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Insomnia
Posted: Sep 15, 2013
Any suggestions? I am living in a new place and am really having problems sleeping? Have tried many different things. Don't want to take any medicine because things like that don't really work on me until the next day and then I am so sleepy it is hard to work and concentrate. I will be completely exhausted in the morning
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me too - MTMT
[ In Reply To ..]I also have problems with insomnia. Sometimes my brain just won't shut up! lol You might want to try running some sort of white noise machine to block out other sounds. I actually use a humidifier, I don't even put water in it, it's just for the noise. I don't like to take sleeping pills, either, but I will take a melatonin once in a while, I've never had problems the next day. Usually what ends up working for me is thinking about something really boring, like my to-do list for the next day in minute detail... get up, brush my teeth, get dressed, blah blah, or I will try to think about a really slow song (it's usually the fast ones that get stuck in my head & keep me awake). If I can block out the fast tunes by thinking of a slow one that usually helps. One more thing you can do is try counting up in weird increments, like 7... 7, 14, 21, etc. Once you start getting to the higher numbers, you have to think about what the next number should be, keeps your mind off of other things that might be keeping you awake, but it's also boring enough to knock you out. One more thing that I'll do is just go to another room. I'll curl up on the couch with a blanket and do puzzles and I usually end up falling asleep on the couch.
I hope you find something that works for you!
Insomnia - reader
[ In Reply To ..]I too had insomnia for years. job stress. When I got "fired" I was depressed and wanted to kill myself and for sure could not sleep. I found free healthcare and they put me on Zoloft and later I had an aura (a flashy zig zag half circle in my eye and then a migraine after that. So then I started having migraines and they finally put me on 10 mg flexeril at night and Butalbital every 8 hours..until my headaches went away and I was able to sleep again. But I used to take Tylenol PM a couple years ago until they discontinued them. They helped me sleep too.
What kind of things seem to be - keeping you awake? sm
[ In Reply To ..]Is it, as the other poster mentioned, the brain just not shutting down? New noises from surroundings? Hot flashes?
Melatonin actually seemed to mess up my sleep pattern and I woke up groggy, but others use it successfully. The sound machine I used in the past had gentle waves. Very relaxing, but could induce some to run to the bathroom too much. : ) To shut down the brain, I recite the state capitals in alphabetical order. Or, in my mind's eye, focus on the foot and review everything about it in detail. Boring, but it works for me.
Good luck finding a solution, OP. I used to sleep so very well, but started hot flashes 2 weeks ago and this waking up 5+ times a night is driving me insane.
can't shut my mind off - new but old
[ In Reply To ..]I just can't seem to shut my mind off of what is going on. I have tried various methods and yes last night I took my pillows and went out to the couch but got nowhere with that either. It has been so hard to stay focused today while I work. During the day I feel like I could fall asleep sitting straight up and not even having to lie down. thanks for everybody's input
sleeper - here's what I take
[ In Reply To ..]I take amitriptyline 50 mg about an hour before bed, and I sleep like a baby. No side effects the next day. It's an old tried-and-true tricyclic antidepressant that is mainly used for help with sleeping these days. I've taken it for about 20 years. When I run out without getting a refill, I literally do not sleep.
Try Valerian, 1/3 the dose they recommend-sm - me
[ In Reply To ..]and work up. I also use taurine and super B complex before bed. One of my accounts used to be a homeopath in California. Great stuff. Had to quit taking the valerian because I used it every night for approaching 3 months, my body didn't hurt, I felt great, but then my stomach started killing me.
Melatonin 1 mg or Valerian root as directed. - works wonders
[ In Reply To ..]either one work great to help me sleep with no hangover effect.
Melatonin worthless for me - anony
[ In Reply To ..]It seems that four hours is my top limit for sleep. Tried melatonin 5 mg and nothing happened. Increased it to 10 mg, and still nothing. Elavil does work, but after being on it for about 20 years, I decided to wean myself off.
I find kava calms me down. - lalala
[ In Reply To ..]It doesn't exactly knock me out, but relaxes me enough that I don't lie there for hours worrying about things, and I don't feel groggy when I wake up in the morning. Also, headphones with "white noise" type of music playing just loud enough that it blocks outside noise, and my thoughts.
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