Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival => Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board => Topic started by: Lucky on September 17, 2009, 02:57:03 AM
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What helps you ladies when suffering from insomnia? Your tips would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
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Hi Lucky,
Don't know if it is going to help, but I just had a cup of hot chocolate and two pieces of bread slathered with, I can't believe it's not butter!
There's no rhythm to my insomnia. I've heard of people who figure out the rhythm of their insomnia and live within its dictates. That works OK if you have no appointments/committments to keep the next day, and are self employed, or retired and can sleep in.
I make NO morning appointments or committments. My friends know that I don't and mercifully, they make no demands on my mornings. I'm single and all the work I do is from home.
I went on a three day water fast last weekend. Strangely, I slept a lot during that three days. Go figure.
Crazy way to live, Isn't it?
tt
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hi lucky,
I am like tt, the same...................crazy! Mornings are mine, no appointments, responsibilities etc.
My worst curse is to have a daytime nap, and if I have 2, then I am awake all night, which just throws me onto a totally different schedule. Now to keep awake takes weird measures. go to the bathroom whether you need to or not, eat something, drink something, look for a funny joke on the computer ............but then sometimes I fall asleep, chin in chest, before I find a funny joke. Makes sense!
Now if that happens, try better to not fall asleep in the afternoon, as this is too close to bedtime. Eat, drink, run around, prick your legs with pins, etc.. but for me I was whipped yesterday and took to my bed, a broken woman, slept and then was awake all night.
I was up at 6:30 and trying to fix my timer on the VCR and thought I had it but, Nope! it still taped the Sports Network, and the closer I came to the solution the faster my batteries went dry and it was too early for the store to be open. so I found a movie online and watched it. I almost dozed off but my physical therapist came, so I was mangled enough to stay awake and now it is 1:49 Thurs am, BUT, she left at 10 am and I have a funny feeling I was in my bed for 3-4 hours sleeping after that.
Anyone got any ideas for swiveling my day in a 180?
Aw sorry, I wasn't much help. Must be punchy!
Izzy
Click to enlarge
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Izzy re: picture :lol:
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At times life is miserable when suffering from regular insomnia.
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My husband and I are finding that as we age, we are more reactive to caffeine. It stinks, but we know we can't even have a glass of tea with our evening meal. I used to be able to drink a double espresso at 10 p.m. and go to sleep just fine, but not any more! So maybe the first thing is to note what happens during the day before a night of insomnia, and whether your body is changing and reacting more to those things.
I am addicted to a fan ... and if I can't have it, a thunderstorm CD. I also create my "dream house" in the minutes before sleep, decorating it in the most soothing way, placing it in the most soothing location, etc.
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Have you ever fasted or just had a few days of raw food. Chinese Medicine says that insomnia can be caused by too many toxins , the liver is overloaded and you can get insomnia.
Warmly Ami
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After 5 years of chronic insomnia, I made an appointment with my family doctor. Have you had a physical lately?
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Hello Lucky!
I feel your pain. It can be so difficult to overcome.
What has helped me.
No caffiene
No afternoon naps (which feel needed after a sleepless night)
NO TV
My biggest problem is me, I go into over drive. My mind wouldn't calm down.
I started to down load books onto my ipod. Just fiction, no deep stuff. kwim? First I put the timer on for an hour now I'm down to 1/2 hour and I'm off to sleep.
At first I couldn't get into the story, but as time went on the readers voice became very soothing. It was easier for me than reading with the lights on at that time of night.
A few I've listened to.......
My Sisters Keeper
The Time Travelers Wife
The Shack
Their stories replaced mine. :)
Hope you can find something that works for you! HUGS seasons
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Hi,
I have tried fasting. Just did three day water fast last week. I slept through the last half. Felt so good and I've felt better since. However, after two nights of good sleep, I'm back to 'enjoying' the magic of the night. I actually do think nights are magical. It's a time of extraordinary quiet (extraordinary quiet relatively speaking). What I miss is the ability to say, OK, time to go to sleep, putting my head on the pillow, going through a short pre-sleep ritual and the falling asleep in 10 or 15 minutes. Before PTSD, sleep was one of my favorite things. I NEVER had a problem falling asleep except when I forgot and had caffeine. Have spent the last 19 years having had no more than a dozen or so nights of spontaneous, normal sleep.
Anyone here suffer from Sleep Inertia over and above Insomnia? Combine the two...That's a hoot!
tt
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I'm dependent on Ambien.
I can't take the sustained-release version (Ambien CR) because it triggers wonky behavior.
One night I woke at 3 a.m. in front of the fridge eating cheese. I had also fed the dog.
I think hitting myself over the head with a skillet every night would be a good idea.
That or give up a lot of escapist things I adore.
Hope that exercising more will help me sleep. I know it will.
hugs, yawn,
Hops
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lucky
I go and snuggle my children then make sure I have a good book by the side of the bed, or something I HAVE to do like send thank yous, and just start in.
That usually gets me sleepy, right about the time I need to wake up, but sometimes sooner.
I think waking up at all hours has more to do with what's on your mind, though I'm sure that's not the case for everyone.
Have you tried meditating?
Mo2
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Hi Lucky,
I've figured it out! God in His wisdom created a group of people for every shift. I'm third shift. Problem is, daytime doesn't accommodate third shifters very well. There should be a law!!!!!
tt
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Teartracks you're funny :D.
However I think it has to do with anxiety, physical health is okay.
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I had a severe episode of insomnia yrs ago, not so much regular insomnia, I had to find a doctor that would prescribe me sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication in order to get my circadian rhythms back on track. I no longer take the pills, they were just needed as a temporary remedy until my body got over the anxiety.
Got to pay attention to the circadian rhythms, exercise during the day (chop wood or something), don't eat even a little sugar and caffeine before bed.
Oh gosh, one day of snowshoeing and I fall asleep sitting up on the drive home with drool running out of my mouth.
I don't know if you are a caffeine drinker, it effects my system for a few days after having it, so it takes significant time to wear off not just a few hours. Eating good meals at regular intervals helps. Try eating potatoes and triptophan, many foods have triptophan not just turkey.
Don't watch TV at least one hour before bed, too much overstimulating sensory input.
Don't read the news or violent stuff before bed.
Maybe earplugs and those eye-covers to create 100% darkness. Give your body a whole quieting down period in the evening.
Sleepy-time tea actually does help some people. Seriously.
Getting a regular bedtime routine so the body understands it's bedtime. I think it's a matter of establishing normalcy and getting the nervous system on track.
There was a place I lived that for some reason took aprox. 2 hrs to fall asleep, when I moved to a new home I was able to fall asleep more easily, this was an unexpected change.
Maybe extra security enhancements in/around the home? I like the bright motion detection flood lights.
I have a friend that use to sleep with a weapon every night.
There is a Beatles song called "Good Night".
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Hey, Lucky.
Like Helen, I needed to see my doctor for some temporary medication to help me get back on track. My sleep issues are related to anxiety, PTSD issues (feelings of safety, sleep is such a vulnerable time, isn't it?), and nightmares. That's why I posted before with a suggestion that you see your family doctor. After years of sleep trouble, it was all beginning to catch up with me and affect my daily functioning. I spent a long time trying to tough it out.
It sounds simple, but I waited so long to ask for help because...well...I have trouble asking for help. And for some reason, I thought seeing my doctor about getting a good night's rest sounded frivolous. It's not frivolous!
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I was dependent on Ambien for three years. What finally got me off of it was being prescribed another medication (I think a pain pill) that made me drowsy, so after a week of taking that medication, I lost my dependence on the Ambien.
Now I'm off any medication, I no longer have full-blown insomnia, but do have trouble getting to sleep. My problem is that I'll be busy all day, and once I lay down to go to sleep, my mind becomes active thinking of housework that need to be done, family issues, you name it. Sometimes my husband is kind enough to give me a foot rub, which will almost always do the trick. Otherwise, I have to be careful about what I do before bed. I can watch TV, but no scary movies, crime shows, and the like. Just dumb stuff, like DWTS. Reading helps, but magazine articles, not novels. If I read a good novel before bed, I tend to take the story to bed with me.
Hot cocoa or tea really seems to help, but only during winter months. Someone else mentioned earplugs, which also helps. My husband snores, and the earplugs tune that right out. I use the squishy foam ones so they're very comfortable to wear.
Insomnia is a lousy thing to have, for sure. Ambien and other sleep aids ARE an option. I never had any problems with the drug, just decided that after three years, I had been taking it too long. But it did work well for me.
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Lucky,
I am a long time victim of insomnia... along with what everybody has reccomended, I have also been put on medication- which I do not like to take. I was recently introduced to a set of CDs called Brain Mechanics By Kim Potter PhD. I actually had a session with him, and he gave them to me. The change your perception of life... they really work! They are almost like a guided meditation/counseling session in one. I know that they work cause "the old me" would have found any excuse to take those pills, and any excuse to choke my N childs father, but overall Ive been pretty collected. You can but them on line... They put me to sleep everytime but whatever they are saying to my brain while im sleeping is really working!!! And I SLEEP! Other than that, I have recently been introduced to Lavender tea with milk- sooo calming! and reading can almost get me to sleep but not always! really check out the CDs though- I think you can just Google Brain Mechanics... I reccomend them to everybody who is ready for change... and maybe some restful sleep while ur at it! :lol:
kaylebsmum
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It turns out for me, if I want to get back to sleep is reading.......after a few pages I am out...........if really bad night...........I watch a little HGTV..........then read again and that usually does it.
:lol:
Hugs,
Bettyanne
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I reduced caffeine intake a while ago, especially after two in the afternoon. Falling asleep is normally no problem but staying asleep after four in the night is a problem.
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I am not used to this insomnia thing. Used to be I could go to sleep on a dime, but no longer and I really hate it. Sometimes i am sooo tired, go to bed and then as soon as I hit the bed, BAM!!! wide awake. I wish I knew the answer to a good nights sleep. :?:
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Very interesting what everybody said. BUT does anyone find that they sleep and 'think' while sleeping, then wake up at 3-4 am with an anxiety, having the same thought over and over again? I am going through a very difficult period, I would say the most challenging so I guess sleep deprivation/disturbance in expected but it's the first time in my life that I can say that I have not slept good in 6-8 weeks.
I knew only one more person who had the thing I do - that is to wake up in panic with a specific thought of something that troubled him.
Any techniques to beat this?
Thanks
Persephone
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Hi Persephone,
Could you keep a journal by your bed and when the thought awakens you, turn on a LOW light (you might need to install a dimmer on your lamp)...and write down the thought in just one sentence? Make a ritual of writing it down, closing the book and setting it aside to think about the next day.
You've "caught your thought" and have set it aside to deal with at an appropriate time.
Just an idea....
My insomnia is because night, TV, laptop, are freedom. I hate my job so I fight sleep which only brings me closer to another day there.
It's a form of defiance and not very clever of me.
Hops
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Hey Hops,
'Hate my job', man did you hit a nerve... Not only job but everything right now.
I think I have to start writing things again. I think I got carried away with all the new age 'don't write or talk about negativity' and lost my basic tool that actually fights negativity the most effective way.
Thanks so much
Persephone
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Sometimes waking up in the wee hours of the morning is a sign of depression ... there seems to be a chemical change in the brain that triggers early-morning waking. It sounds more like you are waking with anxious thoughts, but I thought I'd put that out there for you to consider.
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Thanks HOP, yes, I am depressed. I have been before but never had sleep disturbances.
I would like to report however that I did manage to have a good night's sleep last night for the first since latish July - hooray!
Wishing sweet dreams to everybody and hope you'll manage to sleep too!!!
P xx