Insomnia

[D3PART3D]

Help me PCF. This has gone on for years but now that I'm in my final year of varsity it's really becoming a problem. I take forever to fall asleep, my brain buzzes on and on trying to solve really silly problems. Just stopping isn't all that easy. I mean, I'd have to step outside of that particular thought cloud to examine it and decide it isn't worth it, but that's really hard to do.

Are meds my only solution?

[Synthesis]

Nope, there's other ways. You're far too young to rely on medication.
I've suffered from this and come through it.

Just some background that could help which related to me.

1) Are you active the whole day? Especially your brain? Descirbe why you think you're active.
I came to the self conclusion that I failed in these areas. I thought I was active but I was not. I started doing more things. Woke up earlier, spent more time on the beach surfing, visited friends more. Changed to more strategical computer games and brainteasers. This made the biggest difference.

2) Do you feel tired during the day and ever take naps?
As I felt tired during the day 'cos of not sleeping at night, instead of relaxing in front of the TV or taking a nap, I forced myself to do activities as mentioned above. It became easier 'cos I came to the realisation that it was just the thought of getting up and doing something that put me off. Once I started doing it, it was enjoyable.

3) Do you stress easily?
I battled with matric exams which was the peak of my insomnia. I went for a meditation course. Was weird at first but being a quick course, they teach you how to meditate. It took a few weeks but was worth it. I managed to be able to TOTALLY clear my head. Became literally blank. This felt amazing. Doing this in the morning, woke me up the whole day and come night time, I was tired, in a good way, and started sleeping perfectly because I had learned how to clear my mind from those thoughts that keep you awake. Never meditated after that and haven't had a problem since.

[Tribble]

Nope. Do you have a bedtime routine?

[D3PART3D]

Nope, there's other ways. You're far too young to rely on medication.
I've suffered from this and come through it.

Just some background that could help which related to me.

1) Are you active the whole day? Especially your brain? Descirbe why you think you're active.
I came to the self conclusion that I failed in these areas. I thought I was active but I was not. I started doing more things. Woke up earlier, spent more time on the beach surfing, visited friends more. Changed to more strategical computer games and brainteasers. This made the biggest difference.

2) Do you feel tired during the day and ever take naps?
As I felt tired during the day 'cos of not sleeping at night, instead of relaxing in front of the TV or taking a nap, I forced myself to do activities as mentioned above. It became easier 'cos I came to the realisation that it was just the thought of getting up and doing something that put me off. Once I started doing it, it was enjoyable.

3) Do you stress easily?
I battled with matric exams which was the peak of my insomnia. I went for a meditation course. Was weird at first but being a quick course, they teach you how to meditate. It took a few weeks but was worth it. I managed to be able to TOTALLY clear my head. Became literally blank. This felt amazing. Doing this in the morning, woke me up the whole day and come night time, I was tired, in a good way, and started sleeping perfectly because I had learned how to clear my mind from those thoughts that keep you awake. Never meditated after that and have had a problem since.

What you say makes sense. I could be FAR more active, I spend most of the day slouched in my chair. Time to get back to the gym. And no more daytime naps.

I like the idea of meditation - will need to do some reading!

Nope. Do you have a bedtime routine?

No. I know I'm supposed to systematically relax and get myself used to a pattern, and I keep telling myself to, but it never happens

Thanks for the replies.

[Tribble]

nope you don't have to. The brain trains really well. All you have to do is institute a routine that you stick to every night. I do a thing with my pillows (I am fussy as to where they are and how they are positioned), then I go to the bathroom and then brush my teeth. By the time I put my head on the pillow - I fall asleep within 5 mins. It took a while getting my brain trained - and for many nights I lay there wide awake - thinking. But now - less than 5 mins and I am snoozing deeply.

Staying asleep is another story - but good luck. Try it for a few weeks and I promise you will not be sorry

[Synthesis]

Good evening
This is the voice of Enigma

In the next hour
we will take you with us
into another world,
into the world of music, spirit and meditation

Turn off the light,
take a deep breath
and relax

start to move slowly,
very slowly
Let the rhythm be your
guiding light

Listen to some enigma.

[DAE_JA_VOO]

I tend to struggle to fall asleep often as well. Well, I used to, until I figured out a way to distract myself. Basically, if I get into bed and all I have to do is fall asleep, I struggle to do so, so now, every night when I get into bed, I watch something as I fall asleep. Watching a series, a movie, TV, whatever, really requires nothing from your brain but to just absorb, unless you're watching something really intense. I find that watching something distracts my brain from silly stress and allows me to fall asleep easily.

This works for me. Give it a shot

[Prime]

You could also try reading. Nothing intense though as that will evoke the same issues. Reading before bed is supposed to relax you.

[Jonboy]

Get into the gym pronto, not too late though, make sure you're home by 8pm. Have a decent meal and just before bed, take a zinc supplement such as ZMA or if really bad, a Solal product called 5-htp which all promote good healthy sleep.

[doo_much]

A few stiff whiskies would probably have the same effect Jonboy...

[rustypup]

A few stiff whiskies would probably have the same effect

gym's a good idea...

also, the only song that pops into my head when reading this thread title:

[Tribble]

Oooh a M m m m max headroom fan

[KatrynKat]

i have a similar problem where i am tired and can't concentrate anymore on my work so i go to bed only to lie in bed with my head buzzing and me not able to fall asleep..... reading and listening to music only works sometimes, the rest of the time i just lie there and look at the ceiling.....

[Studio Touch Visagie]

Try a book about politics. I never get past the first page.

It also works to put on a dr. phil video, his blabbering will have you in dreamland in 10 seconds flat.

[Synthesis]

reading and listening to music only works sometimes, the rest of the time i just lie there and look at the ceiling.....

I had the same problem and solved it by turning off the light. The ceiling is gone now and so I can fall asleep.

[jee]

Washington State University researchers have discovered the mechanism by which the brain switches from a wakeful to a sleeping state. The finding clears the way for a suite of discoveries, from sleeping aids to treatments for stroke and other brain injuries.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 100302.htm

[reyals]

a joint...

[ADT]

Watching a series, a movie, TV, whatever, really requires nothing from your brain but to just absorb, unless you're watching something really intense. I find that watching something distracts my brain from silly stress and allows me to fall asleep easily.

+1 It works for me as well, since i suffer from Insomnia from time to time too,

P.S - DO not go to sleep with Supernatural playing, it scared the crap outta me already

[jee]

Valerian

[jee]

However subtle, having tired neurons did interfere with task performance. If neurons switched off in the motor cortex within a split second before a rat tried to reach for a sugar pellet, it decreased its likelihood of success by 37.5 percent. And the overall number of such misses increased significantly with prolonged wakefulness. This suggests that tired neurons, and accompanying increases in slow wave activity, might help to account for the impaired performance of sleep-deprived people who may seem behaviorally and subjectively awake.

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/apr2011/nimh-27.htm

[Siemens]

Reading in bed = K.O.

[jee]

The relationship between sleep and diabetes, researchers found that people with diabetes who sleep poorly have higher insulin resistance, and a harder time controlling the disease.


source

[Prime]

Watching a series, a movie, TV, whatever, really requires nothing from your brain but to just absorb, unless you're watching something really intense. I find that watching something distracts my brain from silly stress and allows me to fall asleep easily.

+1 It works for me as well, since i suffer from Insomnia from time to time too,

P.S - DO not go to sleep with Supernatural playing, it scared the crap outta me already

I should try this, got serious insomnia at the mo

[Synthesis]

Do you sleep alone? Because I find it easier to fall asleep with my wife next to me.

[THE_STIG]

I suffer from it as well, if I watch a documentary(an interesting one) I just cant fall asleep and it will take hours before I eventually fall asleep .