What do you do when you can't sleep?

For the last month I haven't gotten much sleep. I stay up till at least 4:00 am each night, usually later though. It's getting ridiculous. I'll lie down and be pretty tired but it's like I'm too tense to fall asleep. Thankfully, after having no sleep for a few nights I will eventually fall asleep for 1-2 hours. The ONLY thing that will make me fall asleep though is taking a few doses of benadryl (and yeah I know it's bad but it works). I've tried everything, I've taken hot showers, I've just layed there for two hours, I've tried reading, watching TV, walking around. Nothing works.

First of all, does anyone else know why this is happening? Stress, possibley? Is anyone else like this? It's actually really bugging me, I'm tired during the day and I feel like crap and it's pretty frustrating not being able to fall asleep. :o :mad:

It can be from stress, or working too hard during the day, sounds weird, but its true.

Here are some things that I do:

1. eat something light, like a piece of bread or something, that you like

2. heat up a glass of milk, and drink it, its gross, but that sometimes sooths you.

3. when you are laying in bed, start at your feet, and SLOWLY relax you whole body

4. my sister does this: we have heating blankets, and she turns her's on before she goes to bed, and puts her pillow under it, and when she goes to bed, she layes her head on the warm pillow that was under the blanket, and she says that helps.

I'll post more, as I think of more ideas. Good luck! I hope you can fall asleep soon!

Take a pad of paper and a pen with you. Get in bed, then write down everything you're worried about, even if it's just all you have to do the next day. If it is stress (which can absolutely cause this) that ought to let your brain rest, knowing it can pick the paper - and the worries - back up the next day.

Have you tried going for a long walk before bedtime, or working out until you're too exhausted to do anything BUT sleep?

Umm...for me when I can't sleep I eat before i go to bed. I know it's bad cause your matabalism is low. But, When I eat and get full i get tired. What i usually eat if i can't sleep is Soup and sometimes crakers, with some Chamomile tea.
It works for me when i can't sleep, maybe give it a shot?
Good luck finding the SandMan! :p

Well since I was awake until 6am last night I probably won't be of any help :p It probably is stress, so if you can find a way to alleviate some of it, it might help. I'll be looking back here for tips as well.

Thanks guys. I'm seriosly going to try everyone of these things until something works. School is starting on Monday again and I'm not going to be able to function without at least one good night sleep :eek:

I have the same problem as you and now I am just reading this thread. I just take bendrayl(sp) and it makes me fall asleep fast. It probally not good for you to take it everynight but without that i would not go to sleep at all.

Have you tried eliminating any caffiene during the day? When do you eat? How much do you drink during the day? Any coffee, tea, or cola or soft drinks with caffeine?

Flatcoatluver if you have to take Benadryl to get to sleep, you should see your doctor.

The last time I eat before bed is 6:30-7:00. I really don't drink anything thing with caffeine, well i haven't lately anyways.

I'm going to try writing everything down tonight too, even before this I always slept better after talking to someone about some stuff. But with me being up at 4am no is online :p

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Originally Posted by Karen

Flatcoatluver if you have to take Benadryl to get to sleep, you should see your doctor.

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do you think cagney_dog and me have restlessness???? I have heard of it but not much about it...... :confused:

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Originally Posted by Flatcoatluver

do you think cagney_dog and me have restlessness???? I have heard of it but not much about it...... :confused:

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Never heard of it, but taking Benadryl just to get to sleep is not a healthy thing.


Note: I am not a medical professional, nor have I played one on TV.

I concentrate on something (like counting sheep) so my mind can't tense up. I list (in my mind) the states in alphabetic order (from Northeast to west) and the state capitals too if I'm still awake. Sometimes, for variety, I think of girls' names starting th the letter A...then B, etc.

I forget about whatever is bothering me and it is very boring so it helps me seep.

No, i don't think it is restlessness. Benadryl works..I've tried it once, but I agree it's unhealthy.

Bahhh, I need to take my mind off it before I go lay down else I obsses over the fact that I can't sleep :o :p


Edit- Do you think there is anything a doctor could do about this. Sleeping Pills I guess?

I have this problem, but I was prescribed migraine medicine last year that helps you sleep, so this only happens now when I forget my medicine ... which seems to be a lot lately :p

I don't do anything about it, I just deal with it. My mom has the same thing, so I figure it's hereditary in my case. Sorry I can't help.

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Originally Posted by CagneyDog

Edit- Do you think there is anything a doctor could do about this. Sleeping Pills I guess?

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Yeah, there are prescribed medicines for things like this. It's worth a try, IMO. I would be at the doctor for it if my migraine medicine didn't help me sleep.

I don't really want to resort to that but I guess I might have to.


I just don't understand, I've been extremely stressed out before and I have been able to sleep fine. I'm kind of worried.... :o

I'm the same way. Lately I've been having the same problem. I don't know the cause, but sometimes I get so tired that I sleep during the day. I find that I sleep to late in the evening, that it affects me sleeping at night. So I bare with it, nearly die, but I sleep really well. (although I'm tired anywya....)

However, I don't know what to do in your case. Stupid idea, but when I was really stressed, I had these CDs that would relax you. It was a person talking about different calming things. I find it relaxed me and helped me sleep.....:o

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Originally Posted by CagneyDog

No, i don't think it is restlessness. Benadryl works..I've tried it once, but I agree it's unhealthy.

Bahhh, I need to take my mind off it before I go lay down else I obsses over the fact that I can't sleep :o :p


Edit- Do you think there is anything a doctor could do about this. Sleeping Pills I guess?

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I've never been able to take sleeping pills. They gave me a REALLY gross after taste in my mouth the next day. Like, EVERYTHING I ate or drank tasted SO BAD. It was awful. I'd rather not sleep! But then again, they work for my mom....They do work though. I only took it once, and I felt like I was drunk or something...they can be dangerous though. My mom took one, and got up to do stuff, and she passed out and hit her head on the floor! (they might not ALL be like this. I'm not expert)

I hope I'm not out of line by asking......when you're trying to sleep is your mind racing about things that either just happened or are going to happen? I find when I have too much on my mind or one thing that's worrying me, I can't sleep. I have always believed that you will sleep better if your mind is clear. In effect, you are unable to relax if this is the case, so you're not going to be able to sleep. Extreme stress in one's life might possibly cause the body to react differently so sleep comes easier. Believe me, I've been there and done that. I still do it as a matter of fact. The only thing I try to do is to try to keep my mind clear and/or think of something real pleasant. Have you tried those relaxation tapes, discs, etc.? How about some aromatherapy like lavender? Good luck. I hope you get some sleep soon because sleep deprivation is awful :(
The mere thought of school re-starting could be the culprit.

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Originally Posted by Daisy and Delilah

I hope I'm not out of line by asking......when you're trying to sleep is your mind racing about things that either just happened or are going to happen? I find when I have too much on my mind or one thing that's worrying me, I can't sleep.

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That's exactly it. It's as soon as I lay down that it happens, I'll dose off during the day, while I"m on the computer or something. Last night I fell asleep for awhile petting Cagney in his dog bed. :p It's just whenever I have time to think about stuff.

I haven't tried tapes or aromatherapy. I'll have to try the tapes. Where can you get them? Are they just sounds of the ocean and those kinds of things?

http://www.meditainment.com/

That is what I have. I believe they have demo clips on the site.

Thanks, I'll check it out :)

I managed to get a couple hours of sleep today, so I'm feeling a bit better :D

You can always tune into CSpan and wait until Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein or pretty much any California politician comes on..

But you want to be put to sleep, not bored to death.... ;)


Find a copy of Patricia Garfield's Creative Dreaming.

It's a great book, I read it years ago and still can put myself to sleep in minutes.

I get out of bed and go read. Reading usually makes me sleepy very quickly. Either that or I'll knit a little.

I have trouble sleeping too. They say it's got something to do with menopause. Like Karen said, using Benadryl to sleep or using sleep aids is really not a good thing to do. Do you drink soda with caffeine in it at night with dinner or anything?? That could be it. Chocolate too, that has caffeine in it. You might want to check with your doctor.

I watch TV lol I have a TV in my room, so I can watch TV, while in a dark room, laying down under warm covers, I just watch TV till I fall asleep, for me laying down in dim light while specifly TRYING to stay awake will make me fall asleep.

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Originally Posted by cali

I watch TV lol I have a TV in my room, so I can watch TV, while in a dark room, laying down under warm covers, I just watch TV till I fall asleep, for me laying down in dim light while specifly TRYING to stay awake will make me fall asleep.

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that's what i do, and that does help me I put the t.v on a timer for like a hour and then it will turn off.

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Originally Posted by moosmom

Like Karen said, using Benadryl to sleep or using sleep aids is really not a good thing to do. Do you drink soda with caffeine in it at night with dinner or anything?? That could be it. Chocolate too, that has caffeine in it. You might want to check with your doctor.

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I never thought of it I will have caffene in the afternoon. I will try and just drink a sprite and see how I feel the next day thanks

Has anyone had Nyquil before?

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It was awful. I'd rather not sleep! But then again, they work for my mom....They do work though. I only took it once, and I felt like I was drunk or something...they can be dangerous though. My mom took one, and got up to do stuff, and she passed out and hit her head on the floor!

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Is this how you feel when you take any kind of sleeping pill?

I've seen those relaxation tapes/discs at Target and Walgreen's. I have one of those Febreeze Scent Story thingies that emits a scent according to the disc you put in it. They have a relaxation disc you can get. I have that one. It's lavender and a few other things. Nyquil is for colds, flu, etc. and it has alot of alcohol in it supposedly. Most people get knocked out with it right away but using it just for sleep might not be a good idea. I don't know too much about it. The most important thing is to get your mind cleared as much as you can. Pleasant thoughts will usually allow you to sleep very comfortably. Anything you can do to get your mind in a calmed state will be the best route to take. I can't tell you how much I sympathize with you and again, good luck in conquering this problem. I'll be cheering for you :)

Apparently when I can't sleep I go on PT :p It is 4:30am here and I am wide awake. I did the same thing last night and ended up having to take Benedryl. My doctor told me that Benedryl is a safe *occasional* sleep aid but I can't get my mind to shut off. I've just made lists of all the things I have to do tomorrow, I've emailed the people I have to be in touch with, etc etc but now my mind wants it to hurry up and be tomorrow so I can get all these things done. The stupid part is I will be so tired that I'll fall asleep and get nothing done during the day.. :S I wish I knew how to break this pattern.

Justin often has trouble sleeping too. He usually watches TV for awhile, that usually helps him, but not always. He usually drinks a glass of milk before bed, almost every night. I don't know if that helps him or not though.

I almost never have trouble sleeping. When I do it's when I don't wind down before going to bed. I have to get everything else done, clean up the kitchen after supper, take the dogs out for their last walk, put my birds, rodents, reptiles to bed. Then I sit on the couch with the dogs, cats, & Justin for awhile and watch TV. That relaxes me and I can fall asleep easily after that. I wouldn't be able to sleep with out watching TV to wind down first.

If I can't sleep after winding down then I lay in bed and take really deep breaths and listen to my breathing, that relaxes me and clears my mind. This will sound silly, but I've done this since I was little- if I still can't sleep I lay in bed and imagine myself somewhere wonderful, like laying on the beach in Hawaii, or sailing with my favorite celebrity. Use your imagination and do something you'd love to do but probably never will, basically just day-dream until you drift off into a night-dream. Sounds silly, but that's how I'd fall asleep as a kid.

Another thing that helps me if I have something bothering me is to write in my Live Journal, if I don't want anyone to read it I keep it private, just writing it down helps to get it off my mind. If I have a lot of things that need to get done on my mind I make a ta-da list, then I don't have to worry about that until the next day.

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Originally Posted by CagneyDog

I'll lie down and be pretty tired but it's like I'm too tense to fall asleep.

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That's exactly what happends to me! It could be stress for me, and that at night I start thinking about lots of different things, and I can't just relax... The worst is that the next day, I feel so tired...

When I can't sleep, I listen to the radio in a very low volume, or I read. That usually works, but maybe I should try some of the things you guys sugested...

Good luck with it... I know how awful it is....

Thanks everyone. I took the Nyquil last night and I slept for almost 8 hours, which is the most sleep I've gotten in a while. I'm hoping I don't have to take it tonight though, because it made me feel pretty gross in the morning.

I'm going to find one of those relaxation tapes today.