I really need help regarding my sleep situation.

[SmileyBoy]

I just woke up after sleeping for seven hours, from 3:45 to 10:45 pm. Last night, I only slept from 5am to 8am.

The pills I'm taking for my sleep problem (insomnia) don't seem to be working anymore, and I've been really busting my ass this past week getting schoolwork done for finals, which means I've had to wake up early. I've gone to sleep at the most erratic times these past few days, and I haven't been able to sleep during nights.

Now that I just slept for seven hours, that means I won't be able to sleep tonight, and I have to be up by 9am to go to the library and study for another final that I have tomorrow.

I haven't eaten in almost 16 hours now, and I have to go to Taco Bell, or else I'm gonna pass out.

Earlier this week, I had the most f'ed up 24-hour period of sleep I probably ever had in my life. This messload of schoolwork is KILLING me.

This really fucking sucks. My sleep cycle is waaaaay out of whack.

[DACT]

1. I'm in the same boat as you are.

I slept from 8 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to 8 PM today. I stayed up all of last night. I have a final tomorrow at 3.

[roguevalley]

2. Sounds like your brain is still doing schoolwork when you are sleeping.

Analyze your work habits, your load of work, how you
portion it out over a seven day week and how you can
redistribute. That is what killed me. Not having about
three hours of work/study/etc. each day, instead of
having it all dumped into the last two weeks of term.

[Broderick]

3. I got a solution

Drink beer.

Lots.

[Swede]

I just imagine I'm in a tent in the woods

rain is softly pattering on the roof. Always works for me. Try and find a pleasant relaxing thought. Flex your toes,legs,arms,torso,very gently,your jaw,your scalp,be aware of your breathing slowing down. A meadow on a warm day,with flowers and insects softly buzzing. Just try it.

[nuxvomica]

4. Try melatonin to readjust your sleep cycle

I did that once when I had a screwed up sleep cycle and it worked. Take it about 30-60 minutes before the time you think you need to get to sleep on schedule. You'll know it's working if you get drowsy.

[Kanary]

14. caution about melatonin

For some of us, it makes us "wired".

Not exactly helpful.

Kanary

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Same issue here...

I've been taking Vicadin for the last 2 weeks (for pain) and, despite making me dopey, it keeps me up at night. I've been getting around it by :smoke: but it only works if I :smoke: a lot of it.

Anyway, what was your question? :smoke:

[pasadenaboy]

6. have you seen a doctor regarding`

possible manic depression?

What you are describing can be a manic phase.

I'm not saying it is, but it is a possiblity.

[SmileyBoy]

9. I have clinical dipression, but not manic.

I was already diagnosed with depression a long time ago. I take Celexa for it.

[eileen from OH]

7. Gawd, my heart goes out to you. . .

only a fellow dysfunctional sleeper understands the hell this can be.

I have a few suggestions - take 'em for what they are worth. . .

1. Power naps. I find that a 15 minute nap refreshes enough to get through the day. Go out to your car if you have to. More than that and you'll wake up groggy, but about 15 minutes can really provide a pick-me-up.

2. When trying to go to sleep, don't lay there and "try". Read a book, flat on your back, and when you feel sleepy, just turn off the light.

3. Have a fantasy. Want to be famous? Want to go write a best-seller or win an Oscar? Close your eyes and picture it. It's very satisfying and can block the "gotta do's" that prevent us from drifting off.

4. Instead of sleeping pills, try the herbal supplement, melatonin. It will make you drowsy and you won't feel doped the next day. One warning though - this stuff seems to have a "window" of effectiveness. Take it about a half-hour of going to bed, then read or relax or watch tv. At the very first sign of drowsiness, go for sleep. I've found that if you miss that "window" it's not effective at all.

Best of luck to you.

eileen from ohio

[Dover]

8. When I was in school and had this problem

I did something really simple, a little ritual.....and it worked! Because stress was the real culprit I took 30 minute (minimum) HOT baths by candlelight. I'd either lie there in silence or with some calming music and would just empty my mind (which took up about half my time in the tub due to all the thoughts and worries that kept creeping in). I would start by thinking of times when I felt that wonderful kind of stress free sleepy secure and cozy feeling (summer naps on the hammock, falling asleep near a sunny window in the house, etc.)

I was so relaxed when I stepped out I could barely make it to the bed. Your body may be more needy of sleep than you think, even though you've just slept.

Creating a specific time for relaxation rituals in whatever form works for you, might relax you and help you to focus when you are studying or taking tests.

I hope that helps.

[dolo amber]

10. Seroquel

I've always been a terrible insomniac, until the last couple years. All through my 20s I would sleep MAYBE 3-4 hrs per night, and I would wake up a million times throughout the night. It got so bad I started "self-medicating" just to sleep. I tried loads of different prescriptions, OTCs, and herbals. Nothing really helped or if it did, I'd be in a haze for most of the next day.

Seroquel is actually an anti-psychotic (!), but it's prescribed in much lower doses for mild depression or insomnia. It flat knocks me out cold. And when I wake up, there is some initial fuzziness, but it clears rather quickly. It's been a total lifesaver. :)

Good luck to you, hope you make it through your exams unscathed.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Here's how I have adjusted to the transition between the U.S. and Japan

Flights get into Tokyo about 5:00 PM, which is midnight Pacific Time. So Tokyo people are thinking about dinner while my body is mighty sleepy.

Instead of going to bed, I force myself to stay awake until at least 11PM local time. This is 6:00AM Pacfic Time, so it's the equivalent of an all-nighter.

I then sleep for eight hours, which is like sleeping to 2PM Pacific Time, although it's actually 7:00AM Japan time. From then on, I'm fine.

The return trip is harder. Flights arrive back in the U.S. about 10AM, which is 3AM Japan Time. They encourage you to sleep on the flight, but if you're lucky, you get about three or four hours of sleep, so the first day back home is dreadful. But I still try to stay up till at least 10PM local time. It takes about three days to adjust fully.

My advice for you would be NOT to take naps during the day, no matter what. Don't take excessive stimulants, though, since that may keep you up at night. If you absolutely cannot keep your eyes open, lie down for no more than 30 minutes and set the alarm.

And for goodness sakes, eat something! Your blood sugar levels are probably all messed up and preventing your sleep patterns from getting back on track.

Also, for next semester, start studying earlier and steadier so that you don't have to panic at the end of the term.

Just some advice from Mama Lydia, the trans-Pacific traveler and former college professor.

[SmileyBoy]

16. You're right about the eating part.

I went to the doc about the stomache problem, and it turns out I have an ulcer just like you guessed. I take meds for it every night alongside my sleep pills. While I can eat a little better than I used to, I still need to force myself to eat on a normal basis during the day. I think the fact that I spent mass quantities of time through the day not eating causes my blood sugar to dip, resulting in a crash.

[montana_hazeleyes]

12. The lack of eating can contribute to it.

Try eating a good full meal and if you can get some turkey meat. That can help you get drowsey.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. Yes, both turkey and milk

contain L-tryptophan.

Once I was insomniac because of a tense personal situation. I had arranged to meet a friend to go the ballet, and I was tense and exhausted, but I met her for dinner anyway.

The featured soup that evening was cream of turkey. I started falling asleep during the ballet, feeling completely relaxed.

You used to be able to buy L-tryptophan separately, but about 15 years ago, a bad batch killed some people, so the subtance itself (not just from that company) was banned. A turkey sandwich and milk or yogurt may just do the trick.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

20. You can get 5-htp

I take it. It works and it helps improve your mood and balance your insulin levels. I just take a 100mg tab before going to bed.

[SmileyBoy]

17. The eating part is correct, I agree.

Like mentioned above, I need to eat normally again. I wasn't able to previously, due to an ulcer I have.

[scottcsmith]

15. I hear you

I also have insomnia. I take three different drugs just to get sleepy. Actually it might be four. I hate having to get doped up like that, but it works for me, and I can count on about seven hours of sleep a night -- I go to bed at 1:00 a.m. and I'm up by 9:00.

The downside is if I forget to take any of the drugs it messes me up and I don't sleep...plus, in the morning, I have that sleeping pill hangover, which lasts until noon, or until I've had a Red Bull.

Natural sleep is best, but it just doesn't work for me. I'm damned if I do and damned if I do not.

[Bossy Monkey]

18. If there's any caffeine in your life, get it out

I just had to stop my iced tea habit in order to sleep at night (sometimes; it's 2am ET as I type this). Especially if you're drinking coffee, I'd think this would also be unhelpful to an ulcer, as well as messing up sleep.

[kayleybeth]

19. I have the same problem

Insomnia sucks. I've suffered from it periodically most of my life. Good luck, I hope you can get back on a normal sleep schedule!

[Wapsie B]

21. For right now,

get enough to eat, lay off the junk food and caffeine. Try to get some exercise in. You've gotta take a study break sometime, so go to the gym. Above all, try to keep regular hours.

After finals, get an appointment with your doctor about your sleeping meds. If you're not already you need to be seeing a Sleep Specialist and or a Psychiatrist to find out what treatment would work for you.

[JCMach1]

22. Melotonin, or Valerian

always work for me.

[drfemoe]

24. That must explain your time stamp

Fri Dec-12-03 02:49 AM
;)

[DS1]

23. hey bud, I'm in the same boat

:7 started and finished a three+ minute flash movie tonight, anti-bush of course :evilgrin:

I still have to make improvements to my last animations, and write a paper about them before noon, woohoo!

[drfemoe]

25. just a word of caution

.. it's a good topic, and a lot of us can relate to what you're going through.

Please don't stop taking any medications prescribed by your doctor without checking with him/her first!! Please. Also sometimes sleeping pills can have rebound effects, so again asking the doctor might be a good idea.

I have a loud rude roommate, which prevents me from getting on a regular sleep cycle, which is what I have to have to 'function'.

There are lots of things to try .. but what helps me most when I need it most is realizing that 1 hour of laying in bed, even just 'resting' = 20 mins of real time sleep. (I read that.) So even if you don't fall asleep, you can rest and still benefit from "sleep".
l8r

[Loonman]

26. Living with Insomnia

My insomnia causes me to wake up at the end of every sleep cycle.

Irritating, but I can live with it.

[Enraged_Ape]

27. Get yourself a PDA or an organizer and use it

I'm an insomniac myself and my problem has been alleviated GREATLY by this step.

Use it to schedule everything, from classes to study sessions to meals (and it sounds like you even need help setting aside time for those), exercise breaks (even just 20 minutes a day) and all other to-dos lurking on the horizon. Schedule in REGULAR bedtimes, and add Dover's relaxation baths and other wind-down activity before those regular bedtimes. Then follow your organizer, religiously.

You wouldn't believe how much free-floating anxiety we carry around with us--a subliminal notion that everything is falling apart and that we don't have hold of all the loose ends. Once you see that there is indeed time for everything and that it's been scheduled and/or taken care of, this goes away. You won't need to lie in bed thinking about these things.

And take a few minutes before bed every night to read something light, escapist, and uplifting--NOT schoolwork. And cut out ALL caffeine. Some of us have a real sensitivity to it. Unfortunately, this means most soft drinks as well.

These steps have all but eliminated my insomnia, and it was a problem that was plaguing me greatly.

[areschild]

28. I've been waking up every morning

lately at about 2 am and not able to go back to sleep. Last night I woke up at 1:30 am and decided that I just could not stay up all night again, so I warmed some milk and took 2 aspirins. It actually helped. I went back to bed and slept until 6:15 am.

[Kamika]

29. Fail safe plan to fix sleeping cycle

It's easy too.

Go to bed at 11 pm and stay in bed to 8 am and seriously if you cant sleep do NOT watch tv, do NOT go up and eat.. Lay there in darkness and just try to sleep.

Go up at 8 and stay up until 11 pm. DO not do NOt do NOT go to bed but DONT use anything like coffein or anything like that, you should fall asleep pretty easily now.

But do Not sleep longer then 8 anyway

[RedEarth]

30. Exercise and a balanced diet will help

not only with sleep, but also your overall mental state. DO NOT get off any of your meds, or take additional meds or OTC sleep aids without checking with your Dr.

As far as exercise is concerned, there is scientific evidence that it improves a person's mental well-being. Make an effort to set aside at least 30-60 min. a day for some type of exercise. If your school or town has a gym go to and use the aerobic machines, wieghts and then use a sauna or hot tub. I promise exercise will make you feel better and in turn help you sleep better.

Good luck!!!!!


Here are some links regarding exercise and serotonin.....

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/health/print_111703_hs_exercise.html

http://www.ncpad.org/nutrition/gen_nut/fatigue.htm

http://psychology.about.com/library/weekly/aa081000a.htm