Insomnia

[iamnotafraid]

Who else has this problem?

I've had it since I was a child. Just can't turn off my brain.

Sleep, sleep, I know I'm only dreaming
Through closed eyes I see West German skies on the ceiling.......

[David]

W.C. Fields had the best cure for insomnia:

Get plenty of rest.

[strandinthewind]

I have it in a horrible manner. But, I went to this wise woman in the outbacks of Louisiana when I was a child and she taught me how to tune out the stuff keeping me awake - how to turn off my head, so to speak. Essentially, I just repeat a few phrases over and over again silently. The phrases are something to the effect of "I love myself - I am a good person - I will help other people . . . . " I have to concentrate on that and eventually, I am thinking about nothing else. It seems to work for me.

[gretchen]

I occasionally experience insomnia and have found this nifty little thing to help:

Imagine all the 'noise' in your head ( i.e. work, things bothering you, etc.) as tiny waves and you start by saying :"let the waves wash down my neck, now to my shoulders, down my arms and out my finger tips"...then let the next group of waves wash from your chest down to your abdomen, down the legs and out the tips of your toes until you are in a state of total relaxation. If the noise persisits, repeat the process.

Also counting down from 500 slowly backwards is a good thing too.

[chiliD]

A handful of sleeping pills and a vodka tonic should do the trick.

[jannieC]

I have had insomnia since I was a child. It used to be, all those years ago, that I had trouble falling asleep. I worked through that but then, for years and years, I had no problem falling asleep, but could not *stay* asleep. After years of trying all different kinds of benzos (valium, xanax, KLONOPIN), I finally consulted with a neurologist. After a lengthy examination, she gave me a drug called Provigil. It has changed my life. You can look it up on the internet, but basically it's an awakening agent. Kind of like speed, but with no jittery feelings, etc.. It keeps me awake all day. The cost is prohibitive, though. Over $300/month. My doctor sampled me out during graduate school and is continuing to do so until my new job's benefits kick in.

All that being said, a lot of insomnia can be treated with relaxation techniques and stress relieving activities. My situation is far from the norm;, I have some kind of neurological dysfunction. Progressive muscle relaxation works for a lot of people. I do it with clients a lot and they say it helps.

[BombaySapphire3]

I have had it for most of my life the ADHD I guess although it has gotten progressivly worse over the years a nightly cocktail of L- trpytophan .melatonin .trazadone and benadryl usually does the trick for 6 hours

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by chiliD

A handful of sleeping pills and a vodka tonic should do the trick.

Ha-ha! ChiliD
I've found just one(1) of my "Perfect Margaritas" does the deal
Start with a highball glass filled to the top with ice, Then mix:
1 shot Patron, or Hornitos Tequila, 1/2 shot Patron Orange and a 1/4 shot of Rose's lime juice,
add some fresh squeezed lime (no salt) and stir it up!!!!!!!.The best you've ever tried -Promise!
( Taken about 1 hour before bed, for sleep)...
Then I add an Ambien CR 12.5mg- (for good measure) and it works for me!

Otherwise-Taken whenever you want a delicious Margarita

[vivfox]

I'm in my 40's now. When I was in my 20's I suffered from insomnia greatly. Then at some point I decided that I would no longer have a bedtime. I go to bed when I'm tired and wake up when I'm not. But this only works if you can work 2nd shift hours.
Yesterday I was sooooo tired all day long and the pizza that I ate did me in and I crashed on the couch for three hours. Then I got on the phone at 11:00PM with a friend and spoke till I heard her yawning at 2:30AM and decided I should go to bed. Then in bed I couldn't help but think of this thread and felt cursed by it. I must have tossed and turned for two hours before I fell asleep. That hasn't happened in years. Then I woke up at 7:30AM and said"too early" and went back to sleep with no problem for another four hours.
On a good note I had my first ever dream about meeting Vivica Fox, so that was really cool.

[RoseGarden]

WOW! Like reading my own history here! Benadryl, trazadone, seroquel, xanax, even Nyquil! (ChiliD had a good point).......... valirium, seleinium, melatonine, sleepy time tea.......

~Still haven't found an answer yet!

The cost of living like this has limited my concentration and keeps from having healthy relationships and distracts from ability to continue education. So frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by RoseGarden

WOW! Like reading my own history here! Benadryl, seroquel, xanax ~Still haven't found an answer yet!

The cost of living like this has limited my concentration and keeps from having healthy relationships and distracts from ability to continue education. So frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!

You're right it's so frustrating.
I've tried various methods such as the relaxation tips.
Perhaps I'll try the "pills and vodka" or the other various cocktails described, sorry can't do the Margarita. It taste like I dipped a glass out of the Gulf of Mexico.

Vivfox, sorry for the curse I put on you.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

Vivfox, sorry for the curse I put on you.

Now for the other side of the coin. I already told you I go to bed late, right? Well this morning at 9:15 AM was the straw that broke the camels back. I live in quiet suburbia and have a neighbor two doors down who likes to blast his music too early in the morning. Today is a low temperature day so I left the windows open and his music woke me up AGAIN. He has a large backyard and he has speakers up in his trees. The type of music does not matter. It's music I like. But I don't want to hear it inside my home as if it's blasting from my own stereo!
I called the cops and had to dial 911. I asked for the non-emergency number and the lady said they don't give out phone numbers, I would have to call 411. Then I complained to her anyway and she took the report. I called right back after we hung up with more info than I provided to the lady and the second lady told me to call 411 for the non-emerg. # as well. She said there is no car going out to that location and I said the other lady told me there was and she said I was probably told that just to get me off the phone or something like that. So then I called 411 and got the non emerg. # and this male cop took my info and lost his voice in the convo. I asked him to get a glass of water, please and then he handed the phone to a lady cop and she finished the report with me. He must have had a visit from the cops because his music just shut off for 45 min. Now it's 10:00 AM and he's blasting it again.
If you guys don't hear from me for a while it might be because they've locked me up for stranglilg this jerk.
Iamnotafraid--you have CURSED me. You're gonna have to get Julia Hoffman to remove the curse!!!