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Subject: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Can anyone give me a clue to the best insomnia remedies they might have. Stress....is killing me.
Thanks for your help
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Nytol herbal one a night seems to work for a couple of my friends who have insomnia.Taken for a couple of nights it breaks the cycle without being addictive.Other than that I guess you need to look at your stress levels and whether you can reduce them if thats the problem,on that I have no clue but I know there's alot of information out there.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Sorry...couldn't resist it...
Try sleeping on the very edge of the bed...you'll soon drop off!
Seriously, insomnia's no joke (I sometimes go through bouts of it)...I don't really have much of a remedy as tiredness will always take over eventually...as well as cutting down on my caffiene intake, which has been known to break records...!
As Gis pointed out, herbal remedies do seem to be effective, but I suppose you've got to take a look at your lifestyle too...
Whatever you choose, hope it works...
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
My 12 year old son has a lot of trouble with insomnia and we've worked out that he is highly sensitive to the hidden stimulants in lots of common foods. Bread products and bought cakes are some of the worst, along with the regular culprits laden with colours and preservatives. Watching his diet really helps with the insomnia.
Also he is very soothed by 'white' noise such as a fan going or simulated ocean sounds or rain on a CD.
Subject: Best cure for Insomnia - long reply
Someone in my department gave a talk on insomnia cures (it must have worked we were all asleep by the end ;D j/k). His research was looking at how primary care providers (doctors, health visitors etc) could help patients with insomnia and stop long term use of drugs (most of them are only recommended for 2 weeks maximum use)
He said that it is important to sort out insomnia problems soon or they can become a chronic problem that is harder to treat.
He didn't really rate the herbal remedies (though personally they've worked for me). You can try some over the counter things such as Night Nurse or antihistamines which say they will make you drowsy as a short term fix. Then you need to look what the cause may be. If its stress related and you can't relax then use progressive muscle relaxation (delibrately putting a muscle under tension and then releasing it, working up the body from the toes).
If you find it difficult to 'switch off' then you need to find a way of interrupting and managing intrusive thoughts. Delibrately say to yourself that you won't think about whatever it is and make yourself think of something else. Keep a notepad by your bed to write down thoughts for the next day if you must but then think of something completely different.
If you lay awake in bed for a long time then you may need to re-establish a bedtime routine so that your mind accepts the cues that it is now time to switch off and go to sleep. Lie in bed a maximum of 20 minutes, then get up and go downstairs and read/do the ironing or something else quiet. When you feel sleepy again go back to bed but lay there no more than 20 minutes if you don't immediately fall asleep. Repeat this until you re-establish your sleep pattern. Perhaps take the t.v. out of the bedroom (if you have one) to get out of the habit of lying in bed not asleep.
Sorry I've rambled on a bit here but I hope these techniques help.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
When I have trouble sleeping, I usually wake up the hubby. It works for me. ;D ;) But, here are some other things that may help. Take a hot bath before going to bed. When your mind keeps you awake (like mine does a lot), try to keep telling yourself, "clear the mind," or "don't think." I try to let my mind wonder and not think about anything specific. When I do, that is what I am focused on that and not on sleep. I try to watch the images that float through my mind. Sometimes it is objects, or places, and sometimes it is people. The deeper I start falling asleep, the more vivid these images become-and eventaully turn into dreams.
Exercize can also help. But not at night. Either in the morning, or afternoon, do some kind of vigous exersize. I hope that some of these things help.
Cat
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
drink a few cups of coffee. :D
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
The strange thing is that I don't drink coffee, only tea. I don't take any type of medication....it freaks me out. Another thing, I try to switch the brain off, doesn't work. I sleep with a fan going, for the noise. I will try some of the things everyone listed. Thanks, hope it works.
Besides the fact that i stay on this site until past 12:00 AM doesn't help. ;D
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Annie
A technique I heard for switching your mind off is to repeat a word like 'the' at irregular intervals. It gives you something meaningless to concentrate on.
I find a different thing works for me. I work my way through the alphabet picturing each letter separately, in a different font and colour for each letter. I also make it move towards me getting bigger and bigger then the next letter appears, like a windows screensaver.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
The strange thing is that I don't drink coffee, only tea. End Quote
Do you drink regular (black) tea? Because black tea has more caffeine than regular coffee. As a rule though, chronic insomnia isn't caused by too much caffeine, because the effects of caffeine aren't cumulative and they start wearing off almost right away. I suffer from bouts of insomnia myself and because I'm a shift worker my sleep patterns are irregular at the best of times. Can't really offer a suggetion for a cure though. I just usually go do something until I get tired and nod off.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Coldplay.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Read a book in bed. Whenever I do, I start drifting off.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
Read a book in bed. Whenever I do, I start drifting off.
End Quote
Nah! That depends on the book. I've sat up for hours reading in bed trying to get to the end to find out 'whodunnit'
However I have got some reports that need proof-reading. I nearly nodded off at my desk checking them today.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
I always listen to soft music to get to sleep Sade always does the trick.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
I had this professor one time that it was really hard to stay awake in his class. He talked in a low monitone and usually showed overheads so the lights were dim. Everyone would nod off in his class. That's what you need, a very boring professor. ;) ;D
Cat
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
Coldplay.
End Quote
Eh, I prefer John Mayer myself...
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
Can anyone give me a clue to the best insomnia remedies they might have. Stress....is killing me.
Thanks for your help
End Quote
If you want to go over-the-counter, try 25-50mg of diphenhydramine hydrocholride. It's the active ingredient in Sominex, although it's a lot cheaper if you buy generic sleeping capsules. It works for me whenever I can't get to sleep. If you want to read a ton of articles on sleeplessness, click this link and search keyword "insomnia". Good luck. http://my.webmd.com
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Goreripper, Yes its black tea.
I love to read so the books don't work.
Sade does help...
I refuse to take medication...so that one is out.
I will try all the other suggestions, thank you everyone for your help.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Hey Annie,just curious...Do you also have sleep apnea? ???
I saw one guy in my group and he just couldn't keep his eyes open and he kept breathing heavily with his snores. :)
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
I used to babysit for a girl who used to sleep with her eyes open. It really freaked me out when I first realized it. I told her mother and she told me that the girl got it from her father. Unbelievable.
Cat
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
I may have sleep apnea...I can't sleep on my back because I wake up gasping for air.
Open eyes while sleeping freaks me out too Catwoman.
Mainly I think it's sue to the strangeness of my dreams that I can't sleep. Funny thing about it, I remember every detail about them.Colors, people and places. Too many deja vu moments.
When you have a dream about a bad thing only to find out a couple of days later that it happened....you don't want to sleep anymore. :-[
Perhaps, I'll take up drinking. :o
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
A Sledgehammer :-/ OR..a steady dose of rosie re-runs, a speech by billary, or some streisand music :P
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
I may have sleep apnea...I can't sleep on my back because I wake up gasping for air.
Open eyes while sleeping freaks me out too Catwoman.
Mainly I think it's sue to the strangeness of my dreams that I can't sleep. Funny thing about it, I remember every detail about them.Colors, people and places. Too many deja vu moments.
When you have a dream about a bad thing only to find out a couple of days later that it happened....you don't want to sleep anymore. :-[
Perhaps, I'll take up drinking. :o
End Quote
Why can't you just try to catch yourself while breathing heavily in your snores? ???
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
Read a book in bed. Whenever I do, I start drifting off.
End Quote
Read something that you can get to the end of quickly. I read comic strips in my old annuals before I go to sleep. They are not deep and so they don't keep my mind working. They only last a page or two as well so it is easy to stop reading them.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
I may have sleep apnea...I can't sleep on my back because I wake up gasping for air.
End Quote
Thats a sure sign of it and you should see a sleep specialist about it.
As someone who has had chronic insomnia for my entire life, and who spent 25 years of it seeking cures and remedies - at 35 I just live with it now.
I sleep from around 2 or 3am and wake around 4am. Then I light sleep till 7 - you know the kind of sleep where you can hear everything going on outside but cant be bothered opening your eyes. I am pretty ratty by Friday each week so I always ensure I stay in bed on Saturday morning and catch good zzzzz's from about 7am till 10am - thats generally the most solid, undisturbable, wake covered in creases, type sleep I get all week.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Glad I could help out.Just curious what Sade songs do you listen to to help you sleep?For me its "Tattoo" from Love Deluxe.
Quoting:
Goreripper, Yes its black tea.
I love to read so the books don't work.
Sade does help...
I refuse to take medication...so that one is out.
I will try all the other suggestions, thank you everyone for your help.
End Quote
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
4 ounces of grand marnier over ice
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
I think I will see a sleep specialist. It's nice to know that i am not the only one with this problem.
All you guys and gals are very helpful.
I have been listening to Enigma and that seems to be helping. ;D
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
listen to some fast dance music.That will keep you wide awake.
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
howard, I am looking for something to put me to sleep....but I will try that too.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
howard, I am looking for something to put me to sleep....but I will try that too.
End Quote
love jams? ??? ;D
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
I sometimes do visual meditation.
Just sit in a good but relaxed posture and close your eyes. Breathe deeply in through the nose and out through the mouth. Then clench the muscles in your feet and imagine all your stress moving up through your body. Then clench your legs, then your lower back, then your shoulders and arms, and finally imagine it at the head and breathe it all out and imagine it flying away.
Then imagine a nice place- it might be a forest, a cave, a city, a house, whatever you like. When you feel ready to leave, come out of it gradually (I once did it suddenly and I got a surprise when I saw my bedroom again so quickly!).
I started off just imagining a tropical island and it grew arms and legs- it now has a history to it, animals, plants, a small population of humans and giant lizards, a religion that they follow, buildings, a political system, a calendar with several important holidays and other dates... It makes me feel calmer and happier if I am scared, or if I want to sleep.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
That relaxed me just reading it. :D
Thanks @sskicker.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
That relaxed me just reading it. :D
Thanks @sskicker.
End Quote
nice deep body massage with baby oil. ;) ;D
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
:o I'll tell Rich to do that to me....lol. But that wouldn't help me sleep. :-X
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
A Hammer and strong arm...seriously I know how you feel, I'm a certified insomniac. Sometimes when i truly have to go to sleep, I'll eat a can of soup. I don't know why but soup always makes me sleepy. OR you can watch something really boring on TV, informercials seem to do the trick!
what ever you do, don't start taking those over the counter sleeping pills. There's a good chance you'll get hooked and ya definitely don't want that.
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
:o I'll tell Rich to do that to me....lol. But that wouldn't help me sleep. :-X
End Quote
Of course it will. And you won't let me bring the lotion? Hmm...I never >:( .... ;D (just kidding) :D
Howard
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
:o :o
Subject: Re: Tell me the Best cure for Insomnia.....
Quoting:
:o :o
End Quote
And what are you suprised about,missy? :D
"I let the fingers do the walkin" :-X :o ;)
Howard