Insomnia

**H4ss4n** · 24th August 2006

Has anyone got any tips/advice on overcoming insomnia. I've had it for a while now. I tend to wake up around 3-4 times a night. During the day I feel tired and moody.

I've not tried anything from the doctors, only thing i've tried is valerian in liquid form. This didn't help just made me feel more tired during the day.

I dont smoke, drink. I go to the gym 3 times a week.

Any help would be appreciated.

**gunner** · 24th August 2006

It might sound silly, but have you tried reading before you sleep?

**CzarJunkie** · 24th August 2006

Some other natural supplements to try are:

5-HTP
L-Tryptophan
SAM-e

You could also try eating lettuce before going to bed as it does contain a mild sedative, also drinking chamomile tea can help you relax. Taking a good quality magnesium supplement before you go to bed will do you wonders too, magnesium helps regulate the heart beat, and encourages the muscles to relax.

You could also try something called photic stimulation, it is the shining of pulsing lights into the eyes in a rythmic pattern. It helps to reset your circadian rythms (your bodyclock) and this helps to relax you.

**maverick_15** · 25th August 2006

A few things I can think of-

Some people find taking a hot shower before trying to sleep helps them.

How are your breathing patterns as you go to sleep, try to 'train' yourself to long in and out breaths because this may help.

How dark is your room? If you are sensitive to light this can cause you to wake.

You say you go to the gym 3 times a week, if you exercise shortly before you go to sleep this can affect how deeply you sleep. Make sure it's at least 2 hours if not more.

**Mule** · 25th August 2006

Cutting down or completely cutting out Coffee, Tea, Fizzy drinks and Sugary food can help.

Don't watch TV in bed, make it a place for sleeping only. If you're lying in bed awake for a long time get out and do something to relax yourself and try again later when you're feeling more relaxed (Like reading a book).

**maverick_15** · 25th August 2006

Originally Posted by Mule

If you're lying in bed awake for a long time get out and do something to relax yourself and try again later when you're feeling more relaxed (Like reading a book).

Yeah, just to add to Mule's point, if you do get out of bed make sure that what you do isn't something overly stimulating. Don't watch tv or listen to loud music or read a taxing book because once the brain has reached a certain level of consciousness it will be much harder to return to sleep.

**GTI** · 25th August 2006

Buy yourself an incense burner (�3.50 from Sainsburys) and a bottle of lavender simmering solution from somewhere like Wilkinson. The smell of lavender filling the room should gently relax you and encourage natural sleep. I've got a shitty sleeping pattern and found this really helps.

**Roach-Rampino** · 25th August 2006

The camomile tea is a winner for me. The first few times you have it, it's not too pleasant but after the 5th or 6th time you have it, you become accustomed to it.

I have it after my meal in restaurants if I am going home, as opposed to a large sambucca and a double espresso which gets me all fired up for some serious clubbing!

**wizer** · 25th August 2006

a good wank sorts me out

**Realist** · 25th August 2006

What works is to develope a sleeping patern outside of your normal routine, try the following.

1) Only go to bed when you body tells you its time.
2) Get up early and not when your body tells you to, get an alarm.
3) Cut out meals before bedtime.

After a while you will see that you will get sleepy early in the evening, then as time goes by increase the alarm by 15 to 30 minutes each week until your sleep patern returns.

What the above does is breaks your bad sleeping patern and brings it back to a normal nights rest.

**Subby** · 26th August 2006

One remedy for insomnia I can swear by was GCSE Bitesize. Throughout uni if i couldnt sleep all it took was a couple of minutes watching that crap and i was in the land of nod. If that failed there was always the trusty bottle of vodka close by.

Although gsce bitesize isnt on anymore i'm sure you can find something equally mind numbingly boring.

**Tammer** · 26th August 2006

Originally Posted by wizer

a good wank sorts me out

Hell yeah!

**JONNYG** · 12th September 2006

I also suffer from Insomnia, I've tried alsorts but what ever i try tends to work a couple of times but after that i'm back to the 3-4 times a night like u H4ss4n....

It's not every night just most nights, it realy is all in the mind and it tends to be worse when i'm stressed about something even if i don't think i am...

I would try all the things that have been suggested and if like me still having problems go to the doctors.
He has prescribed Zolpidem 10mg and when i've had a run of bad nights i will pop a Zolpidem which will knock me out within half an hour for around 8 good hours sleep which i will do two nights on the trot after that i tend to fall back into a routine of waking up maybe once through the night.

Other things i do is making sure i don't have anything to drink a couple of hours before going to bed as if i wake up to go to the toilet then i will find it hard to get back to sleep and temperature is also an issue, i tend to sleep better if the room is cold rather than warm.
Just experiment and find what works for you.....

Your not alone H4ss4n One out of three people have insomnia
at some point in their lives.

Good luck m8

**Over Carl** · 12th September 2006

With me, I found that often I wouldn't get tired until about 5-6am, and sleeping then ruined the whole day, so I would force myself to stay up, and get a nice early night the day after.

**Midnight_Toker** · 13th September 2006

Are you feeling run down as well h4ss4n (and not just through lack of sleep)? Do you find it difficult to find motivation for simple tasks? Has your sex drive been slower than normal lately?

It's just that I have been doing research lately into the symptoms of depression and insomnia is one of the main ones, especially waking many times throughout the night and waking much earlier than you intend to. I'm not suggesting that you are depressed, but it's certainly a consideration to make, and means that no amount of wanking / TV / Camomile tea will help.

A good site to check for other symptoms, see if you match 5 of these.(insomnia is one)

http://www.depressionalliance.org/do...epression.html

Good luck getting it sorted mate

**willp2003** · 14th September 2006

I got quite stressed with work and found i couldn't sleep or waking up early.
Try keeping a pen and paper next to your bed, so if your thinking of things you need to do, jot them down, and then you don;t have to worry about them.
I found reading before bed works well too, especially in low-ish light which really tires your eyes out!
I play footy once a week and i always struggle to get to sleep after that even though it 3 hours later.