A twist on insomnia. Can anyone relate?

Inner Peace · Post by **Inner Peace** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:40 pm

My main issue with insomnia is that I worry about not getting enough sleep (nothing unique there). But I go to bed early to try to make up for sleep and either lie in bed not being able to sleep, or do fall asleep and wake up an hour or two later and cannot go back to sleep. Do others have this problem? They say you should go to bed at the same time every day, but when I feel like I need to "make up" sleep, I retire early. It's like I tell myself if I go to bed at 7pm, I'll really sleep a lot and wake up rested. This does happen sometimes but mostly, it doesn't really help, but I keep telling myself it will help. Any suggestions?

Malikye · Post by **Malikye** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:21 pm

Try exercising and getting your body really tired or kick boxing where you need focus as well so you get your concentration and focus up and running then it gets tired?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:43 pm

Hello ;I can very much relate to that.After much thought I have decided to start this program.I dont think I've had a good night sleep in 2mths .I have tried Meds ,and exercise.I am new to this forum and would very much like to get some insight as to what it is that causes me to stay awake at nights .My DR put me on Xanex about 1yr ago ,for some time the low dosage worked to get me relaxed and sleep .Then about 3mths ago I found myself adjusting the dosage as the lower was no longer getting me where I needed to be .Then the roof came crashing down and I stated experiencing these stange symptoms ,I could not enter into REM sleep ,in other words,I'd get up feeling like I had not slept at all ,I became uncomfortable around other people thus anti-social .I felt spaced out and confused . My eating habits changed .Lost my self esteem and I no longer knew where I wanted to be or what to do .I am a mess ,I have never felt so helpless in my life .I have to belive that this program will help.Any thouhgts ??

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:45 pm

Sometimes when I know I need to get up early or I know I'm not going to get much sleep, I have trouble sleeping. Also, since I graduated high school, 9 years ago, my life has been slowly going downhill, and I can attribute it to probably about 4 things. One is I haven't gotten the exercise I was used to, two is not keeping busy like in extracurricular stuff I used to, three was alcohol and pot, and four was (I believe) getting eight hours of sleep. I've been getting eight hours of sleep now for years, whereas in high school I was always used to 5 or 6. I realized that for one, I had to stop worrying so much about sleep, and two, I think my brain thinks too much when I get those eight hours. It's a theory I am currently testing out, but different people need different amounts of sleep, and I feel that, even though I'm a little more tired and out of it on 6 hours than on 8, I am happier, more focused on what I am doing, more carefree, and able to let my soul more freely express itself, without being hindered by my normally very anal mind. This may be just me, but that's my 2 cents for the day.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:53 pm

I have battled insomnia for years. What works for me is to have several cups of hot Sleepy Time herbal tea about an hour or two before bed. Also, I will take two Valerian Root capsules with the tea. Sometimes I will get in a hot tub with some aromatherapy scents. The scents that put me to sleep are Lavender and/or Chammomile. Hope this helps. When all else fails I take a sleeping pill. Fortunately, the tea, valerian root and hot bath works 98% of the time.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 11:23 pm

I typically wake up 2-3 hours after I fall asleep. The good nights are when I only wake up once.

I won't let myself go to bed before 9 pm (most likely 10 pm) because I know that I will wake up before midnight and not be able to fall back to sleep. However, I don't often have the problem of not being able to fall back to sleep if I wake up around midnight or later. Good luck!

Genie