I can't sleep!

Ok, I really can sleep, I just have trouble falling asleep! I think my sleep schedule is fromm 3 am to 11 or noon, but that's not too helpful when you work the regular 9 to 6!

So how do you guys get to sleep quicker? It's pretty much a given that on Sunday nights I take Tylenol PM or else I won't sleep well at all (I get too geared up about the coming week!) But I'd like to try other methods for the rest of the week.

As it is now, I go to bed between 11 pm and 2 am and I usually read for a bit to help me get sleepy, but it can take a couple of hours from when I go to bed to when I fall asleep!

~Julia

Don't ask me, I have to take something or else I won't sleep at all.

I'm actually in the process of doing a research paper on Insomnia for a summer class. I can give you some "technical" tips from articles I have found, but some of them are things that normal people aren't going to do!

- No caffeine (if you do, try to have no more than 2 cups/cans/etc and none after noon)

- Excercise atleast 30 minutes, even just a walk, but needs to be more than 3 hours before bedtime

- Even though people think alcohol will help you sleep, it wont...you may go to sleep easier but your sleep will be restless

- No large meals within 3 hours of bed time

- Take a warm bath

- Bedroom environment: quiet, as dark as possible, cool temp, comfortable pillow

- Relaxing activity, like stretching, progressive relaxation, etc.

- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day (This is the main one I know most people won't do, including myself!)

I have no idea if any of this will help you! Just thought I'd try and use some of my new info!

the stretching sounds like a good idea! I hadn't thought of that.
I'm trying to go to bed at the same time during the week, but it's hard! and on the weekends, man no way am I getting up early (though i could get a lot more done . . .)

That was interesting about when to have or not have meals and exercise and such. I'll have to pay attention and see if I can change my habits on some of that stuff.

~Julia

Originally Posted by jlutgendorf

I'm trying to go to bed at the same time during the week, but it's hard! and on the weekends, man no way am I getting up early (though i could get a lot more done . . .)

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I'm the same way! I know theoretically its a good idea, and would probably work, but thats just not gonna happen! I'm glad some of that stuff sounded helpful, hope you get to sleeping better soon!

benedryle. 1 hour before beddy bye.

It usually takes me about 2 hours of reading dense material.

I am in the same boat too, except I can't fall asleep AND can't stay asleep. I have REALLY bad insomnia. No matter how tired I am, my body will not let me sleep. I have to take medicine. Even with meds, I can't stay asleep. I wake up at least four times every night. I always feel sooo exhausted. I am going to have to go do a sleep study I guess. It's a really awful feeling being so tired and not being able to go to sleep. I have suffered for years.

In April and May I had a relapse of my previous health problems and I could not sleep at all. So I was prescribed amitriptyline and lorazepam.. that's how I fall asleep fast.

I have a prescription for Ambien but I don't use it every night.

I know my body likes to sleep between 3 am and 11am to noon! I can do this during the summer but during the school year I have to be at work at 7:45am. Ouch. Usually, I end up sleep deprived during the week and then am completely dead on the weekends.

I am a firm believer in maintaining a certain bedtime and awake time.
I had worked in an office for 20 yrs and usually went to bed 9:30-10:00 pm as DH gets up at 5:30 am and so would I to do housecleaning or other stuff before I had to get ready to go to work. That changed Oct 1 but I really haven't deviated from that schedule. (even on weekends) Sleeping late to me would be 7 am-the cats are to set in their ways and want to be fed!!
I rarely watch TV from 9-10 mainly I will be in bed reading a book or sometimes on the computer playing games. I try not to have caffiene after 6-7 pm at night either but caffiene doesn't seem to be a problem. The only problem for me is if I have done to much manual labor its like I'm overtired but then I can't sleep because of it!!
I will wake up most night to go to the bathroom or to let a cat in or out of the house.

I am actually the opposite....once I lay down I will fall asleep within 5 mins.....which is not always good when you are trying to stay awake and watch something.

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Something I heard in the past is that keep your bed as the sleeping only area....if you watch tv throughout the day on your bed or work on the bed it's harder to fall alseep once you are laying down....If you do this...then try only using your bed as a place to sleep and it might help.

I hardley ever sleep.... I am wound too tightly. And spend hours thinking about nothing.... I have to take meds to get a good nights sleep.... otherwise I toss and turn ALL night....