Insomnia Help...
 

Do any of you guys suffer from insomnia? I have had trouble falling asleep (and occassionally staying asleep) my entire life. My question is, what do you guys do to fight it? I have gone five days without falling asleep before 5:30 AM, and I still have to function during the day! At the moment I am brain-dead and struggling my way through a final paper... help me please!

This sounds odd, but read recipes - they are very brainless and soothing. Or try making lists in your head of your CD's, people in your biology class, etc....you're concentrating trying to think of that and it takes your mind off whatever troubles are keeping you awake.

This sort of relates to 33's "brainless" thought. I find a novel I've already read, and start reading it again. Works for me.

I think the important thing is to stop all of the other ideas running through your mind. At least that's what generally keeps me awake.

What is it that keeps you up at night? I'm always kept awake by thinking about what I have to do the next day, so I write it down and that clears my head. Try writing out your worries, whatever you think about at night.

33girl is right on about making lists...when I was a kid I learned the A My Name is Alice game, and I swear, I've never gotten past L when I'm trying to fall asleep.

Doing yoga might help you to relax. Also, try lying in bed and imagine each individual body part relaxing completely on its own...start with your toes individually, then your ankles, and so on.

I do want to add...DON'T READ BOOKS. If you read in an effort to fall asleep, you will associate reading with sleep, and that will cause problems later. That's why the idea of a children's bedtime story doesn't work, they associate reading with unconsciousness.

nucutiepie-

hate to say it, but you sound like me. and i have had chronic insomnia, doctor diagnosed, for about 6 years now.

these little "gimmicks" to fall asleep will not, i repeat NOT help if you have the same medical condition as i have. actually, reading is the BEST thing you can do. but don't read a scary, sad or other emotional book. do NOT watch tv or go on the computer.

you need to seek medical attention ASAP. that's what i did and it was the best thing i could have done.

my doctor also has insomnia and i take the same medicine as he does.

feel free to PM me and i will help in any way that i can. trust me, i have a lot to offer on the situation.

-cash

I'll lend you some of my physics texts that I have had to read over the years. :D

Seriously, what works for me is to clear my mind of *everything*. I try my best to stop thinking when I get into bed. In fact, I try not to think about not thinking when I get into bed. I relax my muscles, and within minutes I'm in lala land. Like someone else mentioned, if I start to think about things while I'm lying there, I will never fall alseep.

That being said, I have never suffered from chronic insomnia, so you may want to see your doctor.

I feel for ya, I cannnot sleep until 3 or 4 am. I still get up and function on 4-5 hours of sleep. I have cut out caffine for the past 5months and it hasn't helped. I read, watch TV....clean.....nothing really does it for me either, but B&BW has a night time rub that you put on your neck and chest and sometimes that helps me and it comes in fun smells too!

I only really have MAJOR problems falling asleep when I'm stressed out or very emotional. However, I do suffer from frequent and very disturbing (yet horribly odd) nightmares that wake me up during the night and keep me from getting back to sleep. I've found that it's not stress related like the insomnia is but seems to strike without warning. Does anyone else have these frequently (at least 3 times a week)?

~Emmi