Can't get a good night's sleep and its been 4 yrs!!!?

Question

In last 4 or so years I remember getting a good night's sleep only 2 or 3 times. Those few times I woke up in the morning and felt so fresh...ready to do just about anything and all that I was stressed out about all of sudden didn't seem so problematic anymore. But I haven't had that for a while. Every night when I go to sleep, tired or not, I get dreams (sometimes very disturbing ones) and when I wake up I feel like my mind hasn't rested at all...only my eyes have rested. The dreams I have are not pleasent at all...they are so disturbing. Does anyone know how to get rid of these dreams and get a sleep that freshens you up in the morning? Every morning I can't concentrate until afternoon hits. I have gotten so lazy! What should i do? Anyone?

Answer 1

Talk to your doctor. You probably have some sort of sleep disorder which could have been caused by depression. I had the same problem about a year ago.

Answer 2

Well a fast way to get rid of your problem is to, obviously, go and get some over the counter or prescription sleep medicative drugs. Some will work better than others, but they will all have side-effects. Some of the side-effects of some of these drugs are pretty harsh and you might have trouble waking up the next morning after using these pills.
Not to mention. Once you begin using some of the stronger drugs, you will most likely develop another health condition or two that your doctor will recommend you take more drugs for. I recommend that you stay away from the drugs and you go see an excellent doctor that doesnt use drugs or surgery. Both western medicine and eastern medicine can be outstanding, but I recommend not using the drugs.
You might just need a form of stress relief before bed, like sex. I dont know how old you are, but if you are old enough and healthy enough to have sex, maybe you should try that before bed. Or some light exercise, like yoga. You dont want to stimulate your body TOO much before bed time because you will have even more trouble falling asleep. But light exercise, or even meditation can help you fall asleep.
Try some herbal tea with honey, not white processed sugar or the artificial sweeteners like "aspartame" or "nutrasweet".

Answer 3

This could be almost anything. But the first thing that I thought about after reading your question is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing many times while you are sleeping. You will wake up( after being in bed for many hours) feeling very tired. You will remember crazy or disturbing dreams. You need to let your doctor know about this. A simple overnight test can be done to find out if you have sleep apnea. You will be monitored while you sleep. This is done in a controlled sleep study lab. You will be connected to some painless wires that will monitor your heart rate, breathing levels and body movement while you sleep. They will be able to find out how many times you stop breathing in a night, and when you are having a bad dream...But you need to follow up with a doctor soon. Sleep apnea can lead to more serious problems. Good luck

Answer 4

Many times dreams echo the turmoil in your waking world and manifest the tension you feel when awake. Have you tried 'Sleepytime Tea' (made earlier and let to steep 'til strong) - just have a 1/4 cup and hour before bedtime, and/or taking a multiple mineral tablet (containing calcium and trace minerals) at bedtime?
I had trouble staying asleep due to nerve pain and the doctor put me on ametryptyline at bedtime. It is an antidepressant but worked very well for me. All best wishes;)

Answer 5

Sleep tips and advice

Do you like to have a weekend lie-in or a nightcap before going to bed? These habits could actually be harming your sleep.

Relax your mind

* Simple breathing exercises can help. Breathe, using your abdomen not your chest, through your nose for three seconds, then breathe out for three seconds. Pause for three seconds before breathing in again. Practise this for ten minutes at night (five minutes is better than nothing).
* Some people find that lavender oil, valerian or other herbs help them to sleep.
* If you still have problems, you could try massage, aromatherapy, or even acupuncture.
* If you still find yourself tossing and turning, abandon the bedroom and find something enjoyable and absorbing to do. Jigsaws are perfect. Don't go back to bed until you begin to feel sleepy.

Exercise regularly

* Regular exercise is a great way to improve your sleep. Just be careful not to do it close to bed time as exercise produces stimulants that stop the brain from relaxing quickly.
* This being the case, exercising in the morning is an excellent way to wake up the body. Going for a run or doing some aerobics releases stimulants into the body, which perks you up.
* If you are injured or disabled, you can still benefit from exercise. Check out disability exercise tips.

Create a calm bedroom environment

* Your bedroom should be for sleep only. Avoid turning it into an entertainment centre with televisions, computers and stereos.
* Two thirds of British children have a computer, games machine or TV in their bedroom and could be losing out on sleep as a result.

Avoid alcohol

* It's fine to have a nightcap, but too much alcohol can make you restless. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means it encourages you to urinate (never welcomed during the night).
* Drinking is also more likely to lead to snoring, which can restrict airflow into the lungs. This reduces oxygen in your blood which disturbs your sleep and contributes to your hangover.

Avoid caffeine

* Caffeine is a stimulant which can stay in your system for many hours. So avoid sources of caffeine such as coffee, chocolate, cola drinks and non-herbal teas.

Watch what you eat

* Eating a large heavy meal too close to bedtime will interfere with your sleep.
* Spicy or fatty foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty in falling asleep and discomfort throughout the night.
* Foods containing tyramine (bacon, cheese, ham, aubergines, pepperoni, raspberries avocado, nuts, soy sauce, red wine) might keep you awake at night. Tyramine causes the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.
* If you get the munchies close to bedtime, eat something that triggers the hormone serotonin, which makes you sleepy. Carbohydrates such as bread or cereal will do the trick.

Set a regular bedtime and wake up time

* Create a habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. This helps anchor your body clock to these times. Resisting the urge for a lie-in can pay dividends in alertness.
* If you feel you haven't slept well, resist the urge to sleep in longer than normal; getting up on schedule keeps your body in its normal wake-up routine.
* Remember, even after only four hours, the brain has gained many of the important benefits of sleep.

It's only natural

* Most of us have a natural dip in alertness between 2 - 4pm.
* A 15 minute nap when you're tired can be a very effective way of staying alert throughout the day. Avoid napping for longer than 20 minutes, after which you will enter deep sleep and feel even worse when you wake up.

Answer 6

Question some depressants or other over the counter prescriptions may induse bad dreams are you taking any? if so stop for about 2 to 6 days if the problem still exsits then its not medication. Seek proffesional help!

Answer 7

Drink a glass of water with some night time medicane take a little more than usuall. I did it and i slept real good, i woke up refreshed and had the energy of a 5yr old. And in the morning have a good breakfast with a soda for pep

Answer 8

Insomnia (sleeplessness) is due to stress, dietary and medical
problems. By making small lifestyle changes like having a fixed
daily routine, relaxing and eating properly, insomnia can be
cured. I found the information at http://tinyurl.com/jfzpz useful
for getting sleep.

Answer 9

Spirita explains your dreams
Visit http://spirita.blogspot.com/ and post your question as a comment. You'll get your FREE dream interpretation (as a comment, too) shortly. Just remember where you posted your question, your dream interpretation will be under the same section.

Answer 10

Go to a doctor and see about getting a referral to a sleep disorders clinic.