Damn you, insomnia! Damn you straight to hell!

[ravenvii]

Here I am, sitting at the front of the computer at 5:54 AM, because I tried for 4 hours to sleep, with miserable results. This is just ****ing great. This means I'll all of sudden get really tired during the day, and my body'll say "let's go to sleep!"... ****, you had what, 12 hours last night, and NOW you want to go to sleep when you can't?! THAT'S JUST GREAT! :mad:

Tomorrow... today I mean... is gonna suck. Thanks a lot, body, thanks a lot.

Sorry for the rant. I'm just pissed.

[Lacero]

Hey, I used to get insomnia all the time as a teenager. Especially during the hot Summers. For some reason, I sleep better in Fall and Winter.

It might also be stress from back to school and girls.

[DeSnousa]

hahaha, yeah that is so annoying when it occurs, ive got work every Saturday morning and im never tired on a friday night. Luckily im tired tonight, had a big game of AFL. Going to have a good sleep tonight at the right time :p

[andym172]

I have one week every two months where I just can't sleep. It's very strange as I'm not a person who shows the obvious indicators of stress - I'm very laid back, but never let anything get on top of me.

Have you tried going for a run, or doing any form of exercise in the fresh air?
I find this helps a lot...

Good luck!

[PlaceofDis]

Hey, I used to get insomnia all the time as a teenager. Especially during the hot Summers. For some reason, I sleep better in Fall and Winter.


thats how i am still, although im not sure if its because of the heat or what.... i just tend to have more energy during the summer.... but hey, at least you don't have to get up in the morning at 5am to go to work like me.... :::sigh::: its going to be a Loooooooong day again.

[Lacero]

If it is not stress, insomnia could be from a lack of exercise. Barring medical conditions, of course.

[mad jew]

If it is not stress, insomnia could be from a lack of exercise. Barring medical conditions, of course.


I find the opposite is true for me. I sleep less if I exercise compared to when I'm just being a lazy bum. Sleep is apparently mainly meant for your mind, not your body. Your body only needs a little bit of sleep. :)

[Lacero]

Here I am, sitting at the front of the computer at 5:54 AMHa! I bet you can't sleep because you're excited about your Nintendo DS.

[DeSnousa]

I find the opposite is true for me. I sleep less if I exercise compared to when I'm just being a lazy bum. Sleep is apparently mainly meant for your mind, not your body. Your body only needs a little bit of sleep. :)

Exercise will totally put me to sleep. Its weird like at the sports carnival i did alot of events. I went to bed at 6pm that night. I even go to bed around 3-5 pm :eek: regularly after i big day of non stop sport when. Thats straight away when i arrive home.

[AmigoMac]

Sorry to read that, I haven't had the best nights lately, and sometimes my back hurts and at the ned of the day I'm over, but can'T sleep, it's in your mind, not your body. Exercising your body will force you to sleep but still won't be helpful to your thoughts during the next day.

Look for the problem and then the solution.

[scubabeano]

You ever try one of those hynosis CDs? - they're awesome, they really work. You need to listen to it every evening, and after a few days you'll nod off anywhere :D

[inlimbo]

I know your going to hate me for saying this but... I wish I had insomnia. Im an honours student and I think it would be great to have insomnia. Imagine how much work I could get done if I couldn't get to sleep!

[AmigoMac]

You ever try one of those hynosis CDs? - they're awesome, they really work. You need to listen to it every evening, and after a few days you'll nod off anywhere :D

Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! ... I see, ;)

[AmigoMac]

I know your going to hate me for saying this but... I wish I had insomnia. Im an honours student and I think it would be great to have insomnia. Imagine how much work I could get done if I couldn't get to sleep!

No boy, you don't wish that, you wish you could handle your time better, you wish to reach a lot of things you think about, but you don'T wish insomnia for yourself.

Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! :p
Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! Buy a mac! Buy an iPod! :p

[neildmitchell]

I go through the same thing.

Usually what I do is, go for an hour walk starting at 10pm
while walking make sure I am breathing deep and relaxed, but not hypervent.
Hatha Yoga - Breathing (http://abel.hive.no/oj/musikk/trompet/exercise/yoga.html)

12-1 comes around, and I head off to bed.
I turn the alarm clock so I cant look at at
take a few more deep controlled breathes, and then normal breathing,
starting with my toes, I think my toes are relaxed I then move on only when I feel I have relaxed that part. As you move you should feel your body become heavier and heavier.

once my whole body is relaxed, I will count backwards from 99, as I count I am counting in step with my breathes, so as I get further into counting I try to slow my breathing down (comfortably, dont force it) .

and if you make it all the way down to 0, then hopefully you should be able to get to sleep.

I do this because I do have probs sleeping sometimes, but also cause my brain seems to gear up into overdrive at night, and I need to try and quite it.
Even during all the relaxation excercise, my brain wont shut up. Maybe I have a form of ADD or something, who knows.

[CompUser]

I can't sleep at all if it is above 70 degrees in a room. Seriously. If the temp is in the mid 60s Bam- right to sleep I go.

Reading something helps me fall asleep. It makes my eyes tired.

[emw]

So, did you fall asleep in your bean soup at lunch or what? We're all dying to find out!

Although I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. Mine always strikes when I know I need to get up early, and I keep looking at the clock to make sure I didn't miss the alarm or something :rolleyes:

[AmigoMac]

Mine always strikes when I know I need to get up early, and I keep looking at the clock to make sure I didn't miss the alarm or something :rolleyes:


I'm in the same situation when I have long trips ahead, can't sleep!

[ravenvii]

Damn. I ended up nodding off at 7 AM on my chair. Woke up at 3 PM.

Practically the whole day gone. At least I am not feeling horrible... Probably not going to sleep well tonight neither... Vicious circle I tell you.

[5300cs]

I just got back from the US so I know how you feel. I went to sleep at around 10pm and woke up at 2am, unable to sleep anymore. It's gonna suck.

Are you old enough to drink? A small glass of wine (red) usually makes me a little drowsy (it helped on the 13 hour flight coming over here.)

[PlaceofDis]

ah yes my insomnia is back in full force. i know its more in my mind than my body. my body is relaxed, im very good about keeping it that way, i rarely get knots in my back and even though i'm not the healthiest person... i know its rested. my mind refuses to shut off though..... just keeps chugging along at the problems i have even if they are rather inconsequential. what can you do though? i got a nap in today, but who knows.... maybe after being up for 24+ hours i will crash for longer than two hours.

[Leareth]

Hey at least you are not like me and gone the other way
I am a hypersomniac , I require 1/4 MORE sleep than the average person
which for me is minimum 9.5 hours a night, any less and I will just fall asleep at what ever I try to do,
hypersomnia is seen as a possible precursor to narcolepsy so I have more neat sh*t to look forward to.

[mad jew]

hypersomnia is seen as a possible precursor to narcolepsy so I have more neat sh*t to look forward to.


At least you won't be awake for it though. ;)






Oh, and I thought I'd give you a smiley that's already halfway to being asleep. It seemed appropriate.

[neildmitchell]

Hey at least you are not like me and gone the other way
I am a hypersomniac , I require 1/4 MORE sleep than the average person
which for me is minimum 9.5 hours a night, any less and I will just fall asleep at what ever I try to do,
hypersomnia is seen as a possible precursor to narcolepsy so I have more neat sh*t to look forward to.
Are you serious! I need an av of 10, I thought I was the only one. I had no idea it was called hypersomniac Thank you.
My grandmother had narcolepsy, so I might also later in life? Great

hypersomnia – also called excessive (daytime) sleepiness or somnolence; the inability to remain awake during an individual’s normal wake period.

Hypersomnia refers to either excessive sleepiness during the day or extended, overly long periods of nighttime sleep. Other words that are synonymous with hypersomnia are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), excessive sleepiness, or somnolence.

Hypersomnia is fairly common, with nearly 5% of the population affected. The age groups most affected by hypersomnia are teenagers and young adults. As with most sleep disorders, hypersomnia is underreported because many people inaccurately believe that always feeling sleepy and taking naps are normal behavior.

These individuals fall asleep during movies, dinner, or even in conversation. Similarly, they may sleep ten hours or longer during one sleep cycle, rather than the average eight.

Thank you, I have no idea. That explains so much. Im going all the way back in my sleep history to preschool, and Hypersomnia explains it all.

[keithpetey]

get a job. im at school or work 7 days out of the week. i wake up around 7 everyday and get home around 5. which seems pretty normal but i do it EVERYDAY. then when i do get home i do alot of homework. i try to have a life but its kinda hard. i just got home right now and im going to sleep. when my head hits the pillow im out like a light.

[goodtimes5]

I have insomnia just because my mind is too busy thinking about life and its challenges that I have to overcome.

Which usually leads to worries and apprehension about my lack of solutions.

Which usually leads to an intense desire to create a solution.

Which usually leads to my mind being too busy thinking about life and its challenges that I have to overcome.

Oh my.

[After G]

Take a hot shower and then hop into bed.

Your body feeling cold will help you get to sleep. Falling body temperature is a cue for your body/brain to shut down for the night.

Works for me.

Strangely, drinking coffee also helps me to get to sleep ...

Or just doing stuff until I feel tired ... no use forcing it.

[jimN]

If you want to really muck your body up try working shift patterns. Am on nights over the weekend so I need to be sleeping now. However the night wasn't too busy so i've been cat napping on a sofa in front of early morning tv and now i feel groggy but not sleepy (if that makes sense). Thankfully in this job i get a good period of recovery after nights although going into nights is a question of working the day on thursday and then working firday night - a difficult adjustment. In my last job you used to work four nights through to friday morning and then come in and work 13 hours a day during the weekend, and then work all of the week after. It is a great way to cause motor accidents.

With regards to getting to sleep we were taught to observe good bed toilet (?). If you are lying there are not sleeping then get up. Your bed needs to be a place for sleeping and your mind must associate it as such. Therefore get up and do something that makes you sleepy, people recommend cocoa but eating anything tends to help as you get all parasympathetic - the so called rest and digest phase. Exercise is good but the really important thing is to be doing something, as someone said having a daily routine is a real help. Doing nothing all day doesn't make you feel rested you just develop this listless feeling of complete apathy.

Finally don't watch teh cricket, far too exciting these days!!

[jimN]

Strangely, drinking coffee also helps me to get to sleep ...

Too right. Some people i know will get withdrawal headaches if they go without and these keep them awake, however they are tolerant of the stimulant effects.

[iGary]

Sounds like you're without health insurance, Raven.

Been there, done that, got a T-Shirt for it.

If you do have health care, a .5mg Xanax or Valium is all it usually takes to get most people to get a good night's sleep. They are addictive, though, and not a long-term solution.

Best way to fix it is to get on a regular schedule if you can. Up at the smae time every day, down at the same time every night, which I realize can be hard as a student.

Good luck, friend.

[scem0]

I get insomnia occasionally. My body is exhausted, but as soon as I hit the mattress my mind wakes up :eek:. It usually happens after emotional days.

scem0

[jimN]

... and i know that i'll pay for it tonight if i can't get off to sleep

[PlaceofDis]

trust me, its not that i am not tired. i have a very physically demanding job. its warehouse work and retail and i just finished worked fifteen days back to back, this is my first day off. i regularly work between fifty and sixty hours a week. i think my problem is that i am overloaded.

[eva01]

thank god i don't have insomnia (i used to i stayed up for 6 days straight at school once that was horrible) I think its partly because of my unending illness of doom and the methadone they have me on.

[iBlue]

i understand, completely. i've had a wicked case of chronic insomnia for over a year now. it was intermittent previously but the last year of my life has consisted of continuous problems with sleep. i am lucky to get 3 hours a night.
the real kicker and perpetual thorn in my side is that my husband appears to be narcopleptic... how's that for a cruel twist of fate? :rolleyes: [sigh]

i do find that i sleep better if i am not too hot and if i have been active during the day. however my choice activity is dirtbiking and i have been injured a few times because of the "seemed like a good idea at the time" theory. it's like he said in Fight Club "when you have insomnia you are never really asleep and you are never really awake." and "with insomnia nothing is real. everything is far away. everything is just a copy of a copy of a copy...."
i completely understand that and love those quotes because no truer words have been spoken ;)

{{{hugs}}} and stuff... i feel ya, i hope it improves for you.

[PlaceofDis]

iBlue, you are a woman after my own heart, quoting Chuck Palahniuk like that

sorry to hear that you have had problems, too

::Huggs::

[iBlue]

iBlue, you are a woman after my own heart, quoting Chuck Palahniuk like that

sorry to hear that you have had problems, too

::Huggs::

thanks ;) yeah, i figured if i said Chuck Palahniuk half the audience would sit stumped thinking "huh?" Fight Club is an easier reference. it was one instance where i liked the movie better than the book. (rare thing) but hey, i am all for a twisted story played out by hot characters :D

insomnia sucks though, it's funny in some ways (because of the surreal creepiness of it) but mostly it is just a living nighmare. my profile has stated from the start that i am a "perpetual insomniac" and while i make light of it, fact remains that it really is a frustrating problem to have. thankfully most of the time i am too out of it to give it much thought. that's life, my life. ;)

[PlaceofDis]

thanks ;) yeah, i figured if i said Chuck Palahniuk half the audience would sit stumped thinking "huh?" Fight Club is an easier reference. it was one instance where i liked the movie better than the book. (rare thing) but hey, i am all for a twisted story played out by hot characters :D

insomnia sucks though, it's funny in some ways (because of the surreal creepiness of it) but mostly it is just a living nighmare. my profile has stated from the start that i am a "perpetual insomniac" and while i make light of it, fact remains that it really is a frustrating problem to have. thankfully most of the time i am too out of it to give it much thought. that's life, my life. ;)

more ::::Huggs:::::

trust me i know how it is, its like one long never ending half away day in which you cant make sense of much of anything, but you somehow deal with it. mine comes and goes, its been particularly bad this summer, but i've been able to get 2-4 hours in here and there.... last october-december was some of the worst though.... fiance and me ending, school, applications, just hell in a hand-basket thrown together with being sick and insomnia.

OT: Fight Club the movie was interesting to watch, however, i saw the movie before the book, if had read the book first, and hadn't known the catch, then i probably would have enjoyed the book more. with the way it was written and the way the movie was executed, i think it depends on which you encountered first that makes it more memorable.

[EJBasile]

You guys could get sleeping pills...

Warm milk? Turkey?

But I find taking a hot or cold shower does help, like someone said being cold makes your body shut down. Also, if you just try to clear your mind, and just repeat a word in your head such as "sleep" that helps too. Another one of my techniques is when you are repeating "sleep" to yourself, imagine you are in a clear bottomed elevator, and every time you say sleep, you go down a little. It's my metaphor for getting deeper into sleep.

I do hear that hypnosis works. At least for some people.

[AaronHeth]

I also have spurts of insomnia. Like a few others, it happens in the summer mostly. It could be from the heat, but I believe it is from the stress. In the fall and winter, I just know I have more to do and less time to lay there and "be stressed." So, I force myself to sleep in a way. I can't stand insomnia, there is a very eerie, lonely feeling to it. But sleep is pretty bad too. I never sleep well. Strange dreams, waking up, just not feeling rested.

I should be an advertisement for Pheizer.

[dornoforpyros]

pfft the human body doesn't need alot of sleep :rolleyes:
Actually I've been getting roughly 3-4 hours sleep every night for the last week and finnally this morning I managed to sleep in till noon cuz I didn't have work. I tend to work on my portfolio at around 2:00 am when I can't sleep. I'm up, may as well do something.

[iBlue]

i've tried tons of remedies, none of which really worked long term. i am just too stubborn to take sleeping pills all the time, i have hundreds of Ambien but i just don't take that unless it's actually serious that i sleep. it takes about 3 of them to knock me out BTW, my body resists medication in an eerie way. who knows.

i am also too stubborn for hypnosis, i can never be so relaxed in front of another person, hard to explain. meditation and the like work to a point but won't get me to sleep. it's futile, i'm destined to be an insomniac, but i guess it works for me, i can become rather creative at night.

PlaceOfDis... sounds like you certainly do understand.. i'm sorry ;) and actually re: fight club, i saw the movie first too :o i read the book out of boredum one night and although i can appreciate it, i just adored the movie. my kinda movie through and through :p

[XIII]

Here was me thinking you were talking about the Faithless song..

[greatdevourer]

Dude, sorry to tell you this, but that's not Insomnia. That's just a sleepless night. Insomnia is when you can't sleep at all, 7 days a week, 365 (or 366) days a year. Insomnia is when you regularily don't sleep well or at all. That's just a one-off

[bartelby]

I've been suffering from insomnia for 3 months straight.
I don't think it's insomnia any more though, I've just got used to having 2-3 hours disturbed sleep (by sleep I mean 15 minutes of dozing at a time) a night.
I've had less than 8 hours sleep since Friday, including being awake for 40 hours.
I've read quite a few books in the past few months though, so it's not all bad!

Dude, sorry to tell you this, but that's not Insomnia. That's just a sleepless night. Insomnia is when you can't sleep at all, 7 days a week, 365 (or 366) days a year. Insomnia is when you regularily don't sleep well or at all. That's just a one-off

Insomnia is a chronic inability to fall asleep or remain asleep for an adequate length of time.
It doesn't have to be 24/7 365

[Daveway]

I've got it bad this week. Hurricane Katrina=no school, which=insomnia.

3am and still surfin the web. :rolleyes:

[Mechcozmo]

It might also be stress from back to school and girls.


:(