and my brain goes 1000 mph and can't sit still and then I am realizing it's late and then I freak out more because I have to wake up at 5. and then I get more thoughts about how I NEED to shut my brain off. But then I can't. Then I worry more. And it feeds itself.
The rec. dose is 1-2 hours before sleep, it doesn't need to be every night..I just take it on nights where my body isn't getting the GO TO SLEEP message.
All melatonin is really is the natural stuff your body produces that tells your brain that dark=start sleeping.

Just DO NOT take it during the day or when you are exposing yourself to bright daytime lights or something..that'll really mess you up (I've heard of people feeling really depressed and other odd side-effects because your brain is like "but..day..flooded with melatonin..light.. WTF IS GOING ON!? ABANDON SHIP!!" lol kind of thing.

I have the same problem as you as far as "brain shutting off" and me stressing about how much sleep time I have left and such..and this stuff has really helped. Even when not taking it, my brain kind of "gets it" now that lights off=sleep.
 

SkyRock

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#6
I constantly have insomnia, sometimes I fall asleep as late (early? lol) as 7am, it is veru frustrating and I'm always anxious before going to bed, in fear that I won't be able to fall asleep which in return only gives me more insomnia. I take ZZZQuil sometimes, but I try to not make it a habit because I hate depending on drugs to sleep.
 
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#7
Why yes I have insomnia from time to time, can you tell? :p

It comes and goes. I try to get up at the same time no matter what, and it usually sorts itself out after a day or two. Also an acupuncturist helped me quite a bit when it was really bad.
 

Lyzelle

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#8
I've tried a bit of everything.

Melatonin made me fall asleep quickly. But then I was wide awake in 3 hours.

A long hot bath can be the works or the devil, depending on what is keeping me awake. If it's just the jitters or anxiety, it can typically relax me to the point of sleepiness. Hot tea, too. I personally like mint and chamomile.

Anything + PM has done well for me in the past. Advil PM, Tylenol PM, etc., etc. Knocks me out cold. The only con to it is if I take it too often, it stops working.

If you happen to have any opioids on hand, those work really nicely for insomnia + anxiety. Hydrocodone, Xanax, etc., etc. Usually get them after things like oral surgery (wisdom teeth) or such.

Otherwise, I have no real advice for you. I get into insomnia/hellish nightmare cycles every now and then, but I think it was caused mostly by my birth control. I haven't had any issues since starting Implanon.

ETA: Alcohol is also a good go-to-sleeper. Little cocktail or glass of wine.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#9
Melatonin perhaps? or herbal sleep supplements? A glass of cool milk seems to do the trick for when I'm feeling restless - boring, but it seems to work.
milk energizes me, is that weird?

I should pick up some melatonin though, I've been a total insomniac lately with the move and the house hunting. :yikes:
 

SkyRock

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#10
milk energizes me, is that weird?

I should pick up some melatonin though, I've been a total insomniac lately with the move and the house hunting. :yikes:
Have you tried warm milk? I know the doctor recommended me warm milk with a tiny bit of sugar and that made me sleep like a baby... Until it stopped working after a few months.
 

Kat09Tails

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#11
I freaking love ZZZzzzQuil. It's like a 5x dose of benedryl - I usually sleep like I died and OMG it's wonderful.

I tried melatonin - the side effects really caused me anxiety - really REALLY vivid dreams. Like taste the rainbow - HD level dreams that I had a hard time waking up from.
 

SkyRock

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#12
I freaking love ZZZzzzQuil. It's like a 5x dose of benedryl - I usually sleep like I died and OMG it's wonderful.

I tried melatonin - the side effects really caused me anxiety - really REALLY vivid dreams. Like taste the rainbow - HD level dreams that I had a hard time waking up from.
Yeah melatonin scares me LOL, ZZZQuil though... I love it.
 

Laurelin

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#13
Nyquil does absolutely nothing for me. <--- Yeah I'm still awake. Only 4 hours till I need to be awake. :(
 

Laurelin

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#15
Oh I thought that was some nickname for Nyquil. I really am tired, just unable to sleep.

Whenever I get on the computer, I'm yawning and half asleep. Lie down and I'm immediately awake again.
 

Romy

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#16
Oh I thought that was some nickname for Nyquil. I really am tired, just unable to sleep.

Whenever I get on the computer, I'm yawning and half asleep. Lie down and I'm immediately awake again.
The computer screen light and TV light really screws up your internal clock. A lot of healthcare folks recommend not going on the computer within a couple hours of bed time.

Also, melatonin does work really well. But if you're on meds you should check with a pharmacist first because it's not compatible with some stuff.
 

RD

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#18
Melatonin can work during the day, too, but definitely draw the shades. I work overnights but i take melatonin for my sleep aid and its been doing great things for me. Very vivid dreams though. Like whoa. My dreams are like epic feature lengths.

I have had issues with fatigue on zzzquil and otc sleep aids.
 

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