Insomnia Sux.

[Vash]

I've been an insomniac for about 6 years now. Ain't slacked up, either.

Tried prescription sleep pills. To **** strong. Put my ass out before I could undress or turn off the light.

Still on over-the-counter shinzit. Unisom to strong, take a half-pill a night. Usually works. Slight headache in the morning, but nothing a glass of orange Gatorade don't fix.

Anything anyone can recommend to fix this? I have trouble sleeping the day before and the night after something . .. like school. Get nervous. Body all strung out, mind wants to play chess. Or have sex. Or beat itself against a wall.

I've used/done the following:

Sitting meditation
Moving meditation
Prayer
Exercise (a big no-no before bed)
Eating more
Eating less
Changing diets
Medicinal Sleep Aides
Warm milk
Cool milk
. . . Physical Activities which in Males tend to Induce Sleepiness.
Getting up after an hours sleep and getting through the day on it

Any ideas?

Peace.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Vash

Tried prescription sleep pills. To **** strong. Put my ass out before I could undress or turn off the light.

What pills? Just curious. The only ones I've seen someone take are Ambien and they didn't seem strong enough for the person I'm talking about.



Any ideas?
Peace.

Yeah. Get a straw and lay in bed and breathe through it for like 3-5 minutes (I forgot how long you're supposed to breathe through it for, so I just made that time up, but it's something like that). It's supposed to do something to help you relax.

Or, concentrate on your feet. I think that's what Erle Montaigue recommends. Something about too much chi in the head keeps you awake. Concentrating on your feet sends some chi out of your head or something.

Or, if you can't go to sleep, write a book.

Good luck.

[Laughing Cow]

Practice some SUPER-SLOW Yang Tai Chi.

Puts me to sleep. :)

[Serpent]

Get in bed, close your eyes and relax.

*shrug*

[Raatra]

I had the same problem. Eventually i stopped fighting it and said "Fine im an insomniac." Didnt try to go to sleep at all, then it just gradually went away. Trying really hard to get to sleep prevented me from actually sleeping i think.

[fa_jing]

I used to be a major insomniac. Then, as my responsibilities and workload increased, I became so exhausted all the time that the problem went away.

Melatonin works well, but don't take it for more than 2 days straight. It's good because it trains you to fall asleep.

[Xdr4g0nx]

move to China, that way day will be night and night will be day

[Former castleva]

Sitting meditation-why?
Moving meditation-why?
Prayer-Does not help.
Exercise (a big no-no before bed)-Can aid,not to be done before sleep.
Eating more-why?
Eating less-why?
Changing diets-why?
Medicinal Sleep Aides-Works.Unfortunately the effect may last far longer than you need.
Warm milk-folk medicine?
Cool milk-folk medicine?
. . . Physical Activities which in Males tend to Induce Sleepiness.-what?
Getting up after an hours sleep and getting through the day on it

"Or have sex. "

Could be helpful.

Random site I chose;
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/PatientResAllCateg/Insomnia?OpenDocument

"Any ideas? "

Have you seen a sleep medicine specialist?

[fa_jing]

A western physician recommended meditation to my friend for sleeplessness. He said that it helped. This was a long time ago, before I got into meditation.

Sometimes when the thoughts are racing, it is difficult to sleep. Through exercise of the human will, we can train our selves to quiet such thoughts. If this is not the problem, then meditation is likely not a solution.

[Daredevil]

Meditation works for me, if it's about my thoughts racing, just like fa_jing said.

Having sex definately works, heh, but it's more likely I'd just doze off rather than go to deep sleep.

Warm milk - folk medicine? Don't have any relevant links (yah right, like links go for proof these days), but I believe drinking warm milk does have that effect on you. The effect is the same as taking sleep inducing drugs (which I'd imagine to be far more powerful).

Melatonin seems to work for a lot of people.

I'd personally prefer meditation, sex and exercise combined. ;)

Just a few ideas.

[Former castleva]

"Melatonin seems to work for a lot of people."

Probably.Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that triggers sleepiness.It is best to keep lights low (like do not you usually?) in order to aid it´s production and thus,sleep.
Research seems to indicate that melatonin,ironically,also boosts one sexually.

[fa_jing]

I read somewhere that both milk and bananas contain a chemical that helps you to fall asleep.

[IronFist]

^ Turkey, too.

[Oso]

I was talking with a weight lifter at the gym and he said his choice was 2 Tylenol PM's and a melotonin.

works for me as well.

[SevenStar]

you get used to it. I sleep for about 4 hours a night.

[jun_erh]

I had a brief problem with it, but I found the problem was my horrible job. When I quit I slept fine. I woul also consider hynosis. or anti depressents maybe your depressed

[inic]

Well, i started an overnight job about a month ago and have that insomiac problem about 1-2x a week, mainly tuesdays, because i got to class all day right from work. This may sound weird, but have you check your eating habits? imo, food fixes anything. I find that eating at certain times along with a little exercise knocks me right out!
But i totally hear ya. I usually am awake from monday evening until wednesday afternoon with no sleep.

[Starchaser107]

I'm experiencing insomnia right now.

[jun_erh]

I had a frind who chocalate contantly. She wasn't even fat, just not in the greatest health because she didn't barely eat any regular food. She got hypnotized now she is eating a lot more normally

[Black Jack]

Here is some info you may find helpfull, I work in the nutritional supplement field and maybe this info can help you out.

Chronic insomina is often a sympton of a underlying medical disorder. Fifty percent of insomnia cases can be attributed to depression and other psychological disorders such as stress, anxiety, and grief. Some physical disorders that can grant chronic insomina include asthma, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, hypoglycemia, and arthritis. Certain drugs like the antiseizure medication Dilantin can also cause this problem as well as certain antidepressants and decongestants.

There is also a disorder called restless leg syndrome which causes people to jerk there legs in bed, twitch and kick involuntarily.

IMO though, a good amount of insomina is due to a lack of certain nutrients in the body. To be specific calicum and magnesium. Try taking your calcium and magnesium before bedtime as calicum has a calming effect on the body and magnesium which is needed to balance with calicum helps relax the muscles. Try around 2,000 mg daily of calicum in divided doses, after meals and at bedtime, take this with 1,000 mg daily of magnesium.

Melatonin is also very good, 5 mgs should be taken 2 hours or less before bedtime, make sure your room is 100% dark, as light can affect the release of this natural hormone. Other nutrients to look at include a B complex with extra pantothenic acid (b5) which helps to promote a restfull state and fight stress. Vitamin C is also is very important in fighting stress and should be taken. Folic acid deficiencies are also linked to insomina.

For herbs, I would take a look at valerian root, chamomile, passionflower and kava kava to promote a sound sleep and get good REM. Try to find a combination herbel extract.

Its good to avoid heavy meals a few hours before bedtime, but its good to eat things like bananas, dates, figs, yogurt, tuna, milk or turkey before bed because these foods are high in the amino acid tryptophan. Also avoid caffeine after lunch.

Cheers