Not sleeping what can that do?

Question

I'm sure I'm one of a million who doesn't sleep. I have two reasons why I don't sleep. One, I can not say and two because I just lay in bed for hours thinking. I try to shut my mind off, and think of nothing but even when I do that I can not sleep. I will sleep maybe 48 hours in a week thats 7 days and which is a total of 168 hours and only 48 of those give or take a few i'm sleeping. I usually can't sleep for two days then i crash and sleep 4-6hours in the day time. I know I can't go without sleep. Technically I'm getting sleep so i'm not getting any of the side affects from not sleeping I guess. I just want to know how unhealthy this is and what can I do. I've tried everthing and I'm quite sure I'm too young for sleep pills. That and I already take a pill everyday for migranes so I don't want to take any more. I'd hate to become dependent on a sleep pill i'm only 17. I would like to know some side affects and some solutions if possible. Please don't say see a doctor I have no need to

thank you for the help

what i mean by not sleeping is i'll stay up for 2 nights in a row i'm not sleeping every night i'm not sleeping 7hrs a night i'm staying up 2nights then sleeping 4-6hrs in the day the next day and doing it all over again.

Another tip I excersise 40mins a day right before I plan to sleep running on the tredmill

Answer 1

hey i have the same problem (im insonemic) i (im15)get so bad that sometimes i get given a mild tranqualizer.but im like that coz of abuse and a bad childhood mabey some thing happend to you that causes it if so go to a psyciatrist to get something perscribed coz if you dont you could end up getting bad burnouts and you can get sick and hurt more easily coz your body repaires itself while your asleep u probably knw that tho

Answer 2

Lack of regular sleep does not cause immediate problems. But it can cause the rtart of chronic health problems. Now that you are young and your body is healthy, it will withrtand any torture. But that wears down your body and makes it weak. By the time you hit late forties, you start developing all the possible health problems a person could have. Now about the lack of sleep. It causes ineffectiveness at workplace making yourself less productive. it ruins your apetite causing problems like disinterest in food etc. These are just tip of the ice berg.

Now start doing meditation. Nothing is as good as meditation when it comes to controlling your mind. Your mind is wandering too much. Learn to control it. It might feel difficult at first. But dont give up. Do something athletic go to a disco or a gym or aerobics class in the evening that you would tire yourself so bad that you wanna do nothing but hit the bed. And i suggest you either get some help fro a pro i mean psychologist or completely keep away from medicine. Dont self medicate. It can be dangerous.

Answer 3

Sleepless,

My 13 yr old daughter and 43 yr old wife both have difficulty getting asleep and staying asleep.

My wife takes medication for depression and daughter for ADHD. Not sure whether the inability to sleep is related to that but my wife and daughter seem to be bound together with some sort of psychic connection. If mom can't sleep daughter can't either.

As a parent and a husband of two problem sleepers I catch the wrath of grumpiness from two sides. It makes for joyful breakfast conversations!

My wife generally reads prior to going to bed. She says it helps slow her mind down, as it does my daughter.

When you are awake and active it is best to not do strenuous exercise just prior to going to bed, try and do it a few hours prior. But exercise does help as well. Each exercise about an hour each day, My daughter plays basketball when she gets home from school my wife goes to the gym just after supper for an hour.
It's not a cure all but it helps tire them out.

I tell my wife "just quick thinking".. For me, clearing the mind of garbage is important. Whether through meditation or something as mindless as an hour of the science channel it clears my brain of the day.

Sometimes that is easier said than done. When Tax season rolls around my gut kills me. I hate the fact that I have to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to keep the government from getting more money from me for programs I disagree with.

Thoughts are like parasites. Sometimes it helps to write down the thoughts in a journal. Try and mentally get yourself into a mode of giving the thought to the paper and removing it as the thought still exists but you don't have to carry it.

More women have problems sleeping then do men. Why this is the case has been the reason for many psychological studies.

Certain medications can help with sleep which are not classified as "sleep aides". Trazadone is actually classified an antidepressant but it often prescribed for sleep. It may not help you get to sleep and close down the thoughts but it will help you stay asleep once there.

I know my daughter will be in your same boat in a few years.

Clear the mind, try journaling prior to bedtime.

Answer 4

well sleeping 48 hrs in a week is not all that bad that is an average of 7 hrs a night, for 17 yrs old, seriously not bad...the 1st reason that you cant say is probably why you lie awake without falling asleep...maybe its guilt, so possibly telling whatever the guilt is about will 100% ease your mind and relax you, or maybe it's fear, i used to have a lock put on the inside of my door so only i could lock and unlock it, maybe something like that can help, its not that unhealthy to get 7 hrs, unless you feel like you cant function...if you could only get 2 hrs a night, then i would worry...and i know you said dont say it, but you may want to see a doc...i was diagnosed with depression around 18-19 and one of my main things was i would lay in bed for 3 hrs before i could fall asleep and then i would sleep for 10-12 hrs but wake up feeling like i had 2 hrs of sleep, so that could be the problem too...i made a tape back then of slow songs about 5 of them that would relax me and put me to sleep, like stuff by chicago, etc...and i knew that by the time that 4th song came on, i had one more to fall asleep and it worked...might be an idea to try...hope this helps and good luck

Answer 5

First of all, you are very wise to avoid taking sleeping pills.

Secondly, I wouldn't worry too much. You say you get 48 hours of sleep a week. OK, that's 6.8 hours a day-- that's not too bad at all. Especially for a 17 year old.

Myself, loss of sleep causes me to forget things, become overly irritable/emotional, and make mistakes.

Answer 6

I began to take benzodiazepine when I was 15, you are
not too young.
You could start with alprazolam or Eszopiclone (it isn't a benzodiapine), if they don't work take flunitrazepam.
Anyway, first of all see a doctor.

Answer 7

i started taking sleeping pills at the age of 7

Answer 8

I'd try some sleep aid..though there may be some underlying meaning to why you arent sleeping. I'd go see a doctor.

Answer 9

Do not give self medication for yourself. Go see a psychologist or a psychiatrist (did i spell it correct?) coz it has something to do with mental behaviour. the doctor's will give you the best answer for your sleeping problems.

Answer 10

When you feel you can't sleep , you can eat 100% Calsium &Magnaciem . Or Antianxiety drug can help. You should use it as little as posible.