Insomnia tricks?
 

So life has been pretty disruptive for me for a while. Health issues, certain meds, and other things have seriously disrupted my circadian rhythm. Ambien works but I'm trying to stay away from that.

I've tried less booze, more water, herbal aids, melatonin, etc.. ....but while I'm often tired at night- it is rare that I sleep for more than 2 hours at a time. I'll crawl into bed sleepy at 10:30 and just lay there. Eventually frustrated and not wanting to wake the wife I'll get out of bed at 1 or so - and fall asleep on the couch at 4A. Eventually I get a few hours. SOmetimes its in 2-3 hour stretches.

This has been going on for 2 months.

What do you do?

8 hrs of sleep is a superfood

Ambien slows me down to the point where i can't recite the ABC's the next day. This would be fine and all but I need to be mentally sharp right now.

For myself a routine is very beneficial; disciplined life is a disciplined mind. Introspection and identification of current stressors will also be beneficial.

As what works for me:
Going to the local fitness center at 9/10 pm to do low impact exercises to raise HR and then slow walk laps until resting HR. Repeat this 4 times and I'll get some sleep. But as with everything, this greatly depends on anxiety levels and/or responsibilities...

Currently having success with...

5 mg Natrol melatonin... taken about one hour before bed.
Right before bed... one half a Benadryl tablet.
Once in bed, I read a few pages of a novel by subdued lighting.
I don't let myself get anxious if I don't fall asleep in the first 15-30 mins. after turning off the light.

If needed, I add a mental trick; instead of letting my mind wander through the many things I could think about, I think of a grey wall.

It may also help you to get some blue light blocking glasses:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Blocking-Amber-Glasses-Sleep/dp/B01GSFTX08/ref=sr_1_13


EDITED to add: I usually sleep 3 - 5 hours at a stretch before needing to get up to pee. I go right back to sleep since I've been using the Natrol melatonin.

Up at 3am reading this. Sleep well fellas.

I'm a champion at not sleeping. 3am and my brain is working like a computer. If only I had brains like this during te day.

CBD

Now I sleep beautifully well. The world is a beautiful place... ZZZ.

I've been like that for over a year. There are nights when I don't even fall asleep. Ambien doesn't really work, even the 12.5mg dose. When I had surgery, the best sleep I ever got was with Propofol.

If I think of anything that needs to be done at work, I send myself an email with a reminder and that seems to stop me from waking up and thinking about it.

I also get up at the same time every day- might go back to sleep after doing something for a bit, but I always get up at the same time.

I've never used it, but I know a few people that swear by this stuff.....
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sleep-Aid-Lights-Out/dp/B0744QYJLC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1ST34BIJVDCWE&keywords=lights +out&qid=1682766272&sprefix=lights+out%2Caps%2C150 &sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSDIyN U1HMDlUQ1VMJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODQ4OTcxMVlOSUg0NVZ QQVBCTSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDkwNjMzWjZVNEtDMUlMW FNQJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGl yZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

It's divine.

Chris, I use a THC edible named "Punch Bar". It has nine squares with 22 mg THC each. I take a half of a square 30 mins before getting horizontal. It works for me. Oh yeah, I used Ambien for a long time and the THC works so much better.

Ambien is the "pit bull" of sleep aids.... no issues for most .... until it happens :(.

Be careful out there boyz...

What's your activity level?
Right now I've got a knee injury preventing me from being active.
Sitting in a chair, reading a book with my leg elevated doesn't burn enough energy for me to "earn" a good night's sleep.

I never had issues with falling asleep, learned how to take short naps or "nooners" in the US Navy and even better at sleeping when I had the radiation treatments on the side of my head at the end of 2018 and January 2019 I found I had trouble sleeping since it was hard to do anything I had done before and that included sleeping. After a bit of time I found if I ran some music into my Roku box the sounds of violins, Guzengs, jazz or any type of music I could fall right to sleep? Relaxed my brain but I would wake up after several hours sooooo a bit later I tried some eatable Marijuana and it lets me sleep the night through.

It cost me a bit, but I wake up feeling okay (except for joint pain) and since I am retired from all my day and evening jobs I do not have to worry about drug tests. If the chance of drug tests are a possibility then it is a no go but it does work!
John

Melatonin, do not read in bed, that is where you go to sleep

NO screen time at all for at least a few hours prior to getting up, phone counts.

In AM, get up and go where the sun will shine on your face, exercise in AM, preferably outside.

Lay off caffeine for a while, do not drink soda pop or eat crappy food. Do not eat or drink anything but water after 1800

Ambien is evil, nobody should ever take it for more than 3 days in a week, and even that is probably too much

You don't dream with induced sleep from propofol. You only thought you were well rested.

Jeezs really? If I took that does I had better be in bed in 15 minutes because at 20 Im sleeping right where I am. :D

Its pretty low right now. Still recovery from two surgeries with a lot of restrictions.

Good thinking as thats probably related.

My wife uses the Calm app sometimes.

I thought “no way that’ll work” but I’ve tried it a few times, and was surprised!

It’s someone reading a story in a very soothing voice. There’s some science behind it, as the story goes on they read slower and slower, etc.

I rarely make it to the end of a 30 minute story.

It’s a free app, so worth a try.

THC gummies work wonders for me. If you are concerned about the buzz, seek out delta 8 gummies - basically the same benefits without the buzz...

Similar insomnia.

Gummies for the win. My criticism is that I can get high as heck on time and barely notice it the next. I suspect quality control but have been told it could be absorption.

If legal, give it a try. I think there many issues that are better for me now that I am sleeping.

I had issues for two months. All of January and feb. it effed with me big time. I had panic attacks and anxiety. I would get so anxious before bed. My wife started to sleep in another room.

I’m just gonna say it. I talked to a therapist. I was skeptical it would work, but it did. She told me lack of sleep jacks with everything. Diet, pooping, moods, productivity. All of it. We worked on a program that was med free. Only April 1 did I start feeling normal. I sleep a solid 8 hours again. Just like before.

I have to learn to let shiot go.

Get out of my head.

I think this ^ is fairly key.

If I understand correctly sleep requires a good shut-down of one's reasoning center (and is why dreams are so inane).

Read: you really can't think yourself to sleep.

Perhaps all you can do is to let your brain stop all of this late-night ...

https://media1.giphy.com/media/eChf4...giphy.gif&ct=g


Or try drugs, to cause your body other stresses to worry about. IDK.

Insomnia sucks...

I've been dealing with it on and off for decades and the only thing that works for me is daily exercise.

Its stress for me mostly.

Lately the stress of illness, surgery, and recovery is certainly the cause. I'm sure it will eventually pass but I also want to actively work towards resolution. Normally it resolves after a week or two - but due to the nature of this its been dragging on for months.

I feel like I'm getting dumber - hoping its not permanent. :D

FWIW, the 8hr sleep model is relatively new in the history of humans.

Literature of old makes reference to "second sleep." Essentially people routinely got up in the middle of the night for whatever reason. Tend to a fire or livestock, IDK. Then they would have their "second sleep."

So perhaps we are more genetically wired for a different rhythm.

I do know that stressing about not sleeping only exacerbates the problem. Knowing that even laying there awake brings many of the benefits of sleep, helps me so I don't stress too hard about not falling asleep.

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again

That's a very interesting model.

There it is ^

Thanks, Az

This is generally what I allow myself. The issue is - I don't get "first sleep". Second sleep comes around 2-4A.

I don't let it frustrate me for long. After an hour or two I get up so as not to disturb the Mrs. and go downstairs, read, or just chill. Eventually i do fall asleep. Then I put some time in my calendar for an hour nap during the day.

Even if I'm not sleeping, at least I'm resting.

Trazodone 100mg works for me.

Guys really? ... One word, exercise!

And the associated weight loss will help sleep apnea.

I've never required a lot of sleep ... 5-6 hrs at most... usually less ... never straight through either. 8 hours and I would change my name to Van Winkle. After a few hours ... when I wake .... I'm done.

Trazadone worked for me for quite a while but there is a hangover. I hate it now. I take Costco Sleep Aid (the ingredients are the same as very expensive ZzzQuil for 6 bucks/50 tabs. The Sleep Aid is the kicker or catalyst, if you will, for a dose of Alprazolam.

BTW, ZzzQuil will knock you out. It's fast, but at now 15 bucks a bottle, no thanks.

Rough couple years for me. Stage 4 colon cancer, chemo, surgeries, alot for the brain to process at night.

Lorazapam is my friend. .5mg and I typically fall asleep in 30 minutes. If not, .5mg more.

Never groggy or hung over feeling in the morning.

Cut out booze!
Your situation sounds SO familiar! I had similar sleep problems and thought having a few drinks before bedtime helped me get to sleep. It did, but I woke up after 2-4 hours and couldn't get back to sleep. My sleep specialist had me try Ambien, Doxipin (great dreams, but expensive), and something else I can't remember. (She never mentioned the negative affects alcohol has on sleep - malpractice in my opinion.) It went on for years.

A couple of years ago I stopped drinking alcohol most days and never after 5 PM. I sleep much, much better with NO sleep drugs.

One thing she did mention to me that was some help was to "let it go." Worrying about not sleeping causes stress that keeps you awake. Be grateful for what sleep you can get and move on. Just let your body/mind do what it wants and don't worry about it.

As mentioned above, exercise helps. It doesn't have to be only physical exercise. Sudoku, logic problems, and on-line jigsaw puzzles help focus your mind off of other things and also exercise it. Your brain burns a lot of calories. I tend to get sleepy after a 5 or 6 variable logic puzzle.

+1 .... and particularly on your very last sentence Patrick (edited ... because Patrick did ;) ... the part about ..."letting your body" ...) .... it's awesome that you've got a handle on this now :)!

I remember cautioning you about Ambien after you had an incident too, and you were going through some tough times...

You folks taking Ambien ... just don't! Please find another approach .... the tales of caution are REAL .... I've btdt (with the dangers) and the docs that prescribe it are ..... :(.

Sleep well guyz .... but "just say NO!" to Ambien .... please.

give me a call before you want to go to bed and I’ll bore you to sleep.

You’re going through a lot and I wish you the best of luck in getting your health back.

As others say, alcohol causes sleep problems. Though it helps you fall asleep, once the alcohol leaves your system it pulls you out of sleep.

Caffeine, coffee, colas etc. staying up late, inconsistent bed time. A feeling of "I don't need much sleep, 5 hours is enough", as you age you need more sleep, particularly to deal with stress. These things all contribute to training your brain to stay awake.

Also a dark, cool bedroom, quiet etc. Regular exercise. Etc.

The part about the alcohol sucks, the caffeine too. Oh, and the exercise.

Going to be a different solution for most everyone - it depends a lot of YOUR situation.

Mine?

I had a lot on my mind.

(Don't we all?)

What helped was getting a lot of stuff resolved - and thus getting my life back under control.

In the meantime, like Vash said - just gotta let some of it go - get it out of your damn head!

Diet & exercise do also play a role - but the biggie is all the crap running through your brain 24-7!

My wife is like you Baz. She worries about things. I'm not a worrier, but if I'm trying to solve a problem, whether it is with one of the cars or a household repair/remodel issue, I have trouble getting my mind off of it.

[QUOTE=Solamar;11986751Lorazapam is my friend. .5mg and I typically fall asleep in 30 minutes. If not, .5mg more. Never groggy or hung over feeling in the morning.[/QUOTE]

Sometimes I don't sleep well, and my PCP prescribed Lorazapam, which I took once in a while, since it seemed to reset my sleep pattern. After my PCP guy retired, the next one cancelled the presciption (Kaiser) saying it wasn't safe and could depress breathing. He prescribed Trazodone, which I've tried a few times but will not be taking anymore. It makes me feel "groggy or hung over" the next morning. I wake up fairly frequently at three to four in the monring and don't go back to sleep, however it doesn't seem to bother me during the next day. The sort of on again/off again random pattern is a bother.

Melatonin and moderate exercise (go walk 40 minutes) works wonders.