Anyone else suffer from insomnia?

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I am so tired of it. Literally.

I had to sit through five straight hours of personality profile tests today (Yes, it's confirmed. I'm crazy.) on about two hours of sleep.

Every night I wake up at almost the same time, wide awake, and I have the hardest time getting back to sleep. It's a little easier when DH is on a tour, because I don't have to listen to him snore.

Is it normal to have it for a spell and then be okay for a couple of months? That's the way it is for me. I have no trouble going to sleep, for the most part; it's staying asleep that so difficult.

I think I'm going to go to my doctor next week for it, but I don't know what to ask for. Any suggestions, or advice?

 

[vivilasvegas]

I haven't had a good nights sleep in years. I always wake up in the middle, lay awake for an hour or so, then fall asleep right before my alarm goes off.
Annoying to say the least.

If I have a glass of wine before bed, that helps sometimes. Or I go for a long walk during the day, exercise more, something to make me really tired.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I haven't had a good nights sleep in years. I always wake up in the middle, lay awake for an hour or so, then fall asleep right before my alarm goes off.
Annoying to say the least.

If I have a glass of wine before bed, that helps sometimes. Or I go for a long walk during the day, exercise more, something to make me really tired.

Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be.

I'm up for many hours. Sometimes four. But like you, I fall asleep right before DH's alarm goes off... one hour before he actually has to get up.

 

[Tanuki]

I don't know if you are a religious person, but whenever I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep I take the opportunity to pray.
It seems to calm me down. And then I can go back to sleep.

 

[Christine]

I went through a VERY bad spell of that a few years ago. It was absolutely awful. Turns out, my birth control pills were somehow interacting with my thyroid medication (weird, I know). But, I was miserable before I discovered it. There are some short term meds, the doc can give you. Sometimes it helps to take one because you can get in the "habit" of insomnia and get anxiety over it. Sonata is a good one because it only lasts for 4 hours. If you go to sleep and wake up at 1:00 a.m., you can take it then and it will be out of your system in 4 hours. I've tried Ambien but do not like it. You need to make sure that you have at LEAST 8 hours to spend in bed. I found that when I woke up the next more, I would get mini-amnesia for about 2-3 hours. It lasted about 10 hours for me. Not good if you have to go to work.

Other people on this board have given melatonin a good rating. I will not try it because I never know how stuff will interact with my other meds.

 

[Jimbo]

These are all interesting stories, and I don't sleep well myself any more. But all of us are amateurs compared to this guy!!!

 

[JuneChickie]

I worked overnights for many many years and now my night and day clocks are very
mixed up. When I quit my job because I was sleeping all day every day,, the doctor
had to give me a sleeping pill to try to get me regulated. Well, needless to say
It was great sleeping all nite ,, but when I stopped taking the pills,,,, oops ,, my clock went right back to nites wide awake and days sleeping or just tired all day long.
I just gave it up ,, I am a nite person,,, and I guess *I always will be.
I did try the melatonin ,, but it didn't work for me ,, tried counting sheep,
no luck there ,,, tried the going to bed everynite at the same time for a month,,
that one made me crazy because I think I counted every animal on the planet
twice trying to go to sleep. The warm milk,, no luck, but it did give me an
excuse to get out of bed ,,(liked that one) ,, I would love to hear
what others have tried and if they had any success .

 

[Sparx]

I talk in my sleep and I think I might occasionally walk. I have lucid dreams and sleep can be difficult. I wake up so often, and I just roll over and try to go back. I can go on very little sleep, so its not TOO much of an inconvience, but I'd love to get a full night's sleep once in awhile.

 

[MidNite]

My husband is somewhat of an insomniac. He CAN sleep once he goes to sleep, he just can't quiet his mind enough when he's trying to fall asleep to actually drift off. Once he goes to sleep, he sleeps fine for the most part. I, on the other hand, can fall asleep in less than 2 minutes once I lie down. This infuriates him to no end.

I used to sort of have problems sleeping. I stopped drinking caffiene (except for the occassional coffee and then only in the mornings) and it has helped.

 

[debbiedoo]

I learned about melatonin here and I have tried it -- what a difference!! I was amazed I sleep wonderful now

 

[Tigger&Belle]

A couple months ago I was suddenly having a problem sleeping. Went on for a few weeks. Melatonin helps me for a few nights, but more than that and it wires me, so I can't use that for long. After a couple weeks my problems sleeping went away and I've been better than I ever have been, but I was getting to the point that I was going to go to the dr. I was having a little problem going to sleep, and I was waking up and was unable to go back to sleep. I was exhausted! And it was a time my DH was out of town so I was waking up early to get my kids off to school. Not fun!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I suffer from chronis insomnia--It started almost 2 years ago-At first it wasn't a big deal because I'd never been a regular sleeper anyway but when it started to get worse I tried over the counter meds with no luck--I went to the doc and he put me on amitriptoline(sp?) it was actually and anti depressant that has a side effect of drowsiness,it didn't work--moved to another base and went back to doc told her all over again what was going on and she put me on Trazadon found out when I picke dit up that it was also an antidepressant with the side effect of drowsiness--It didn't work--About 2 weeks ago she put me on Lunesta 2mg and at first it knocked me right out and kept me out for 8 hours but now I take it and i'm back to at least an hour before I fall asleep but it still keeps me out so I'm hoping that it'll continue to do that.

For me my insomnia would not let me fall asleep I'd lay there, get up, walk around, lay down, lay there over and over and over. I was awake for 2 to 3 days at a time--when I finally would fall asleep I'd sleep 2 hours wake up and then be awake for 2 more days then crash for 4 hours and be awake again for another 2 to 3 days--It was horrible--I hope these pills continue to work but I hate to think i'll have to take them forever.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I don't know if you are a religious person, but whenever I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep I take the opportunity to pray.
It seems to calm me down. And then I can go back to sleep.

Oh, trust me, I've tried it! The problem is, it happens the next night and the next night too. I have to get some sleep.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Sonata is a good one because it only lasts for 4 hours. If you go to sleep and wake up at 1:00 a.m., you can take it then and it will be out of your system in 4 hours. I've tried Ambien but do not like it. You need to make sure that you have at LEAST 8 hours to spend in bed. I found that when I woke up the next more, I would get mini-amnesia for about 2-3 hours. It lasted about 10 hours for me. Not good if you have to go to work.

I'll have to do some research on Sonata. I've heard good things about Lunesta too.

I have a real fear of sleeping pills. I know some of them say that they're non-addictive, but it still makes me nervous.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I learned about melatonin here and I have tried it -- what a difference!! I was amazed I sleep wonderful now

Can you refresh my memory on this? Isn't it a natural, or herbal substance? I don't take any other medications, so it might be something that I can try.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I suffer from chronis insomnia--It started almost 2 years ago-At first it wasn't a big deal because I'd never been a regular sleeper anyway but when it started to get worse I tried over the counter meds with no luck--I went to the doc and he put me on amitriptoline(sp?) it was actually and anti depressant that has a side effect of drowsiness,it didn't work--moved to another base and went back to doc told her all over again what was going on and she put me on Trazadon found out when I picke dit up that it was also an antidepressant with the side effect of drowsiness--It didn't work--About 2 weeks ago she put me on Lunesta 2mg and at first it knocked me right out and kept me out for 8 hours but now I take it and i'm back to at least an hour before I fall asleep but it still keeps me out so I'm hoping that it'll continue to do that.

For me my insomnia would not let me fall asleep I'd lay there, get up, walk around, lay down, lay there over and over and over. I was awake for 2 to 3 days at a time--when I finally would fall asleep I'd sleep 2 hours wake up and then be awake for 2 more days then crash for 4 hours and be awake again for another 2 to 3 days--It was horrible--I hope these pills continue to work but I hate to think i'll have to take them forever.

Wow. I'm so surprised to see that I'm not alone. You sound just like me.

I'm sorry!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

A couple months ago I was suddenly having a problem sleeping. Went on for a few weeks. Melatonin helps me for a few nights, but more than that and it wires me, so I can't use that for long. After a couple weeks my problems sleeping went away and I've been better than I ever have been, but I was getting to the point that I was going to go to the dr. I was having a little problem going to sleep, and I was waking up and was unable to go back to sleep. I was exhausted! And it was a time my DH was out of town so I was waking up early to get my kids off to school. Not fun!

See, that's how mine is. I'll do it for awhile, and then I'll sleep all night for a few months. I've just noticed that lately it's happening more and more often.

Remember, just last weekend, I told you in a PM that I was exhausted? The phase has lasted that long this time.

My mom is the same way and every ailment that she has, I always get. Why not this too???

 

[Mishetta]

My 10 y/o DS suffers from insomnia. He never sleeps.....never did either! We did find out a few years back that he also suffers from ADHD & he takes stimulants for that (but he's always suffered from insomnia.) Doc prescribed Clonidine & it does work most of the time. Unfortunately, if there is something weighing on his mind, no amount of anything will help him sleep. Poor kid.

I used to sleep walk until I was in my mid-20's. It just stopped about then. Once I woke up because I was feeling cold & I found myself standing outside on my bedroom balcony (I was on the 2nd floor).

 

[AMcaptured]

Sleep??? What is that??

I haven't sleep without "assistance" for about 6 or 7 years. I use tylenol PM now for a multitude of reasons but am finding very little relief these days due to nightly hot flashes..... My mother keeps on insuring me that I will sleep again "naturally" but insomnia is very common during a woman's change of life....

I also have a chronic medical condition and when that is flaring up, well just forget about sleep.

It truly is a vicious cycle because when you can't rest well it is physically impossible for your body to repair itself and your immune system has a hard time fighting off other ailments.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I'm glad you started this thread...I am a bad sleeper too.

Sometimes I can't fall asleep until 4am. It's very frustrating and lonely as well.

I find that the days I am able to run, I sleep a little better, but not always. I have also taken to doing things like taking Nyquil (Tylenol PM does not work for me and Ambien freaks me out) to help it along. I don't recommend that because of the grogginess the next day.

Making sure my room is very cold also helps.