[Baron]

2.35am – what better time to post on the Insomnia Land forums?

As I mentioned in my introduction post, I've been an insomniac or late bird in one form or other since the age of around 11. 20+ years of sleepless nights and much research and reading have made me a reluctant expert in this field. I'm hoping to share my experiences, and to learn in this thread, what you believe the source of your insomnia to be and if you've found anything that has helped you overcome it. In my experience, there are usually many more contributing factors than we may realize, and so in this post, I'll begin with the most obvious and go on from there. I'll also share what I do or use to improve my sleep or counteract my insomnia.

1) Am I comfortable? I sleep on a king-sized Tempur-pedic bed. I've tried a variety of spring and regular foam mattresses, and even the Sleep Number (ugh), and nothing comes close. One bed I've slept in has exceeded the comfort levels of my Tempur-pedic, and that's a Duxiana. But I paid about $3300 for my Tempur, and a Dux costs about the same as a small Japanese car. If you can do it, do it. But the good news is that you don't have to spend thousands on a fancy memory foam mattress. Even if you have a crappy spring mattress, you'll be surprised at the magical transformation a thick memory foam top can give it at a tiny fraction of the cost. If you've been thinking about it, please, think no more – it's worth spending the money, and you'll be glad. If you haven't thought about it – well, start! 😛

2) Am I injured? A few years ago I survived a pretty bad car wreck that totaled my vehicle. I was hit twice from behind on the freeway after coming to a stop to avoid a prior accident. Ever since then, I've had neck trouble. My condition has improved and continues to improve, but when I'm suffering from a misalignment, my head gets heavy, my neck gets strained, I may get a migraine, and the bottom line is I can't sleep well or at all. Since then I've learned that good cranial health is vital to good sleep. If you've suffered a head or neck injury, or even if you haven't, it may be worth it to look up a chiropractor who is an atlas orthogonalist, or a cranial sacral therapist.

3) Have I been exercising regularly? I hate going to the gym. But the benefits I reap when I commit myself to a good, consistent workout schedule cannot be denied, and I like those more than I hate going to the gym. I feel better, my posture improves, and aside from what ends up being the good kind of muscle soreness, I find my physical pain levels dropping. Most likely it's the endorphins released. But the release of good hormones come with a slew of other good side effects, like regulating my sleep patterns, and making sure I've expended enough energy that I'm less likely to stay up late. I find I get the best results from resistance training mixed with a little mid to high intensity cardio. If I had a pool at the gym I workout at, I'd use it, too.

– Side note: a membership to a 24 hour gym has proven useful to me on nights nothing was working to get me my shuteye. Where melatonin fails (honestly it's never worked for me), a 3.30am workout will put me to sleep every single time. 😛

4) How's my health? I have a thyroid condition. Thyroid conditions, like many other hormonal conditions, result in a myriad of symptoms, like insomnia and depression. A hypothyroid or underactive thyroid will result in easy fatigue and a sufferer may sleep a lot but never feel rested. A hyperthyroid though, will result in manic-like bouts of energy, jitters and insomnia. As my thyroid balance has changed over the years, I've had to watch it closely and work with my doctor to ensure my meds have been adjusted to make sure I stay as much within optimal thyroid levels as possible. If you suffer from insomnia, see your doctor and ask him or her to give you a full blood panel to make sure your hormone levels are good, and that there isn't anything going on in your body that could result in difficulty sleeping.

5) What am I eating? We are an overeating, undernourished culture of sugar and caffeine addicts. And not only is it contributing to rising obesity levels, the trifecta of sugar, caffeine and weight gain are big culprits that keep us up at night. And while I may not have a weight problem, sugar's been a weakness for as long as I can remember. I've learned through the years what this has done for my health (a load of bad) and what it does to my brain by spiking my blood sugar levels. So these days I eat well. Fruit cures my sugar cravings, and I don't caffeinate after maybe 3 or 4pm. I used to try hot cocoa or hot chocolate before bed, naively thinking it helped, till I discovered chocolate has pretty high levels of caffeine in it, too. As does tea, unless it's white tea. My diet consists largely of fruit, greens, flax, fish and the occasional slice of pizza or cheeseburger (sometimes you just need that In 'N Out!). By occasional I mean maybe twice a month. If even. But back in the day, I consumed large amounts of meat – ribs, steak, pot roast, wings, feel exhausted after the heavy meal, and then stay up from the indigestion and heartburn. Thank god I don't do that to myself these days.

6) Am I stressing? I'm still working on managing my stress levels but it's hard. When I worry, when I'm under pressure, when I'm anxious, I don't sleep. That's when it's “just one of those nights” – like tonight, for instance; everything's otherwise okay, my health is good, my neck is great, my bed feels fantastic, and I just washed my sheets tonight – in short, I should be sleeping blissfully. But I'm also excited – and pressured – about a big project I'm going to begin work on tomorrow, and I just can't switch my brain off. I have one of those “loud brains” – some of you may relate. I've been recommended yoga many, many times. I've half-heartedly tried the DVDs, but it's either too hard and discouraging, or too boring. If anyone out there's found yoga to be exceptional to their sleep health, please shout out. Maybe I need some one on one.

I'm sure all of us with sleep problems have also cultivated methods and tools to help us get back to sleep. I consider myself lucky – I don't have an 8 to 5 schedule, so there are many times I don't really bother, and just ride the night and sleep when the sun comes up. It doesn't help I enjoy the late nights, alone or out with friends, and a lot of times I may even start work at 11pm or 1am (I write). Nevertheless, there are probably more times I want to sleep but can't, and let's face it, the vampire schedule can get old. Those endless, sleepless nights start to feel like sleep deprivation torture and you've seen so many late night paid advertisements you know the sales pitches by heart (I've seen enough of that penile enhancement commercial to last me a trillion lives, guys).

A) Roll a joint, pack a bowl, vaporize a bag. I live in California where medical marijuana is legal. It's legal in 13 other states. If you live in a state where medicinal marijuana is legal, you can get a prescription card/license to get it from a co-op or dispensary. Many dispensaries are run by pretty knowledgeable people who'll be able to tell you what strain will work best for your needs. Generally an insomniac will want an indica or indica-heavy hybrid strain. I use it, and like it, and will take it over a pill any day of the week. But there are times it alone won't work, and I find myself needing something more stringent.

😎 Benadryl. An anti-histamine. A former therapist recommended I try it. It works pretty well. However I dislike using it very much because something about the fact that I'm using a drug with a whole other indication just to benefit from a side effect rubs me kind of the wrong way.

C) Sleep medication. Ambien, Sonata, Valium, etc.. I've used them. I may use them again. But while they're an easy fix they come with a little baggage attached. For one, I seem to build a resistance, so their effectiveness seems limited. Second, my insurance doesn't seem to cover them completely, usually covering only every other pill, making this an expensive choice. They're habit-forming as well, and I dislike that immensely. I haven't used this class of medication in several years.

D) Other medication. Because I suffer from post-traumatic stress due to something that happened during my childhood, a psychiatrist prescribed something strong for me – Seroquel. When used in high doses, Seroquel is a mood stabilizer for bipolar patients and at super high doses it's used to treat schizophrenia. At entry doses, however, it's therapeutic for trauma sufferers with a mood elevating effect. Seroquel is also a powerful sedative. I still have it and use it from time to time but it comes with a price – I'm usually zombified the next day. So I have to be careful and choose wisely. Sometimes I just need the sleep, and nothing else works, so I take it and put off or cancel the day. Even if it's meant having to miss a lunch, or not spend time with a friend, or postpone a meeting. If I take a Seroquel tonight, it means I'm pretty much operating from home the next day. I chalk the losses as no different from the loss we all suffer as insomniacs, and try to redouble my efforts to living as healthily as I can so I don't need to resort to drastic measures like powerful sedatives for my sleep.

I know this has been a long post. By no means have I intended to steal too much of your time. I just wanted to toss my 2 cents in the mix on this sleepless night and with luck, something that's helped me will help you, and vice versa. I hope the majority of you are sleeping soundly. If you have anything to throw in the mix, I look forward to your responses.

Sincerely,

Baron/Not Woody Allen

[Martin Reed]

What an absolutely fantastic post! Thank you so much for taking the time to share – I think this post on its own stands as a brilliant resource for all insomnia sufferers.

I look forward to seeing what other members can contribute; where they think their insomnia stems from, how they've tried to relieve their insomnia and what works for them.

Again – great post, Baron!

—

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The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[primaryantagonist]

for me it's anxiety 90% of the time, and ideas the other 10%. i hsve to write them all down before i can sleep.

[WolfBitTink]

2:58 am- and here I am in insomnia land…seems fitting somehow

Like the OP I have dealt with insomnia in some for or another most of my life and have always been a night owl prefering late nights to early mornings for many various reasons. I took their post….well the questions in it, not their responses so I could answer their questions but tell what works for me. Hope it's OK to do my post that way, so much faster & will let me get through my answers before all my meds kick in.

1) Am I comfortable? The importance of the best bed for you can't be understated. I have a queen size sleigh bed with a very good matress and box spring topped w/ my feather bed & a mountain of various pillows that I can arragnge besed on how I feel & what I need that particular day or night. Also of importance to me is finding the best sheets and comforters for me as my skin is super sensititive to touch & texture. My must haves are good quality 100% cotton or bamboo sheets & a med weight down comforter for most of the year. My bed is like sinking into a fluffy cloud but also supports my trigger points since the featherbed adjusts to the various levele os pressure. Due to multiple conditions my bed is also my haven wher I retreat to read, relax, write, or just be alone.

2) Am I injured? Define injured. Do I hurt? YES, esp through shoulders and hips & that is the where lupus & fibro like to give me trouble. Thankfully having the way I have my bed and my meds help with this.

3) Have I been exercising regularly? I need to get back to the gym but have been so caught up in school and other things I haven't been in months.

4) How's my health? Ummm……well I have lupus, fibromyalgia, and nerve damage among other chronic issues but other than that it's OK I guess.

5) What am I eating? I am an insomniac lupie who is a full time student so caffeine is definitely on the list of things I ingest regularly. I do like to eat alot of fruits and veggies though and am not fond of most things fried so other than coffee and the occassional ice cream I eat fairly well.

6) Am I stressing? see above I am a full time student w/ chronic illnesses & it's almost finals week.

I have alot of tricks that help me sleep better (or at all for that matter) but being as comftorable as I can be and not stressing over the things I can't control along with a warm bath before bed help alot. And I try to put the insomnia to use by using the sleeplessness as time to blog or study instead of worrying about the fact that I can't sleep. Knowing that if I don't get enough sleep at night Starbucks is on my way to school or pretty much anywhere and I can nap when I get back home helps too.

Benadryl. An anti-histamine. A former therapist recommended I try it. It works pretty well. However I dislike using it very much because something about the fact that I'm using a drug with a whole other indication just to benefit from a side effect rubs me kind of the wrong way.

C) Sleep medication.D) Other medication.

[Kik]

'primaryantagonist' wrote on '16:

for me it's anxiety 90% of the time, and ideas the other 10%. i hsve to write them all down before i can sleep.

I'm the same with ideas so I usually keep my Blackberry or a notebook on my bedside table.

Anxiety (clock watching) plays a part with my insomnia but, especially lately, my main problem is frustration at not being able to get to sleep in the first place.

[Baron]

@wolfbitink,

Quote:

An anti-histamine. A former therapist recommended I try it. It works pretty well. However I dislike using it very much because something about the fact that I'm using a drug with a whole other indication just to benefit from a side effect rubs me kind of the wrong way.

i hear you. and relate. then i went and got some unisom sleep gels, which knocked me out first dose, and realized they were exactly the same ingredient as benadryl, or the “pm” component of tylenol pm. like so many things, they're essentially just marketed or sold for different purposes. the biggest problem i have with them is i don't necessarily feel rested the following day.

as someone with fibro, and having dated someone with lupus, i relate to your situation a little bit. i'm glad you've found things that work for you. your bed sounds awesome.

@kik

Quote:

I'm the same with ideas so I usually keep my Blackberry or a notebook on my bedside table.

Anxiety (clock watching) plays a part with my insomnia but, especially lately, my main problem is frustration at not being able to get to sleep in the first place.

i keep my iphone beside my pillow & often turn it on to read or toy with it when i can't sleep. ditto ideas that need to be recorded. however i recently read that the effect of the light/glare from these devices, as well as laptops, can exacerbate insomnia. so while i still keep my phone next to me (it's my alarm), i seldom ever use it in bed. if i do, i turn down the brightness setting to what i assume/hope is dim enough to circumvent this problem.

[Kik]

'notwoodyallen' wrote on '10:

i keep my iphone beside my pillow & often turn it on to read or toy with it when i can't sleep. ditto ideas that need to be recorded. however i recently read that the effect of the light/glare from these devices, as well as laptops, can exacerbate insomnia. so while i still keep my phone next to me (it's my alarm), i seldom ever use it in bed. if i do, i turn down the brightness setting to what i assume/hope is dim enough to circumvent this problem.

My phone is my alarm too. Interesting point about the glare. I've been told not to use my laptop or watch TV for at least an hour before bed, but I always assumed it was solely to help me wind down.

I'll try turning the brightness down tonight. Cheers for the tip 🙂

[MarinaFournier]

Notwoodyallen wrote:

2.35am – what better time to post on the Insomnia Land forums?

Indeed!

As I mentioned in my introduction post, I've been an insomniac or late bird in one form or other since the age of around 11. 20+ years of sleepless nights and much research and reading have made me a reluctant expert in this field.

I've had insomnia most of my life, from childhood on. Yes to the reluctant expert!

1) Am I comfortable? I sleep on a king-sized Tempur-pedic bed. I've tried a variety of spring and regular foam mattresses, and even the Sleep Number (ugh), and nothing comes close. One bed I've slept in has exceeded the comfort levels of my Tempur-pedic, and that's a Duxiana.

The Tempur-pedic is supposed to keep you warm, and I need coolth. It's also a memory foam, and I'd rather not. I do want more of a pillowtop on my next bed–or even this one if I can figure out how to keep it on in the face of my tossy-turny heavier husband, who eventually pulls the (bottom) sheet and mattress pad to his side of the bed.

The SleepNumber is better than the other beds in its price range. However, the fact that my husband seems to sleep on the edge has ruined the foam border on his side of the bed, and I think I need to pump mine up, as air seems to have escaped to the point that I can hit bottom with my elbow when I'm getting onto my side to sleep. There is also the problem of the sheets not staying tucked, esp. at the top, where the tubing is.

I keep hearing ads on the radio for a) Duxiana 😎 McKrosky and The European Sleep System (one in Berkeley), which are pricy, but perhaps we will consider those at some point. What I want is good support with a thick pillowtop–and sheets that stay on it!

2) Am I injured?

No, I just have Restless Leg Syndrome, which can attack me during the day if I can't stretch my leg (long car drives/rides), if the dog decides my knees are just dicky for sleeping on when I'm in bed, or if the skirt is brushing me the wrong way when the skin is already sensitive. I have Requip, but I want to see a neurologist to see if something else will work better for me.

3) Have I been exercising regularly?

I belly dance–60-90 minute class on Mondays, and some Sundays I actually manage to get there for the hour class. Other than that, and the stairs at home, I don't get enough exercise, but once I'm cleared for walking after heel surgery, it may be less painful. I am *going* to cooperate with PT, because I want to walk and dance easily again.

Used to do English Country dance, but my husband won't go anymore because he's gained back weight and says he's “out of shape”. Well, he could get *back* in shape by dancing, yaknow…

I don't swim very well. We have an unheated pool, which is delicious in the hot nights of summer–when I will go dip myself just before bed, to get cool enough, and in the middle of the night if I need another cooling-off–but not so good other times. We have a hot tub, but that's not exercise.

4) How's my health? I have a thyroid condition.(snip) A hypothyroid or underactive thyroid will result in easy fatigue and a sufferer may sleep a lot but never feel rested. (snip) work with my doctor to ensure my meds have been adjusted to make sure I stay as much within optimal thyroid levels as possible.

I take 125 mcg of synthroid generic each day. My TSH MUST be below 2.0, or I'm a moody mess, and lethargic. My endocrinologist doesn't hold with the “normal” range being right for everyone, thank goodness.

5) What am I eating? We are an overeating, undernourished culture of sugar and caffeine addicts. And not only is it contributing to rising obesity levels, the trifecta of sugar, caffeine and weight gain are big culprits that keep us up at night.

I too avoid even half-caff lattes after 2-4 pm. I've got some jasmine (green) tea right by me, as it's cold in this room. My husband and MiL, on the other hand drink far more caffeinated diet soda throughout the day–esp. the husband–than I can handle. My husband drinks it up until bedtime. He gets into bed, lies there for a few minutes, and goes to sleep, sometimes snoringly. I hate his guts for sleeping so easily!

I used to try hot cocoa or hot chocolate before bed, naively thinking it helped, till I discovered chocolate has pretty high levels of caffeine in it, too.

Yup. Mormons are allowed to drink that, but not colas, teas, coffees or other drinks with caffeine. Never quite got that. My MiL had some travel-club guests for a few days in September who finally said they were Mormon after we tried to offer them forbidden beverages, to which I responded by offereing them hot chocolate, which they accepted.

But back in the day, I consumed large amounts of meat – ribs, steak, pot roast, wings, feel exhausted after the heavy meal, and then stay up from the indigestion and heartburn.

I don't think I've ever eaten more than an average portion of land animals, but watch out seafood! Shrimp and lobster are my downfalls, but I can't eat as much of those as I once did. I'm more inclined to fill up with vegetables, avoiding heavy fats and simple carbs during a meal, saving room for a dessert in an hour or so. I had gestational diabetes, discovered at the unusually early 8 weeks, instead of 20 or so. I was controlling my diet and walking after dinner, and learned to avoid fat that didn't add to my enjoyment of food (not much fried food agrees with me anymore, and I hate storebought mayo, and use very little salad dressing).

6) Am I stressing? (snip) in short, I should be sleeping blissfully. But I'm also excited – and pressured – about a big project I'm going to begin work on tomorrow, and I just can't switch my brain off. I have one of those “loud brains” – some of you may relate.

Do I ever relate! I also have “loud” skin–very sensitive, gain at 11! Must have high-threadcount all-cotton sheets & comforter covers about me. Even if my lovers didn't snore, they warmed up, or my ear formed a suction on their shoulders, or I tossed and turned, being more awake. Can't sleep wrapped up in another's arms, but wish I could. It would take me a month or more to get used to someone else in the bed. Husband and I both wrap ourselves in comforters.

I said in another thread that I knew turning my “active” or “loud” brain off was the key to me sleeping. To shut it up, I have to get to a non-verbal part of the brain, and using my iPhone to play Bejeweled2, while snuggled up in bed, ready to drift off when I get there, does that, in 5-15 minutes. Finally I found a mechanism that *works* to flip that switch.

I also have that “special day ahead/get up earlier than usual” can't-get-to-sleep. The first day of school, new job, a trip–you name it, and I couldn't sleep. Next time I have one of these, I'm going to see if the new mechanism will stop that.

A) Roll a joint, pack a bowl, vaporize a bag

Smell nauseates me, and I can't stand the smoking aspect. Eating brownies didn't actually help, either–I'm just not suited to that herb.

😎 Benadryl. An anti-histamine. A former therapist recommended I try it. It works pretty well. However I dislike using it very much because something about the fact that I'm using a drug with a whole other indication just to benefit from a side effect rubs me kind of the wrong way.

Never worked for me. Sometimes, it doesn't even treat the allergy or cold well enough!

C) Sleep medication. Ambien, Sonata, Valium, etc.

I have a contrary reaction to the sleep med family, benzodiazepines: they keep me awake. Serzone, a med for depressed folks who can't sleep because of it, NOT for depressed insomniacs–is very much worse than the benzodiazepines.

D) Other medication.

When used in high doses, Seroquel is a mood stabilizer for bipolar patients (snip). Seroquel is also a powerful sedative.

My son was on it for a few years after I found that Lithium was contraindicated with OTC NSAIDs, and Tylenol no longer worked on his migraines–hadn't since preschool. Also, Lithium messes with thyroid function, and while it is pretty much the women in my mother's family who have low thyroid, I wasn't interested in taking chances. Unfortunately, between out of control portions of starch and fat (esp. if I wasn't there to oversee) and Seroquel, my son has developed diabetes II and gained a lot of weight. Most psych drugs kids have to take will do that.

However, he was very compliant about taking his meds–he counted on Seroquel to get him to sleep, and he didn't like the mood swings or depressions any more than I did. He hasn't quite been zombified by Seroquel, but I'm amazed that the topomax he's on for migraine prevention doesn't do so. I became lala-brained, but well-rested, while I was on it for two years before it stopped working as a mood stabilizer for me. I had the first restful sleep in over two decades Labor Day 2001. I had a hard time believing it when I got up!

I know this has been a long post. By no means have I intended to steal too much of your time.

But is was a very good, very insightful and informative post!

[Author]

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