[Fromper]

So after exercising yesterday (13 pushups, 22 situps, and about 5 minutes of jumping rope on and off), I did fall asleep almost instantly when I went to bed yesterday. The problem is that I woke up after only about 5.5 hours, instead of sleeping straight through the night. I couldn't fall asleep again right away, so I got up and played on the computer for about an hour, then went back to bed and did fall asleep again for another 3 hours or so. Luckily, I didn't have to be up early this morning for anything.

This is getting annoying, and it's a bigger problem on days when I have to be up early and can't afford to just go back to bed and sleep late.

Also, I think I forgot to mention that I've been taking 3 mg melatonin most days throughout this. I'm not sure if it helps at all. I have some more hard core sleeping pills (ambien), but I'm reluctant to use them, because they usually leave me groggy the entire next day.

--Fromper
:juggle:

 

[MozIsMyShepherd]

So after exercising yesterday (13 pushups, 22 situps, and about 5 minutes of jumping rope on and off), I did fall asleep almost instantly when I went to bed yesterday. The problem is that I woke up after only about 5.5 hours, instead of sleeping straight through the night. I couldn't fall asleep again right away, so I got up and played on the computer for about an hour, then went back to bed and did fall asleep again for another 3 hours or so. Luckily, I didn't have to be up early this morning for anything.

This is getting annoying, and it's a bigger problem on days when I have to be up early and can't afford to just go back to bed and sleep late.

Also, I think I forgot to mention that I've been taking 3 mg melatonin most days throughout this. I'm not sure if it helps at all. I have some more hard core sleeping pills (ambien), but I'm reluctant to use them, because they usually leave me groggy the entire next day.

--Fromper
:juggle:

Sleeping pill is not going to sort your long term sleeping problem. I think you slept better not only because you exercised but also because you hadn't slept for a few nights prior to that. Usually it takes about 3 sleepless nights and then you just switch off. Also 5.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep is not that bad at all. Sometimes that's all I get and if I do get more hours it's often interrupted anyway. I'm a light sleeper and kids coughing, cats jumping on my bed, foxes barking outside, cars etc wake me up easily. Then I have hard time going back to sleep especially if something was bothering me the day before, then I start replaying if in my head, worrying and analysing. What does you gp say? And finally i take you've tried all the basics of pre bedtime routine to help you sleep? Like warm bath, reading, lavender oil

 

[Go Vegan]

So after exercising yesterday (13 pushups, 22 situps, and about 5 minutes of jumping rope on and off), I did fall asleep almost instantly when I went to bed yesterday. The problem is that I woke up after only about 5.5 hours, instead of sleeping straight through the night. I couldn't fall asleep again right away, so I got up and played on the computer for about an hour, then went back to bed and did fall asleep again for another 3 hours or so. Luckily, I didn't have to be up early this morning for anything.

This is getting annoying, and it's a bigger problem on days when I have to be up early and can't afford to just go back to bed and sleep late.

Also, I think I forgot to mention that I've been taking 3 mg melatonin most days throughout this. I'm not sure if it helps at all. I have some more hard core sleeping pills (ambien), but I'm reluctant to use them, because they usually leave me groggy the entire next day.

--Fromper
:juggle:

5.5 hours is not too bad. Do you wear ear plugs to bed? You could try this as it may help...

I would say continue exercising as this will continue to help I think

 

[Fromper]

It is currently 1:45 AM. I hate daylight savings time. The change in spring always messes me up worse than I already am.

--Fromper
:juggle:

 

[Tom]

^^^^ Me too. At least this year I was only dysfunctionally groggy this past Monday. By Tuesday I think I was back to normal.

I heard something on the radio this past week that it's not just us- there is a clearly documented increase in motor vehicle accidents right after the spring DST change. I don't remember anything being said about fewer accidents after the fall change because people got MORE sleep the night before... doesn't seem fair.

 

[leedsveg]

Very rare that I can't sleep but this happened a couple of weeks ago after I'd had a normal coffee late at night (we normally drink decaffeinated). Anyway I took the traditional route and started "counting sheep". I got to around 30 then began wondering whether counting what appeared to be domesticated sheep was appropriate for a vegan. I don't remember anything after that.


Lv

 

[Beautiful Joe]

What I have found works wonders for me is listening to audiobooks on my MP3 player (music doesn't work for me - my mind still starts to focus on issues/plans/worries). There's just enough interest in the story to keep my mind from going around about other things. If I wake during the night and the player has turned itself off, I just start it again. It normally takes me only a few sentences before I'm back to sleep. Very soothing.

My sister has had insomnia issues for many years, and I kept telling her to try this. She finally did a few months ago, and now she's a convert,

 

[Naturebound]

I've had insomnia for years, since the day I woke up on August 15th, 2005 after a hysterectomy with both ovaries gone. The first few years of surgical menopause I am lucky if I slept three hours per night (hard to sleep with drenching night sweats). I was VERY run down. It took years to find a hormone replacement my body could absorb evenly that helped me feel human again. Even so, the insomnia has persisted. Before my nightmare surgery I was the opposite, slept ten hours per day and more. My whole personality changed and I am also much more anxious all the time.

Besides HRT, over the years I have tried...Trazadone (antidepressent with sedative effect), Lunesta (prescribed sleep aid), all kinds of prescribed anti anxiety meds, herbal teas, Valerian root (still use this one), hot baths (still do these), magnesium (I sometimes get leg cramps at night too), meditative music, eating something, not eating anything for hours before, totally dark quiet room, fan, and the list goes on. Valerian root extract takes the edge off my anxiety and gives me a slightly better quality of sleep but I don't stay asleep. I fall asleep quickly. I stopped taking all medications a long time ago with the exception of my HRT and thyroid meds and a shot for osteoporosis I get twice per year. None of the antidepressants and prescription sleep aids did much and my body is very very sensitive to that stuff so I had horrid side effects. I used to wake up really early in the night when I was restricting food intake because I was so dang hungry and my body was constantly on overdrive. Now I think for me it is just worrying too much, especially since I started a challenging new job last September.

At any rate, I can relate to the ongoing insomnia battle.

 

[Windigo]

I can add myself to the list too after these three weeks.

Like you Naturebound; I used to be the opposite but since my Crohn's has started to flare up and I got hospitalised my sleeping rhytmn is completely whacked.

I need the bathroom as soon as I lie down; and then have to wait for the cramps to subside; that can take up to two hours keeping me awake. After that; I'll sleep for about two to four hours before I have to go again, and then I'll sleep another two to four and go again. If I am lucky after that I can sleep on till morning, but there are plenty of nights in which I either stay awake (like now) or only get another hour or so.

It's quite tiring; especially because having a chronic illness means everything takes more of my energy during the day as well.

I hope it will pass when I'm being treated for longer; but for now I can join the legions of the sleep deprived..

 

[Fromper]

So I was fine for a couple of weeks there, but then last week, I started having trouble again. At least now, I'm sleeping complete nights, I'm just falling asleep later than I should, so I wake up late. Last night was the worst - I was up past 3 AM, then didn't wake up until 10 AM.

I think the fact that I stopped exercising hurts. I really should exercise today to wear myself out so I'll sleep better tonight. I'm just too tired to actually go do it now.

--Fromper
:juggle:

 

[CrazyCatguy]

I have had sleep issues for a long time. I got prescribed Ambien like it was candy. Horrible side effects. Dropped that like a bad habit a month after I started.

I went online and someone said that valerian root would work, but it gave me "restless leg". So I found another herbal supplement called "kratom".

I take 4-5 grams before bed and it makes me sleepy and puts me in a good mood. The stuff CAN be addictive, as much as coffee is. So caveat emptor.

 

[no whey jose]

I have had sleep issues for a long time. I got prescribed Ambien like it was candy. Horrible side effects. Dropped that like a bad habit a month after I started.

I went online and someone said that valerian root would work, but it gave me "restless leg". So I found another herbal supplement called "kratom".

I take 4-5 grams before bed and it makes me sleepy and puts me in a good mood. The stuff CAN be addictive, as much as coffee is. So caveat emptor.

A friend of mine swears that kratom helped him kick his heroin habit.

 

[LedBoots]

A friend of mine swears that kratom helped him kick his heroin habit.

I have heard this too.

 

[Nora Williams]

Deep breathing or yoga can be very helpful in getting rid of insomnia. Abdominal deep breathing before sleep can be really effective in it.

 

[Fromper]

I had a bad cold last week, and it totally hosed my sleep schedule. I was sleeping during the day while sick, then not able to sleep at night. I got extra sleep, because I was sick, but now that I'm mostly recovered, I'm unable to sleep normal times. I've been staying up until 3 AM almost every night.

Last night, I didn't fall asleep until 6 AM, then made a point of waking up after not enough sleep and not napping during the day, just to tire myself out for tonight. It worked, and I was tired enough to conk out at 10 PM, but I have just enough of a sinus problem that it interfered with my breathing, so I woke up again in under an hour. Then I went back to bed, slept for another 45 minutes or so, and woke up again because of the breathing problems. So even though I'm more tired than I can remember being in a very long time, I can't seem to sleep.

--Fromper
:juggle:

 

[lovely lion]

Causes of insomnia.
1.Significant life stress.
2.illness.
3.Emotional or physical discomfort.
4.Environmental Factors like noise , light or Extreme Temperatures .

 

[Fromper]

My insomnia tends to feed on itself. One bad day makes it tougher the following night. After the half assed sleep last night, I was tired all day today. I went for the hard core sleeping pill (ambien) tonight at 9 pm, but I still can't fall asleep, almost two hours later. I really should be out cold by now.Once I do finally pass out with that thing, I'm hoping it keeps me down for a solid 9-10 hours of restfull sleep. That would make up for all the messy recent days and let me start fresh going forward.

--Fromper
:juggle:

 

[karenlovessnow]

Good luck, Fromper...I hope you are in sweet dreamland right now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fromper]

Taking the ambien last night worked. I think I finally fell asleep around 10:30, and woke up around 7:30 AM, so I slept a solid 9 hours of truly restful sleep, instead of the low quality tossing and turning of recent nights.

Now I'm facing the side effect I hate from ambien - being groggy after waking up the next day. I expect to have a hard time feeling truly awake until some time in the afternoon today. That's the main reason I rarely use this stuff.

It'll be worth one groggy day if it helps me get my sleep schedule back on track, though. I just hope I can sleep normally tonight without the ambien and get back to normal. If I have time and energy, I'll try to squeeze in some exercise today, which should help.

--Fromper
:juggle:

 

[LedBoots]

Taking the ambien last night worked. I think I finally fell asleep around 10:30, and woke up around 7:30 AM, so I slept a solid 9 hours of truly restful sleep, instead of the low quality tossing and turning of recent nights.

Now I'm facing the side effect I hate from ambien - being groggy after waking up the next day. I expect to have a hard time feeling truly awake until some time in the afternoon today. That's the main reason I rarely use this stuff.

It'll be worth one groggy day if it helps me get my sleep schedule back on track, though. I just hope I can sleep normally tonight without the ambien and get back to normal. If I have time and energy, I'll try to squeeze in some exercise today, which should help.

--Fromper
:juggle:

Do you have the timed release ambien (12.5 mg usually) or the regular release (5 or 10 mg usually)? Some people have less hangover with the non-timed release type. Also metatonin 3 mg, calcium 500mg and magnesium 250mg at bedtime can help. (Cal and mag often in same pill.)

Good luck!