Coping with Insomnia

[historyteach]

Ok, you've got insomnia. Now, what do you do?
Well, before you go running to the doctor for a pill, try these coping skills. Changing our daily routines and what we do getting ready to go to bed can make a difference in getting a good night's sleep. And, if it doesn't, well, the doc is still there.

Coping skills

No matter what your age, insomnia usually is treatable. The key often lies in changes to your routine during the day and when you go to bed. Try these tips:

Stick to a schedule. Keep your bedtime and wake time on a constant schedule.

Limit your time in bed. Too much time in bed can promote shallow, unrestful sleep. Try to cut the time you spend in bed by one hour a night for two weeks to see if it helps you sleep.

Avoid trying to sleep. The harder you try, the more awake you'll become.

Read or watch television until you become very drowsy, then go to bed to sleep. Get up in the morning at the same time as usual.

Hide the bedroom clocks. Set your alarm so that you know when to get up, but then hide all clocks in your bedroom. The less you know what time it is at night, the better you'll sleep.

Exercise and stay active. Get at least 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise daily, preferably at least five to six hours before bedtime.

Avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Caffeine after lunchtime and using nicotine can keep you from falling asleep at night. Alcohol, while it may initially make you feel sleepy, can cause unrestful sleep and frequent awakenings.

Reset your body's clock. If you fall asleep too early and then wake up too early, use light to push back your internal clock. During times of the year when it's light outside in the evenings, go outside for 30 minutes or obtain light via a medical-grade light box.

Check your medications. If you take medications regularly, check with your doctor to see if they may be contributing to your insomnia. Also check the labels of over-the-counter products to see if they contain caffeine or other stimulants, such as pseudoephedrine.

Don't put up with pain. If a painful condition bothers you, make sure the pain reliever you take is effective enough to control your pain while you're sleeping.

Find ways to relax. A warm bath or light snack before bedtime may help prepare you for sleep. Having your partner give you a massage also may help relax you.

Avoid or limit naps. Naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night. If you can't get by without one, try to limit a nap to no more than an hour and don't nap after 3 p.m.

Minimize sleep interruptions. Close your bedroom door or create a subtle background noise, such as a running fan, to help drown out other noises.

Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable, usually cooler than during the day. Drink less before bedtime so that you won't have to go to the toilet as often.

After you've tried these for a few days, come back, and let us know how it goes.

I've limited my time in bed, if I cannot fall asleep; and made myself stay up later to avoid going to sleep too early. I've stopped taking naps, (usually, hehehe). and keep my bedroom cool. I have no caffine after 2 PM and have a cup of decaf Celestial Seasons Tension Tamer tea for my nightly ritual prior to bed. It lets my body know that it's time to settle down and get ready for bed. All of these things have contributed to my sleeping better.

What do you do to help you sleep?

Shalom!

[GiveLove]

Hi historyteach,

Thanks for this excellent wrap-up of things to try! I have had a lifelong problem with insomnia, which only started getting worse as I reached the fringes of perimenopause (yuck!!) On your list are some of the things I do, and they've really helped.

A couple of other things in my toolkit are these:

--I don't read or watch anything stimulating (upsetting, energizing, sad, violent) within an hour of bedtime

--I take a couple of calcium tablets an hour before bed. For women especially, this is a good time to catch up on any calcium deficiency you may have from your day's food intake. It's relaxing too.

--I found a dual-release melatonin (from Swanson Vitamins): one part of it is instantly accessible, and one part kicks in 3-4 hours later, to help keep you asleep. I don't use it often, but when I do, it's a really good way to get a good night's sleep.

--A small, high-carbohydrate snack about a half-hour before bedtime has helped me. Complex carbohydrates have proven to slow down your mind (witness what happens a half-hour after you have a plate of pasta for lunch!) Avoid protein, which stimulates your mind, stick with something like crackers or a piece of toast.

--I got a little white noise machine, which makes this neutral hum all night, helping mask those noises that used to wake me up (fridge turning on, etc.)

Anyway.......thanks SO much for this sticky!

[desi6845]

Givelove,
I take Melatonin but didnt know they offered a time released version. Can you tell me where to find this?
Also, I drink a cup of Sleepy Time Celestial tea with honey and lemon after a long hot bath.
I feel SOOOO much better in the morning compared to when I was drinking.
God I am thankful I am sober!!!
Desi

[historyteach]

My night time ritual includes Celestial Seasons Tension Tamer tea,
and reading here on SR!

Shalom!

[FreeinMilwaukee]

Thanks for the information. I stopped drinking just after Christmas last year and have had terrible insomnia since. Falling asleep is the hardest part, though shallow sleep also has given me problems. Those teas sound good. A bedtime ritual is a great idea! It usually takes me about 2 hours to fall asleep so I'm very tempted to work or do something that is stimulating after becoming bored with trying to sleep. Of course, that only delays the onset of sleep and results in very short periods of rest in between days - about 4 to 6 hours.

[freddie4621]

Originally Posted by historyteach

\

What do you do to help you sleep?

Shalom!

Hi Teach,
I have been having problems sleeping since I left detox. The first week when I wasn't taking anything, I would sleep an hour at best, wake up, look at the clock, and toss and turn. It might very well be true that I had a problem sleeping before I went into detox but I was on so many drugs I didn't notice it!
So for the past nine days since the induction onto suboxone I've been having horiffic nightmares and not sleeping well. Last night I was adjusting the comforter after tossing and turning and I moved my bed and LO! there was a 2 mg Xanax right on the floor. Now my woman told me she swept he room looking for things like that but she missed that little stick.
I held it in my hand like it was the ring of power and went online to see if there really would be a major reaction to a Bezo with the Subs. The Methadone people also say DO NOT USE pills while taking meth, bad reaction etc but to the contrary it just boosted my meth. So I decided to experiment. I took the stick and broke it into 1/4's and then cut the 1/4 in half. I took that, and when nothing happened did it again until I fell asleep. Now I'm in a state because if they take a urine at my out patient they might just throw me off and everything I've been working towards will be in vane.
I am such an *******. Was it really worth it? NO What the hell is wrong with me? I just suffered a horrible detox from the meth and benzos. Ahhhhh, I don't know what to do now HELP Please

[tsmba]

When are you taking your suboxone, Freddie? Many people find it messes with their sleep if they dose later in the day. Some docs insist on wtriting multiple doses per day....but if you read the prescribing info, it clearly states that everything can be taken at once. Dunno what to tell you about the tombstone. Once you find something like that, if you don't toss it immediately, you might as well consider it taken. If they drop on you, telling them you screwed up ahead of time is always better than hiding things and getting caught.

[JoeStrummer]

I've tried evrything on the list, including melatonin and 5-htp, with no results. Unfortunately the only thing that ever got me to sleep was several glasses of red wine. Now that I'm sober, I rarely sleep, and it really bugs me.

[Boater]

i'm with joe, i have tried everything and there are some days/nights where i'm up all night
and bleary eyed shot the next day

[wolfguy]

I usually just drink green tea. It makes me tired.

[OwlSong]

I have had problems with sleep for as far back as I can remember going back to early childhood. I learned to meditate to help me fall to sleep, but then could never stay asleep. I tried everything from changing diet, changing exercise routine, lavender on pillow, valerian, hiding clocks, no computer or tv before bed, benadryl( got to where I would have to take 5 or 6 a night), etc etc. I went to a sleep center and was told my alpha brain waves interupt my delta sleep so that is why I am always waking up. They put me on, I believe, trazadone. That got me to sleep with wild crazy dreams but left me feeling disconnected in the day time and then after about a yr I was going to have to up my dose because it was no longer working, so I just said forget it.
Over a yr ago, due to extreme stress with AD, I would have really bad nightmares when I slept so then I just was afraid to fall asleep. After months of exhaustion, I asked my Dr to please give me a prescription sleeping pill just to take now and then so I could get some sleep. He put me on Ambien. WOW. The first night of a restful sleep was amazing! I was a whole new person the next day. I have been on Ambien every since, but I only allow myself to take 3 mg a night. I feel so great by taking it, compared to when I don't take it and drag around all day. I know that if I have caffeine late in day it will affect it. I still give myself downtime before bed. I am careful not to take more than 3 mg a night because I don't want to up my dosage, and plus it makes me foggy in the morning if I do.
People have told me that it is addicting, and that I will have to take a bigger dose to get the same affect, and so maybe since I don't take a bigger dose, it is mental, you know, all in my head. But seriously, I think if I had been given help with my sleep as a child I would not have had such a hard time at school. I am almost 50 yrs old, and only in the past one and a half yrs have I been able to sleep so well.