# Insomnia....



## toddpedlar (Jul 15, 2008)

Well this is weird. I don't think I've ever had a night where I just could NOT sleep, unless I had been travelling abroad. So here it is, 2:00am, and rather than keep my wife up for ANOTHER several hours with my tossing and turning I decided to head in to the office. So here I am, up at night with Rich online mid-day. HA!


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## danmpem (Jul 15, 2008)

If it's any consolation, when I moved off to college I discovered that I am incredibly focussed and have so much more energy at night. Except for the times where I intentionally wore myself out to be able to crash at 11 or so, I never fell asleep before 2 am. This has been going on for five years straight. I don't like it at all, but I really don't know if there's anything I can do.

It has only been in the last month or so that I have been able to go to bed every night at about 10:30. I attribute this to the fact that I moved back home with my parents. It's a lot more structured around here. Everything happens at the same time everyday - waking up, meals, etc. When everyone else is going to bed, I feel like sleeping as well.


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## Semper Fidelis (Jul 15, 2008)

I'm going home to take a nap.


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## toddpedlar (Jul 15, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> I'm going home to take a nap.


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## Poimen (Jul 15, 2008)

I'm up too. Party time!


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## toddpedlar (Jul 15, 2008)

woo hoo!


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## Mushroom (Jul 15, 2008)

Same problem here. Too many worries.


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## InevitablyReformed (Jul 15, 2008)

Whenever I have trouble sleeping I read something boring. Usually I grab one of the less exciting biographies I own.


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## Poimen (Jul 15, 2008)

Liquid Valerian Root is helpful to calm you down and 'relax' your mind (at least that has been my experience). You should be able to find it any health food store.


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## danmpem (Jul 15, 2008)

Poimen said:


> Liquid Valerian is helpful to calm you down and 'relax' your mind (at least that has been my experience). You should be able to find it any health food store.



Is that the stuff made from a root?


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jul 15, 2008)

I was up to but was feeding a little one. Unfortunately God did not give me a third hand to be able to type and feed.


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## Scott1 (Jul 15, 2008)

I re-discovered the truth of something my mother told me when I was small-

warm milk is wonderful in helping relax you and put you to sleep.


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## ericfromcowtown (Jul 15, 2008)

I get insomnia occassionally. Usually it happens when I am stressed out about something, or when I interupt my sleep patterns by napping on the weekend. I'll use Melatonin as a first resort and I do find that it helps. If I'm desperate, I'll take an over-the-counter sleeping pill. I don't like taking pills period, and when I wake up after taking sleeping pills I feel groggy (almost hung-over), but sometimes it's worth it.


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## etexas (Jul 15, 2008)

Better living through chemicals people: Ambien CR. My doctor gives me a RX for it when I cannot sleep, AND I DROP LIKE A ROTTEN REDWOOD PEOPLE! It really does work. Never take Lunesta....leaves a copper taste in the mouth.


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## danmpem (Jul 15, 2008)

ericfromcowtown said:


> I get insomnia occassionally. Usually it happens when I am stressed out about something, or when I interupt my sleep patterns by napping on the weekend. I'll use Melatonin as a first resort and I do find that it helps. If I'm desperate, I'll take an over-the-counter sleeping pill. I don't like taking pills period, and when I wake up after taking sleeping pills I feel groggy (almost hung-over), but sometimes it's worth it.



I'm not big on pills either. Others have told me to take melatonin directly, but I've read too much about people getting hooked on it. Instead, I just found some foods with lots of melatonin in them: various nuts, bananas, and wine.


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## ericfromcowtown (Jul 15, 2008)

danmpem said:


> ericfromcowtown said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not big on pills either. Others have told me to take melatonin directly, but I've read too much about people getting hooked on it. Instead, I just found some foods with lots of melatonin in them: various nuts, bananas, and wine.
> ...


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## govols (Jul 15, 2008)

ericfromcowtown said:


> danmpem said:
> 
> 
> > ericfromcowtown said:
> ...


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## MrMerlin777 (Jul 15, 2008)

I'm an insomniac too.

Maybe we should form a PB insomniac's social club.


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## MrMerlin777 (Jul 15, 2008)

ericfromcowtown said:


> danmpem said:
> 
> 
> > ericfromcowtown said:
> ...


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## Poimen (Jul 15, 2008)

danmpem said:


> Poimen said:
> 
> 
> > Liquid Valerian is helpful to calm you down and 'relax' your mind (at least that has been my experience). You should be able to find it any health food store.
> ...



Yes Valerian root.


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## Guido's Brother (Jul 15, 2008)

Must have been something with the moon last night -- I had the same thing. However, I read for a while and then I was finally tired enough to sleep. So, unlike some of you, I did eventually get some shut-eye. 

I like the idea of the glass of wine before bed.


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## turmeric (Jul 15, 2008)

I hear Ambien makes you midnight snack in your sleep!


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## Semper Fidelis (Jul 15, 2008)

I know it's a problem for some but I've never had a problem with insomnia. I don't know if it's all the excercise I get or what but, even with a lot on my mind, I always seem to fall asleep. I might have nightmares from my worries sometimes but they don't keep me awake.


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## etexas (Jul 15, 2008)

turmeric said:


> I hear Ambien makes you midnight snack in your sleep!


 Well, Megan is always asking if I took the last piece of cake. From now on I will plead my Ambien! "Honey, I don't remember taking it. Maybe it was my Ambien.


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## Devin (Jul 15, 2008)

I've had problems sleeping before (2 weeks straight, out of the blue, no sleep). It's no fun at all. I eventually needed medicine just to get me back on course. The only real side effect I had was ultra vivid dreams. I almost miss them 

Anyways, there's a whole lot you can do to prevent such extended lapses from happening, and most of it is plain common sense. Develop routine sleeping habits, read before bed, no caffeine after midday, etc. As Rich suggested, the best thing is to make sure to get in some sort of physical labor each day. At the time of my insomnia problem, I was only going to college and really didn't do much else. Before and after that time, my job helped me sleep.


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