Insomnia is back

[soothsayer]

That damn insomnia bug is back at it again. Looking for (semi) rational suggestions

please. Ugh! :

[Hermine]

Well, let's see:

Avoid caffeine, including chocolate, in the afternoon

You should force yourself to get up in the morning, stay up all day, and go to bed at your normal bedtime. Do this for several days.

To get to sleep at that point, you can use:

-meditative breathing (slowly through the nose. You really want to breathe deeply; from your diaphraghm---you want air filling your whole chest cavity---all the way down to about your stomach. You might want to count the length of your breaths in order to keep it regular; go with the length of time that works for you, but long, pick an interval around 5-7 seconds. The counting also gives you something to focus on, which is a key to meditation),

-progressive relaxation (tense your feet and then relax them, tense your calves and feet and then relax them, etc, etc, all the way up to your head),

-A hot bath sometimes helps me get to sleep.

-Warm milk--that triptophene (sp?) will get you.

-valerian, peppermint, or chammomile. I recommend using valerian in capsule form; it's really stinky.

-Melatonin--I haven't had much luck with it but it works for some people.

-Benadryl--it's a next to last resort, but it does work. Don't use it long-term b/c it's not good for healthy sleep, but it can help you normalize your sleep schedule. This is the one thing in here that's not based on accepted theory

-What I use for my anxiety with insomnia is prescribed; low doses of gabitril (originally developed for use at higher doses to treat epilepsy) can help anxiety with insomnia.

-last resort is benzodiazapenes (e.g. valium, xanax, etc.) Also prescription only. ONLY use these on a very short term basis. These are incredibly addictive and the withdrawal is really ugly.

DON'T use pot or alcohol for this. They will get you to sleep some nights, but it's just not healthy to use those substances to induce sleep; I'm pretty sure it can be a shortcut to addiction.

When you go to bed, make sure your sleep area is quiet and dark. These cues really tell your body what to do.

If you absolutely can't sleep, get up, go into another room, and read a book, using only as much light as you need to read comfortably. Only use the bed for sleeping and sex; you don't want to associate it with sleeplessness.

Get up on time the next morning and stay awake during the next day no matter what. Turn on all the lights when you wake up. Turn on the TV or the radio. You want the cues for waking to all be there.

Eventually, you _will_ fall asleep at your bedtime.

Here are some links:

http://health.yahoo.com/health/centers/sle...orders/149.html

http://health.yahoo.com/health/centers/sle...orders/151.html

[fallennon]

I also have insomnia and have found that I need a sleep aid to help...I have a nce perscription of Trazadone which is non addictive and also helps with restless leg syndrome...

[Nerdcore]

mabey you need to be put on a sleeping medicine like abmbeon ( am i spelling it right?)

or trasandone ( thats what i take)

[soothsayer]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Right now I'm back to a normal, better sleeping pattern. I've been keeping track of my insomnia and it go in short bursts.

Some weeks I sleep a regular schedule and of course other weeks I do not. It isn't so bad that I think I need meds to correct it so I'm trying to find ways to take care of it naturally. I will look into everyones suggestions though and see what is what.

[soothsayer]

Found this info from a sleeping disorder site.

Making us feel crappy and listless

Making us moody

Lowering our thinking speed and productivity

Weakening the immune system, making us more susceptible to viruses

Being a major factor in 200,000 auto accidents every year

Costing the economy billions for work place absenteeism

Playing a role in industrial disasters such as Exxon Valdez and the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident