not sleeping well lately

[Andy69]

This is driving me nuts.

I have trouble sleeping. This has been going on regularly for a couple of months, and off and on for a couple years. It's got me really run down. Last night I only got about 4 hours.

I get sleepy at 7 pm, but don't go to bed (that's too early). But, I try to go to bed at 10 or so and I can't sleep. I either lay there for a couple of hours or get up and read or surf the web. Then I finally get to sleep only to wake up a few hours later. Almost instantly, my mind starts spinning with thoughts, and I can't get back to sleep. Nothing in particular, just everything. Usually I'll be up for an hour or so or sometimes longer before getting back to sleep. I'm always up by 7 because you just can't sleep after the kids get up.

I get plenty of exercise (3 days a week at the gym and 125 miles/week on the bike), and I'm usually pretty physically tired at the end of the day.

No way am I taking any Sominex or Tylenol PM or any of that stuff, although I'm open to something natural i.e. a glass of warm milk or that sort of thing. I've just never needed anything like that before.

Not sure exactly what's going on here, anyone else have this kind of trouble?

[rak1]

That pretty much sums up my life... I only sleep 3-4 hours a night and i get up every two hours like clockwork and then it takes me about half an hour to fall back to sleep. I’ve gotten use to it after twenty or so years. I didn't have that problem until I turned 25 so I've been living with it for quite a while; all I can say is I drink alot of coffee but that's not a big deal because when I was a kid I was hyperactive and I've been drinking coffee since I was 5 years old; it beats taking pills! I read eating a banana helps if you eat it just before going to bed; it has something to do with the potassium in the banana that help you sleep. Also I always hear music playing while I’m asleep, like this morning I woke to Little Willie from Sweet; I must have hear it on the radio recently. On Sunday it was Tom Petty and Mary Jane’s Last Dance. If you come up with a solution let me know.

[grandsport]

You are thinking about too much stuff. My wife has had the same problem for years and like you she doesn't want to take pills either. I have the ability to totally block out things at bed time,I don't think it's something I can tell anyone how to do it. Really irritates the wife how I can do it. My day usually starts at 7:00 am and ends around 8:00 in the evening. No real physical work for me but a lot of paper work and brain work. I'm in bed by 9:30 with my laptop and when Leno is over I'm a done deal.

[rak1]

Now you want to talk about something that drives me "Nuts" my wife is the quickest sleeper I've ever known; she will wake up and say something to me and then within 30 seconds she's asleep again. It must be nice!

[Andy69]

That's the way I typically am. My wife is amazed at how I can do that. Literally, 30 seconds after my head hits the pillow, sometimes less.

Except lately... :(

[Derek69SS]

...I'm open to something natural i.e. a glass of warm milk or that sort of thing. I've just never needed anything like that before.Mass quantities of Alcohol always works for me. :beer:

Seriously though, it sounds like anxiety to me...

[Chris R]

Do you go to bed Andy with a lot on your mind? Not just stuff that may stress you out but just plain stuff in general. Too much stimulation before bed leaves your brain still active and not ready to "turn off" if you will.

Ill tell you what. Quite often, it takes me a minimum of 15 minutes to get to sleep. Sometimes it takes almost a half hour. I just can fall asleep in less then 5 minutes like most people. I guess I have always been used to that fact.

[Andy69]

I don't think it's nerves. I've had times when I couldn't sleep due to nerves and this is definitely not the same thing. It's not that I wake up and start to worry, just that as soon as I wake up in the middle of the night, my brain switches on and I'm fully alert and ready to go. Yet, I'm still tired because, well, it's the middle of the night and I've only had a few hours rest.

[johnnys1977]

Mass quantities of Alcohol always works for me. :beer:

Seriously though, it sounds like anxiety to me...

X2 It all creeps up on you wether it is kids , health, bills even the news. Bet even some of the current event stuff on the net sites contributes to it!
You could always go to a sleep clinic and see if they can find the problem. But it is expensive and it always ends up with a doctor pushing pills.:(

[1972convss454]

I always heard it's your conscious hurting.....

[piette]

Try taking a hot shower right before bed, go from the shower to bed. Changing your bodies temperature wil put you in sleep mode, its a natural thing for your body to do.

Like today I worked outside all day doing a service change on a house. Our high here was about 15 degrees or so. if I let my body warm up and not stay active I will be right out. It works both ways, cold to hot or hot to cold. I always take a hot shower right before bed and will be out in less than 2 minutes guaranteed and will sleep straight through to morning.

Give it a shot

jeff

[grandsport]

Yawn,this thread is making me sleepy.

[Chicken Coupe]

Seems I have the same problem. Falling asleep at 8 in front of the TV, wide awake at 1:30 AM.

I decided that the best thing to do is 'deal' with it. If this is the new norm, then it's the new norm.

If I lay in bed awake for more than an hour, I get up and do email, surf the web and go on with my day as if nothing has happened. Actually kinda nice brewing a pot of coffee at 4, going outside and enjoying the "peacefulness".

If i do that I usually get a full night's sleep the next night.

I also found out that if I exert myself with physical labor/exercise, I get tired enough that I have a good night's sleep, yet I'm still awake at 10Pm for some reason.

It's harder in the Winter. If you wake up at 5 AM, you've still got a good 2+ hours before the sun comes up...and that s**ks. Cold and dark, phooey!

Whatever the cause, just figure it's the new "norm" and find a way to fit into it. that's my story and I'm stickin with it, LOL!

PS : WE NEED a laughy face, Dang it!

[piette]

PS : WE NEED a laughy face, Dang it!

We do need a laughy face, I agree

jeff

[grandsport]

Jeff,I'm not one to cause problems but a member here with 9 posts is demanding laughing faces. Give me a break.:rolleyes::)

[Hank70SS]

We do need a laughy face, I agree

jeff

X2 or is it X3?

Jeff,I'm not one to cause problems but a member here with 9 posts is demanding laughing faces. Give me a break.:rolleyes::)

He's waiting for the laughing face then watch out.

[chevguy65]

smoke a bunch of pot, you will fall asleep

[flash]

I have had this problem as long as I can remember and thought it was normal . I never really thought about it until I started waking up more tired than when I went to bed. I was doing good to sleep 2 0r 3 hours a night. A few years ago I went for my annual physical and asked my doc what he thought .He asked me all kinds of questions and determined that I had chronic insomnia ,an illness he himself has. He put me on Ambien and that really screwed me up as my mind was asleep but my body was not. My wife tells me I was constantly housecleaning or doing something and she was afraid to sleep and could ask me anything and I would carry on conversation like I was awake. I never remembered any of it and was even more tired . My doc finally put me on a lighter med that I still take and works great and its cheap.

[bad.samaritan]

I had/have the same problem off and on. My folks gave me natural "melatonin" that they got at the Hippy store. Stuff worked pretty well when I was a little younger..

[Andy69]

I'll have to try that

[Chicken Coupe]

Jeff,I'm not one to cause problems but a member here with 9 posts is demanding laughing faces. Give me a break.:rolleyes::)

I'm warming up. Better watch out... I'm now up to 10.

[Highway Star]

A couple two three snorts of brandy outta do the trick. :)










EDIT - IF that doesn't work, combine my Rx with Carl's and you be good to go. :D

[grumpy]

If I get 6 hours im doing well. Usually on the computer from 4am till 10-11pm.

I need a life....

[piette]

A couple two three snorts of brandy outta do the trick. :)

Your going to have to be more specific with this one. ;)

If you didnt know, Andy's wifes name is Brandi

Jeff

[Beano30]

I had/have the same problem off and on. My folks gave me natural "melatonin" that they got at the Hippy store. Stuff worked pretty well when I was a little younger..
Stuff works.I take it occasionally