Problems with sleep?

[Nataly 38]

Sleep and I have not gotten along, ever.

Has anyone ever sucessfully cured/improved their insomnia? Please, no random advice from people who know nothing about insomnia. Unless it's funny. Funny posts always welcome


ETA - I'm basically just killing time. Pointing out the obvious (that I shouldn't take advice online from a bunch of skydivers) is unnecessary. Unless it's funny.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

I do better when I don't have caffeine after 2pm. Actually I do better when I don't have caffeine at all, but I'm too much of an addict to kick the habit permanently. It's not that I can't, it's that I don't care to. As long as that's the case, I'll never be successful.

Melatonin about half an hour before bed helps a bit. Changing my orientation from east-west to west-east every so often helps a lot for a few days. I'm guessin' the ruts I'm wearing in my mattress have an impact on my sleep.

I often end up with a lot of phlegm that bugs me until I get up and take a hit off the ephedrine inhaler or pop a couple of ephedrine tablets. The inhaler clears me up much faster but my supplies of those are limited and I can't get any more once I run out (And the new ones with other drugs are about 4 times as expensive.)

A lot of my problems are body-position-related. If I try to lay on my back, I'll start snoring and that'll wake me up. I have to sleep on one side, with my head slightly tilted to keep my throat open. My left side is usually where I end up but for some reason it's more uncomfortable than my right. If I try to sleep on my right side, I'll either start snoring cut off the circulation to my arm, either thing will wake me up. So I usually start on my right side and when I'm starting to go to sleep I'll flip to my left.

I think a large part of the problem is I have this memory foam mattress which seems like it's pretty comfortable but really isn't. I always feel like sinking into it is misaligning my entire skeleton. I'm thinking of moving it to the guest room and trying something else if it gets too annoying.

You could always try chewing some valerian root and joining a testicular cancer survivor's group...

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Southern_Man 0]

Yup, I got divorced.

Seriously, I had horrible sleep problems. Cutaway and now I sleep like a baby.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[Nataly 38]

Southern_Man

Yup, I got divorced.

Seriously, I had horrible sleep problems. Cutaway and now I sleep like a baby.

Huh.

Probably a good decision, then.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[ryoder 1,590]

A year ago I was having sleepless nights.
I solved my problem by submitting my resignation to the clueless imbeciles in the (mis)management of the corporation.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[piisfish 140]

Flying Rhenquest, may I suggest investigating in a change of pillow ?
My wife got me THIS ONE when she was pregnant. Best present ever. I waited 40 years to find the pillow I needed.

Like you I am a snorer, plus I do apnea. With this pillow I can sleep on the side without numbing my arm

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Wharewaka 0]

Try to buy a learning book (not a too interesting one). Study a language or something, like listen to language learning podcasts and your brain might decide sleep is easier.

[Nataly 38]

Good for you
Although I won't deny that there have been periods of sleeplessness worsened by life events, mostly the insomnia has no reason for being. Used to think it was due to "overthinking" but time/age has pretty much cured me of that kind of self-inflicted anxiety.

I know some things keep me up even longer... Books. The internet. Having the lights on. Getting out of bed (or not even getting into bed in the first place). I also know nothing frustrates me more than being wide awake in bed doing nothing for hours on end. So my best companion (the internet, movies, et cetera) is also my worst enemy when it comes to sleep. Catch-22...

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[Tink1717 2]

I retired from the fire dept and got off of night shift. Once I got on a regular day light schedule, I was able to get off the sleep/wake drugs and everything sorted itself out. Chopping the job was the biggest part of it though.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[shropshire 0]

Sleep is for the weak.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

Catch-22...

Hey, that's a great book!
It'll keep you up all night.


Seriously, though, I use an over-the-counter antihistamine. In fact, that's what most of the the pharmaceutical (i.e., not the herbal stuff) over-the-counter sleep remedies sold in the US use as their active ingredient: an antihistamine.

I recommend liquid, rather than tablet, so you can experiment with the right dosage, for your own body, that lets you sleep through the night without leaving you sleepy in the morning. When I use it, I take it about an hour before bedtime. Works for me.

[wmw999 2,534]

Quote

I know some things keep me up even longer... Books. The internet. Having the lights on. Getting out of bed (or not even getting into bed in the first place). I also know nothing frustrates me more than being wide awake in bed doing nothing for hours on end.

I'm nowhere close to a regular insomniac, but been there for periods.

somewhat boring books, not exciting ones. I.e. something you'd read, but not stay up late to read

no internet or TV in bed

learn to meditate

have a bedtime routine (like brush your teeth the same way, cup of herb tea, whatever -- set that "muscle memory")

When I went through a fairly serious bout a few years ago, I started meditating in bed. It didn't help immediately, but after about 6 weeks I noticed I was sleeping better. Not perfectly, but better. And the best part is that then when I start obsessing about the fact that I'm not sleeping, I just move my mind quietly away from that thought, and move back to meditating.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

piisfish

Flying Rhenquest, may I suggest investigating in a change of pillow ?
My wife got me THIS ONE when she was pregnant. Best present ever. I waited 40 years to find the pillow I needed.

Like you I am a snorer, plus I do apnea. With this pillow I can sleep on the side without numbing my arm

Hmm. That's interesting. I'll have to give that a shot.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[JohnMitchell 16]

I sleep pretty well, but wake up at 4:30 in the morning with list of things I need to do running thru my head. I've learned to just snuggle up with V and forget all about that stuff.
Sorry, that probably doesn't help you out any.

[Andy9o8 2]

JohnMitchell

I sleep pretty well, but wake up at 4:30 in the morning with list of things I need to do running thru my head. I've learned to just snuggle up with V and forget all about that stuff.
Sorry, that probably doesn't help you out any.

You just gave me an image of Nat snuggling up to V.

How can I thank you?

[quade 4]

Are you familiar with John and Martha King?

I fucking dare anyone to watch their series on instrument ground school topics and not fall asleep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMBVJ_oEJRg

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[ryoder 1,590]

Andy9o8

***I sleep pretty well, but wake up at 4:30 in the morning with list of things I need to do running thru my head. I've learned to just snuggle up with V and forget all about that stuff.
Sorry, that probably doesn't help you out any.

You just gave me an image of Nat snuggling up to V.

How can I thank you?

I'm glad I wasn't the only one.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[DrDom 0]

some of this has been said however, I'll tell you what the medical literature says:

No caffeine 8 hours before bed (12 is better)
No alcohol 4 hours before bed (causes a rebound "wake up" when it wears off)
Melatonin, despite the instructions, shoudl be taken FOUR hours before bed. It should only be taken for short times otherwise your brain stops producing its own (feedback loop) and you end up with more problems later.
No TV, internet, or brightly lit devices 2 hours before bed
Have a set schedule, have a set routine, and stick to it
meditate one hour before bed

thats all I have right now, but I can look up more :)

If you need a medication, the mildest is Valerian Root tea. Will help but its not a miracle cure. I use it when I'm cycling sleep for nights and back.

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[pincheck 0]

Take up urban exploring.

Do some hairy sites' where you play cat and mouse and or get chased by security or Police. Then if ........ and it is a .....if you make it back to the car. After the adrenaline rush, you then have to drive home.

Christ all you want to do is sleep

Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun

[kallend 2,106]

Ambien CR

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[OldHand 0]

think of nothing. reely. its helps me sometime.

i hope to sleep. its emportant.

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

kallend

Ambien CR

Scariest medication I've ever taken. Seriously.

Years ago when I was going through my separation and divorce I was not sleeping for what seemed like days at a time, my doctor suggested a type of meditation. Lay in bed on your back. Make sure you're comfortable. Dark room. Start at your toes and count to 50. Then ankles, knees, thighs, waist, stomach, heart, arms. I don't think I ever made it all the way up my body without falling asleep. Sounds cheesy but it helped a little bit.

And I didn't know Melatonin use will stop your own body from producing it. Maybe that's part of my problem now with not sleeping well recently.

Good luck!!

Always be kinder than you feel.

[OldHand 0]

i mean i hope you sleep!

[Nataly 38]

Yep. Routine should help. And no stimulation. Really should do that.

Good advice

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

DrDom

some of this has been said however, I'll tell you what the medical literature says:

No caffeine 8 hours before bed (12 is better)
No alcohol 4 hours before bed (causes a rebound "wake up" when it wears off)
Melatonin, despite the instructions, shoudl be taken FOUR hours before bed. It should only be taken for short times otherwise your brain stops producing its own (feedback loop) and you end up with more problems later.
No TV, internet, or brightly lit devices 2 hours before bed
Have a set schedule, have a set routine, and stick to it
meditate one hour before bed

thats all I have right now, but I can look up more :)

If you need a medication, the mildest is Valerian Root tea. Will help but its not a miracle cure. I use it when I'm cycling sleep for nights and back.

Here's a dumb question: Valerian Root Tea. Do you have to drink it as steeped or can you put skim milk in there?

Always be kinder than you feel.