Insomnia simply kills me

[jln22]

It doesn't seem a problem to some, but I am seriously annoyed by this type of insomnia that I have. I can sleep at any time during the day, especiall around 2-3 PM, after I come back from school, at uni I also almost fall asleep whether it's 10 AM or 2 PM, but at night, I can't sleep. Just can't. Recently I am forcing myself to sleep but I can't unless it's 2-3 AM. It is a pain in the pass because I've got to wake at 8:30 AM or sometimes 6:30-7 AM. I'd have 6 hours to sleep per overall and it's not that bad, but I can barely wake up fresh in the morning without feeling tired. It's not body fatigue, it's like brain fatiguem I can't keep my eyes open.

I don't really know what to do. This whole thing became worse since I've become deprrssive and anxious so I heard depression is a cause of insomnia. I never took medication and never will, most probably. What do you guys do to fall asleep when you can't? What are some tips?

[Audiophile]

I'd give you tips but I don't have any, I wish I did because I am the exact same way.

 

No matter how little I've slept, I am always awake at night. No matter how much I've slept, I'm always tired during the morning. My body is just reversed that way which doesn't help since I have to get up 6 a.m. Some days for class. And in the future, I'll have a 9-5 job.

 

Even when I try to go to bed at a decent time, I just can't fall asleep and end up staring at the ceiling for hours.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Audiophile

[gnad.1992]

I know how you feel. This happened to me twice this year. I felt like hitting my head against the wall.

 

You should seek a doctor for proper treatment or medications.

[Graven]

I can give some tips from personal experience. I've had some sleeping problems through my adulthood. Not so severe that I would have to go to doctor's.

First, get your diet fixed if You eat badly. It can have huge affect to the quality of your sleep. If You eat white sugars day time, your blood sugars will raise to the top, and then they will drop which makes You very tired snd sleepy.

No candy, no soft drinks, no fast food. Eat 5 smaller meals, veggies and white protein.

Find yourself a sport hobby You like. Being in shape makes You sleep better.

Don't overload your brain, don't do multi-tasking. Concentrate on one thing at time.

 

These are my medless tips.

I still sleep bit badly in winter, due to the long dark period of north.

Also do not sleep during day, a short nap is ok but if You enter deep sleep it's off from your night sleep.

 

Are You stressing with your studies?

Edited March 12, 2014 by Graven

[dice]

Warm milk and cookies can do wonders.

[RoadRunner71]

Read a book when you go to bed, usually works for me. Also, avoid using the phone, internet or TV right before going to bed.

[jln22]

Read a book when you go to bed, usually works for me. Also, avoid using the phone, internet or TV right before going to bed.

That's exactly the opposite of what I do. When I am in bed, I kbow I can't sleep so I start playing on my phone.

[The Odyssey]

I always lay on the couch and watch an infomercial channel if I can't sleep. It actually helps because the background voices are quite soothing.

[Sami Uso]

I always lay on the couch and watch an infomercial channel if I can't sleep. It actually helps because the background voices are quite soothing.

Lol whenever I can't sleep from now on, this is exactly what I'm doing.

[Cyraxx]

Used to have the same thing, bought a bunch of over the counter sleeping pills from a chemist, picked a designated time to go to bed and then took them at that time until I built a routine.

 

Dunno, sounds like a pretty sh*tty way of doing it but it took care of it for me. Good luck!

[Banana]

 

Read a book when you go to bed, usually works for me. Also, avoid using the phone, internet or TV right before going to bed.

That's exactly the opposite of what I do. When I am in bed, I kbow I can't sleep so I start playing on my phone. Try not to look at your phone at all when you're trying to sleep. Its just going to wake you up even more and get your brain awake. In my experience it helps to not look at any type of screen be it a TV, phone, whatever before going to bed.

[El Dildo]

you're probably not getting enough exercise during the day.

[t3h PeNgU1N oF d00m]

I just pop a sleeping pill about 30 minutes before I want to go to bed. Knocks me right out.

[El Dildo]

I just pop a sleeping pill about 30 minutes before I want to go to bed. Knocks me right out.

how old are you?

 

that's a pretty bad habit to be starting now.

[jln22]

you're probably not getting enough exercise during the day.

Could be true.

[kipakolonyasi]

you're probably not getting enough exercise during the day.

 

this. you have to get rid of your energy during the day. otherwise it keeps you from sleeping at night. it happens to me all the time when i'm inactive.

[rudy]

As Graven said, you should shun sleeping through day as it ruins your body clock and your sleep. I understand it's quite difficult in your case but you should try it out to see if it helps. Take naps or something but be awake enough that by evening you will crave falling asleep again.

[Kippers]

 

I always lay on the couch and watch an infomercial channel if I can't sleep. It actually helps because the background voices are quite soothing.

Lol whenever I can't sleep from now on, this is exactly what I'm doing.

 

I use sound as well, to help. I find it stressful trying to sleep in silence. Whether it's one of my favourite podcasts, an episode of something I'm not very interested in or literally any kind of garbage or music, something needs to be playing. Like Odyssey said, it's very soothing.

 

And yeah, try and avoid sleeping during the day. However that can be difficult if you're eyes are heavy and you don't have anything active to do to wake yourself up again.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Kippers

[Graven]

I just pop a sleeping pill about 30 minutes before I want to go to bed. Knocks me right out.

Sleeping pills are not a good long-term solution, they are meant only for temporal use.

It´s basically just shifting the resolution to further. Also, the quality of sleep is not as good as without meds.

 

The amount of sleep varies from 6-10 hours, for most people 8 hours is optimal. But what is even more important is the amount of deep sleep.

 

And more pro tips for OP:

Do not use television, computer or other similar devices at least for an hour before going to sleep.

You could put some ambient music in the background. I have couple CD´s of Nature Ambient "Sounds of Nature" which I might leave playing on background on low volume.

The thing is that You have to get your head empty, in a situation that You are not worrying for example your studies. If You get homework, do them right after school, not at midnight.

Keep work/studies apart from your everyday life.

 

But if it gets on a serious level, contact your doctor. Do not play with your health.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Graven

[Shane_Dbns]

2hrs before you sleep:

-do some physical activity for 30mins

-have a nice hot shower

-drink some tea with honey inside

-lay on your bed and close your eyes

 

This is what I do and it works for me

[Graven]

If You have not been physically active, do not start with evening training.

Your body temperature and metabolism won´t have enough time to cool down, which can have the exact opposite affection.

 

You can do some lighter exercising in the evening, stretching, yoga etc. I suggest not doing hard cardio or weight training in the evening unless You are used to it.

[Stephan90]

I wouldn't use a smartphone or any bright display directly before going to bed. Not only the information from browsing the web for example activates your brain but also the bright light that comes from the dsiplay, especially when it is a LED backlight from a modern smartphone or Laptop. The effect is much stronger when you have set the brightness very high and hold the display directly in front of your eyes. The light of LEDs has a big proportion of blue light with a certain wavelength, that is similar to the daylight outside that tells your body to become awake and active.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Stephan90

[na89340qv0n34b09q340]

I have a similar problem. What I found works is adjusting my sleep schedule whenever it starts to f*ck itself up. Instead of targeting the usual 10PM bed time, I'll head to bed around 6PM (planning to wake up four hours earlier too) and usually I can get right to sleep with that, and then when I can't really get to bed around 6 anymore I'll switch back to 10. 'course that doesn't really work if you have a strict schedule, so I dunno.

 

Also don't think in bed. When any thought pops into your head, or if you start talking to yourself, immediately stop yourself. Maybe repeat a quick mantra to remind yourself that you need to shut your head up and get the f*ck to sleep.

[jln22]

Yeah brilliant just experienced a lucid dream. My brain is definitely f*cked up. Depression, anxiety, social anxiety, insomnia and other disorders like these have f*cked up my life.

[phunkism]

I'd give you tips but I don't have any, I wish I did because I am the exact same way.

 

No matter how little I've slept, I am always awake at night. No matter how much I've slept, I'm always tired during the morning. My body is just reversed that way which doesn't help since I have to get up 6 a.m. Some days for class. And in the future, I'll have a 9-5 job.

 

Even when I try to go to bed at a decent time, I just can't fall asleep and end up staring at the ceiling for hours.

Wow, are you me?

[Shmoopy]

ASMR youtube videos , have you ever tried them ? They put me to sleep in no time , you get the best effect using high quality headphones .

[Trinette]

I don't know if I'm reading this right but are you sure it's insomnia? Just sounds like you're sleeping during the day and not at night, thus sleep schedule being screwed. I know that insomnia is a term that people like to throw around a lot. Just try to stay awake until night then pass out and wake up fairly early and make that a schedule and it should work out alright. What I do when I'm really anxious at night after a stressful or depressing day and my heart is beating unbearably hard from all the tension is listen to repetive, yet calming music the entire night on loop. This for example I've listened to 2600 times in the past month every night on loop and it dowes wonders to put me to sleep.

 

 

[Welshlad]

Yeah brilliant just experienced a lucid dream. My brain is definitely f*cked up. Depression, anxiety, social anxiety, insomnia and other disorders like these have f*cked up my life.

 

Glad Im not the only one feeling this, hang in there tho k

[jln22]

@Trinette - I am not sleeping during daylight.

[UrbanForce22]

I feel your pain. I fall asleep during class and I only sleep about 5-6 hours during the night.

It's really f*cking up my school grades, makes it hard to focus during class and my social anxiety gets worse.