Insomnia troubles.

[DCSL]

I haven't had much sleep lately. Very very little. It's not a new thing for me, just goes in cycles. I've been an insomniac since I was a teenager, with varying degrees of severity that don't seem to depend on anything I can see.

However, this is only the third time it's gotten this bad. I'm starting to see things. Here're some examples.

I watched a woman with the head and paws of a red-nosed pitbull smooth a smear of liquid base under her eye through my rearview mirror in the car behind me. A car drove past me at the light and it looked like no one at all was in it.

The worst part of it has been seeing these tall white men in black suits, fedoras, and black gloves, though. I see them striding past the edges of my vision or far away, so I can never really see the faces. I'll be driving and see one of them standing next to a dumpster in the parking lot by the road, staring at me for as long as I stare at him.

All of these things go away when I look away from them and look back again, of course, and all the while when I'm seeing them, I'm telling myself that it's not real. I know it's not real. But still, it's creepy.

I haven't been drinking and I haven't taken any drugs of any kind, legal or otherwise, except for painkillers for headaches and muscle aches and stuff. This is pure lack of sleep talking.

Anyone else have experiences with insomnia and insomnia-induced hallucinations? Any remedies? Keep in mind that chemicals don't work very well on me for some reason. Sleep aids only work once a month on me, at the very soonest. If I try to take one sooner than a month in the future, it does nothing.

[Fallen]

I have two suggestions.

1. An hour of cardiovascular exercise, nothing horrendously intense. I would suggest swimming laps, or riding an recumbent bike. Something like that, then a warm, hot shower and hit the hay. Make sure it is dark and quiet.

2. Sex. I have no idea if you have a partner, but I know it always helped me fall right to sleep. If not, well...try the next best thing.

[Back]

I have two suggestions.

1. An hour of cardiovascular exercise, nothing horrendously intense. I would suggest swimming laps, or riding an recumbent bike. Something like that, then a warm, hot shower and hit the hay. Make sure it is dark and quiet.

2. Sex. I have no idea if you have a partner, but I know it always helped me fall right to sleep. If not, well...try the next best thing.

Plus... a 12 pack and The History Channel.

Kidding aside, try what Fallen said and maybe add a glass of wine with dinner.

[Ignot]

Any remedies?


Sex.
I call dibs.

[LMingrone]

I've had insomnia (mild case) my whole life. I sleep maybe five-six hours a night. And it's usually only an hour or two at a time.
I wake myself up thinking I'm going to be late for work most of the time. Don't really hallucinate, but my dreams feel real, and they wake me up.

The only things that get me to sleep: Tiring myself out with lots of exercise, as Fallen has said above, sex, medicine (I don't like to take any kind of medicine, unless it's Percs or something, but that doesn't help at all for sleeping), and drinking LOTS.

I usually go with the last option, but, it's not exactly the best option. It just worsens the problem over time. I'm so used to sleeping very little, that I kind of just got used to it.

[Ignot]

Does diet have anything to do with it?

[LMingrone]

He's not eating enough tranqualizers.

[DCSL]

When I get really tired, a few days into the cycle of it, I barely eat anything. Crackers. Maybe a burger. Spaghetti, if my boyfriend happens to make some. Sometimes I try stuffing myself in the vain hope that becoming food-sleepy will lead to actual sleep. Sadly, sleepiness doesn't equate to sleep.

I have a fairly physically demanding couple of jobs so I do go home physically exhausted usually. Wrestling with mastiffs people never thought would need leash-training can really take it out of ya'. And I have school on top of that.

I've tried sex. It works sometimes. Rarely. And it's not really fun when I feel half dead. By the time it gets this bad, I can function, but don't ask for quick reactions, witty responses, or anything that involves real effort. It would be like fucking a corpse at this point, I think, so I wouldn't ask that of my boyfriend, heh.

Drinking heavily can also help sometimes, I guess, if I drink enough to just flat pass out.

The problem for me is that nothing works consistently, just like the chemicals. It's like my body thinks I'm trying to trick it and it's telling me it's wise to it. Argh.

[DCSL]

She's not eating enough tranqualizers.

Fixed.

Maybe I can lift some ketamine from school.

[Ignot]

Maybe your depressed or stressed and you don't realize it.:shrug:

[DCSL]

I would pick stress, because I AM stressed. I just spent over a thousand dollars in bills, car-fixing and car-renting fees, and loans to a friend who has a baby and needs to get her electricity and gas turned back on.

But I also think that my ability to deal with the stress is seriously impaired by lack of sleep at this point. I'm closer to tears occasionally out of sheer exhaustion but other times I can't work up the energy to react at all. Apathy grips me a lot of the time.

Unfortunately, I'm not always stressed out when insomnia starts. Nothing bad at all could be happening in my life (not to say that nothing at all is happening, that is) and I'll still lie awake for no reason.

[diethx]

Fixed.

Maybe I can lift some ketamine from school.

Just don't fall into a hole, that won't help at all.

[Tea & Strumpets]

If Fallen will forgive me for grossly exaggerating his advice, I will agree with him that the answer to all your problems is a schlong.

[Fallen]

If Fallen will forgive me for grossly exaggerating his advice, I will agree with him that the answer to all your problems is a schlong.

Forgiven on grounds of comedic value.

[The Ponzzz]

I use to suffer from insomnia pretty bad when I was a teenager up until I about 22-23. I never wanted to sleep, nor did I feel too tired, but even if I tried to sleep, I couldn't (knowing that I should, that is).

Now, I find myself not wanting to sleep until super late, no matter what time I wake up, but I want to get 8 hours in regardless. Really screws with me, because I can't physically stay up till 5am and wake up at 8am. I feel like I'm very badly programmed.

[Ashlander]

Might've been mentioned and I just missed it, but you might want to try getting up and reading a book or exercising for a bit instead of just laying down and trying to fall asleep. I know when I get hit with insomnia the more I try to lay still and fall asleep the worse it gets.

[Sean of the Thread]

Well my stress is being handled .. and usual lack of sleep by a heavy does of Librium (just not the last couple days since I was binging with a buddy).

Anyways I had very similar experiences when I had concussions. That and I had my last concussion right about the time she was leaving. I kept hearing her CLEAR AS DAY bitching at me about something or yelling at me... crystal clear.

I'd go out to the living room and say what the fuck did I do now just to find her completely asleep on the couch. So I thought she was fucking with me so I went into the hallway and just closed the bedroom door and sat in the hallway and watched. Nothing.

Anyways lack of sleep will cause you to hear and see things it doesn't mean you're crazy and I just went through a couple weeks of it.

I was freaked out enough to call a RN over it and she said I'm fine and it's rather common.

I still hear my kids playing off in the distance once in a while but she said that's also common in a situation like mine.. a residual or something.

Best of luck darlin

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

How long do you go without sleeping, Dex? And once you do sleep, do you crash for a very long time?

[kallindra]

I haven't seen anyone else suggest it, but you might try going to a pschologist... sometimes the stress of trying to get to sleep itself can really fuck you up, even when there are no other stresses in you life.

Also set up a pre-sleep routine (have tea, brush teeth, read a book (no TV or computer), make sure you're relaxed, lay down, breathing excercise...)

Just possibilities.

[Kyra231]

I would pick stress, because I AM stressed. I just spent over a thousand dollars in bills, car-fixing and car-renting fees, and loans to a friend who has a baby and needs to get her electricity and gas turned back on.

But I also think that my ability to deal with the stress is seriously impaired by lack of sleep at this point. I'm closer to tears occasionally out of sheer exhaustion but other times I can't work up the energy to react at all. Apathy grips me a lot of the time.

Unfortunately, I'm not always stressed out when insomnia starts. Nothing bad at all could be happening in my life (not to say that nothing at all is happening, that is) and I'll still lie awake for no reason.

I've had insomnia for a damn long time too & even when I have no reason for it(stress, lack of sex, etc), there it is.

Strangely when I was on put on an antidepressant in an attempt to help with my tmj, I slept better than I ever have. Serotonin was a temporary cure anyway, if I'd been able to tolerate the side effects I may have taken the things forever just so I could sleep more.

Other than that I have no good ideas other than some warm milk with a bit of ginger, it really doesn't seem to help much but I guess it has a slight placebo effect.

Good luck & have you talked to your dr about this? I always find second opinions if they only want to throw drugs at you & leave the room instead of testing for other problems.

[TheLastShamurai]

if you live in a green state, try weed.

[LMingrone]

Fixed.

Maybe I can lift some ketamine from school.

Damn, I'm sorry. I'm a moron. It's a habit to say "he" on any forum. I should be less sexist.

Another option: I have a good friend who had the same problem. She went to "relaxation courses". It's kind of a form of yoga. Worked very well for her. Didn't work for me, but it's always an option.

[Vesi]

I haven't read the whole thread to see if you've tried this or someone else suggested it, but my daughter was having trouble sleeping and she bought some tea. She said she only woke up once the entire night. I went and got it out of the cabinet and it's called Organic Nighty Night. I'm sure one of the other teas out there would have worked just as well, but she is drinking it like every other night now.

Alcohol really doesn't give you the type of sleep you need and continued use can make insomia worse. You might pass out but you don't ever reach your REM sleep. I know there have been times when I've done the same when I couldn't sleep, but as a constant solution to your problem, I don't think that's the answer. A glass or so of wine isn't what I'm talking about. I think that might be good. (red wine)

Hope you get some rest. Going without sleep is bad enough without seeing things. The odd part about what you do see (in my opinion) is the same things over and over. That part does sound creepy. (like wooooo ghost creepy)

Good luck.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I haven't read the whole thread to see if you've tried this or someone else suggested it, but my daughter was having trouble sleeping and she bought some tea. She said she only woke up once the entire night. I went and got it out of the cabinet and it's called Organic Nighty Night. I'm sure one of the other teas out there would have worked just as well, but she is drinking it like every other night now.

Alcohol really doesn't give you the type of sleep you need and continued use can make insomia worse. You might pass out but you don't ever reach your REM sleep. I know there have been times when I've done the same when I couldn't sleep, but as a constant solution to your problem, I don't think that's the answer. A glass or so of wine isn't what I'm talking about. I think that might be good. (red wine)

Hope you get some rest. Going without sleep is bad enough without seeing things. The odd part about what you do see (in my opinion) is the same things over and over. That part does sound creepy. (like wooooo ghost creepy)

Good luck.

All good advice, and I'd also recommend going to see a doctor.

Drunk sleep is not restful or good sleep.

Sex seems like a good idea, but it works different for women than men. There's a reason why 10 minutes later we're ready for more and the guy is like, "Bitch, where is my sandwich?"

[thefarmer]

Sandwich or sleep about sums it up.

[Stanley Burrell]

All I can think of is to post Kid's Story from the Animatrix:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6508469792190866938

[DCSL]

Lessee... the length of time I go without sleep varies. The longest I've gone without sleep of ANY kind was five days or so. Generally, my insomnia let's me get SOME sleep. Like, I'll get two hours a night, maybe. If I'm lucky. But I'll also wake up repeatedly during those two hours, interrupting the REM cycle.

Heck, I wake up a lot even without my insomnia. Not to go to the bathroom or because there're noises... I just do. I haven't had a night of sleep without waking up a few times in years and years. Maybe I got one when I was nineteen? I think. Anyway, five, six, seven times a night waking up is not unusual for me.

I'm not a big tea drinker but I'll give something of that sort a shot.

I have been to a doctor about it. He recommended I do a sleep study. But my insurance didn't cover it and it can be really expensive. =\ My insurance these days may cover it so I'll look into it. The only other thing he did was try me on Ambien or Lunesta.. I forget which. Whichever it was, it didn't work.

As for setting up a routine... Hm. I do pretty much the same things before bed every day. Almost, anyway. Sit down on the couch with the laptop to read email, take the dogs out for a last potty break, brush teeth, and then lay in bed to read Calvin & Hobbes, Mutts, or The Boondocks comics for a little while before turning out the light. Happens at different times but it's the same general routine.

Can't remember what else was asked...

[Methais]

I haven't had much sleep lately. Very very little. It's not a new thing for me, just goes in cycles. I've been an insomniac since I was a teenager, with varying degrees of severity that don't seem to depend on anything I can see.

However, this is only the third time it's gotten this bad. I'm starting to see things. Here're some examples.

I watched a woman with the head and paws of a red-nosed pitbull smooth a smear of liquid base under her eye through my rearview mirror in the car behind me. A car drove past me at the light and it looked like no one at all was in it.

The worst part of it has been seeing these tall white men in black suits, fedoras, and black gloves, though. I see them striding past the edges of my vision or far away, so I can never really see the faces. I'll be driving and see one of them standing next to a dumpster in the parking lot by the road, staring at me for as long as I stare at him.

All of these things go away when I look away from them and look back again, of course, and all the while when I'm seeing them, I'm telling myself that it's not real. I know it's not real. But still, it's creepy.

I haven't been drinking and I haven't taken any drugs of any kind, legal or otherwise, except for painkillers for headaches and muscle aches and stuff. This is pure lack of sleep talking.

Anyone else have experiences with insomnia and insomnia-induced hallucinations? Any remedies? Keep in mind that chemicals don't work very well on me for some reason. Sleep aids only work once a month on me, at the very soonest. If I try to take one sooner than a month in the future, it does nothing.

http://www.dwingdwang.com/images/2007/09/dwingdwang_massive_huge_joint_weed_chronic_marijua na_pot_hot_girl_smoking_smoke_cigarette_sexy_babe_ burning_blazing.jpg

[Back]

Ways to get a good nights sleep.

Have a schedule.

Eat a decent dinner. Not too little, not too much. (Have an adult beverage with dinner but not too much)

Work a full day.

Work out at the end of your day.

Stay hydrated.

Have sex. (with or without a partner)

Read before bed.

Have a comfortable atmosphere, bed and bed clothing.



Things you should not do if you want to get a good nights sleep.

Snorting coke.

Diet pills or speed.

Trying to simulate sleep through some drug program.*

Gaming until the wee hours.

Engaging in any activity that stimulates the brain rather than the body before bedtime.**



* One or two adult beverages is healthy. Artificial sleep pills are not. (IMHO)

** Like Sudoku.

[Killer Kitten]

I've suffered from insomnia for over 4 years. Ambien CR literally saved my life.

[Sean of the Thread]

I know Ambien has a lot of side effects that I didn't want to try it.

Instead they've got me on librium and it seems to help but I still don't sleep for shit. Toss and turn hardly any dreams/REM to speak of but the Librium did help a lot.

Worked better when I first got on it but I take 75-100mg a day now. We slowly upped it to get rid of the anxiety and slow my screaming heart rate down.

No side effects that I've experienced other than making the mistake to drink on it. Not smart.

[MotleyCrew]

Definitely look into the dream clinic thing. You're at the stage where you need medical attention. You are seeing things when you drive, that is scary dangerous.

Anyone who knows me, knows I never sleep. (hehe, thats not true, but I sleep very little usually) Teas can be very helpful, try a few different ones as they can vary greatly. I use one by Bigelow called Sweet Dreams, and it works for me usually, however it doesn't for my husband. He uses one from Celestial Seasonings, Sleepy Time Extra, which contains valerian root, a natural sleep enhancive.

Your job(s) sound quite physically taxing, so perhaps look into trying a pain reliever/sleep aid combo. I usually only take one, although they recommend two, it helps me sleep better when I do sleep, and usually longer. I only take one though, because I find I sleep much to deeply on two, and it can make me cotton headed the next day.

Best of luck to you. I know where you've been, it can be terribly frustrating.

[TheEschaton]

Shit, maybe we need to average our sleep, DC, cause I can't sleep less than 8 fucking hours, and I've got shit to do.

-TheE-

[radamanthys]

Rozerem is like Melatonin on steroids. (Even melatonin is nice). Just be careful not to stay in the dark too long the next day, or you might get sleepy- at least that's what happens to me.

Put your blanket in the dryer before you go to bed. That shit is comfy as hell.

[kallindra]

From what you're saying... you seriously need to try the sleep study. You may suffer from sleep apnea, which WILL cause you to wake up because you literally stop breathing during sleep, not to meantion it will make what sleep you do get virtually worthless because you're not getting enough oxygen into your system.

Very good chance it will be expensive, and it will probably be the most annoying night of your life.

[DCSL]

When I said in the first post that chemicals don't work very well on me, this is what I meant. Ambien or Lunesta, whichever I tried, did nothing to me. Pot does nothing to me, as in, nothing about me altered in any way the few times I've tried it, either from my own observations or those around me. It takes me the equivalent of seven shots of hard liquor to get drunk. Five to get a buzz. I have endometriosis and it can be pretty damn painful but I can't just take Apirin for it. No, I have to have a narcotic, codeine, and a lot of it.

I don't know why my body seems so resistant to outside interference but it's a real pain in the ass. Painkillers, sleep aids, depressants, stimulants and things of that nature seem to do the worst with me. When I take anything like that, it generally has to be a lot of it.

The doctor that tried me on the sleep aid and failed and recommended the sleep clinic told me that when I really need to rest, he's authorized a triple dose of an over-the-counter sleep aid. I do that every once in a while and that's all I CAN do it. If I try to take another sleep aid within a month or so of the last time I took one, it has no effect.

So, I'll TRY the teas but... for people who are routine tea drinkers, it may have a soothing quality that it does not have for me. I tend to drink tea only when I'm sick and then it's loads of black tea with honey, which wouldn't help since that has so much caffeine in it.

I think the sleep clinic is my best bet. I've considered sleep apnea and I hope it's something easily diagnosed like that and not some weird complicated brain irregularity, or something. If my job's insurance won't pay for it even after I explain that I might hurt a dog if I don't have it, maybe I can badger my mother into giving me a loan for it.

I actually got four hours of sleep last night! I mean.. not solid sleep. But I slept. I felt almost awake today. We'll see if I can obtain similar results tonight.

[radamanthys]

I've got the same resistance issue- nothing really works on me, either.

Might as well go out and pick up a bottle of melatonin, give that a try. It's fundamentally different than an ambien or lunesta. It won't cure ya, but it might help in the interim.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Melatonin didn't work for me, so I'm doing a sleep study in the next 3 months or so. Right now it's still ambien (which works awesome to GET to sleep), just not staying asleep.

[LMingrone]

Five days without sleep? That's not good. I'd see a doctor before accepting any of our advice. The problem is finding a good doctor. I've been given Ambien, Klonopin(sp?), and Tramazapan by doctors. Plus other drugs I can't remember. Now I refuse to even take an Aspirin.

1/4 of a Tramazapan would knock me the fuck out. My sister, (She's blind, so that's a whole other set of problems) who also has problems with sleeping, is now up to 2+ pills to fall asleep. That is NOT good.

Really the best advice is to find a good doctor.

[Stanley Burrell]

Right now, if you checked yourself in for hallucinations + lack of sleep, I'm imagining that you'd probably be given an atypical like Zyprexa or Seroquel. Only thing is, you'd be on a nightly dose; whereas on an outpatient basis, any doctor would tell you it would be okay to take them PRN (vs. daily) for sleep.

Drink less caffeine and/or stop your nicotine habits? Although, you can probably digest 300mg of caffeine and wear two or three nicotine patches. Then take some Zyprexa, Seroquel, Risperdal, etceter0rz -- And then sleep for 14 hours after your dynorphinergic GABA neurons work more betterly.

[Vesi]

Now that I don't have to work any longer, I don't worry about my sleep as much. I still have problems, but if I have no major plans for the next day, then I'm fine if I don't sleep. If I go several days without sleep, I will take Benedryl or Tylenol PM. I've had Ambien before, but it kept me awake for some odd reason. What works for one person doesn't work for everyone.

Now, if I were having the problems DSCL is having, I'd definitely see a doctor (she has said she's seen one) before I'd start popping any pills. (since you can get lots of stuff over the counter) I know you don't care much for the teas, but give them a try. Most of them are safe, just check what's in them because some people can have reactions to certain herbs/flowers. (which I'm sure you know) Sometimes the teas help me and sometimes they don't. They are doing wonders for my daughter though, which is good because she's very anti-pill.

I really do hope something on here helps. There's nothing worse than trying to function without sleep day after day. I truly feel bad for someone when they can't sleep. I know how miserable it can be.

Edited to add: I know this has been said also, but let me reiterate, if you can't sleep DON'T stay in the bed or even in the bedroom. Make sure your room is as cold as you can stand it (this really does help) and also take some calcium and magnesium supplements. They are supposed to help also. I've even heard eating a banana can help.

DISCLAIMER: Since this IS the PC, the banana I want her to eat is a REAL fruit banana. I've been around here for 6 years, so I knew I'd better clarify my banana comment.

[Sean of the Thread]

Lol this did remind me of my first trip up to TN with my ex. She insisted on driving first shift since I had worked all day and we were leaving at night so the rough stretch would be in the daylight.

Well it was only about 5 hours into it and she said... Hey look at that leprechaun fishing over there.

I was like .. pull the fuck over it's my turn. Hahah.

[diethx]

Lol this did remind me of my first trip up to TN with my ex. She insisted on driving first shift since I had worked all day and we were leaving at night so the rough stretch would be in the daylight.

Well it was only about 5 hours into it and she said... Hey look at that leprechaun fishing over there.

I was like .. pull the fuck over it's my turn. Hahah.

She could've been right. There are leprechauns in the south.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8


















Or maybe it was a crackhead.

[Xeromist]

Alcohol may help make you drowsy and relaxed, but it will interfere with the ability to fall into deeper sleeping states.

I had some sleeping issues in the past where I'd wake up freaking out about what time it was--it didn't matter WHAT time it was, I just would. I never figured out why, but I eventually wound up covering up all the clocks in my room before bed, so I couldn't look at them and start freaking out whenever I'd wake up. It worked. You'll just want to triple check that you set your alarm correctly before you cover up the clock and trust they'll wake you up, though. I slept a bit easier after that. I dunno if that happens to you at all or not with your sleep disturbances; it could be worth a shot.

[Clove]

1 Benedryl 30 minutes before bed.

[DCSL]

Benadryl doesn't do anything for me in the drowsiness department. It's just a regular non-drowsy antihistamine to me. When I lived in Texas, I had some serious allergy problems. I used to have to take antihistamines and decongestants every day during some seasons and I functioned perfectly well.

I hate bananas. Bleh. Damn them for their much-needed potassium!

I'm kind of getting out of the insomnia cycle right now so the experiments with some things might have to wait, although I guess I can still see if they help me wake up less during the night.

[Clove]

Benadryl is subtle. Try it.

[Ignot]

So how long have you been up since your last sleep?

[DeV]

Something you can start doing right away is keeping a sleep diary. Stress is major a contributor to insomnia so you might want to consider stressful events going on in your life right now as possible indicators. Nutrition should be factored into the diary which can sometimes help determine if your nutrition, in addition to any other factors, is aiding to your sleep loss. I hope everything works out for you, keep us updated.

[Incognito]

I've got a friend that uses Valerian root to help her sleep.

Here's some more info on it:
Valarian Root (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_(herb))

[Clove]

Go psycho. Take some Valarian root and St. John's Wort with some Chamomile tea.

And a Benadryl.

[Clove]

Mmmmm Insomnia cocktail. Vodka tonic, 1 tablet each of Benedryl and Melatonin. If that doesn't make your ass soporific in an hour nothing will.