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sleepless in the U S

poet Anonymous

I drank the passionflower, ate a banana, listened to some relaxing music, watched romantic love scenes on youtube, and still I can't sleep.
This thread is for anyone (not just U S residents) who are insomniacs. When you're awake in the middle of the night, what do you do besides get on the computer and ramble to yourself?

PS I'm not that lonely that I want a troll to engage me on this thread. Just warm people. I'm okay with fuzzy folks too :)

schizodude
a voice from the void
Fire of Insight
United States 2awards
Joined 14th Feb 2011
Forum Posts: 178

Depending on the night sometimes I'll just read for as long as I can and then go on walks to help me think. Other times I just sit there and wonder why am I still awake

poet Anonymous

I read a bit, but I'm better with visuals (videos) than text. Sometimes I spend so much time reading that when I DO fall asleep a few mins, all my dreams are just in text!  

It's not a good idea for a woman to walk in the night in my neighborhood. I've trouble just walking to the kitchen when I've not had sleep. lol

Grace
IDryad
Tyrant of Words
122awards
Joined 25th Aug 2011
Forum Posts: 16070

Holly...I live in South East Asia. I am usually sleepless too. Sometimes I play computer games or just read or watch a movie. It helps most time.

poet Anonymous

I hear ya, Grace. I watch movies but usually don't have the attention span to do it in one sitting. I watch in increments of half hour to forty five mins at a time.

I don't usually fret about insomnia, as it has been part of my life for years. I think I really need to converse more with others/interact more with others. I get too deep into my own thoughts too much.

Sheesh. I called the police station just to have someone to talk to. After 5 minutes, I just felt like I was imposing on the cop and said "I'm sorry. You probably have work to do," and though he said "It's okay. I do get calls from people who just want to talk," I still just thanked him for listening for a moment, then I hung up.

The psychiatrist appt is a frickin month away...Shame I have to pay someone just to get conversations going on how to improve my life again. (I haven't had to do that for about 18 years. Now I decided I need some direction back to getting some kind of life...)

Grace
IDryad
Tyrant of Words
122awards
Joined 25th Aug 2011
Forum Posts: 16070

We could chat, Holly. Here if you want. Its daytime me, and night time you. Its good to talk, even if its only about mundane stuff like how to make the perfect cupcake...of muffins. I love muffins but couldn't bake to save my life. Or talk about the latest Stephen King book...does he have any out yet? But you know what I mean...:)

MadameLavender
Guardian of Shadows
United States 86awards
Joined 17th Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 5594

I usually wake up a couple of times each night, having to pee my brains out.....it's a post-menopausal, lack of hormones thing, I think.  LOL

poet Anonymous

Thanks Grace. I'll be on and off as usual, all hours day and night.

Crazy things come out of my head and mouth when I lack sleep. They make strange nonsense poems, which, (when I'm really sleepy) make me laugh. Maybe others who can laugh easily will find them one night...

(Madame, only a couple times? I have a bladder the size of a pea. I get up about four-six times to relieve it. But then I stay in bed for longer than eight hrs.)

Naturally_SpokeN
Strange Creature
United States
Joined 1st May 2015
Forum Posts: 15

Sparkle Razz, try sleeping in a different spot, like the couch or floor. I use to be the same way but laying in different areas help me sleep.

MadameLavender
Guardian of Shadows
United States 86awards
Joined 17th Feb 2013
Forum Posts: 5594

Have you tried a bit of white noise, like putting a fan in your sleeping area?  Sometimes a constant "noise" or low hum, helps.  My daughter can't sleep without a fan going so that's always worth a try.  :)

PsycoticMastermind
Thought Provoker
United States 2awards
Joined 20th Mar 2015
Forum Posts: 209

You could always start an Insomnia Competition. Helpful information, perhaps even solutions might rise to the surface from the DUP collective subconscious. Or I might just be talking out of my ass.

hemihead
hemi
Dangerous Mind
New Zealand 13awards
Joined 1st Nov 2010
Forum Posts: 1749

Insommia...mostly a myth and/or a whole bunch of poor lifestyle choices.

In sleep studies it is found that insomniacs report getting far less sleep than they actually do get, and it is the actual stressing about not sleeping that causes the problems. If you are not tripping/falling asleep all the time, you are probably fine.

Next thing, you only need a few hours in deep sleep a night, and the rest can be just lying quietly in a relaxed state, so not being asleep doesn't matter. The stressing about it matters though, so relax.

Your body takes sleep cues from the light receptors in your eyes, so you should avoid bright light when trying to sleep. This is where cellphone screens, computers, TV's etc all work against you. Even a very short exposure to a bright light source tricks your brain this way, so switch shit off and leave it.

Avoid stimulants, including sugar, caffeine (tea/coffee/energy drinks)and fatty or high energy foods for at least 4 hours before bed....longer really, but most will cry when they read even 4 hours.

Exercise...in all my years of physical work in the forestry and in construction, and then on sail boats, I never met an insomniac. If you go to bed fucked, trust me, you'll sleep.

Your circadian system is based very much on habit. GO to bed at the same time as much as you can, and get up at the same time.

All if these methods are proven and well established, and you're welcome, you sleepless fucks.

poet Anonymous

Thanks guys. I had typed a response for each post here in this box, but then lost the connection with the site for some reason. It's happened a few times the past three days.
So briefly, before I lose the page again:

I catnap everywhere, when I can. It's the deep sleep that I don't think I get much of.

White noise. check, I have fan. but I can't stop getting up when hubby's Cpap machine squeals or the mask falls off his face. Sometimes he pulls it off his face in his sleep and I have to get up to help him fix it. I don't want him to quit breathing. (He has sleep apnea).

Sleep clinic: Been there done that years ago, to see if I had sleep apnea. I don't. But I snore much, so I went back to them a couple months ago. Decided I wouldn't do the test again, once the doc told me he'd give me a whopper of a sleeping pill to run the test. NAWWWW!!! I don't believe the pill would have shown them any of the probs I have during sleep!! First, It was three times stronger than most pills for sleep, and would have blown the waking cycles (natural rhythmns of sleep-wake pattern I have). How is that making record of what happens when I sleep NATURALLY? I have no wish to start taking their knock out pills for ANY length of time.

Yes, I stay away from stimulants and depressants that interfere with sleep. I do need more exercise though. I think I wear myself out from unrelieved stress more than overexertion.

Thanks for the chatter, people.:)



Astyanax
Ceejay
Fire of Insight
United Kingdom 9awards
Joined 23rd Feb 2010
Forum Posts: 748

I flick the radio on for half an hour. In the UK, we have several speech stations running through the night, particularly BBC World Service, which tends to be very worthy and very boring. A few minutes about irrigation in India or the state of the Tanzanian health service usually sends me off.

poet Anonymous

After running around all day yesterday , staring at antiques in stores and garden flowers and sweet shop items (which I chose not to buy), I came home exhausted, watched half a movie, hit the bed at my regular time...and got about five hrs solid, uninterrupted sleep.  I haven't done that in years.

Who would have guessed that focusing on the visual of a gun pushed between Adam Sandler's buns would be the trick to send my mind into dreamland?

(The scene is in "Bulletproof" movie)

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