Insomnia. Who suffers from it, and what helps you?

[AllieB]

I have suffered from it periodically over the past 5 years. I have tried both holistic and pharmaceutical sleep aids, and nothing really helps for very long. Tell me what helps you? Sometimes a hot bath and a boring book will do it for me.

Tonight the thought of one of my cats or dog bringing me a mouse in bed is keeping me awake. I guess I can chalk up tonight's insomnia to anxiety.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3835616

[Duer 157099]

1. melatonin

have you tried it yet? sublingual, 2.5mg, Source Naturals

[melnjones]

2. ditto. nt

[AllieB]

5. I have tried it

It no longer works for me. *sigh*

I gave up caffeine a few months ago and that really helped for a while. Now I'm back to "I have to get up in how many hours?" :-(

[radwriter0555]

3. Dehydration can cause insomnia. I sleep far, far better if I've had

enough water during the day and evening.

If I don't, sure enough, even the smallest anxiety is enough to wake me.

[AllieB]

8. Thanks for the suggestion, radwriter0555

I know how you feel-worry is probably what is really keeping me awake.

[wtmusic]

4. Forget supplements

and find some kind of aerobic exercise. I ride a bike, and sleep like a baby.

[AllieB]

6. I do an hour of cardio a day, and yoga three times per week

I will probably try some other exercise routine and see what happens.

[wtmusic]

9. wow

that's amazing. I've never heard of anyone who exercises regularly, who couldn't sleep...:shrug:

drink coffee? allergic to your animals?

[AllieB]

11. Honestly, I think insomnia can be anxiety-based or brain chemistry

I'm an energetic sort of person, so maybe I just need to wind down for longer before attempting to sleep.

[wtmusic]

13. Possible that you're in such good shape

1 hour isn't enough (we should all have that problem) :D

[ghostsofgiants]

10. "You need healthy natural sleep..."

"Chew some valerian root and get more exercize."

Fight Club helped cure my insomnia last summer, haha.

[NMMNG]

7. Trazodone 150mg plus Melatonin 3mg

I was on it before and it worked well, but made me have 10 day bouts of status migrainous every time I got my period. Now my doctor wants me to try taking it again, but stop taking it the week before my period to see if that helps. So I have to stop it this Sunday and use OTC stuff for the next week, then start it up again for the next three weeks.

[Mojambo]

12. Mine is almost always related to too much time in front of the computer.

I usually just unplug the thing for a couple of days and I'm fine.

[LoZoccolo]

14. I think a lot of people think about sex (I am not kidding).

I get insomnia every now and then, and even take Ambien for it occasionally (which I'm trying to depend less on). Every now and then I remember that it seems like a lot of people say they think about sex after they close their eyes, and wonder if the reason I can't sleep is that I almost never do this.

I remember as a kid, I would think about repeating patterns and it would help me get to sleep...things like rows of the same candy bar on the rack at the grocery store. It was like second nature to me, something I discovered I would do rather than came up with deliberately. Isn't that weird? And I don't do that much anymore either...maybe that's why I have trouble.

[sleipnir]

15. Two shots of Jack Daniels and nighty, night.

Though, I'm not a really insomniac, just a person who prefers night to day. It's less busy and not as full of people.

[LSK]

16. i eat turkey frozen dinners and a big glass of milk

When I cant sleep. I also have been getting major workouts a few times a week which help me sleep better. Also avoid naps. I also read that if you cant sleep, dont keep laying in bed, get up and do something for a while.

[cssmall]

17. Actually, I've found that routine is the way to go.

It doesn't matter what type of day you have, I've learned. It's the evening that matters. I take dinner (which my wife loves, of course :) Because I cook more than she does when we have a regular schedule) at 6:00 or so every night, relax afterwards and then, my wife and I take our 18 month old daughter outside and run'er ragged. Then, we come in and take dessert, read, watch TV, play games, and whatnot, then I go take a shower and drink a big glass of milk and relax with my daughter. The only reason why I'm up now is because we're watching Taboo! It's a wonderful show that focuses on sociology and anthropology of NG Channel.

[AntiCoup2K4]

18. I've had a really hard time sleeping this week....

Maybe listening to Mike Malloy until 1:00 AM has something to do with it?

God damn XM for fucking up the schedule anyway.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

19. A long, hard day of grueling physical labor.

[Jamastiene]

20. Cold, not hot as hot works for many people,

chocolate milk. Keep in mind that for me the hot milk doesn't work. And I prefer chocolate syrup or Ovaltine Rich Chocolate in my cold milk. It usually makes me sleepy. Either that, or I study a boring subject, laying in the bed reading. As a matter of fact, even reading a suspense novel I am interested in in bed will eventually knock me out. It just takes a while.

[BlueIris]

21. Benadryl.

Not gonna help long-term insomnia issues, as, I'm told, if used more than occasionally, it can actually screw up sleep patterns more than sleeplessness, but once or twice a month it helps me.

[BikeWriter]

22. Uh, I post until I drop...