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Cant sleep at night.Could be affecting body

What can A young man with Insomnia do to get it fixed adn actually get a really good nights sleep?

No doctor has a straight answer for me and its just really annoying to not be sleeping the times I should be.

Thanks
 
There are no simple answers. I've suffered from insomnia since infancy.

There are over the counter remedies, benedryl (same active ingredient as Unisom) or Valarian root, either in pills or tea.
Prescription meds, Ambien, Rozerm (non addictive, but IMO not effective, either) among many others.

Try another physician or consult a therapist to see if there could be a stress or anxiety problem linked to your sleep difficulties. Mental turmoil is a very common cause of insomnia.
 
I find the over the counter Benadryl works pretty well (other remedies leave me feeling groggy in the morning). In my case, I have occasional bouts of insomnia due to work stress. Have you had this problem for a long time, or is it recent? If the latter, it might just be stress and anxiety over work or some other important part of your life.
 
couple of shots of whiskey. puts you right out.:wink2:

I actually do have trouble sleeping once and a while. It usually happens for about a week once a month. This is that week. I dont really do anything special though. Just fight through it.
 
When I was in my twenties, I suffered from insomnia. Doctors = prescriptions for meds that on the long run will compound the problem. This is how I conquered this:
1. I quit all caffeine products %100.
2. Relaxation/Meditation (not before going to bed).
3. Do not use the bed for watching TV (bed only for sleeping at night).
4. Avoid taking naps during the day.

This worked for me. After a couple of years I started with one cup of coffee a day. I have not suffered from insomnia in over 20 years now. Since I don't smoke, it is not on my list above...but nicotine is also a stimulant and can trigger insomnia in many individuals. Many smokers complain of falling asleep only to wake up 1 or 2 hours later and not be able to sleep for the rest of the night.
Good luck - I know how frustrating this affliction is.
 
Aside from coffee and sodas, Be careful with drinking tea's before going to bed. A lot of them have caffeine (green tea, for example, has a decent amount).
 
Sleepytime Extra by Celestial Seasonings - a wonderful chamomile tea with valarian root. Tastes great and helps you drift off to sleep. The Valarian root is a sleep inducer and the tea is naturally caffeine free.
Add a little honey and/or lemon, if you'd like some extra flavor and if you're old enough add a splash of Glenlivet or other light floral Speyside Scotch makes it wonderful bedtime nightcap. This is my favorite nightcap.
 
You may be missing the obvious about what causes insomnia. Stress in personal, business or school is a good factor. Lack of exercise, eating habits, etc also cause insomnia. Time to take inventory. Good luck.
 
I guess im stressed.Lets just say I think about life and stuff and im always thinking..ALWAYS..Im going to start working out so I can get a good body but I dont know how to workout at the gym.And Fo whoever asked I sit in bed for hours then Ill walk around shower everything I try to fall asleep wont work.And i dont like tea so :-(
 
Excercise and a better diet would probably be the first thing to try. If you dont want to go to a gym, go run a few miles every day. Excercise doesnt always mean pumping iron. Running also helps me get rid of stress.
 
M

modern man

Work out. Eat right. Drink water. Lay off caffeine

if you lay off junk food and coffee for a few days work out (great stress relief) and your sleep will improve.

Over the counter meds will help for the short term.
 
Run. Or swim. If you could find a buddy to go to the gym with, that's not a bad idea. Always helps relieve stress for me. But you don't need to do that. Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups etc at home. You could do a little only research and find good routines for a complete body workout without needing equipment, I imagine.

But for the stress, while strength exercises are nice to vent a little frustration, what you really need is something to get the heart rate up, which does all kinds of things, chemically, to your body. All of them good. Thus, the suggestion of running or swimming. Or biking. Whichever you enjoy more, and will be able to keep doing. Of, if you live in a rural area in the mountains, hiking will work. (I say in the mountains, because for a young, healthy person, you need a serious hill to get the heartrate up enough at a walking pace). That was always my choice, before moving to the city.

Oh, and don't exercise late in the day. Get up in the morning and do it, or do it mid day. I don't know what your schedule is like, of course. If you are a college student, things should be pretty flexible. If high school, it would probably be ok to work out right after you get out. You just want to give yourself five hours or so between working out and trying to sleep.

A gentle walk closer to sleepytime can help, though.

And, finally, try to be as consistent as you can with what time you get up in the morning. Even on weekends. Even if you are exhausted in the morning and want to doze till noon. Being regular will help your body recognize and settle into a pattern, knowing when it is time to get sleepy.

If your insurance will cover it, see if you can get referred from your regular doc to a sleep specialist (who will probably advise much of the above, and might also provide some meds, for short term. You want a non-medicated solution long term, though).

And consider, if life is really stressing you out, seeing a professional therapist. One thing a good one will help with is training you in ways of dealing with the stress and calming your mind, which is what you seem to need, in order to help with being able to sleep. Their abilities vary greatly. If you go to one, and don't feel like they will be helpful, immediately find another. you could also try a religious leader, if you are religious, as they often have a fair amount of training in counseling. Again, YMMV there.

-Mo
 
It's funny... half of the people I talked to today couldn't sleep last night.... including me. Maybe there was something in the air. :eek:
 
I'm not a big one for meds, but my wife suffers from insomnia once in a while and swears by Ambien. We keep a bottle in the medicine cabinet, and she says it makes her feel better just knowing its there if she needs it!
 
Alcohol and caffeine are the two most common easily avoided causes of insomnia. Alcohol will put you out but will wake you and up and then won't let you go out again.

Caffeine sticks around in the body a long time so be careful there.

Exercise--great advice.

There are medical remedies but hate to use them chronically without addressing why you are having a tough time feeling secure or having anxiety. Security is essential for decent sleep.
 
Before switching jobs, I was always up at night. Mostly I found myself worrying about work and whether or not I was prepared for the day ahead. One thing that helped was to make sure I had planned ahead. I also began setting aside specific hours that I would devote to my career and hours that were my own.

Another thing that could help is to pack more into your day. I know this doesn't seem to go with the reduction of stress idea, but it does help. I find that when I do more and exhaust myself, I'm happy to see my bed at night. Maybe that takes the form of exercise for you, or it may be replaced by an activity of your choice. My own routine involves getting up earlier, and always at the same time each morning. I work and then volunteer my time in the evenings to tutoring kids. I also moved my television out of my bedroom and had the cable disconnected.

Identify what it is for you that is causing the stress or the distraction, then work to remove it or at least moderate it. Your body will thank you for it.
 
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