Troubled Sleep

[Hobbs]

Hey guys, lately I've been having a pretty hard time getting any decent sleep. I'm troubled by bizarre dreams, the majority of which I can barely remember, aside from the fact that they are all unnerving. I'm waking up every hour or two, and in the morning I find I kick the majority of the stuff off my bed, my pillows and blankets are all over the floor. Occasionally I've sleep 10+ hours without meaning to, because the sleep was constantly interrupted and I was fatigued.

My question is are there any home remedies you guys know of to get a better nights sleep? My sleep schedule is relatively routine, except when I'm plagued with a mild type insomnia where I simply can't fall asleep until 2 or 3, which happens 1-2 times a week at best.

[coplinb]

You could always try the obvious, warm milk. I guess that works for some people. Myself, if I cant fall asleep, I just start drinking a couple of beers and relax and I always fall asleep. You could also talk to your doctor and he might be able to give you a couple of samples of some sleep medication.

[Stuie]

at first what you said sounded like when I had PTSD. (Long story, maybe later)

Sounds stupid, I know....but do a full stretch routine before you go to bed, try to stretch all your muscles.

Chamomile Tea Helps, and make a Mint Tea by boiling fresh mint leaves. Works well also.

Something to make white noise...fan, humidifier, air purifier, white noise machine.

Try earplugs.

That's all I got for now. I feel ya brother. Totally stressed out and sleep isn't great for me now, but finally get to unwind tomorrow.

[Stuie]

Thought of more....

Meditate before going to sleep. (If religious, pray) alters your state of mind and can correct your sleeping problems.

I try to stay away from meds, NyQuil and stuff like that. Doesn't really work for me except after a few nights...then i sleep for a whole day missing work.

Kill Caffeine and Alcohol intake by 7pm. Look at doing the same for hookah, Caffeine and Nicotine are stimulants and Alcohol is a depressant which switches your brain out of "sleep well" mode.

Hot Shower helps by relaxing your muscles, plus you feel better removing the sweat from the end of the day. (I started showering at night because I find i sleep better. That's if I don't go smoke before bed.)

You know I should be taking my own advice...dangit!

[Dr. B]

Honestly Stuie got it right. A hot shower and straight to bed to meditate or pray and ease into sleep. A hot shower raises your body temp and makes it easier for you to go to sleep. It seems like meditating focuses all your energy on your mind while your body falls asleep. When your mind is ready to rest the transition is much easier.

I found I had insane dreams when I turned in as soon as I finished smoking - they still kinda bug me as I havn't figured them out. Sometimes they would span multiple nights like one big saga. They've ceased recently but still...

Anyway, good luck and maybe try reading a book to wind down at night after you finish all other activities.

[arhutch]

a shot of whiskey or a couple beers does the trick for me when im having trouble getting to sleep.......which isnt to ofter, but then again im up till 2-3 every night and have to be up at 6 to go to work.

not to be different, but ive found that stretching wakes me back up.

i think it all depends on each case. everyone is different.

hope you finally get some sleep.

[Hobbs]

Thanks for the tips guys, I don't usually smoke my hookah before I go to sleep and the only thing I really drink on a typical day is water or juice, but I'll try some of your guys methods, appreciate it.

[SuburbanSmoker]

go get some tylenol PM. its non addictive and two will put you to sleep within about an hour and a half of taking it. when ever i get really stressed with school or work i pop a few of those for an amazing night sleep.

[Vampy6997]

resurrecting for insomnia. I made twice my quota due to insomnia. Go me. wish I was tired, I've been up 22 hours now.

[wpw36]

hell in the past at least two months i have 5 am way to many times and haven't woken til at earliest noon

[Vampy6997]

I've been either sleeping twice a day (neither being naps, just exact same time spent sleeping, split in half) or short time sleeping or very longggg sleep where getting up is impossible even after going to the bathroom...it's like I'm a walking zombie.

[Sonthert]

There are two situations:

One: whacked sleep schedule. This will be you can't to sleep as early as you want. You want to go to sleep at 12, but can't fall asleep until 5, for instance.

Two: General difficulty sleeping, it doesn't matter what time it is. It takes five hours or whatever to nod off.

For condition #1: Try staying up all night, one night. The next night, go to bed at the time you want to. You'll be so tired, you'll fall asleep whenever you hit the pillow. The next night, go back to sleep at the same time. Hopefully that will get you on the right sleep cycle.

For condition #2: Your natural sleep cycle involves the production of melatonin, which makes you drowsy. Melatonin is triggered by changes in light. So, if you try to sleep in the dark normally, try it with the light on. If you sleep with the light on, try sleeping in the dark. Changes in season will trigger changes in melatonin level (from changes in serotonin levels).

Try benadryl, the active ingredient is diphenhydramine. Provided you don't have an enlarged prostate, try taking two benadryl (Or other antihistamines that have only diphenhydramine as the active ingredient) before bedtime. Don't drink alcohol, water or caffeine a couple of hours before bedtime. You can get diphenhydramine antihistamines from Costco, real cheap, if you have a Costco card. Look in the allergy section or antihistamine section wherever you go to buy them.

[RogueSmoker]

I've noticed Sonthert said something about melatonin if I'm not mistaken they sell those as pills and my wife takes em cause she can't sleep well (my father in law has very bad cancer) and she falls right asleep.

[Stuie]

quick note on melatonin. When you start taking it, it may take a day or two for it to really start working.

[bungiman]

quick note on melatonin. When you start taking it, it may take a day or two for it to really start working.

Yeah and I thought you took it a couple of hours before you want to fall asleep?

[RogueSmoker]

quick note on melatonin. When you start taking it, it may take a day or two for it to really start working.

Yeah and I thought you took it a couple of hours before you want to fall asleep?

I think it's a hour before you normally go to bed.

[Vampy6997]

the doc said benadryl would be fine to take to get to sleep, and on 1/2 a pill of the lamotrigine, and my normal benadryl, I ended up pissing my bed (sorry for the tmi, but that's why I've avoided the normal dose that actually gets me to sleep).... Pretty sick. Sooo....I can take 1 benadryl w/o any affect to my sleep...it kinda helps me go to sleep, but so far as tiredness, I get tired randomly, then due to the lamotrigine (now taking 2x 25 mg per day), I have insomnia so I feel tired, but can't actually get to sleep. I'm pretty good with meditating to get myself to sleep, but even this has been changed a bit with the new med.

I'm not used to sleeping at night, so that's likely the other aspect of the issue I'm having. Is melatonin expensive? I've been sleeping about 4-5 hrs a night the past couple nights, so hopefully I'll be back to a decent sleep schedule tonight and can get some good sleep in for once....I'm already feeling that exhaustedness.

How much is melatonin usually...?

Thanks for the responses

[RogueSmoker]

I think melatonin is pretty cheap. I think you can find it pretty much anywhere if not a natural medicine shop should have it.

[Svaals]

the doc said benadryl would be fine to take to get to sleep, and on 1/2 a pill of the lamotrigine, and my normal benadryl, I ended up pissing my bed (sorry for the tmi, but that's why I've avoided the normal dose that actually gets me to sleep).... Pretty sick. Sooo....I can take 1 benadryl w/o any affect to my sleep...it kinda helps me go to sleep, but so far as tiredness, I get tired randomly, then due to the lamotrigine (now taking 2x 25 mg per day), I have insomnia so I feel tired, but can't actually get to sleep. I'm pretty good with meditating to get myself to sleep, but even this has been changed a bit with the new med.

My buddy takes lamotrigine and had trouble sleeping. Now he takes it in the morning and at lunch and now has had much better luck with the sleep thing.

Personally I don't like benadryl because it makes me drowsy for the following 1-2 days. Another thing you should be able to get at the store is Kava. It's got kavalactones which should make you kind of drowsy, just don't overdo it or take with alcohol, or your liver will be upset with you.

Also, 5-HTP which is a precursor to seretonin, you can get over the counter and that should help. It's tryptophan (the amino acid in turkeys that makes you drowsy) with a 5-hydroxy group (which you body would normally add on its own through enzymatic processes). Edited July 15, 2009 by Svaals

[Stuie]

quick note on melatonin. When you start taking it, it may take a day or two for it to really start working.

Yeah and I thought you took it a couple of hours before you want to fall asleep?

I think it's a hour before you normally go to bed.

Yes take it an hour or two before you want to sleep, but give it a few nights, to really get that good nights sleep it doesn't happen in just one night.

the doc said benadryl would be fine to take to get to sleep, and on 1/2 a pill of the lamotrigine, and my normal benadryl, I ended up pissing my bed (sorry for the tmi, but that's why I've avoided the normal dose that actually gets me to sleep).... Pretty sick. Sooo....I can take 1 benadryl w/o any affect to my sleep...it kinda helps me go to sleep, but so far as tiredness, I get tired randomly, then due to the lamotrigine (now taking 2x 25 mg per day), I have insomnia so I feel tired, but can't actually get to sleep. I'm pretty good with meditating to get myself to sleep, but even this has been changed a bit with the new med.

I'm not used to sleeping at night, so that's likely the other aspect of the issue I'm having. Is melatonin expensive? I've been sleeping about 4-5 hrs a night the past couple nights, so hopefully I'll be back to a decent sleep schedule tonight and can get some good sleep in for once....I'm already feeling that exhaustedness.

How much is melatonin usually...?

Thanks for the responses

Melatonin is freaking cheap I think I picked it up at the pharmacy 120 pills for $4.

[shesha1]

at first what you said sounded like when I had PTSD. (Long story, maybe later)

Sounds stupid, I know....but do a full stretch routine before you go to bed, try to stretch all your muscles.

Chamomile Tea Helps, and make a Mint Tea by boiling fresh mint leaves. Works well also.

Something to make white noise...fan, humidifier, air purifier, white noise machine.

Try earplugs.

That's all I got for now. I feel ya brother. Totally stressed out and sleep isn't great for me now, but finally get to unwind tomorrow.

Thought of more....

Meditate before going to sleep. (If religious, pray) alters your state of mind and can correct your sleeping problems.

I try to stay away from meds, NyQuil and stuff like that. Doesn't really work for me except after a few nights...then i sleep for a whole day missing work.

Kill Caffeine and Alcohol intake by 7pm. Look at doing the same for hookah, Caffeine and Nicotine are stimulants and Alcohol is a depressant which switches your brain out of "sleep well" mode.

Hot Shower helps by relaxing your muscles, plus you feel better removing the sweat from the end of the day. (I started showering at night because I find i sleep better. That's if I don't go smoke before bed.)

You know I should be taking my own advice...dangit!


^Thats all very good advise, and it does work.

[McLovin600]

Get some excercise!!!!!

[Vampy6997]

Get some excercise!!!!!

I kinda giggled reading this. I don't exercise, per say, but my job is a workout, so I really have no issues with being out of shape/not getting good work outs/endorphins, all that.

[Sonthert]

If I remember correctly, melatonin supplements don't increase blood serum levels of melatonin. Melatonin (and serotonin) are too small and Mono-amine oxidase just destroys them immediately. Also, melatonin can't cross the blood-brain barrier. I believe the serotonin precursors do cross the blood-brain barrier, but those are a little difficult to take as a supplement.

Edit: Wikipedia says that melatonin doesn't perform significantly better than a placebo. That is, it doesn't do anything. On the other hand, being Wikipedia, there is another line further up that says it does perform better than a placebo. I remember that it doesn't do anything...so I guess I believe the second part.

[Vampy6997]

If I remember correctly, melatonin supplements don't increase blood serum levels of melatonin. Melatonin (and serotonin) are too small and Mono-amine oxidase just destroys them immediately. Also, melatonin can't cross the blood-brain barrier. I believe the serotonin precursors do cross the blood-brain barrier, but those are a little diffiucult to take as a supplement.

so if it doesn't raise the blood-serum levels, would it even help a person get to sleep? or is it throwing a couple dollars in the trash?..