Insomnia

[Zack Uidl]

Hey everyone

Just curious if anyone has any good ideas to help with not being able to sleep.

I have never been able to sleep well, normally get only three to four hours of sleep a night. It has been like this for years.

I do workout and get cardio exercise most days and I don't drink a ton of caffeine (only coffee in the mornings).

I am fairly stressed I guess. I have a ton on my plate and do work a lot and a lot of the time I can't get my brain to shut up at night. I just keep thinking of new ideas for projects, etc. (I am a professional guitarist and get ideas for ideas for things like studio work, music instruction, etc)

Any ideas? Appreciate the help everyone

 

[AStacy2]

Move the computer and the TV away from your bed.

 

[abyssofdreams]

Insomnia can be caused by:

* Psychoactive drugs or stimulants, including certain medications, herbs, caffeine, cocaine, ephedrine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, MDMA, methamphetamine and modafinil
* Fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs, see Fluoroquinolone toxicity, associated with more severe and chronic types of insomnia [8]
* Hormone shifts such as those that precede menstruation and those during menopause
* Life problems like fear, stress, anxiety, emotional or mental tension, work problems, financial stress, unsatisfactory sex life
* Mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, clinical depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, or obsessive compulsive disorder.
* Disturbances of the circadian rhythm, such as shift work and jet lag, can cause an inability to sleep at some times of the day and excessive sleepiness at other times of the day. Jet lag is seen in people who travel through multiple time zones, as the time relative to the rising and setting of the sun no longer coincides with the body's internal concept of it. The insomnia experienced by shift workers is also a circadian rhythm sleep disorder.
* Estrogen is considered to play a significant role in women’s mental health (including insomnia). A conceptual model of how estrogen affects mood was suggested by Douma et al. 2005 based on their extensive literature review relating activity of endogenous, bio-identical and synthetic estrogen with mood and well-being. They concluded the sudden estrogen withdrawal, fluctuating estrogen, and periods of sustained estrogen low levels correlated with significant mood lowering. Clinical recovery from depression postpartum, perimenopause, and postmenopause was shown to be effective after levels of estrogen were stabilized and/or restored.[9][10]
* Certain neurological disorders, brain lesions, or a history of traumatic brain injury
* Medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism
* Abuse of over-the counter or prescription sleep aids can produce rebound insomnia
* Poor sleep hygiene, e.g., noise
* Parasomnia, which includes a number of disruptive sleep events including nightmares, sleepwalking, violent behavior while sleeping, and REM behavior disorder, in which a person moves his/her physical body in response to events within his/her dreams
* A rare genetic condition can cause a prion-based, permanent and eventually fatal form of insomnia called fatal familial insomnia
* Parasites can cause intestinal disturbances while sleeping.

+ go to the doctor

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Dude - go to the local GNC (vitamin shop) and pick up some Melatonin. I have never tried it personally, but know people who say it's a wonder! Definitely stay away from the narcotic sleep aids to avoid dependance (I HAVE tried that personally, and it's NOT fun after the fact).

Good luck dude.

 

[GarethSE]

+1 on the Melatonin.

You can't get it over the counter here in the UK, but I get it on prescription for my insomnia.
I don't take them, cos I'm not a fan of taking any medicine, even if it is something COMPLETELY natural like a melatonin pill, so I don't sleep often, but when I used to take them regularly, they fucken slayed me man. Used to just be out like a light, like any "normal" person.
and its just a natural hormone that some people have a deficiency in, so the tablets are perfectly natural.
2 in a dark room with a glass of water and youll be out proper quickly

 

[pifos_2]

don't get any pills, medicine or drugs.
I would recommend to stop working on music or listening to any energic music at least 2 hours before getting to sleep. at least for a few weeks. also no sports before bedtime (hmm only bedsports allowed).

go for a walk. read a book. take a shower. cook. put a cd while trying to sleep but something Like Opeth's Damnation or such.

if not working, move in the countryside.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I have a job where I have to stay up all night on the weekends, but have to reset during the week. Most of the time this isn't an issue for me, but every once and a while I can't fall asleep till 5am

So I finally broke down and grabbed a prescription for Ambien. I asked for 15 pills (with 1 refill) 2 months ago, I still have 13.

Puts you to sleep in 15 mins and you sleep like your dead, also I have to make sure I am going to get 10 (the company says 8 but fuck that) hours or else I go zombie the next day.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I have this problem too.

I'm afraid of pills, because I will wake up Heath Ledgered.

 

[Nebulous]

Mark sure you're comfortable and have a decent pillow and matress which allow your body to relax.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin

Exogenous melatonin taken in the evening is, together with light therapy upon awakening, the standard treatment for delayed sleep phase syndrome and non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. It appears to have some use against other circadian rhythm sleep disorders as well, such as jet lag and the problems of people who work rotating or night shifts.
Taken 30 to 90 minutes before bedtime, melatonin is put into the blood earlier than the brain's own production and acts as a mild hypnotic.

It's not habit forming or addictive, nor causes tolerance.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin

Exogenous melatonin taken in the evening is, together with light therapy upon awakening, the standard treatment for delayed sleep phase syndrome and non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. It appears to have some use against other circadian rhythm sleep disorders as well, such as jet lag and the problems of people who work rotating or night shifts.
Taken 30 to 90 minutes before bedtime, melatonin is put into the blood earlier than the brain's own production and acts as a mild hypnotic.

It's not habit forming or addictive, nor causes tolerance.

It will give you weird dreams though.
Extremely weird.

Plus it may cause you to oversleep when you do get to bed, or it could make you super lethargic upon awakening.

FIRST hand experience.

Pineal Gland FTW,

 

[Erik Monsonis]

It will give you weird dreams though.
Extremely weird.

Plus it may cause you to oversleep when you do get to bed, or it could make you super lethargic upon awakening.

FIRST hand experience.

Pineal Gland FTW,

Yeah, but your brain will be repaired in its REM phase as it's intended to be. I think having weird dreams is not so important when we're talking about not being able to sleep at all

Never tested it on myself as I've never had any insomnia problems (ironically it's working-thursday and almost 4am here )

 

[mick thompson]

hot milk with some honey about 30 minutes before you sleep and look for some natural sleeping pills in health shops and pop a few

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Yeah, but your brain will be repaired in its REM phase as it's intended to be. I think having weird dreams is not so important when we're talking about not being able to sleep at all

I'm just throwing it out there.

It takes a week or so to really reap the benefits of melatonin supplementation though.

 

[GarethSE]

Shit used to make me super lethargic in the mornings and I was on it for months.

 

[JBroll]

JBroll wins at insomnia.

The biggest thing I can say is... don't fight it. Laying in bed for hours with nothing to do could be worse for your mental state than just getting up, working more, and staying up until you're tired - or pulling an all-nighter and just being a zombie the next evening.

Right now I can't sleep because months ago I heard funny noises in the walls... bears, to be specific. Bears in my motherfucking walls, for fuck's sake. Not just one, several... and at least one must be a doctor, since I've heard them *performing surgery* - if you might have some underlying issue, take care of it and hope that helps the insomnia; if not, try changing your night routine.

jeff

 

[ConspiracyBass]

When I couldn't sleep I used to take Benadryl. Take about being knocked the fuck out. Too bad it makes you super groggy. Now I just deal with either not sleeping or only getting like 5 hours.

 

[Zack Uidl]

thanks dudes for the ideas. i will see what helps. unfortunately, i only slept for an hour last night so these will be really helpful to try tonight

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

That's because Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) is the main ingredient in every OTC sleeping pill!

 

[RemoWilliams]

JBroll wins at insomnia.

The biggest thing I can say is... don't fight it. Laying in bed for hours with nothing to do could be worse for your mental state than just getting up, working more, and staying up until you're tired - or pulling an all-nighter and just being a zombie the next evening.

Right now I can't sleep because months ago I heard funny noises in the walls... bears, to be specific. Bears in my motherfucking walls, for fuck's sake. Not just one, several... and at least one must be a doctor, since I've heard them *performing surgery* - if you might have some underlying issue, take care of it and hope that helps the insomnia; if not, try changing your night routine.

jeff

Insomnia is not a laughing matter, since I've had it before, but damn if your description of the bear didn't make me start laughing for a good minute.