WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT A SLEEP DISORDER I’VE GOT? INSOMNIA?
November 22, 2009
I have a really tough time descending defunct during night as well as once we do tumble asleep, we am up about 15-20 mins later. My doc referred to Lunesta, though a Medical Card does not cover that. I’ve even attempted OTC nap aids as well as they do not work either….HELP!!!!! we need SLEEP something bad. All opinions appreciated…..and appreciate you
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massage, meditation, chamomile tea, or a cup of hot milk
football games always help me fall asleep, rent one out
Go back to the doc, and make him do his job and figure out the cause of your insomnia. Insomnia is not a disease. It’s just a symptom of something else, either physical or mental, and you have to treat the cause. If OTC sleep aids don’t work for you, you have a fairly severe problem, and you could have a serious medical issue.
Try takin 2 night quills but you have to let ur mind think that they are ghoing to work. They do work its just u are telling urself they dont. take thme go in bed with a glass of milk and read or watch tv. Just do watever u can to reax try getting alot of excise in that day and take a bubble bath before bed.
take a chill pill.mix up a glass of very warm milk and melt 2 tablespoons of honey in it and take about half an hour before bed works every time
I used to have a similar problem until I started walking an hour a day on most days. Exercise seems to help me relax. Also, you will sleep more lightly and wake up more frequently on nights when alcohol is consumed, so avoid imbibing when a good nights sleep is necessary.
I used to have a miserable time falling asleep too. Do you do anything else in bed besides sleep? If you do, then you have taught your body and brain the laying in bed is not necessarily for sleeping. So if you do, you need to stop reading, doing homework, watching TV or anything else in bed for a while. If you are in bed more than 15 minutes without falling asleep, get out of bed do something else then go back to bed and try again. Also make sure you are not too warm. You will actually sleep a bit more soundly if you are cool rather than warm.
meds
Try some meditation, it always helps to relax the mind and body
There are many reasons for insomnia. Sometimes it is due to a Nutritional Disorder related to sugar consumption.
Try out GLYCERINE as a short term remedy.
See:
“The Biochemistry of Insomnia”at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/insomnia.html
I know what you mean, Tiger-been there and sometimes doing that still. But mostly have it solved for myself and it wasn’t easy putting it all together. Maybe you can benefit from my journey to learn all this stuff.
There are many kinds of sleep disorders with varying solutions. But before you go to meds you would benefit from at least trying the ideas the sleep researchers have already discovered helps improve sleep.
Before you get worried and stressed that new solutions don’t work right away-remember this gem that kept me hanging in there while new ideas took hold-it can take WEEKS to reset your sleep practices. I used to give up too soon.
I have changed both my and my 5 year old’s sleep patterns considerably by the following:
TOTAL DARKNESS. Findings are that even the led lights on electronics or computer screen time in the night hours is telling your internal clock that it is not sleep time. I had to knock out even the power strip with its little red light, and block the window with a heavy duty blanket before this idea took hold. And getting up in the night is something to tread with lightly-when you hit the bathroom-go in the dark or the slightest, lowest nighlight you can find. Best to cut off fluids earlier in the night.
NO CAFFEINE AFTER NOON Now I can get away with about 1 pm, but I say noon to be on the safe side. Maybe none at all even better.
LOWER YOUR SALT/SODIUM (check with doctor if needs be) This one is a surprise usually but salty diets tend to affect our sleep too.
SOUND BARRIER I have a sound machine but I didn’t take this one seriously for a long time because I am sensitive to noise-can hear all the machines in the house going and it annoys me. WELL that is the point. I discovered how well it works accidentally by having a fan on in the summer and sleeping better and then when the seasons changed, I slept like crud again just after putting fan away. Get a sound machine. I got one for free by asking on Freecycle. All the sound choices bugged me but one that was softer and lower in pitch. It is just loud enough to cover any this and that in the environment that causes alarm in those of us with a protective oriented system that makes us wake up at every sound.
READ UP Do a search for sleep books in your library and find one that has more ideas for your specific lifestyle. Also learn about the “windows” that come in cycles and are the best times to flop in bed.
EXERCISE Works if you get something vigorous in a few hours before sleep. Dont exercise right before bedtime.
TEAS AND HERBALS Scope out your health food oriented store. Some teas were just right-doubled up to make that falling asleep time easier. Not great, but in combination may work out.
OPEN THE WINDOW This discovery was also an accident. Pile on more blankets if you have to, but get some fresh air while you sleep.
MENTAL REST If you have a lot on your plate, your brain is working overtime to sort it through instead of resting. You can use sleep cds that include guided imagery, or hypnotic suggestion. Likewise the Herbert Benson books cover this one well-the meditation of repeating a word and deep breaths-change your brain waves into deeper relaxation. You can also see a therapist with a sleep disorder specialty, or stress reduction specialty. I learned to use a particular journey and breathing trick and taught it to my daughter when she was 3. She loves taking the breaths and “walking down the stairs” in her mind.
That is all I can think of right now.
Good luck and you will sleep eventually. Good night.
What do you eat before you go to bed?