Crazy Insomnia

[AOPIHottie]

Ok, so I have not slept in almost a week. I have a somewhat stressful job, I am a restaurant manager in a medium volume restaurant. I really dislike my general manager. I work inconsistant hours. Open (6 am-5/6pm) or close(3pm-11/12) or mid(9 am-7/8pm). My financials are ok. All my bills are paid, I paid off my car 2 weeks ago, and my boyfriend and I are very happy-live together for 2 years. But I just cant sleep at night. Like i get in bed around 10 and lay awake until 1 or 2, sleep for about an hour, then wake up and lay there until the alarm goes off. Its been about 6/7 days since I have slept through the night.

I took a muscle relaxer last night, just so I could get some sort of sleep, but I cant do that forever. Any one got any tips???

Blah....my life is actually pretty good except for work.

[FHwku]

i guess you've googled it or resolved it by now?

here are some, in case you didn't. El Linko

the pills help (but not over the counter ones.) there's always a fear of addiction though.
or lots of sex.

sometimes i wake up, and i feel like i gotta get up. the gnomes poke my legs until i stand up.

[RACooper]

FHwku thanks for posting the link... any advice on sleeping that doesn't involve medication is always welcome (as would actual sleep)

[James]

I would say two things . . . :

Natural Calm, its a quickly absorbed magnesium supplement.

http://www.naturalcalm.net/importance.shtml

It should end the restlessness and if you take it during the day it will keep you overall calmer. 90-95 percent of people are magnesium deficient which can cause an over reaction to stressors.

l-theanine

l-theanine is the ingredient in green tea that makes you people feel relaxed but still alert. I recomend it for general relaxation and destressing. Take it like 4-5 hours before you go to bed and it helps. It won't put you to sleep but it will relax you.

http://www.vrp.com/art/889.asp

Another trick is to get 1mg sustained release melatonin tablets. Take half of one about 4 hours before you want to go to bed and maybe the other half right before . . . it will mimic the bodies natural sleep-shutdown pattern.

Try not to take it more than a few days in a row though because you probably have normal melatonin levels and continous use will probably make you feel drowsy.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally posted by AOPIHottie
Ok, so I have not slept in almost a week. I have a somewhat stressful job, I am a restaurant manager in a medium volume restaurant. I really dislike my general manager. I work inconsistant hours. Open (6 am-5/6pm) or close(3pm-11/12) or mid(9 am-7/8pm). My financials are ok. All my bills are paid, I paid off my car 2 weeks ago, and my boyfriend and I are very happy-live together for 2 years. But I just cant sleep at night. Like i get in bed around 10 and lay awake until 1 or 2, sleep for about an hour, then wake up and lay there until the alarm goes off. Its been about 6/7 days since I have slept through the night.

I took a muscle relaxer last night, just so I could get some sort of sleep, but I cant do that forever. Any one got any tips???

Blah....my life is actually pretty good except for work.

How are things working out for you?

[aggieAXO]

I take ambien quite often though it can be addictive but it works. Also, consider melatonin.

[luvtoscrap]

If you are taking any prescription medications you might want to check with your Dr.-sometimes meds can have some bad side effect. One of my son's had that problem with Zoloff-he did not sleep for about six weeks. Funny thing he was not taking it for depression but to help with migraines. He said he would rather have the migraines then the lack of sleep.

Hope you get some Zzzzzz's soon

[Dionysus]

Magnesium supplements make me sleep like a baby. It takes a few days to work though.

[TNPhiMu]

Originally posted by aggieAXO
I take ambien quite often though it can be addictive but it works. Also, consider melatonin.

Melatonin worked really well for me a couple years ago. It's a pretty natural sleep and I never felt crappy(at least from the medicine) in the AM

[honeychile]

I'm going to be the voice of dissent about Ambien. I've known several friends and clients who have taken it, and they have had some pretty funky results. One thought he was watering the garden (he was urinating into the clothes hamper), one mistook her lingerie drawer for the commode (and had a MAJOR bm!), several sleepwalked - I could go on and on.

Stick with the melatonin and/or tranquilizers!

[33girl]

Originally posted by honeychile
I'm going to be the voice of dissent about Ambien.

Me too, I had a friend who took it and it just made them depressed and didn't help their sleep at ALL.