Insomnia And Sleeping Issues

[anzo]

I'm not usually one to ask medical related questions on here - but then again this isn't exactly life threatening stuff. Just more curious than anything..

So, for the past month I've been having real difficulty in getting to sleep. I do my best to sleep, I'm warm, relaxed and try to clear my mind but I just don't get tired at all - so I avoid anything that absorbs my mind, I don't go online because I assume then I'll be making my mind more active and that won't help anything, so I just lie there for hours until I finally pass out.

On a worknight I'll get into bed at about 10, like I did last night, I fell asleep about 4am and was up for work again at 6.30, although I never feel tired throughout the day (which is quite suprising).

Other than that, I avoid any caffine foods/drinks, high sugars and things like that - I have dinner about 6pm and will not eat for the rest of the night before bed.

I spoke to a friend who works in the medical field, and she seems to think that it could be related to my job - I work in IT and spend roughly 9 hours a day by computers.

So, does anyone else here have trouble sleeping? And I don't mean people who sit on here until 4am and call it a problem.

Any advice?

Edited January 6, 2009 by Baby Pizzle

[JonMack]

I spoke to a friend who works in the medical field, and she seems to think that it could be related to my job - I work in IT and spend roughly 9 hours a day by computers.

It's funny you should mention that, as I work from home the majority of my time so I'm sat infront of my computers pretty much all the time.

I always tend to put a film or some music on juts before I wanna go to bed, it usually helps me zone out and drift off. There are also "ambient sounds" that you can download to play while you're trying to get to sleep, you could have a google around and see if they help?

[Papa Manual]

That’s quite strange. I used to work in a builders merchant meaning I was on my feet doing a variety of physically demanding tasks for 8 hours a day and then usually went riding afterwards. At that point in my life I had exactly the same as what you have now, usually about 2 or 3 hours a night but no really tiredness in the day. A few years later I became a finance whore and spend the majority of my day in front of my computer, as I still do now. That was the point at which my insomnia disappeared.

[Sam Ward]

I always tend to put a film or some music on juts before I wanna go to bed, it usually helps me zone out and drift off.

its all about routine, i doesnt matter what time i go to bed, be it half 10, or after a night out i never can get to sleep, i always put a film on and normally grab my laptop for half an hour before watching the film. watching a film is almost a bit like meditation, its just a simple task for the mind to focus on instead of laying awake thinking about shit.

have you tried things like nytol, my mum had hurrendous trouble sleeping and tried sleeping pills once and hated them, but nytol really helped her

or maybe its old age setting in, my nan barely sleep, neither does my granddad, my dads always telling me about how he was up at 3 and just went and did some work

[anzo]

I forgot to mention; she also said that it could be that you associate your bedroom with 'stimulating' things. It sounds weird, but makes sense logically - I have my computers in my room but I rarely use them these days, afterall I spend all day on them at work, the last thing I want to do it do it when I get home too. Although my computer surrounds me so pshycologicially I just can't relax.

Another thing is my phone - I use it as an alarm clock so I can't turn it off just yet, but thats another thing I use throughout my day so its a stimulating item. However, I doubt it will work - its not like I'm being distracted from sleeping because I want to sleep, I just can't do it.

This isn't really a 'I'm sleepy but can't sleep', its a 'It's 4am and feels like 1 in the afternoon' sort of thing. So because I can't sleep I start to think about all sorts of things - and this just makes it worse but you can't help it, its a pretty vicious circle.

or maybe its old age setting in, my nan barely sleep, neither does my granddad

Bloody hell, I'm only 21!

[Bionic Balls]

go do some exercise in the evening?

[Papa Manual]

Go for a fifteen or twenty minute RUN, capping it off with a spliff and a warm drink. I'm not trying to be in with the kids by mentioning the devil weed; I just think it's a method that works. I barely touch the stuff these days as I haven't any sleep problems and prefer to keep a clearer head in general. If you don't smoke, make a yogurt.

[JD™]

Go for a fifteen or twenty minute,

I just accidentally a whole sentence

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

Start using the time wisely, I'll elaborate on this later, but I'm chuffing busy with a report I should have done weeks ago

Aside from that, self medication can and does often work, but it can lead to bigger problems.

[anzo]

Go for a fifteen or twenty minute, capping it off with a spliff and a warm drink. I'm not trying to be in with the kids by mentioning the devil weed; I just think it's a method that works. I barely touch the stuff these days as I haven't any sleep problems and prefer to keep a clearer head in general. If you don't smoke, make a yogurt.

Smoked it occasionally and it just sends me to sleep, which is what I'm trying to achieve, although I really don't want to become dependent on it to have a good nights sleep.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it but I do smoke, I'll have about 4 fags throughout the day although when I'm home I don't smoke at all - I guess this could be a problem with that fact I can't relax without having a fag before I sleep. Although I've smoked for well over a year now and it's never really bothered me like this, but I'll try it tonight and see how it works out.

[Papa Manual]

Furthering an addictive habit is what it's all about.

Ah yeah, I was suggesting a 15/20 minute run but my sentence failed.

[Muel]

I sometimes go through stages of insomnia, I find getting drunk usually works. I just find it so much easier to clear my mind and fall asleep when I'm drunk!

[JD™]

Cant help but LOLZ at all the suggestions of drink and drugs in here. This is why TF is such a good place for medical advice. Don't f**k about with fags, alcohol or weed on their own though. Do all 3 and chuck some K in there too, that should knock you out for a good few hours. It's a pleasure by the way.

[Papa Manual]

Very droll sir.

[Jaffacakes]

I never really get to sleep until about 5 anymore

I wouldnt start smoking weed before bed. When you dont have any, it can be even harder to get to sleep, and its never really good using it as a neccessaty. I always have the TV when im getting to sleep, last night for instance I was entertained by JK for a while then went to sleep half way through. When I try to get to sleep I never can, then I get angry and start moving around. But when im not bothered about it, I just think "I'll just rest my eyes for a second", thats when I get to sleep easily...

Have you tried sleeping pills?

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

Right I used to be awake til 5 - 6 am, wake up 10 ish then sleep the same time the next night. I found quite a few things that helped me. Firstly starting to excercise alot more, I know its a pain in the arse but getting up early-ish to run then doing a shift at work will tire you out. Another thing I found is that watching TV, listening to music etc helps me get to sleep aswell but some people are the complete opposite. Other then those two or drink/drugs I dont really know for you haha

[Max Quinn]

I've been exactly the same for the past year or so, it's wierd. On school nights I always go up to my room before 11 but however hard i try just can't sleep and usually end up finally drifting off between 4 and 6, meaning not much sleep at all. The thing is though, i seem to still function fine during the day so it doesn't really bother me. It also gives me alot of time to work on creative things that i otherwise might not have time for like drawing, cutting stencills, reading etc. I've come to believe it's due to my personality rather than anything else as what stops me trying to get to sleep is always creative inspiration and ideas for sketches etc. I'm definately more creative at night. I just honestly can't not think about things like that when i'm doing nothing else. However, if i ever sleep at a friends house i get to sleep alot quicker so the whole stimulating room thing maybe partially true as there i obviously can't just get up and sketch out, i think it's more to do with that fact that if i ever sleep round a friends hosue i'm usually heniously drunk and pass out more than sleep though

Things that help me are relaxing music, i tried classical but i think it's better to have something with words and a story you can concentrate on as it stops you just still thinking about other things. I find more mellow hip hop tracks and alot of jazz influenced hip hop suit me

Another thing is to always have a notepad and pen/pencil on your bedside table. This means that rather than get up i can just write down or quickly sketch the thoughts that are in my head. Getting them out of my head onto paper stops them buzzing round and makes me feel satisfied that i can go to sleep. I find it's also really useful to hold onto those thoughts and inspiration you have at night that you may otherwise forget by the morning.

I would never reccomend weed to anyone as i don't think it's something that should be reccomended to you and should be completely your choice without outside influence. However, a spliff always helps me get to sleep at the end of the day. It's great if you want a nice relaxing long lie in and don't have to be up the next morning. However, i find it puts me in a much deeper sleep which is hard to wake up from so i wouldn't really reccomend it when you have school/work in the morning, hence my new years resolution to stop smoking weed on weeknights (for me this is easily achievable at the click of a finger as i have quite good self restraint but it's something i want to do at least in the short term just to see how it effects me).

Meh, maybe some of that will help you, maybe it wont. But to be honest i find the nights are a nice time to be up, when it's all quiete with no distractions, it's peaceful and i'm more productive for sure.

[Simpson]

I sometimes go through stages of insomnia, I find getting drunk usually works. I just find it so much easier to clear my mind and fall asleep when I'm drunk!

When your drunk you have a really restless / shit nights sleep although it feels amazing its rubbish.

I can lie for hours before i fall asleep, but are you 100% sure your not dozing off waking up looking at your clock then going back to sleep? I do that a lot if I'm really concious about time

The thing that works really well for me if i need to sleep is if your lying there and you start to feel really horny, just go and bash a quick'un out without turing on the PC or anything. Makes you feel instantly tired.

[Dan6061]

Since I haven't had a job, I've ruined my sleeping pattern. I usually fall asleep at around 3am, and wake at half 11ish?

I can be up at the computer thinking 'early night tonight' look at the clock, and it's already 1am!

Tried to go to bed at half 10 last night, but I was just lying there staring at the ceiling for ages, absaloutley clear mind, relaxed, comfy, warm.. still didn't sleep.

When I did get to sleep, at 3am I got woken up by some girl who I went to college with texting me, cos she was drunk or something.

Also, if I have a problem or something, and I need to tell someout about it, obviously in the early hours you can't. So I just went to the computer and typed it all up. Took a while, but it really cleared my mind because it felt like I had done something about it, instead of keeping it inside? So in the morning, I couldn't remember what I'd said in it, so I deleted it. Haven't thought about any of it since, so that helps me get to sleep too.

I can sleep much better if I'm drunk too! I think I can appreciate how comfy my bed is more, and how good the pillows are etc So I just fall down and sleep.

[Sneakers O'Toole]

I go through stages of really bad insomnia, the best way i have found to get round it is to read a decent book. I'll get to bed around midnight, read till 2am then normally i'll get atlest 2 hours in before i wake up. If i don't read i end up lying there cursing the damn insomnia and end up getting no sleep at all. Sometimes it's best just to get up and do something if you can't sleep, go for a walk or clean your room.

Also try moving the position of your bed, that worked for me for a while.

[omgnoseat]

I have had sleeping issues since I can remember. Always went to bed on time, was never really tired, but even when I was I just wouldn´t fall asleep. I don´t understund how you are supposed to fall asleep...

Went to bed at 12 yesterday and was still awake at 6. I actually do get very tired, but just don't fall asleep.

It really is affecting the way I live, i´m tired troughout the whole day, I don't have alot of energy to focus on school/homework, or any hobby's like trials . In order to get my full amount of sleep I need to wake up at about 15:00, so my whole day is wasted by then

At days when I get up early I get very tempted to take a nap during daytime, can sleep alot better at that time.

Sucks so bad, wish I could just fall asleep like most people.

[Sneakers O'Toole]

Try not to let it get to you, it makes it worse. I survived on 2 hours sleep a night for about 6 months.