Insomnia Anyone?!?

[Cute Wolf]

In my place, this is 12.17 PM now, and for some couple of day... I just can't sleep before it was 3 or 4 AM...... Now, how to get a sleep as any normal men would do? After this semester I got mostly afternoon shift in my university, I got a severe Insomnia (Start attending lectures at average 2 PM ,and go home at 6 PM (I'll try to sleep after this question and maybe checkthis thread tommorow...)

[PBI]

The trouble with insomnia is that it's one of these conditions that everyone has a "guaranteed" cure for, but one which actually only works from them personally, and is probably a placebo anyway. Insomnia is a vicious circle; the later it gets without you getting to sleep, the more worried you get about how tired you will be the next day, and unless you have some way to stop worrying you won't be able to get to sleep (which I suspect is how most "cures" actually work, by getting you to relax because you "know" it's going to work).

The only thing I've found reliably effective (short of medication, which is hardly ideal) is instead of trying to fit my sleep patterns around my life, to try to fit my life around my sleep patterns. If it's 1am but I can't stop thinking about work, I'll get up and do some work until I feel tired rather than just lying in bed; that way it doesn't matter if I sleep in 'til noon since I've already done my morning's work. Obviously though, this only really works if you have some useful work you can do at home, not to mention a job which cares more about results than presenteeism.

The only other thing I can suggest is if you have something important the next day that you are worried about, like an exam, interview etc, then make sure you are so well prepared that you can make a decent go of it even if you haven't slept all night; the only way I've ever found myself able to get a decent night's sleep before something important is to make sure I don't need it. That, and wherever possible arrange important things for the afternoon so you have plenty of time to wake up and dose up on caffeine.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Best way I've found to get yourself back on track is to force yourself to wake up early. If you got to sleep at 4 AM, have your alarm set for 9 AM. It sucks, but keep it up for a couple days and you'll be sleepier at 1 AM.

[Weebeast]

instead of trying to fit my sleep patterns around my life, to try to fit my life around my sleep patterns. If it's 1am but I can't stop thinking about work, I'll get up and do some work until I feel tired rather than just lying in bed;

This is what I do. Although sometimes my sleep pattern changes from time to time and there's that "change of plan" like doctor appointment or whatever. Well that's what sick calls are for but sooner or later we get tired and everything fits perfectly. I've learned that sleep is a debt I can never pay so if it's around the time I'm supposed to go to bed I lay off the games or anything requiring thinking. It's not when you go to sleep but how much you sleep!

edit - As far as getting back on track well there's always a bucket of water which I haven't tried or skip sleeping for a night (I'll be really cranky in the morning) and go to bed approximately 6 hours before the time I want to wake up, given there's nothing important the morning I lack sleep of course.

[Ramses II CP]

My understanding is that there are two typical kinds of temporary insomnia (As opposed to chronic insomnia; some people suffer from it all their lives). First there's insomnia related to something physical, which is usually solved by getting more excercise and spending more of your waking time in sunlight, and psychological insomnia, which is caused by stress or other issues in your life and which generally only resolves when you resolve those issues.

I suffered from the latter for a little over six months, sleeping three or four hours a night no matter how much I excercised or what I took for it. It was very disturbing, but after I resolved the underlying issue the insomnia went away without leaving any long term side effects.

If you don't think it's that type, excercise heavily and get lots of sun for a few days. If that doesn't help go see a doctor.

Good luck. It sucks, but it's survivable.

[Weebeast]

What's in the sun? I don't mean Hydrogen and Helium. I googled "sun and stress" but came up nothing. Currently I'm restricting myself to a 5pm sun for about 30 minutes. That's enough for my body to function well? I was born close to equator. While I'm aware of sun importance in our solar system, I thought love for sun was only for people who want tan. In any other season other than winter, long exposure to sun makes me wanna destroy things.

[HopAlongBunny]

I believe sunlight is tied to the production of vit D.

Aside from promoting stronger bones, I heard one CBC radio program that tied it to depression (ie: a lack of vitamin D may be associated with depression) A vitamin D supplement did alleviate my (sometimes severe) winter depression; working nights is not good for getting out in the sun.

What that has to do with insomnia I have no idea:p but the sun does provide services beyond warmth and more of it can't hurt.

edit: apparently it has something to do with your circadian rhythm:http://thetruthaboutsleep.com/

[A Very Super Market]

Jog for miles. Then at night, you'll be tired.

[Caius]

In my place, this is 12.17 PM now, and for some couple of day... I just can't sleep before it was 3 or 4 AM...... Now, how to get a sleep as any normal men would do? After this semester I got mostly afternoon shift in my university, I got a severe Insomnia (Start attending lectures at average 2 PM ,and go home at 6 PM (I'll try to sleep after this question and maybe checkthis thread tommorow...)

Listen to radio. But a radio where you hear some relaxing music. And make sure that radio can shut off by itself.

[Ramses II CP]

Natural melatonin production is directly related to your exposure to sunlight, this is why sleep disruption is rare in the tropics and increasingly common the further north/south you live. If your melatonin production is irregular because you aren't having exposure to a natural light/dark cycle your sleep could become disturbed as a result.

Try searching circadian rhythms, insomnia and sunlight, etc.

[Ice]

a) Over the Counter Sleeping Pills
b) Set up a regular sleep schedule
c) Cannabis (if breaking the law is not your thing, stay away... this does work very effectively though)
d) Exercise (atleast 3 hours before bed)
e) Prescription Sleep Aid from a physician

[Craterus]

I've heard it's a good idea to stay away from technology in the hour or so before you intend to sleep. Looking at a screen interrupts the mind's shutting-down process. Try reading a book instead.

[drone]

Get a second job as a movie projectionist at night...

[Ice]

Get a second job as a movie projectionist at night...

Tell them what's in the pea soup... Come on...

[Fragony]

mint tea ÷ whisky + honey = zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Aemilius Paulus]

Jog for miles. Then at night, you'll be tired.

The best suggestion so far. I noticed that on my least physically active days it takes me the longest to fall asleep (about twenty minutes) and vice versa. Otherwise I normally fall almost dead in the bed, mostly due to my naturally strong sleep (although I do tend to run or jog miles every night before bed unless I am busy - which is most of the days I have to go to the Uni :S - I am definitely being lazy there).

[Cute Wolf]

I've heard it's a good idea to stay away from technology in the hour or so before you intend to sleep. Looking at a screen interrupts the mind's shutting-down process. Try reading a book instead.

Oh... Thanks!!! You caught my cause of Insomnia....... Hmm, I'll try to shut down my computer sooner these days, and working on my final Project in the morning..... Many thanks....

[CountArach]

Nothing to lose sleep over.

[subject180]

I have osteoarthritis, mostly in my spine. I take one Ambien at hour of sleep and it provides about six hours of good sleep. I have taken it for at least a year and have no adverse side effects. I take it about five nights a week, have a clear head the next day. It is prescribed by my Doctor.

[The Stranger]

i always have insomnia when the season (hot to cold weather and vica versa) changes. a good rythm is the best remedy i guess.

lol this thread is ages old.

[Fisherking]

never mind

[Cute Wolf]

lol, more than a year ago... :D

and note : don't play games too much, it will cause Insomnia
if you need to sleep, put off computer, and read something...

[Togakure]

I have osteoarthritis, mostly in my spine. I take one Ambien at hour of sleep and it provides about six hours of good sleep. I have taken it for at least a year and have no adverse side effects. I take it about five nights a week, have a clear head the next day. It is prescribed by my Doctor.

This seems like a targeted bot post to me.

[Rhyfelwyr]

lol, can't believe I missed that in retrospect.

Anyway... when I can't get to sleep, I just learn to accept it and move on. Sometimes I had a bit of insomnia if I had a big exam the next day, I've learnt not to worry since I function fine missing one nights sleep. Ironically, because I worry about needing to get to sleep less, I get to sleep easier.

[Prussian to the Iron]

when I cant get to sleep, I just down a couple Ibuprofens. helps alot.

oooor its a bot and i posted on a 2-year old thread. alright then.

[Motep]

When I cannot sleep, I stew there making things worse until I stop caring and nod off.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

lol, more than a year ago... :D

and note : don't play games too much, it will cause Insomnia
if you need to sleep, put off computer, and read something...

What happens if you a addict to the comp :D?

[GeneralHankerchief]

Melatonin is a godsend. I literally would not be able to fall asleep in my bed at school otherwise (believe me, I've tried).