Need help. Can't sleep. Any suggestions?

Question

During the school week, I only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep every night on average. I am almost falling sleep in most of my classes. Some of my teaches said if I don't stop drifting in class, they'll have me kick out of the class. Others have suggested ways to go to sleep, but nothing works. I've tried going to bed earlier than I used to, burning incense, yoga, just relaxing, taking long warm bathes, and more. I need to get sleep or risk getting wrote up for the first time. Does anyone know a way I can just get some sleep during the week when I need it? I have tried so much, I'm starting to think that I might have to ask the local doctor about sleeping pill. I don't want to do that, but I'm getting desperate! Can ANYONE help me?

Answer 1

In the evening, eat bananas, dates, figs,nut butter, whole grain crackers or yogurt. These foods are high in tryptophan, which promotes sleep.

Avoid alcohol, tobacco and caffeine-containing beverages after lunch.

Exercise regularly in the late afternoon or early evening-- but not right before bedtime. Physical exertion is an excellent way to make your body tired so that sleep comes about more easily.

And finally, learn to put worries out of your mind. Try deep breathing and meditation.

Answer 2

You dont want to take a bunch of drugs and junk from over the counter just to get some sleep.Alot of those things can be habit forming or make your tummy upset(it happened to me).I tried taking Melatonin but it only worked for about a week.

I had insomnia pretty bad and I finally went to a sleep clinic and they said that I had Sleep Apnea well as Restless Leg Syndrome....and I didn't even know it! Ask your doctor about testing you.I used to really stress over not getting enough sleep.Try not to take your daily problems with you to bed either...that can keep you awake all night too.

Answer 3

I noticed that when I take bendryl for my allergies, I get sleepy at work which is very painful, trying to stay awake and be productive when you want to crawl underneath your desk and go to sleep.

I sometimes have a hard time falling asleep at night and then I thought, it may work for when I WANT to sleep.

It works great, I take the benadryl and next thing I know it is morning.

You might check with your doctor to make sure that it is ok to use it that way. My doctor did not see a problem and it is of course, over the the counter.

Answer 4

Sometimes artificial sugars from foods can keep you awake. As well as caffeine. Try drinking nothing but water earlier in the evening and cleansing your system of sugar. When I cant sleep I take 1 tylenol pm or an excedrin pm and it gives you enough dramamine to allow your body to relax enough to fall asleep. You may need more activity during the day to tire your body.. sometimes thats all you need. If you still cant get proper rest Id seek help from your dr.

Answer 5

It sounds like you may be taking naps during the day. You must make sure not to nap during the day as it will break your sleep cycle. You should also try to get more tryptophane in your diet. Eat yogurt or drink milk or have other dairy products for supper. (That is if you are not lactose intolerant.) Make sure that it is completely dark where you sleep as light will destroy your melatonin. Good sleep habits can be difficult to keep, but if you can do it, you should be sleeping better in a few weeks.

Answer 6

Well, I can't fall asleep without some sort of noise. I begin by watching some TV, laying under the covers. When I start feeling a little sleepy I put the timer on the TV so it will turn off in like 30 minutes or so. Then I lay down and fall asleep. Sometimes I pop a CD in and fall asleep with that. As long as there is noise, I can fall asleep. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Since you are up at night, do intense homework. Get ahead if you can. If you are up, you will be a genius; if it bores you to sleep, then you will be awake for class. Maybe a dose of "dry" studying will get you to sleep. - I have been successful with this method. Another method that works for me is to say "sleep" over and over in my head. Just say the work without "trying" hard to make it work for you. Just a casual "sleep, sleep, sleep..." If you catch yourself quitting, just start over again. Whatever you do, don't stop. See how long you can stay awake doing this..
I hope these methods work for you. If not, good luck. Have a nice day. :) (p.s. it's worth a try)

Answer 8

when I was going through that in college then lately again lately a number of things helped me...

In college, I went to a sleep clinic and got professional help. Not only was I not sleeping more than 3 hours, it was also a restless sleep...and then falling asleep in class. If yoiu find your sleeplessness continues, see a professional. Here are a few things I learned (and by all means they are not prescription, they are only suggestions. I'm not a medical person.)

1. Remove everything that has to do with school or work from your bedroom. Your bedroom is a place for you to rest...dont mix it with work or school.

2. Don't take naps during the day or awkward sleeping patterns during the day. Ifyou feel you need to take a nap...take a power nap...that is a nap that is no more than 5 minutes. After that, your body gets loggy and you will not be productive.

3. A nice warm shower...even if you showered in the morning already. All you want is the invigorating massage of the warm water. Let the warm water relax your blood vessells and you'll be out ot sleep. If you can sit in your tub or shower, sit with your back to the shower. Let the water hit the back of your neck and shoulders.

4. This is going to sound weird, but the baby lotion they put on babies to relax and sleep through the night. I found that worked for me. Dont put all over your body...just your hands, arms, or legs. I just put it on my hands and I go right to sleep. I think its
actually the smell of it that puts you to sleep.

5. If you like drinking milk, drink a warm glass. Or try the sleep aid teas. but I dont recommend tea for bed time...you just might end up waking up to go the bathroom. To have a rested sleep, you want it uninterrupted.

6. Most importantly, have a routine. This was the hardest for me to do especially in college and now where my work hours are crazy. I can be on the East coast for two days...then the West coast for three. Get into the habit of going to bed at the same time every night. If you go to bed at 10pm...do everything you need to do before getting into bed. That way once you are in bed, you dont have to think about anything that you may have forgotten. Try to go to bed daily at 10PM (per say). And wake up exactly the same time every morning. Including weekends. If you wake up at 7AM during the week...wake up at 7AM even on weekends. I know its crazy but once your body is in that routine....your body will tell you it wants to go to bed, and it wants to wake up. Soon youwont even need an alarm because your own body will wake up. If you do use an alarm, switch it from the "buzzing" alarm sound to music. You probably will not listen to soft music on a normal basis but waking up to softer music is better for your waking brain. A jolt of loud base, drum beats, and twangs of electric guitars sends your pulse to a jolt in the morning. You dont want to wake up becuase you heart skipped a beat. You want to wake up because it is time to wake up. Soon, your body will also know how to get into deep sleep and you can have a full restfull sleep through the night.

Hope that helps.

Answer 9

I got that way,the doc tryed 10 diffenrent sleeping pills,my son's friend gave me"SERAQUL".the doctor said my mind is so busy and stressed out this medication shuts my busy brain down to sleep!You have to have your sleep,these make me go straight to sleep through the night and I feel better!start with 50 mg and u will have to work up to 100mg

Answer 10

try doing some yoga stretches for about 15 -20 mins. then drink a glass of warm milk. read tips on yoga and more on this site