Insomnia

by Uzzah 16 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Scully

  Hey Uzzah!

  I can't sleep tonight either!
• 

  Steve Lowry

  Ok, here's something I try when I can't sleep. Silly as sounds it works for me, most times. I get as comfortable as I can, I close my eyes and I count back from 100. (Some noise in the background helps, like a fan or something.) The trick is, to say the numbers fairly quickly (but not too fast). It takes a certain amount of concentration to count backwards. So as I count backwards and I begin to realize that I am starting to miss numbers in their proper sequence (i.e., 69,68,66,65,63,60,58), I don?t try to correct it. I allow it because I know that little bit of ?fuzziness? tells me I am beginning to loose the battle of concentration, which is the first step in giving up the state consciousness. It usually takes several times counting down, and I have had to do it (that I am aware of anyway) thirty or more times. Occasionally this doesn?t work, but it?s the only thing in my sleep arsenal that I can use to force sleep.

  Alcohol can be a great sleep aid as well, but it can also cause you to wake up too early if you drink too much, because of the dehydration factor. The best sleep I get though, is the night after I have a good workout.

  Good Luck.

  Steve

  If you're wondering why I am typing this at 3:20 in the AM, its because I just woke up from an incredible nightmare. There's no going back to sleep for me for a while, I can tell ya that!
• 

  blondie

  I deal with chronic pain. With doctor supervision, I have taken several muscle relaxants. Actually, Vicodin works the best but that has it's own dangers.

  I also eat sharp cheddar cheese and/or milk and avoid the pills when I can.

  A warm, relaxing bath and quiet, soothing music.

  If troubles perplex, I write them down and possible solutions, set it on the table. I also play the "what is the worst possible" scenario and realize that is not what will happen.

  Physical exercise helps too,

  Bkibdue
• 

  exjdub

  Acupuncture has not failed me yet. Sometimes it takes a few treatments before the root problem is addressed. Many times it is stress related, sometimes stress that we are not even aware that we are carrying. If it is stress, relief generally comes quickly. If there are underlying physical problems it can take some time...but it works.

  exjdub
• 

  Carmel

  Good sex!

  carm
• 

  Mulan

  Have a glass or 2 of wine? Working on a large rum and coke as I type

  That is a problem. Rum is very high in sugar, more so than other liquors, so raises your blood sugar and keeps you from sleeping. Coke has caffeine.

  I had bad insomnia about 9 or 10 years ago, and it went on for months. I could count the nights I slept in a week with two fingers, and one didn't count. I would get up and do things, like the ironing, or clean out cupboards, do some baking, and I tried to be productive. I even cleaned my desk, and that's a big job. The time just dragging by made me more and more anxious, so I decided to get something accomplished as long as I was awake anyway. Ultimately you will sleep.

  My insomnia was caused by menopause. As soon as I got my hormones balanced a bit, I was able to sleep again. I've never again been able to sleep like I did before though. I rarely can stay asleep past 7 AM. Sleeping in is a thing of the past.
• 

  orangefatcat

  I am so grateful that I don't have a sleeping problem and I guess its on account of all the meds I am taking for my illness. I am not one to use natural remedies, but my son recently bought

  5 HTP and he was staying with us and he said mom if your having a hard time to sleep because of pain. So I tried it and it works like a charm. Now I didn't use if just once, I used it for a whole wk and it was marvelous, I slept like a baby and felt little pain. My drugist told me that not to make it a habit because it can effect me with other meds I take for depression. But he didn't know that the doctor had halfed my depression meds as it was making me listless. Anyway I am feeling better now that he adjusted it. But I swear by the 5HTP. Take one tablet about 1/2 before bed time and maybe take a nice warm bath with candles and soothing music.

  That is Orangefatcats remedy for the day and I see that CierseRose mentioned it too.

  Go for it. And Good Luck

  Love

  Orangefatcat