[rissierissie]

Since the age of like 15 or so (so almost 15 years now) I've had serious trouble sleeping at "normal" times. It doesn't seem to matter when I get up or how little sleep I've gotten my body cycles back naturally to my going to sleep around 5 or 6 in the morning and then waking between noon and two (if I don't set my alarm clock). Obviously this causes a lot of problems.

Right now my work schedule permits my late nights (which I spend reading or writing or poking around online) since I don't work until 2pm typically, but in a month I'll be starting school again and I can't go to school and work full time and continue working out regularly and do it all on 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night, which I know is what will happen if I don't manage this somehow.

Here's the thing though, I hate drugs. I don't want to take sleeping pills or medications if I can avoid them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Mufflon]

I had trouble with this myself for years and years. The only thing that helped me was to get really disciplined with going to bed at a certain hour.

I still feel like it's against my inner clock though but when you're a member of the working/school world you can't help that.

 

[coley]

I'm a terrible sleeper also, and am perfectly happy to be up all hours. I found the biggest thing that helped me was to remove all stimulating things around me an hour before I go to bed. Things like TV, computers and games all encourage my mind to start up again and make it difficult to sleep.

Have you tried natural sleep aids. Things like St Johns Wort and valerian (sp?)? Also meditation is a very helpful thing to learn if you find your mind keeps ticking over constantly.

Lastly, you just have to get up at a early time without fail, and go to bed at a set time. No excuses just do it. It's hard at the start but after a few weeks your body clock will start responding. I still hate going to bed early, but with a small child I have no choice.

Good Luck with going back to study too!

 

[MsMarMe819]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rissierissie

Since the age of like 15 or so (so almost 15 years now) I've had serious trouble sleeping at "normal" times. It doesn't seem to matter when I get up or how little sleep I've gotten my body cycles back naturally to my going to sleep around 5 or 6 in the morning and then waking between noon and two (if I don't set my alarm clock). Obviously this causes a lot of problems.

Right now my work schedule permits my late nights (which I spend reading or writing or poking around online) since I don't work until 2pm typically, but in a month I'll be starting school again and I can't go to school and work full time and continue working out regularly and do it all on 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night, which I know is what will happen if I don't manage this somehow.

Here's the thing though, I hate drugs. I don't want to take sleeping pills or medications if I can avoid them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

mmm don't think im being sarcastic or rude but masturbation helps.

OR herbal teas :] hehe

 

[Mojo]

Regular aerobic exercise works for me. The harder the workout, the faster I'll fall asleep, and the sleep will be much deeper... vivid dreams, no waking up. Caffeine can wreak havoc with sleep patterns, so eliminating that helps too.

 

[Tori~CL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rissierissie

Since the age of like 15 or so (so almost 15 years now) I've had serious trouble sleeping at "normal" times. It doesn't seem to matter when I get up or how little sleep I've gotten my body cycles back naturally to my going to sleep around 5 or 6 in the morning and then waking between noon and two (if I don't set my alarm clock). Obviously this causes a lot of problems.

Right now my work schedule permits my late nights (which I spend reading or writing or poking around online) since I don't work until 2pm typically, but in a month I'll be starting school again and I can't go to school and work full time and continue working out regularly and do it all on 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night, which I know is what will happen if I don't manage this somehow.

Here's the thing though, I hate drugs. I don't want to take sleeping pills or medications if I can avoid them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to take sleeping pills. Maybe try 5-HTP because it's just natural good stuff and seems to help a lot of people. You can find it in the vitamin isle.

Try to break your routine and go to bed earlier no matter how you toss and turn and see if your body will adjust to a different sleeping time. It will sure take some time. The internet and insomnia don't mix.

Or just be in the sun half the day and you will sleep like a baby.

I understand what it's like for sure. My body has adjusted to less sleep as I got older. 5 hours is good sleeping for me.

 

[Abyssinian]

Exercise and no caffein at least four hours before bed. I have a lot of problems with sleep. It's gotten better lately but it used to be so hard for me to go to sleep. I don't think I need too much sleep, some people don't need to sleep as much as others. The only thing that made me sleep was getting all the excess energy out. I run and do yoga right before bed, to calm down.

 

[rissierissie]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've decided that I'm going to set a time to wake up every day (even my days off!) and I'm going to start swimming every day at the community pool so hopefully that'll help. I'm kind of dreading doing anything drastic like cut caffeine entirely from my life but it may be necessary.

 

[coley]

I find swimming the perfect exercise for getting some sleep. More than anything else it encourages me to drop off, I think because it's so relaxing.

 

[rosiem]

Yeah, +1 to the no caffeine. What people don't realize is that caffeine can stay in your bloodstream for as long as 7 hours... So even if they have a cup of coffee at 3:30, and go to bed at 10, that can be enough to keep them awake...

 

[Tweety]

I'd say give it time, though it's going to be hard at first. What you have to do is avoid naps at all costs. When you get up in the morning, stay awake until it's bedtime. After a while you get used to it.

I was a night owl for most of my life. I worked night shift for 13 years, and switching to dayshift and going to bed early nearly killed me. But I find that after a few days of getting up at 5:15 I have no trouble going to sleep at 9:30 or 10:00 at night. Sometimes I have trouble staying asleep and wake up in the wee hours, but usually can fall back asleep.

Keep a pattern and stick with it. Exercise and eat right. Give it time.

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coley

I find swimming the perfect exercise for getting some sleep. More than anything else it encourages me to drop off, I think because it's so relaxing.

yeah, but the problem is, i often wake up again when the water runs into my mouth

 

[coley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kali

yeah, but the problem is, i often wake up again when the water runs into my mouth

LOL Yes Kali, you have very impressive smilies

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by coley

LOL Yes Kali, you have very impressive smilies

but my jokes are crap, is that what ya saying !!

 

[coley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kali

but my jokes are crap, is that what ya saying !!

They're not bad........for a hippie

[runs away looking for cover]

 

[GhostUser]

youll keep !!

back on topic, insomniacs should try watching the bold & the beautiful. that **** gets my delta waves happening every time i catch a glimpse of it.

 

[coley]

 

[GhostUser]

I have sleep issues....I always have....I have trouble sleeping through the night...and when I was younger I hated going to sleep I thought I was gonna miss something....like that was when all the fun started...LOL....I have been a bit better lately...going to bed at the same time and everything...but I know I need more sleep.

 

[Dooga]

I have depression. Sleep issues tend to go hand and hand with it. I'd suggest not worrying as much about medicine. A lot of it is fairly safe. If it's been a lifelong thing, it's very possible it's something other than a bad habit.

It turns out, I had some sleep "quality" issues as well. I needed to see a sleep specialist for that. For your specific issue, I would suggest trying melatonin. I take it currently. It resets the bodies sleep cycle. Now, I take it about an hour before I want to sleep. Staying awake isn't much of an option after that. I "could," but I rarely want to stay up after taking it.

I also take seroquel, but you need a prescription to take it. I imagine a doctor would suggest more common sleep aid medications before prescribing it (as it has a specific focus group it targets).

You can also control when you wake up by taking prescribed stimulant medications (not my recommendation). This is for narcolepsy and delayed sleep phase syndrome, sometimes. The general recommendation is caffeine, but caffeine in the long-run can be harmful as it affects sleep quality (at least avoid it at night).

I've been to the doctor a lot and tried a lot of medications both related to sleep and depression. I'm getting better, but it takes awhile. The sleep issue I would suggest melatonin straight up. I wouldn't be surprised if it solved your problems overnight. It's cheap and available without prescription. It's also naturally produced in the body so your simply augmenting yourself rather than adding anything (if you like all natural medications).

Good luck.

 

[Elarte8723]

LISTEN TO TECHNO. Lol, classical music actually helps, Opera is always a good start. Try melatonin. if you've got too much going on in your brain and get desperate, see a doctor and get some ambien, it will knock you out every time.