I need help breaking this cycle.

[trixie23]

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

I have never understood why people can't just GO to bed at a time. Why can't you just get ready for bed at 10pm, and climb into bed and shut your eyes? Won't you fall asleep eventually?

Unfortunately it is not that easy for some! At least not for me... I have a set bed time and through out the night I wake up constantly, toss and turn, can't get back to sleep, the stresses in my daily life overwhelm me and its hard to turn off! I also have nightmares multiple times a week and they are so disturbing I can't fall asleep or I avoid sleep so these events do not occur! I guess if you don't have insomniac issues then you don't undertand the problem! Wish it was that easy!

 

[chromodactyl]

I wish it was that easy too.I didnt get to bed till 10 am to day then woke at 2pm-day gone and feel crap and I missed a gorgeous sunny hot day

 

[trouts mom]

Wow, I can't imagine not being able to sleep whenever I want. That would be so hard.

But what will happen if you just TRY to go to sleep? Will you just never fall asleep?

 

[lillekat]

I have the same problem - I can get ready for bed and get in and stay awake for hours and hours. It's not because I am thinking too much on something else, and it's not because I'm concentrating on something like a TV. I just have trouble switching off. It's like a balance that you just can't quite get to tip. I've had nights where I've been awake all night. Just because I'm really really tired, and I can't switch off long enough to go to sleep. It gets more and more frustrating, and the more irritated you are, the more likely it is you'll stay awake. It's a vicious circle.

Watching TV is the worst thing you can do when you go to bed because it gives your brain too much to focus on and you finish up with an input overload. The best you can do is to find something completely mindless and repetitive to do (Knitting and cross-stitch are great). I'll suggest again the valarian root - because that's also completely harmless to cats if they get into it.

 

[chromodactyl]

Originally Posted by LilleKat

I have the same problem - I can get ready for bed and get in and stay awake for hours and hours. It's not because I am thinking too much on something else, and it's not because I'm concentrating on something like a TV. I just have trouble switching off. It's like a balance that you just can't quite get to tip. I've had nights where I've been awake all night. Just because I'm really really tired, and I can't switch off long enough to go to sleep. It gets more and more frustrating, and the more irritated you are, the more likely it is you'll stay awake. It's a vicious circle.

Watching TV is the worst thing you can do when you go to bed because it gives your brain too much to focus on and you finish up with an input overload. The best you can do is to find something completely mindless and repetitive to do (Knitting and cross-stitch are great). I'll suggest again the valarian root - because that's also completely harmless to cats if they get into it.

Agreed!! If i watch tv or read or have had a great night with friends I find my mind to stimulated and cant stop thinking or working things out-its horrible and then you feel like an absolute zombie and cant do anything useful

 

[trixie23]

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Wow, I can't imagine not being able to sleep whenever I want. That would be so hard.

But what will happen if you just TRY to go to sleep? Will you just never fall asleep?

I try everynight by 10pm! I just don't sleep well in general!

 

[zissou'smom]

More info about essential oils: http://www.cybercanine.com/cat.htm

Please NB that it even says being anywhere near essential oils can cause liver problems, even via inhalation. Thus my saying that unless you absolutely have to (and I really can't think of a reason that would be true) keep them out of your house.

On top of that... imagine whatever you are smelling being a hundred times stronger. Annoying, wouldn't it be? Cats smell all kinds of things just on our shoes, and they don't smell like anything to us! Imagine what something we smell must smell like to them. I imagine it something like those new sodium headlights shining right in your face.

*puts the hijack ninja back in the box

I know one way I can always fall asleep is trying to recite a long passage in my head. It seems counterintuitive, but by lying in bed with your eyes shut concentrating on something that isn't trying to sleep, you nod off. Sort of like counting sheep.

 

[lemur 6]

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

I have never understood why people can't just GO to bed at a time. Why can't you just get ready for bed at 10pm, and climb into bed and shut your eyes? Won't you fall asleep eventually?

Like some of the people here. I can't do that. "Trying to fall asleep" makes it worse (actually I don't quite understand how you can try to fall asleep, or force yourself to sleep).

A lot of it has to do with tension. Most of the remedies people suggest are to relax the body or just take your mind off what worries you (meditation, watching TV, something mindless and repetitive, camomile tea, valarian root, etc). But different things relax or stimulate different people, so you have to find your own trick sometimes. I hear sex is really good to get you to sleep.

Although I don't get much sleep when I need it, I'm a sleepaholic on weekends or vacation time. I love warm and partly cloudy afternoons, I just set blanket by a window, and stare at the clouds go by and drift off into sleep, or just enjoy the warm sun.

 

[zissou'smom]

Originally Posted by Lemur 6

A lot of it has to do with tension. Most of the remedies people suggest are to relax the body or just take your mind off what worries you (meditation, watching TV, something mindless and repetitive, camomile tea, valarian root, etc). But different things relax or stimulate different people, so you have to find your own trick sometimes. I hear sex is really good to get you to sleep.

For a lot of people, and statistically more likely women, sex has exactly the opposite effect. I'm sure most people know either way what it does to them

It's so weird how different people are in regards to being able to sleep whenever they want-- my BIL can take a nap just to waste time, whether he is tired or not! Just, oh, I'm bored let me just close my eyes here *snore*. I'm jealous of that! But I also don't usually have trouble sleeping at night, only if I have a lot of stress or something. Other people hardly sleep in years, and I can't imagine what that's like.

If you don't want to try sleeping pills, you might try Midol... muscle relaxants make you feel less stressed (which is what takes away the cramps in midol).

 

[catsallover]

I read old English mysteries if I can't sleep (think Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, etc.) and that usually does me in- all that concentrating on the mystery gets my mind back on a single track, instead of all over the place, and "translating" early 20th century England English to 21st century American English finally wears my brain out

(Drops book and booklight...zzzzz

). However, a book I have been looking forward to (like the one I just finished- the latest Mrs. Murphy book

), I will stay up forever, because I am enjoying it so much

.

I also have a tummy medicine (it's also for colicky babies

) that makes me really sleepy if I've got to go to sleep, and my dr. would like for me to take it more often...

I've also been known to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in my head until I fall asleep if my mind won't shut off- simple repetitive lyrics (like the earlier suggestion

) , plus it is a comforting song from childhood...

And, both my mom and I have noticed that we sleep better if we take Advil right before going to bed.

Do stop cleaning house

, that will keep you awake

. Being on the computer late at night will do it too...

 

[Moz]

I have a really bad habit of going to bed late too, and because of that I usually end up napping in the daytime.

So to make myself to go bed early, I usually go for a long walk or bike ride, then have a hot bath and read a book. After all that I can usually fall asleep pretty quick. My meds help too, they make me sleepy.

 

[crazyforinfo]

Well I tried to go to bed with DH at 11pm. At 12:30am I gave up and came here. I just took a Benadryl & hope that helps. I hate taking it cause my heart races sometimes.

The relaxing essential oils I am allergic too. Drives me nuts when I see scents for relaxation and read that lavander, liliac etc... are in them. If the Benadryl doesn't kick in, I am bringing my discman to bed.

 

[catsallover]

Benadryl cranks my daughter up- found that out the hard way one night when she was sick

. Sudafed (which gives me the jitters sometimes, and keeps me up) makes her sleep like a baby. Odd how meds affect different people differently!

... I am going to be now myself (hopefully

). I hope you can sleep soon.