Posted on 06/17/2016 3:42:13 PM PDT by West Texas Chuck
I've had issues with sleep for a lot of my life, off and on. Currently I have the "can't stay asleep, can't go back to sleep" form of what my doctor has diagnosed as insomnia. Mild to moderate Sleep Apnea appears to be at least a contributory factor.
It's not like cancer or a serious disease, to be sure, but insomnia is something that can make your life very unhappy. Maybe you can't get started in the morning, maybe you can't stay awake after lunch, it can manifest in several ways.
I have had a lot of trouble sleeping through the night for the last couple of years and it finally got inside my head so bad I went to the doctor. He sent me to a sleep specialist who had me take a "sleep study." My insurance wouldn't cover an "attended" study in the Sleep Lab at the hospital so I had to just pick up this device and bring it home and do it in my own environment. The device records brain waves and snoring events for the doctor to use to diagnose your condition, and then prescribe some form of treatment. I always knew I snore but had no idea I have 32 snoring events per hour. It may be that is what wakes me up, but that is not what keeps me awake. My brain, once awake, goes into full active mode processing the events of the day and going off on tangents on whatever odd thought train that pops up, keeping me awake until just about the time the wife's alarm goes off and it is time to get up and start my day. I am working on getting a CPAP or APAP machine, a device where you wear a mask at night and breathe pressurized air to prevent snoring from waking you up.
Man, sometimes I am so fatigued that it takes me an hour and a couple of cups of strong coffee to become functional for work. Then in the afternoon I am often overcome with fatigue and have to take a nap. I'm just lucky I work from home and can sneak some shuteye occasionally when my situation is severe. My boss knows about my condition and we keep it pretty low key, but I can't go on like this forever.
There are some of you who will think I'm just being a baby, but there are plenty of you who will understand every word I just wrote. It is a butt whooping, another nail in your coffin if you have it.
I got a CPAP many years ago and sleep like a log now. I feel SO MUCH BETTER when I get a great night’s sleep.
Note that it takes a while to get used to the CPAP, but stick it out. It’s worth it. Not only does it keep you breathing with no interruption, but it acts as a mild white noise generator and helps to keep small background noises from waking you up.
It can be very hard to get used to... but hoo-boy am I glad I have it now. I LOVE SLEEP!
what are you eating? Look there first
stop with anything out of a box or can- fresh meat and veggies and fruits.
stop eating bread and wheat !!!
Take some good vitamins
EXERCIZE - even if it is just a brisk walk around the block before bedtime
Take a shower before bed and sleep on clean sheets (comfort is very important)
Put in a TV show you like to LISTEN to or a radio show
If all this does not work, then you’re doing something wrong
I have sleep apnea, but I wasn’t so lucky at work. Being tired was interpreted as an “attitude problem”.
Same place dinged me with a drug test after I was in the hospital ER passing a kidney stone.
Eating honey and drinking warm milk before bed does wonders.
I have trouble falling asleep sometimes. Recently I have seen some ads for something called Somnupure that you can get at Walgreens.
I bought some about two weeks ago and for me it works.
I don’t feel groggy in the morning either like you do with other pills like Sominex.
Take one about one hour before you hit the sack.
I hope I helped you with that info.
I suffer from horrible amnesia. My record is about 3 1/2 weeks with no sleep at all. Most people would think that would be fatal. It has landed me in the whacky ward where they used industrial strength sedatives to knock me out. Several things seem to help, melatonin being one of them. I also have prescription for benzodiazipines when it gets bad. Whatever you do, don’t try to drink yourself to sleep. It doesn’t work and just turns you into a drunk. Chocolate milk seems to help some. Wish I had better advice. It is a real b^tch.
If you are a Freeper then you likely would enjoy novels where heroes kick terrorists’ butts or beat anti-American liberals. There are many such authors on fiction. The key for me shutting off my brain is fiction while lying in bed. Works every time.
Honey and warm milk? What a good idea. Calcium + magnesium does it for me, but I hesitate to share that bc it made my sister throw up. Works great for me, tho.
While your suggestions are good, sleep apnea is a serious condition that likely won,t be addressed by any of them. He needs a full evaluation by a qualified sleep specialist.
Not to make light of your problem, but you’ve got it easy. I have several sleep disorders, and since I was a kid. For one thing, I sleepwalk. I have fallen and broken bones, ripped up both rotator cuffs, almost burnt down my house, etc.. I have Rem Sleep Disorder; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_eye_movement_sleep_behavior_disorder
When you go into REM and dream about a 6th grade dodge ball game, your body does not move, mine thrashes around trying to avoid the dream ball. I wake up frequently, and my mind gets going and I can’t go back to sleep. I snored a lot. I have found that wearing a simple chin strap has helped the snoring a lot! This is just some of the sleep problems that I have had for 60 years!
I have never been a morning person. Sometimes I will fall asleep in the day for a few hours then go to work until 3 or 4 am. Some days I will sleep 2 hours some days 12 hours. It’s never the same.
That’s one of the biggest reasons I stay self employed. I’m sure I could get “diagnosed” with something and get a CPAP machine and some pills.
Maybe your boss can give you a flexible schedule that works with your natural sleep cycle.
“Eating honey and drinking warm milk before bed does wonders.”
Or a bottle of red wine. :-)
You suffer from horrible amnesia or insomnia?
Sleep apnea is bad news in so many ways.
The CPAP machine should solve the problem.
And your wife may appreciate it, too, because you will sleep silently and soundly.
100 mg of magnesium before bed, get more iodine.....no TV or computer after 8 PM, no light in the bedroom, cover eyes with something to prevent any light
Melatonin gives me horribly vivid nightmares.
my pillow
cpap machine
900mg gabatentin + 2 ex-strength tylenol pm
nighty night
Heavy drinking and sleep would make me do what you describe.
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