can't sleep
 

I've had sleeping problems for as long as I can remember. Everyone I know keeps telling me I should see a doctor, get some pills, meditate, count sheep, blah, blah, blah ... I don't really like doctors and I'm scared that the sleep I do get would be messed with if I start taking pills.

Whatever. Not sleeping is not really the problem. The problem is boredom. Everyone I know is sleep, so I have no one to walk with. Or talk to. Or even sit and look at.

I'd really like to be taking a walk right now, but it's 4 o'clock in the morning and smart woman don't go on walks this late (or early) by themselves.

...hi dd...you probably don't need a doctor nor medication. In the wee hours when you're bored, google sleeplessness or insomnia symptoms, causes, effects, treatments, etc. and don't forget to google sleeplessness in women. There are a plethora of suggestions out there that can help you identify the problem and address it.

...let us know if it helps any

:)

You might want to consider getting a gym membership to a 24-hour gym. You could always go for a 20-mile bike ride while reading your favorite novel if you find yourself at 4am without companionship.

Whenever I can't sleep, a fit of vigorous masturbation usually fixes that.

I <3 pills
their hype is way overblown just use them with half a brain and you'll be fine.

this has never worked for me, unfortunately...

I could that. That last time I googled something it was for insomnia meeting, I had seen a short meeting that was about that, and was kinda hoping it was real, it seems it isn't.

That would be cool, but they usually cost money, so ... but it'd be like talking a walk :)

Not for me either.

Yeah, I just don't like pills.

I find exercising until I'm exhausted helps, or read a really boring book. Both can be done at home.

I think we should all just continue experimenting with this masturbation theory. I simply see no flaws in the logic.

...sorry guys but masturbation should be stimulating your senses and upping your adrenalin which would keep you awake...unless boredom sets in...lol...then that's a whole other thread

dd...find out what is keeping you awake at night first.

...if it's worry then put a pad of paper next to your bed and write it down...make a to do list as it comes to your mind and then wipe it from your mind as you leave it there for morning

...don't eat after 7pm nor drink caffeine or alcoholic beverages (i know you know some of this already). And don't watch tv in bed. These things all stimulate your senses.

...it could be a hormonal thing for women

I find that crossword puzzles help to zone me out. And ambient music - drones and such. Still, I often have insomnia, too, and have just learned to live with it.

Wish I had an answer, because for the past 10 years that's been same for me. I joined a health club and started getting more exercise but that didn't really help. I did find out that I can't work out past 7 pm or I really will stay awake all night. Never touch caffeine after lunch, ever. So that wasn't an issue. Don't drink that much on most nights. All the easy fixes didn't do anything. So I talked to my Dr. and he prescribed Ambien. For me its a wonder drug. I now only take a half a pill when needed and its just enough to take the edge off (which unfortunately masturbation doesn't always do) and I'm asleep in minutes rather than hours. It had become so bad that it affected my performance at work. Now, I'm completely rested but unfortunately I've been out of a job since March. :(

And Sudoku until I'm bleary eyed. I also had to wrap my head around the idea that since I was always waking up a 4 a.m. I'd have to get to bed earlier.

Say at one time you slept from midnight until 7 a.m. for years and now you always wake up at 4, teach your body to fall asleep those three hours earlier. It will take a while, but eventually you would adapt. Maybe. :oogle:

If $ are an issue you might try melatonin (OTC-vitamin section). I took it for a number f weeks once to get my rhythm back. It worked well and I remember it being inexpensive. I stopped it when I began to wake up with headaches., but maintained the sleep pattern. Until the last 2 yrs, and now Im in the same boat as you.

If I open a book and try to study something that is difficult my eyes water and I get very tired.

After many decades of cronic insomnia I've tried many things (not pills, I've seen too too many get dependent on pills to sleep).
Things that work for me.
1) A good book that I've read a few times before, but not too good a book there is a fine line.
2) White noise or something like it, rain is good too with maybe a small touch of distant thunder. Music doesn't seem to work for me.
3) Cuddling up to my wife and listening to her breath. (well sometimes it works).
4) A good HOT bath, just relax in it for 15 minutes or so.
5) Start a quick (lol) game of Supreme Commander on easy level and just let the game take over, umm play to lose but in a silly way.
6) This one is stupid but it works for me, Remove the main hdd from my system, insert a blank hdd an install window, usually between the ninth or tenth reboot for updates I start to pass out.

I have no idea, I have changed my diet so many times (you know, after 7 don't eat this, don't drink that) no of it seems to matter.

As far as hormones go, I would have hoped that by now they would have straightened themselves out, it's only been like 20 something odd years.

And I don't do anything in my bed but try to sleep - I read somewhere that if you do stuff like read or watch TV, it un-trains your body that the bed is for sleeping.

I have found a few things that work for me, sometimes, like it used to be music, then it was trying to clear my mind (focusing on one sound, like a clock ticking), then it was not trying to sleep until I thought I could pass out. No matter what it was, it always takes hours for me to fall asleep.

I am pretty much used to it now, which I am sure isn't helping, I just kinda wish I had something to do while I'm up, I feel like I'm wasting so much time.

I work out and such, never sleep well though. Some nights are better than others of course.

When I worked 10+ hours a day in the texas heat, I slept like a baby every night. I hadn't slept that well since I was a child, and now that I don't work in the heat, I still don't sleep as well.

If you feel like you're wasting time, there's your problem, or perhaps part of it.

One thing that helped me after staying up too late and screwing up my schedule was to stay up a full 24 hours, then go to sleep at the desired time the next day. It always resets my night-owl tendencies, but I've only done that a few times.

I have a hard time sleeping all the time. I have a problem falling asleep, even when I am exhausted. And when I do go to sleep I am tossing and turning all night. Ive tried sleeping pills and other options and I get good sleep, but I'm groggy and tired all the next day. So either don't sleep, or I have no energy. Either way it sucks. I think I need a new mattress or something.

^^ Hey, have you tried checking in with your diet? You know, if you have a VERY hectic life and can't eat after every four hours then eat early in the morning even if you don't feel like it, lunch, supper before 8 PM. If that doesn't work then try taking ONLY TWO capsules of tylenol PM after 9 and see if you'll wake up early.

Of course this doesn't work if you have abused sleeping pills very often. That goes for all of you. How are your eating habits? What is the quality of the food you consume as well as the quantity?

Join the club . . . Get War & Peace . . . works in 15 minutes

Don't fear pills. Ask for Trazadone. Your eyes will be crossing within 15 minutes. No grogginess the next day. Zero risk for addiction. And you won't need it forever in order to sleep. It will get you and your brain on a schedule again.