Insomnia help

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Please, share all of your tips and tricks. It’s gotten really bad. I can manage to sleep about two nights a week. Just enough to keep me out of the hospital, but not enough to feel functional. I gave up coffee, I gave up napping during the day, I exercise, I eat healthy. I don’t know what my problem is.

Well, technically, I know what my problem is. I had a brain tumor right in the sleep center of my brain as a child, and so my brain never learned how to sleep properly. No drugs have ever helped. Occasionally, melatonin will work, but it happens so infrequently, I can’t help but wonder if it’s just a coincidence.

Should I just abandon the idea of a normal sleep/wake cycle, and just sleep whenever I’m tired? Should I be diligent about not mixing up my days and nights? I just don’t know!

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I am same boat as u…i only sleep 4 hours a day…i may add anti depressant to my aps…life sucks …

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Hi @Ninjastar L Theanine cured my insomnia

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Where do you order yours from?

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You can buy locally from a close by health food store which also has a pharmacy.
Some pharmacies sell it anyway.

I ordered mine online from some site iHerb. But I found a much better one here for half the price and it works with anxiety like magic and also help me sleep. Since starting it, I have not skipped any night of sleep.

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yeah L theanine twice a day and no coffee is helping some.

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Do you feel sleepy when getting tired? Ninjastar.

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I have bad insomnia too! Right now it is not too bad, but it can get bad. When I first got it, I totally lost control of my day/night cycles and would fall asleep anywhere (including while eating - lol).

I had to get really strict about my day/night cycles:
(1) no caffeine
(2) no studying, working, video/computer gaming, no TV after 9pm
(3) start reading a pleasure book in bed starting at 10pm
(4) try to go to sleep at 11pm, if I can’t, continue reading in bed
(5) exercise in the morning (before 12pm)
(6) eat at 6pm, no snacks or food afterwards, only water
(7) make sure the sleeping environment is constant - even temperature, same place. I cannot camp out :frowning:

I know the reading in bed thing is recommended against by sleep doctors, but if I get up and read elsewhere, then get tired and want to try to sleep again, the act of getting up and going back to bed will make it so that I cannot sleep.

You could also try Yoga as part of your bed time ritual… it is supposed to relax you.

Good luck to you! I have a peneal gland cyst. I have often wondered if it has anything to do with my sleep issues…

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Insomnia can be miserable, and the lifestyle changes can be difficult for many people. The best treatment is addressing the reasons for the insomnia. Without knowing details, insomnia is caused by many different issues, notably stress/anxiety and depression.

Consider not using electronic gadgets - TV, computer, cell phone close to bed time. Oftentimes, the bright lights from the display may get you stimulated as if you are waking up. Don’t go to bed hungry or right after a big meal. Be sure to have a comfortable bedroom temp at 15-20°C and a dark room to get to sleep more easily. Avoid smoking.

If melotonin pills aren’t working, try sublingual tab available at vitamin stores, OTC. Under the tongue allows direct uptake of the melatonin by absorption into your blood stream. If you swallow it, stomach acid may destroy the benefit or prevent intended absorption of the hormone from taking place.

I also found good results with mirtazapine.

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My tumor was also in the pineal gland. I highly recommend visiting the NYU Tisch center if you can manage it. All the doctors near me told me it was inoperable and I would die in five years. But the NYU doctor took it out with no problem.

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I wish I could help. But I just take some benzos and then I can sleep. Maybe try with valerian herb tea or pills.

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Banana tea. Boil a banana, peel and all, for about 10-15 minutes. Drink the hot banana water. You can save the rest for middle if the night wake ups if needed.

I know it sounds dumb, but my clinician told me about it and it sort of works for my crazy insomnia. It worked really well (better than for me) for my friend.

It’s cheap and not a medication, so might as well try it?

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I might try to find this. Its non habit and safer than benzos :thinking:
Ramelteon
https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00980

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I have had insomnia all my adult life. I am now 75. I put up with it, sleep when I am tired during the day. Cut out the coffee, turn everything off when you hit the hay. Consider the benefits of being up alone in the middle of the night. Enjoy it!

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I’m a noise sleeper. Had insomnia forever till the sz struck.

Favourites…noise is good but not busy noise. …Jam a radio into a static band just off a chanel. The drone helps ease the mind. Small fans are great…depends on your environment but the noise is so soothing…I used to sleep in the middle of winter with a fan blowing fast into my head…helped me sleep.

Get up and walk around a circle…ever seen a dog or a cat? If your not sleeping then get up and do a short walk!

Used to work a treat for me!

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Though, my cyst is not pressing on anything (luckily) so, probably no need to operate. Thanks for the info though :slight_smile:

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What about a small dose of seroquil :grin:

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There was a program about it the other day.

It said take all distractions from room, tv, books etc.

Train yourself to associate bed only with sleep (and sex of course.)

Set a regimen by say going to bed at 1am and then getting up, no matter what at 6am. Don’t sleep during the day. no naps, no lie ins even if you just got to sleep.

Exercise regularly.

No caffeine,

It will take a few weeks to train yourself to abide by the nightly rule and to get you in sync.

It worked for the lady on the television, although difficult at first.

Hope this helps…

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I had some very serious sleep issues when I was in my twenties,

The only thing that helped was about six months of solid routine.

Now, with few exceptions, I sleep pretty well.

At about eight every night I’d turn my lights down and put this one cartoon in particular on t.v.

Same episodes, same order, every night.

Brush my hair, teeth, wash my face, change into night clothes,

Get in bed, finish the cartoon.

Turn everything off and just wait…

It was horrible at first, but after about two months I got to sleep faster, after about four months, soon as I heard the intro to the cartoon, I’d get sleepy.

At about six months I couldn’t even finish the complete hour of cartoon.

Its kind of a long con, I mean, its not going to work right away, but its worth it for sleep.

Now, its been ten years since I started that routine and when I have a few bad nights in a row, I’ll watch the cartoon and it makes me sleepy.

Weird…

This is the cartoon, its kinda strange and from the 70’s. I think it worked so well because all the tones are dark and its very repetitive.

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