Self-Diagnosed Insomnia what to do?

Question

I believe i have a little touch of insomnia. I have trouble falling asleep. I work a Job that requires me to be up and at'em by 6:30 in the morning and I don't get home until 6 in the evening. I have a little girl so i'm usually busy when i get home. No matter how exhausted I am I can't fall asleep until 3 in the morning. This goes on for several days untill i just crash and sleep 15 hours. Things you need to know....I worked hootowl shift for a year and never got "un-used" to it, I'm over weight, i smoke, and most importantly i'm a recovering drug addict. Therefore i don't want to take narcotics to go to sleep.

Any suggestions?

let me define recovering drug addict
I've not had any drugs in 8 months. But the way i see it i'll be recovering for the rest of my life, and if i have to have a narcotic to sleep then i'm afraid it will open the door to other things

Answer 1

Hi Des

Here are some ideas to utilize and heal the issue.

Quick Action Plan for Sleep Disorders


1 Avoid caffeine, sugar, salt, refined carbohydrates and unhealthy partially hydrogenated fats.

2. Emphasize a diet high in fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, as well as easily digested protein foods and whole-grain, complex carbohydrates.

3. Avoid eating late in the evening, which can unsettle your stomach and make sleep difficult.

4. Supplement with B-complex vitamins, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin E, calcium, chromium, copper (taken away from zinc), magnesium, and the amino acids phosphatidyl-serine and L-tryptophan.

5. Melatonin supplements taken for short periods of time can help relieve insomnia, as well as advanced and delayed phase syndromes and REM behavior disorder. Start with a small dose (0.5 to 2.0 mg) taken one hour before bedtime.

6. Useful herbs include chamomile, hops, linden flower, lime blossom, passionflower, skullcap, and valerian root.

7. Try meditating before you retire for the night to ease your mind of worries and promote relaxation.

8. Sleep at least six feet away from all electric appliances and devices, unplugging them before you go to sleep. Also avoid using electric blankets and electric heating pads, as well as waterbeds.

9. Avoid lying in bed for other activities, such as reading or watching television. Make your bedroom a place devoted solely to sleeping.

10. If you can't fall asleep, get out of bed and go to another room to engage in a relaxing activity. When you start to feel drowsy, return to your bedroom and go to sleep.

Best of health to you

Answer 2

Let me congratulations on your recovery. You owe it to your health as well as to your daughter. You are right about being a life long recovery. You will never get over that craving. I believe you have more than a little touch of insomnia. I have a similar problem in that I just started working the day shift after working nights. I am not a drug addict but I believe I could easily become one. I take Lunesta to help make me sleepy. Lunesta is not a narcotic and "supposedly" not habit forming, but I take it several nights in a row it does not work (another thing that is not supposed to happen). So then I do without it for a few nights and end up like you. . . .crashing and sleeping for a long time. I have even slept for 3 days straight. One suggestion I have that sometimes helps me is something very simple and I thought was a crock at first but I saw a psychiatric nurse practitioner who taught me a breathing exercise that really helped to make me feel calm an relaxed enough to sleep. I will try to describe it as best I can. Take a slow deep inhaling breath (over 10 seconds) and hold your breath for 10 seconds and then exhale over ten seconds. Do that 3 times and your body will naturally produce a chemical that is calming and relaxing. Making those inhaled and exhaled breaths take 10 seconds is actually trickier than it sounds and with you being a smoker may be even harder. Just try it and you may not be able to take the full ten seconds but may get the same benefit with fewer seconds and you will be able to take slower deeper breaths with practice.

There is also a lot of literature that supports a glass of red wine every evening for heart health as well as the anti-oxidant properties. I don't know if this would be a good idea for you with your recovery though as it may just lead to another addiction as I believe it would with me. Good luck to you and God Bless.

Answer 3

What do you not know? You need to quit smoking for yourself and for your daughter. Nicotine is a nasty drug. Your body will never get better if you keep using it. Worse than that is the smoke that clogs up your lungs. It clouds your reasoning. I quit 3 years ago using the nico gum. It really worked for me.
Can you and your little girl get some movement after you get home each day? Might be a walk. Maybe some dancing around the living room. Don't worry if it is just for 10 minutes or so the first week. The more you do the more you can.
Start turning things off around the house about 10 p.m. TV, computer, lights. Take a hot bath. Make some decaf tea. Read a magazine or novel.
Good luck.

Answer 4

It sounds like you have a lot going on. I worry about the self diagnosed part though. It's like the saying, you can't wake a man who is pretending to sleep. If you convince yourself of something, it becomes the problem. In saying that however, there is the obvious 'Give up smoking' Easier said than done, I know but it will help your breathing patterns no end and you will get a better quality sleep. If you don't exercise, could you take your daughter for a 40 min stroll around the neighborhood in the evening? It will help release endorphins which will relax you later on. Set yourself a bedtime routine an hour before bed. Turn off the tv, have a cup of herbal sleep tea and lay in bed reading or listening to the radio. When you are ready to sleep, make sure everything is in order and take a few deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. I find that identifying things that are bothering me make it easier to push them out of my head. The worries will be there in the morning if they are that important but bed time is not the time to deal with them. Stressing out about not sleeping makes it worse because it raises your heart rate, making you more alert. When I stress out about it I try to think to myself, at least I'm getting some relaxed, lie down time and I usually drift off again. I do rotating shift work so it is hard to set my body clock to anything. Try some meditation also or talk to your doctor about it. I have found that Rescue Remedy works well for me to calm down too. It contains alcohol though so I don't know if that is for you.

Answer 5

Have you tried counting sheep? Just kidding. Seriously there are a couple things I try when I have trouble sleeping. Warm milk really does work after a couple glasses. Chamomille tea is another good one. Melatonin is an herbal supplement with no groggy in the morning side effects and is non addictive and harmless. You can get it at walgreens just ask the pharmacist. Sometimes I also take a benadryl when I can't sleep it is non addictive and it knocks me right out. Sweet dreams.

Answer 6

Try taking melatonin or valarian root as both of these help with sleep and are all natural. You can also consider soaking in a warm tub with all the lights out to help you relax. Benadryl aka diphenhydramine is another good product to help you fall asleep as well as drinking warm milk. Since you only worked one year on the graveyard shift I don't think this is really your problem as I worked it for 18 years and now work 3-11 which isn't much better. Good Luck.

Answer 7

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this is not my first time answering this on Yahoo Questions. i also have a 2 year old that i need to be awake with in the morning, and i work night shift also.. as long as your not taking any psych meds or on MAOI's, pick your self up a bottle of Melatonin 3mg tablets. theyre sold in the vitamin section at any grocery store or pharmacy. they work great and are nonhabit forming, youll be snoozing 30 minutes after taking one. you won't feel drugged in the morning either.

Answer 8

Take a good poop 3 hours before bedtime. I know it sounds gross and it sounds like Im making this up, but medically speaking it does releave tension in your abdomine, even if you dont feel anything.

Answer 9

Don't focus on trying to fall asleep. Focus on your breath. Breathe
in, breathe out. Repeat.

Answer 10

dang, dont you have a full plate....I think you might be a little bit depressed which can cause a little insomnia... Talk to your doc...in the meantime, please keep at it so youre there for your little girl...she needs you.