sleep

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:43 pm

i can't. i toss and turn. any advice on how to sleep??

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:48 pm

I feel your pain LC.. I'm going thru the same thing.. drives me insane.. I'm exhausted when I wake up.. must get all of 2 hours of sleep..

I have decided to just stay up till my eye close.. then fall in bed.. I think it goes in cycles.. I'm on the long cycle now been tossing and turning for over a month now.. I'M GETTING SLEEPY.. OH I WISH I WAS..

TRY WARM MILK AND TURKEY.. BOTH HAVE TRIPTO WHAT EVER IN THEM..

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:54 pm

i have to cook a turkey?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:01 pm

Every time I eat TURKEY I want to sleep.. so there is something in that bird.. :wah: Get cooking ...!!

i have to cook a turkey? you're my friend, you know what's wrong with me.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:04 pm

OK OK i'll go get a turkey tomorrow! :wah: you're crazy.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:08 pm

I'm going to get me a damn TURKEY tomorrow also.. SLEEP.. I WANT TO SLEEP..

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:21 pm

flopstock wrote: clean sheets and then go to bed buck naked..that just makes me miss him more. he likes me naked.

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:29 am

Ah, darlin' I feel your pain. With all my crap going on I've been having a b!tch of a time sleeping. Recently pegged as having depression and extremely high stress, my doc put me on paxil and xanax. Great stuff to help you sleep. Probably not on your list of "allowed drugs" though, I'd think.

Actually, Carla is right on the money with the turkey idea. The thing in turkey that makes you sleepy is called triptophan. Ever wonder why Thanksgiving dinner makes you want to nap? That's why. Triptophan. Too bad they don't sell that sh!t right over the counter, huh?

Miss ya, babe. Hope all's well.

theia · Post by **theia** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:50 am

I feel for you all, LC, Carla and BR. I too can't seem to get a good night's sleep either. And it makes you feel so lousy during the day. So I'm not much help, sorry...

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:41 am

Ahh this is something Ive had trouble with for a long time. In retrospect it usually happens when something is going on with me. Im troubled. Sleep 3-4 hrs then up all night. The last 6 months or so Ive been fairly worry free and have been sleeping like a rock. Im only up now cause Im so excited to get back to work. Whoo ! :rolleyes: But turkey sounds like a plan too, white meat please !

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:18 am

Sex.

Or cough medicine.

Both work for me. hehehe

Seriously though, I know it can be hell. You can try reading a VERY boring book in bed, or just read til you snooze. I think doing crosswords in bed used to help me snooze too. Its worth a try! Happy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....ing.

Azrayel · Post by **Azrayel** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:53 am

not to sound like the furniture salesman that I am, but how old is your mattress? if it is over ten years old that may be the problem too.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:14 am

lady cop wrote: i can't. i toss and turn. any advice on how to sleep??

Sorry hun. I am a dedicated insomniac. When I do sleep, it's a corpse like state.

Peg · Post by **Peg** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:31 am

I'll be so tired I can barely keep my eyes open, yet I cannot sleep. Let me know if the turkey works. At this point, I'm willing to try about anything.

Lil~Basco · Post by **Lil~Basco** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 6:39 am

A long walk and fresh air does it for me. Plus a relaxing bubble bath with some mellow tunes playing. Turkey sounds like a plan too. Oh yeah...always want to nap after eating turkey. What time is dinner?

SOJOURNER · Post by **SOJOURNER** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 6:58 am

I had no idea the inability to sleep was so prevelant. Good ideas all to help you coax it on.

Have you tried a glass of wine or two before retiring to help you to relax?

Also, if you are on meds, speak to your doctor. It could be one of them is the culprit and they could possiblly switch you to another med.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:48 am

From an earlier thread:

Calcium has been called "Nature's Greatest Tranquilizer". Buy a bottle

of calcium tablets and take two when you wake up in the middle of the night.

Other things I do/have done...

It's a toughie, but give up ALL caffeine, and if you can't do that, no

caffeine after about noon.

No exercise within about 6 hours of going to bed. Exercise is good but

get it earlier.

Go to bed and get up about the same time every day. Even on weekends.

If you feel you MUST sleep in on weekends, limit it to no more than an

hour or so past your usual wake-up time.

Save the bed for sleeping and sex and that's it, no tv going before you

go to sleep.

Beware of outside stimulus. I for a while thought I was going to have to

give up Monday Night Football, too much excitement too late at night.

And I did give up (about 5 years ago) listening to music. Sometimes,

early in the day, I can still get away with some. I keep my hand poised

over the "mute" button on the remote, to avoid catchy commercial

jingles, 'cause I will sing 'em forever.

Keep a pad of paper and a pen by your bed, and when you wake up

thinking about something, WRITE IT DOWN. While you are writing,

try and visualize the thoughts leaving your head, travelling down your

arm, through the pen onto the paper. This way your brain think's it's

taken care of whatever. Might help you stop thinking about it.

Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. A "white noise" generator

helps some people. (Ocean waves, etc.)

On the caffeine thing, beware "hidden" caffeine, colas aren't the only

drink with caffeine in them. And watch painkillers like Extra-Strength

Excedrin, it has a lot in it.

Watch your food intake. Should have your last meal about 6 hours

before sleep. If it's a large, regular meal that is. Small snack later

on is okay.

Beware of trying for too much sleep, you need less as you get older,

but 7 or 8 hours is plenty.

Something called Valerian helps some people. Or melatonin, years

ago there was a question about quality so I don't know how easy

that is to find.

Limit or eliminate alcohol. After drinking, your blood sugar levels will

drop in the middle of the night and you wake up. (This is for

anybody, not necessarily LC!)

And I wish you much luck in dealing with this!! When I get a good

night's sleep, I feel I can conquer the world!!

(P.S. Everyone should avoid "regular" use of cough medicine. Can

eventually cause heart problems!)

:-6

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:18 am

Have you noticed a trend here... Most of sleepless people are WOMEN What's up with that.. Is it because we have so much on our plates daily we never really ever relax..

Xanax is good stuff.. I don't take many drugs but that one is a keeper BR..!! Paxil not so sure about be careful don't take that any longer than you have to..

SOJOURNER · Post by **SOJOURNER** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:52 am

Well, LC, you've got lots of suggestions here. Some conderdicting others............Figuring it all out may keep you awake worrying that you've covered them all.

Another thought I just had: Get an eye mask to block out all light. That might help a bit in your sunshine state.

Wishing you sleep.

You are getting sleepy. Your lids are heavy and you want to close them. Let yourself go. Sleep LC. Sleep.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:55 am

CARLA wrote: Have you noticed a trend here... Most of sleepless people are WOMEN What's up with that.. Is it because we have so much on our plates daily we never really ever relax..

Xanax is good stuff.. I don't take many drugs but that one is a keeper BR..!! Paxil not so sure about be careful don't take that any longer than you have to..

I use Xanax, the doctor made me take it when my husband got ill. It does help me sleep through most of the night-I wqas down to 2-3 hours a night and dropping so much weight, I had to do something.

Women also do not sleep as well as men-because we had the babies, had to get up for years at night to take care of them. Ingrained habits never end, I figure it will always be that way.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 10:12 am

Here's a link about Tryptophan:

http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/FoodSafety/ ... tophan.php

:)

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 10:39 am

valerie wrote: From an earlier thread:

Calcium has been called "Nature's Greatest Tranquilizer". Buy a bottle

of calcium tablets and take two when you wake up in the middle of the night.

Other things I do/have done...

It's a toughie, but give up ALL caffeine, and if you can't do that, no

caffeine after about noon.

No exercise within about 6 hours of going to bed. Exercise is good but

get it earlier.

Go to bed and get up about the same time every day. Even on weekends.

If you feel you MUST sleep in on weekends, limit it to no more than an

hour or so past your usual wake-up time.

Save the bed for sleeping and sex and that's it, no tv going before you

go to sleep.

Beware of outside stimulus. I for a while thought I was going to have to

give up Monday Night Football, too much excitement too late at night.

And I did give up (about 5 years ago) listening to music. Sometimes,

early in the day, I can still get away with some. I keep my hand poised

over the "mute" button on the remote, to avoid catchy commercial

jingles, 'cause I will sing 'em forever.

Keep a pad of paper and a pen by your bed, and when you wake up

thinking about something, WRITE IT DOWN. While you are writing,

try and visualize the thoughts leaving your head, travelling down your

arm, through the pen onto the paper. This way your brain think's it's

taken care of whatever. Might help you stop thinking about it.

Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. A "white noise" generator

helps some people. (Ocean waves, etc.)

On the caffeine thing, beware "hidden" caffeine, colas aren't the only

drink with caffeine in them. And watch painkillers like Extra-Strength

Excedrin, it has a lot in it.

Watch your food intake. Should have your last meal about 6 hours

before sleep. If it's a large, regular meal that is. Small snack later

on is okay.

Beware of trying for too much sleep, you need less as you get older,

but 7 or 8 hours is plenty.

Something called Valerian helps some people. Or melatonin, years

ago there was a question about quality so I don't know how easy

that is to find.

Limit or eliminate alcohol. After drinking, your blood sugar levels will

drop in the middle of the night and you wake up. (This is for

anybody, not necessarily LC!)

And I wish you much luck in dealing with this!! When I get a good

night's sleep, I feel I can conquer the world!!

(P.S. Everyone should avoid "regular" use of cough medicine. Can

eventually cause heart problems!)

:-6

Good advice there Valerie, only one tip, Valerianm, is an natural herb easy to get at healthfood stores, however much like st Johns wort check with your DR on how it will react with other meds you may be on.

I hate to say it but when I suffer bouts of insomnia for more than a week it is off to the dr for a chat and she gives me 10 sleeping pills, I have to use half only and after getting 3 good nights of sleep under my belt I am great for like 6-10 months. It's just a matter of breaking the cycle. Generally though I ride it out.

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:18 am

My problem is STAYING asleep. I go to bed when I'm tired around 10.30, but then I wake at regular intervals with a dry mouth. I take a sip of water and then go back to sleep. This happens 3 or 4 times in the night. I don't toss and turn. This has been going on for about 9 years. I don't let myself worry about it as this makes it worse. I know loads of people with sleep problems, my eldest son included. I have never taken any pills, but have tried some herbal stuff without success. The no cafeine advice didn't work for me.....not much help from here I'm afraid.

venus · Post by **venus** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 12:56 pm

I have to say since going back to education lve had very little difficulty in the sleep department, but now have it in the getting out of bed department...

Usually go to bed with a very interesting academic book*sarcasm!!*

This usually causes an involuntary reaction of my eyelids drooping and refusing to stay open!!:-3

jennyswan · Post by **jennyswan** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:30 pm

Try doing nothing for about 10 minutes before you go to bed. Don't read or watch tv etc in bed because then your mind will associate bed with action and not want to shut down so just breath slowly into your nose and out through your mouth for about 10 minutes and go to bed, light off and try to sleep straight away. Try this. I hope you can get some shut eye soon xx

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:00 pm

That is good advice, jennyswan. I do my gentle yoga exercieses before bed, then I sleep alot faster and easier.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:32 pm

Never stopped you before!:wah:

jennyswan · Post by **jennyswan** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:34 pm

is this a serious matter, becasue man do have some damn funny ideas for that!

Name them anyway - might prove helpful, u never know :wah:

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:37 pm

go for it...the worst that can happen is i'll fall asleep!

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:38 pm

I'll start with you washing the dishes.......................

jennyswan · Post by **jennyswan** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:39 pm

Yeah, but if this is REALLY a plea for help then bringing in a 34 year old, father of one 13 year old going on 45 year old daughter sarcasm and self idolizing stupidity might actaully be a bad thing?!?!?!

I am male, I am weaker, dumber and all that...

But you still need me to open that jar don't you?!?!?!?

Change the tire?!?!?!?

Fix that lamp?!?!?!?

And how about those other things you need?!?!?!

Ahh but a man should be a man and open the jar, fix the lamp etc. That is one of reasons why God invented men.

Oh and a bit off track if you need any hints coping with a 13 year old female you can ask us gals here

Lil~Basco · Post by **Lil~Basco** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:51 pm

moverguy wrote: Yeah, but if this is REALLY a plea for help then bringing in a 34 year old, father of one 13 year old going on 45 year old daughter sarcasm and self idolizing stupidity might actaully be a bad thing?!?!?!

I am male, I am weaker, dumber and all that...

But you still need me to open that jar don't you?!?!?!?

Change the tire?!?!?!?

Fix that lamp?!?!?!?

And how about those other things you need?!?!?!

Jar opening.....I do that.

Change tires....I do that.

Fix a lamp........I do that.

Raised a teen...did that.

What are the other things we need men to do for us?

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:21 pm

Lil~Basco wrote: Jar opening.....I do that.

Change tires....I do that.

Fix a lamp........I do that.

Raised a teen...did that.

What are the other things we need men to do for us?

You go girl!

Gosh, so many things this year I learned how to do on my own.....

Change the locks on the door.

Change the wiper blades.

Take over the finances.

Learn more patience then I ever thought I would need..................

jennyswan · Post by **jennyswan** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:22 pm

GIRLS RULE :guitarist

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:25 pm

chonsigirl wrote: You go girl!

Gosh, so many things this year I learned how to do on my own.....

Change the locks on the door.

Change the wiper blades.

Take over the finances.

Learn more patience then I ever thought I would need..................

Way to go, Chonsi! That's a good lesson for EVERYBODY!

You should ALWAYS understand your finances! If you don't...LEARN NOW!!!

Sojo's suggestion of an eye mask works for me also.

And I have a CD which plays very gentle music that sounds like waves washing up onto a shore and there are some rainforest birds trilling quietly in the background. The warmth of the duvet feels like the warm sun on your skin and you drift off feeling as though you're lying on a warm tropical beach somewhere... just relaxing. Its wonderful!

Oh, and there are no worries re. midgies or sunburn or sand in your hair LOL!

Just all the good stuff! And with a little imagination you can picture the bronzed beach god looking over in your direction! Whew!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:17 pm

LC, You get any sleep yet.. I stopped on my way home and got me a turkey..!! I'm feeling sleep now.. dang stuff works..!!

The Red One · Post by **The Red One** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:04 am

I feel sorry for you all! I have the opposite problem. I can sleep two to twelve hours. As soon as my head hits the pillow I'm out. My problem is I wake up sleepy and stay sleepy all day. I went to the Dr. yesterday and she looked at what the nurse wrote down and put me on four meds, one is an antidepressant, two are muscle relaxants, and 800 mg of Ibuprofen. I keep headaches too, they're tension headaches. So for all you who aren't getting enough sleep, I'm getting it for you....

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:46 am

well there are so many good suggestions here! last night was awful,i woke up at 0300 and lay there until 0700 with my mind and my heart racing. it seems i have a permanent 'fight or flight' reflex and constantly am dumping adrenaline into my bloodstream. doctor gave me something to block it.

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:46 pm

moverguy wrote: raised a teen, but how did you make it?! MEN BABY, with MEN!!!!!

Read the legends of the AMAZONS? And they prished!?!?! WHY? NO MEN, and they pissed off the gods and were SMITED - yeah. SMITED

Stronger, meaner, better at fixing and racing vintage sports cars!!! Much less attractive to see a fat guy on a Harley than a fat CHICK on a Harley know what I mean!? YIKES

Men, we are poor little boys playing with our weiners but we still have our place on earth - LIMITED THOUGH IT MIGHT BE!

But I was raised by a crazy red headed single mom of two who was a fulltime Critical ER Nurse and talk about independant!!!!

WHOA MOMMA!
I'm trying to figure out how this thread went from how to get LC to sleep, to guys vs. girls and who can do what???

Face it moverguy, us women don't need you for one single thing except to be a sperm donor if we want kids. Sorry to burst your bubble, but them's the facts, darlin'.

Never EVER assume you're better at fixing, repairing, opening, riding, or doing anything where us girls are concerned. I out-ride most of the men in my hubby's M/C. I can change a flat, change my oil, fix my toilet, install a new light fixture or any other damn thing in my house that needs doing.

The only thing I'll grant you is stronger simply because your physiology provides you with greater muscle mass, which is the luck of the draw, not an accomplishment, sorry. So only 1/2 a point there. You? Meaner? Not on your life.

So, LC, back to the topic at hand: when did you get your adrenalin blocking drugs and has anything worked yet? Miss ya, babe.:-4

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:55 pm

i'm with you BR, i certainly never felt less competant than a male. you better damn straight keep up in the police academy and on the job, you're expected to be backup when needed, no whining, no hesitation. -----anyway, i'm taking the med designed to block all that adrenaline, have been for a week. but i sure felt it last night at 0300...i guess it needs fine-tuning. ...miss you too honey! :-4

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:13 pm

ArnoldLayne wrote:

No such illusions Baby. I know when to keep my mouth shut and my hands in the washing :wah:now there's a REAL man!