OT: Insomnia

[H-town Horn]

Last night, I slept 5 hours!!!! I took a combo of Benadryl and valerian root. Maybe I'll try 2 doses Benadryl tonight and valerian root.

Good deal! Looks like you're on track to come up with some concoction that works! You can play w/ the dose of Benadryl and figure out what does it for you.

 

[H-town Horn]

Yes, I think he does have some leftover knee pain from replacement that the tylenol helps. I will mention it to him again, but he thinks he needs the tylenol!Thanks for the info and I will pass on to him!

Yikes, I'm sure I'd need more than a couple Tylenol after knee replacement surgery! My neighbor had that a couple years ago and I heard the rehab can be pretty rough.

 

[Marlabob]

In all he is doing very well and can walk a long way now without any pain, but some days pain just shows up when sitting or napping, etc. All in all, a great thing he did it. Makes walking in Walmart or on trips much more enjoyable!

 

[doc longhorn]

Oh you know, the new business, moving to Austin, trips, boys, Texas and 49ers football, March Madness, golf, life.......

And there is your problem. Find a way to quieten your mind. Concentrate on happy thoughts, only. Eliminate the anxiety thoughts as much as possible. It actually works, by-the-way.

There was a good suggestion on here already - a glass of red wine and a couple of pieces of dark chocolate - that's the trick.

Stay off the drugs and work on semi-hypnotizing your mind with happy thoughts about things you love to do or would like to have.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

And there is your problem. Find a way to quieten your mind. Concentrate on happy thoughts, only. Eliminate the anxiety thoughts as much as possible. It actually works, by-the-way.
There was a good suggestion on here already - a glass of red wine and a couple of pieces of dark chocolate - that's the trick.

Stay off the drugs and work on semi-hypnotizing your mind with happy thoughts about things you love to do or would like to have.

Thanks Doc. My ex said I should meditate and do yoga. My mind races the most before bed because it's so quiet and ample time to think about life.

 

[monarch]

...doc longhorn, what a great asset you are to your profession. I am no where near a being a doctor (government contractor). however, I was about to ask "sflonghorngirl" about her workout regimen.... sometimes, a very serious workout regimen will leave your body so amped up, that it's hard to wind down. i simply love.... the fact that, the doc is redirecting your choices away from the impromptu drugs. you just do not seem the type that shall want to imbibe upon this course.... for it could get dangerous.

so there you have it sflonghorngirl.... the "doc's" in the house!

 

[doc longhorn]

...doc longhorn, what a great asset you are to your profession. I am no where near a being a doctor (government contractor). however, I was about to ask "sflonghorngirl" about her workout regimen.... sometimes, a very serious workout regimen will leave your body so amped up, that it's hard to wind down. i simply love.... the fact that, the doc is redirecting your choices away from the impromptu drugs. you just do not seem the type that shall want to imbibe upon this course.... for it could get dangerous.
so there you have it sflonghorngirl.... the "doc's" in the house!

LOL - thank for the kudo's, but there are those on the board more professionally attuned to helping in this area than I.

For myself, when I have had one of my 18 hour days at work and surgery scheduled early in the next AM, I think about my last round of golf and try to play the complete round in my head. Typically, I never get past the 3rd hole before I am long gone. I learned this in med school - while taking 2 hour cat naps.

 

[3xhorndad]

SFLonghorngirl.....

Listen to the Doc....Forget the drugs....A glass of wine with/after dinner will do the trick...

Doc...

When my head hits the pillow, I think of St Andrews....Haven't made it to the 3rd hole yet.....awesome recommendation...

 

[pringlelake]

Whoa....that combo of red wine plus dark chocolate would likely bring me a migraine the next morning that would make no work that day a certainty.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I take half a Benadryl every night. Go to bed, read a bit, and usually start nodding off about 20-30 minutes later. It takes the edge off a bit, and also if I wake up in the middle of the night it makes it easier to get right back to sleep). No side effects in the morning (if I take a whole one I may feel a little sluggish for the first couple hours, which is why I take half; and I'm 6'1" 195).
I asked my doctor if there were any negatives with this regimen and his said Benadryl is one of the "safest", non problem-causing things you can take. Also very cheap.

Also if you look at the active ingredient of all these Zquil-type drugs it is exactly the same as Benadryl. Exactly.

I've also found that if I am exercising that I sleep much, much better. I have NOT been exercising lately, for which I have a variety of excuses, but I sleep night and day better (no pun intended) when I exercise.

Last thing, beware of just popping some herb or other "natural" substance under the assumption that it must be good for you. Anything you put into your body will have some affect, sometimes positive but also sometimes negative, particularly over a prolonged period of time. Melatonin is one such example. So if you do decide to take something you definitely want to read up on it and then stay in-tune with the affect it is having on your body. This is essentially one of the reasons I've stuck with Benadryl; it has been around forever and there is a ton of data on effects. Not so much with a lot of the "natural" stuff.

And I say this as someone that is all about "natural" remedies if one can be had. But just saying you have to be just as careful with that, or at least as vigilant, as would with any other drug.

My doctor, or at least my allergist, would caution you on taking benedryl so frequently. You're using it as a sleep aid but continued use will make it less effective on you when you need that drug for another purpose, such as an allergy attack.

I had allergies all through my youth. I took benedryl so often that today it really has no effect on me at all. They have to give me stronger stuff.

Same thing for my skin medicines. Diaprolene (sp?) was once da bomb for my exenemic dermatitis, but now really doesn't help much. I have to use Ultravate these days.

 

[Captain Hookem]

So here is the problem with insomnia...Trying to figure out what the underlying issues are, while at the same time feeling worse and worse each day due to lack of sleep.

I'm not a doctor. However I spent a good 15 years without having a good night's sleep until someone finally prescribed me something that worked. My case is different in that my issues were brought on by migraines that started when I was 19. Somehow it messed with the sleep circuitry as well. If doctors understood why this happens then maybe I would as well, but nothing's worse than having someone tell you it's all in your head, so just go count some sheep.

So while my case may be different I can claim a good bit of knowledge from the 15 years of traditional professional advice. First, medical science still doesn't even understand why we need sleep. It's a mysterious function we know is needed but not really sure why. As a result, opinions will vary greatly on what the best solution is. And what works for one person may not work for another. I had 3 different experts tell me I needed a cpap machine. "Why", I asked, "Is it going to work this time when it failed the previous two times?" Normally a blank stare follows. I've come to the conclusion that it's what they tell people when they don't know what else to do. Anyhoo...

Taming racing thoughts in a quiet bedroom can be maddening. So, maybe you do finally fall asleep, and then wake up at 3am. At which point the racing thoughts that had been hiding under the bed all the sudden come back with a flurry. Next thing you know you've stared at the ceiling for 3 hours, and now it's time to get ready for work. Good times.

One night I awoke up on nature's business, and the bedroom door stuck a little in the frame. In the short time it took before I crawled back into bed I had gone through a progression of thoughts where all the sudden I was in a panic that the foundation needed to be repaired and was recalculating my whole retirement plan. Sounds ridiculous, but nothing fills a quiet room like a noisy mind.

My best suggestion is to try everything, after resetting with a few good nights sleep from some non-addictive helpers. Take Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or Doxylamine Succinate (The stuff they put in Nyquil to conk you out) for a few nights until you've banked a couple of good nights sleep. It's important to break the cycle, because once you start being unable to sleep, just the fear of not sleeping alone is enough to bring on panic. Once you can calm those nerves down you can concentrate on the rest.

These are normally more effective than natural supplements such as Melatonin, although for some it's effective. If you're going to use Melatonin, get the timed-release version so that you get it distributed throughout the night and not just a big dose up front.

Now try again with some of the non-medical techniques. Sleep hygiene is very important along with the nightly ritual before falling asleep. You can look up what all constitutes sleep hygiene, but one new item to this list is to avoid iPads, phones, etc, before trying to fall asleep. The light from the screen can really mess with areas of the brain that are tuned to track the day/night cycle. This doesn't bother some people, but for people having issues it's something to cut out.

Getting good exercise early in the day is vital. Don't exercise though after 7 or 8pm since it's takes the body a while to rev back down.

Best is to read a book until you can't keep your eyes open and falling asleep. Then hit the lights and let sleep take over. Reading is about the best way to tame thoughts and focus on something relaxing. On that note, it's best to read fiction/fantasy/sci-fi or anything that takes you away from the real world into another one. Reading a book on current events or politics or anything that may get you emotional over something defeats the purpose (yes that includes Longhorn news which at times can be frustrating

So maybe that helps you fall asleep, but what happens when you wake up at 3am. Do you read more?...Maybe. If that works then great. Although by turning the light back on that can have a deleterious effect and could just result in reading for 3 hours.

Here's a trick I came across by accident but helps me immensely: First you buy a cheap MP3 player, but one with a LED screen that shows in the dark. I have a SanDisk Sansa Clip. It's important this not be an iPod or some other overly bright screen. Second you need to buy an audio book designed for calming techniques or self-hypnosis. If found this in the library and it works for me:

http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Medical-Self-Hypnosis-Steven-Gurgevich/dp/1591797144

Rip the CD to the MP3 player and at 3am when you don't want to turn on the light for a book, put a headphone in one ear and start listening.

I found it impossible to learn calming techniques, yoga, or anything else during the day that I could successfully use at night without aids when the brain is in full spin cycle. By having this in my ear and coaching in the middle of the night is the only way I could find to actually relax.

Now I have no idea whether I'm accomplishing self-hypnosis or not. It could be any book with a calming voice that allows you to focus on it. For all I know it could work reading out cake recipes, but having such a focal point in your ear can drown out the noise.

As for the rest, try everything that's recommended; although do a little Googling first to see if there are any potential negative effects. For instance drinking a glass of wine at night is great for relaxing, but alcohol can actually interfere with sleep cycles, making the sleep not as productive. However it works for a lot of people, so give it a shot. Some people do well with warm milk, or a glass of hot tea (no caffeine of course). All of these are designed to relax before trying to sleep.

If you have tried all of the non-medicinal techniques and still are unable to get a handle, then it may be time for some doctors and prescriptions. Most will try to handle underlying issues first (such as depression or other psychological problems). Some may go straight for the knockout pill. This is a tricky route, because once you rely on prescription meds to sleep you will ALWAYS rely on them to sleep. Most of them develop some type of reliance and getting off can be very difficult.

Sounds like you have a temporary thing to work out, maybe a life issue that will pass. I'd definitely start by going with all the traditional suggestions, work on sleep hygiene and a set go-to-sleep/wake-up schedule first.

Maybe just reading this incredibly long post is enough to make you fall asleep Did I mention I have a problem sleeping sometimes?...

Either way, good luck! Feel free to PM me if I hit a spot you may want more info on.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Taming racing thoughts in a quiet bedroom can be maddening.
Maybe just reading this incredibly long post is enough to make you fall asleep Did I mention I have a problem sleeping sometimes?...

Appreciate this! I didn't sleep at all Friday night. I took 3 Benedryls and was wide awake the entire night. Maybe my body is immune to sleeping pills now. I was so tired Saturday. I crashed at 8 and slept through the night. My body feels refreshed. Perhaps sleeping every other night is my path to sleeping naturally.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Whoa....that combo of red wine plus dark chocolate would likely bring me a migraine the next morning that would make no work that day a certainty.

I have same reaction as well. Anytime I drink alcohol at night, huge headache throughout the night.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Sounds like you have a temporary thing to work out, maybe a life issue that will pass. I'd definitely start by going with all the traditional suggestions, work on sleep hygiene and a set go-to-sleep/wake-up schedule first.

I know what my issues are but I don't seeing it passing until after Oct 1.

 

[theknighttrain]

Flexeril works pretty good too. My wife zonks on one, takes 2 for me if needed.

 

[BevoBlake]

Malibu and Coke has me feeling a bit droopy in an hour or so.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

I'm going cold turkey again tonight. Trying to avoid taking medication because even with medication, I'm not sleeping. The ex got me this book to read before bed. Looks boring but will give it a shot.

View attachment 747

 

[Hooked_up]

Haven't been sleeping well for the past 2 weeks. Maybe 3 hours a night. Any herbal remedies besides popping an Ambien?

Unisom works very well. It's intended for 8 hours of sleep and is non habit forming.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Unisom works very well. It's intended for 8 hours of sleep and is non habit forming.

I've tried. Doesn't work for me.

 

[3xhorndad]

I know what my issues are but I don't seeing it passing until after Oct 1.

Ok, I'll bite. Oct1????

Something private or can you share?