insomnia rant (OT)

echo · Post by **echo** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:50 pm

My real problem is that while i was studying for my exams, my bedtime became 3am and now I'm having a hell of a time getting it back to 11pm or midnight, or even 1am. I'm in perpetual jet lag here! Sometimes I take Sonata (Zaleplon) and it works really well, but when I'm really anxious and nervous it seems not to work at all! Other times I'm out like a light in 5 minutes. So yup, tonight it's not working.

This is nothing new for me, my natural bedtime since before college always seemed to be 3 am if i let it shift naturally, which means I can't get up before 10 am. My employer doesn't like that too much

Anyhoo, I'm thinking of asking my sleep doc for an apopintment to discuss "delayed sleep phase syndrome" or maybe to get some melatonin (I think it's by prescription here), but she's a pulmonary sleep specialist and maybe I need another kind of specialist??

Eeee gads I'm so tired of being tired. I actually need to take my own advice and start meditating or something. At least I've got me the CPAP, who keeps me company during the early morning hours when I go to bed.

Am I the only one here who can't keep decent sleeping hours??? How do people maintain a "healthy sleep hygeine" ?? No matter what I do, I cannot get to sleep (at the socially expected hour). Even if i force myself to wake up every morning at 7 (BF literally dragging me out of bed) for a month, and I am just dying of exhaustion, sleep doesn't come at the right hour. Or it does but then starts to creep into the wee hours of the night again. (and the BF can only stand so many early-morning fights while I'm still half-asleep).

Well thanks for letting me get that off my chest

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:26 pm

If you have a Costco nearby, you can purchase the Schiff "Melatonin Plus" there (300 tablets) for around $6.00, it's for stress relief and a sounder sleep.. You don't need a script for it, thanks to Snoredog, that's how I found out about it!

You could probably pick it up at any drug store or Walmart but i'm not sure, you would just have to call and check around.

That's a bummer, I thought I had it bad, getting in bed by midnight or 1 am!

Goodluck,

BTW, take the Mealtonin about 10 minutes before hooking up to the mask and you should drift right off to sleep.

SleepyNoMore

Magnum · Post by **Magnum** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:46 pm

I have been there, taking classes right now. Being a programmer/gammer I would come home from a day of programming then start programming at night. It would be 1:00am before i went to sleep, but I always wake up around 5:30am, no matter what time I go to sleep.

You do to look at taking something else for a while other than Sonata and take it at the same time each night. Sonata only lasts for 4 hours, something like Ambien will keep you out for about 7-8 hours. I too found that i grew tolerant of Sonata and needed something else to fill in for a while. After several days, Sonata to me is just not effective. Took me several months to adjust, if you can call it adjusting. I am going back tomorrow and talking to my GP to get a script for Sonata myself to fill in those special days..

I use the Sonata to bounce me back when I start staying up to late. The Ambien tends to make me tired the next day.

And as always, do talk to your doctor:)

graygables · Post by **graygables** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:12 pm

I would love to know, too. Through grad school/owning my business, I've gotten into the 230am-11am sleep cycle. For some reason, when I'm on the road, I can do 11pm-8am very well, but when I'm at home, not so much. I've tried melatonin, but it hasn't helped my racing brain.

ffarmer · Post by **ffarmer** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:08 am

A tip for racing brains that prevent sleep:

Before you go to bed, write down the things you need to do the next day. Sometimes our brains are racing with what needs to be done, so writing it down can help to put that aside for the night.

If you haven't already, you can google "sleep hygiene measures" to get info on insomnia and general ways to deal with it.

Insomnia can be so debilitating, nothing gets you down more than chronic sleep deprivation!

smj34 · Post by **smj34** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:34 pm

I know exactly what you mean. I have been trying to find a solution to my insomnia for a year. The earliest I fall asleep is 3:30...sometimes it is 8:30 in the morning. I go to bed before 11:00PM. My mind isn't racing and I feel relaxed. I just can't doze off. I have discussed with my family doctor and more recently with a psychiatrist. Both say my other physical issues will be greatly improved when I get on a normal sleep pattern. I feel like I've tried everything...melatonin, valerian, sonata, rozerem, lunesta, ambien, trazodone, etc., guided imagery and meditative cd's. Most recently, my psychiatrist put me on a higher dose of ambien (zolpidem) and was confident that would work. No such luck. I am going to discuss next week with my pulmonologist. I have been using a CPAP for about 4 years. Do I need to do something else? Could I have a different sleep disorder? At some times, I've been tempted to walk into the ER and ask to be admitted to "knock me out" for a night. DON'T GIVE UP...I'm sure there is an answer out there.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:45 pm

Don't you give up either - sounds like you've had a rough time.

echo · Post by **echo** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:39 pm

wow, guess i'm definintely not alone in this one. I mean temporary insomnia is one thing when you're stressed, but this is something else altogether.

I just read somewhere (damn brain, it was on science.com or something...?) that people that certain people were more likely to have delayed sleep phase syndrome. uuuurgh, which people you may ask? i have to find the link back.... sigh.

i'm in belgium, and they require prescriptions on the oddest things, and i think melatonin is one of them...

echo · Post by **echo** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:42 pm

found the link!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 072156.htm

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome Linked To Irregular Menstrual Cycles, Premenstrual Symptoms In Women

ScienceDaily (June 13, 2008) — Women with delayed sleep phase syndrome are more likely to report irregular menstrual cycles and premenstrual symptoms, according to a research abstract that will be presented on June 10 at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).

(for more click the link above)

sorry for the excess info, but that fits my profile perfectly!!!

so i dunno how many of you who responded are women, but maybe this is a possibility?

and as for treatment...??

insomnia rant (OT)

insomnia rant (OT)

I feel for you