Tips for uneasy sleepers?

Question

For a few years now, I have become an unsound sleeper. I've thought about going to a doctor, but for some reason can't bring myself to mention it when I go in for my physicals. Without OTC sleeping pills, I would be up all night--- if I'm lucky, I'd get 2-3 hours of sleep without and pills. Obviously, I know I need to speak to my doctor about this, but what tips do you have, especially those of you who might be/may have been in this situation before?

Answer 1

I'm like that all my life. I've decided this is how I am and stopped worryoing about it. It already helps. Because just a thought that I can't sleep and this is wrong keeps me up.

Go to bed at the same time
Don't exersise or eat too close to the bed time
Try herbal remedies - they work for some people.
If you're an adult - half a glass of wine might help
Exersise during the day to make yourself physically tired in the evening.

Is your room quiet enough? At some point, I lived near a road and I had the worst sleeping problems at that time. I didn't realize it was that big of a problem, but once I moved, it got better.

If you're tossing and turning for more than an hour - get up and do something. Clean up your room or clean the kitchen. That will take your thoughts away from whatever was in your head that prevented you from sleeping. Just the very thought that I'm going to get my butt out of bed and make myself do stuff is sometimes enough to trick myself into sleeping. Sometimes I actuallty get up and do something useful. I feel just fine in the morning - means my body didn't realy need that much sleep.

Answer 2

No spicy foods or caffeine for a couple of hours before you sleep, but you probably already knew that. Also, your bedroom must be conducive to relaxation. Some folks need everything turned off and be in complete darkness, some folks need a low background noise like the tv or the clock radio.

But you really should tell your doctor. They can send you to a sleep center, which is a place where they literally have rooms with beds and you spend the night there so they can study how you sleep. Do some research for a sleep center in your area, your insurance should cover it but double check. There are all types of sleep disorders, you may have one and not even know it, so tell your doctor.

Answer 3

I've had bouts with that for many years, and I get to the point at times where it's really bad, and I have to go thru a check list in my head of what I'm doing that's keeping myself up.

I have to:
-Make sure there's no light in the room, even from an alarm clock (keep it covered or in another room, your body senses light, even if it can't see it. Light is what instictively wakes us. That's why we sleep at night. ;)
-Set only one alarm - I used to set tons to make sure I'm up on time, but I've found that one wakes me up just fine, and I do'nt have to stress about it.
- Give myself some White Noise, a fan, my fish tank, anything without words or music.
- keep it cooler in my bedroom (that's just personal preference...)
- Don't eat after at least an hour and a half (three hours, ideally) before I go to bed,
- NO TV!!!!! (in the bedroom. If I have it on, i do nothing but toss and turn.)
- I have to tell myself not to stress over certain things like bills or deadlines. I itemize them and say, 'no, this isn't anything to lose sleep over.'

Good luck, honey, hope you get some sleep!!!

Answer 4

You need to consult with your doctor and get the Hell off the OTC crap. He'll prescribe something to help you sleep, but the most important thing is your diet and exercise.

Answer 5

2 glasses of white zinfandel and 4 OTC diphenhydramine sleeping pills

Answer 6

Keep away from our good friend STRESS..!! Might sound a routine answert but yes its a major reason...try meditation..stop takin pills they are not good for u...which i'm sure u know...and eat healthy..try some nutmeg in tea tat might help...or ths cud be due to other health problems also..consider tat..!

Answer 7

lunesta?