No sleep is killing me!!!

Where are all my night owl friends?  I've tried Melatonin, Lavender Essential Oil, OTC sleep meds, you name it!  I hate to go back on Ambien again...any more suggestions?

[margypops]

aww when I wake in the night I put TV on ..then hope to dose off again ..I have also tried that stuff Linda ...none worked for me .I havent gone back to prescribed meds because I got side effects , I do know if I eat any foods or even have a glass of wine after about5-6 pm   I sleep worse I think it the sugar levels .Do you nod off during the day ?

[LindaTX]

No, i really don't nod off during the day but at about 9 pm I am more than ready to hit the sack.  I never used to be that way.  And if I do get only 2-3 hrs of sleep, I feel like crud the next day.  I don't usually eat after 6 pm but you may have something there about the sugar levels...mine are up and down

[margypops]

Yup me too, I have noticed  pattern of eating later and what I eat .affects me getting off to sleep and then waking up in the night..trying to eat correctly is very hard ..theres so many foods one shouldnt eat .

[29sillygirl]

Sorry you're missing sleep...it is so important to feeling good.

I use drugs.  No OTC thingy ever has worked...and I've tried every 'natural' and unnatural remedy on the market for over 30 yrs!

Books help...reading before falling asleep.  Used to use tapes...which are often useful. I meditate..and know every trick in that arena...still need a med to help.  

As to food and that.  I eat and drink whatever I want to....in fact, eating used to help me to doze off....and gain a ton of weight...same for my kahlua and milk remedy...(best forgotten).

Lately...I've discovered writing my love a short note helps...visualizing..etc:).

[margypops]

yes I find visualising works a lot of times to get me to sleep, but often still wake like last night went to sleep around 10pm but woke and couldnt get back around 1am ...think its sugar levels , been eating the wrong things with thanksiving

[opus88]

sleeping issues just seem to escalate with aging, as if we needed yet another problem. I too have tried nearly everything OTC as well as herbal teas etc. somethings work 'some' of the time but nothing that can be relied upon.

there are at least 2 separate issues here, the inability to fall asleep or falling asleep than waking within a few hours and not able to resume..sometimes both.

I agree with SG and Margy that visualizing does help somewhat with the former...

the latter I find for me is due to that old curse of over active bladder....maybe reverting back to a diaper would eliminate the need to get up and use the toilet thus waking me up...lol

Ladies its also been studied that sleep apnea...(temporarily cessation in breathing) will cause us to repeatedly wake up from a deep sleep, especially if you find yourself with a sudden 'jerk' as you wake....have any of you been tested for this?

[29sillygirl]

@opus..haha.  You funny woman.  Last couple of nights I've decide my paper pants might be good idea for digestive issues...doesn't bother me in the least...

What alot of change we must deal with ...aging and the attending ailments are mostly to blame.

An example is my sis....just started to have problems @ 75.  As she is not amenable to idea of drugs....gets about 3 hrs a night.

There is a positive to all this.  As several of us live alone (with our animals), what is wrong with giving into circadium rhythm and sleep when we feel like it.  Diego loves my night owl tendancies:).

[opus88]

lol....paper pants....yeah thats what I need SG...gotta love your humor:))

thats kinda the way I feel too, I'm retired and have resigned myself to sleeping as it comes, save the meds for the odd day when I have to be up and not all foggy headed in the morning....just me and my cats so they adapt, although I must say they've gotten used to a 5 a.m. breakfast and resent me when its late:))

[Pat1956100]

lol, my cats all come in and wake me up.
I made the mistake of feeding them treats in bed and now they expect it.
Silly me, I just wanted to have a family meal lol.
They wake me up and even sit on top of me.
Ahhhhhh sleep.  Even a nap would be nice but can't do that anymore either.

[margypops]

I know how you feel, i have been getting ear ache and that doesnt help at nights, wakes me, those cats are hillarious arn't they ...good company .

[margypops]

hey I would rather sleep at night its a lonely time otherwise ..I sometimes nap for a half hour during the day .I saw a TV show the other day said Turkey, milk and bananas wre okay to eat as a snack a bit before retiring .

[Pat1956100]

Yes, totally agree.  The nights are lonely.  Much better to sleep at night.  Just hate waking up at 3am.  Feel so tired all day long.

[margypops]

yup I know what you mean I guess I am so used to it now ...being tired  I am going to try a warm milk each night and see what happens ..

[LindaTX]

Turkey, milk and bananas all contain tryptophan which is hormone or amino acid that has a calming, sleep-inducing effect. Dr Oz had a show on about something called Progressive Muscle Relaxation and I am going to try it.  Starting with the muscles around your eyes, you alternate squinting for 5 seconds, then relax 5 seconds.  I believe 2 sets, then move to your shoulders, shrug 5 seconds, relax 5 seconds.  Then make a fist with both hands for 5 seconds then relax 5 seconds...all the time keeping your eyes closed.  You can probably tense your legs and relax but he didn't say that. So I'll see how it works.  Y'all try it too!

[margypops]

well I slept a bit better last night after having a couple of bites of turkey, must have got 5 hours ..maybe I was exhausted or maybe that ole turkey worked ...lol am going to try Linda's exercises tonight ...see what happens

[29sillygirl]

Love all the comments.  After a night of no sleep until I gave in and took a clonazapam @ 6am..Diego and I slept until noon.  

The food is good ...have just switched from soymilk to regular and believe it really does make me feel good.

Opus...heh.  there are a few benefits to our stage of life.  Last night when sleep just wouldn't come (pain issue)...I went out and walked around (safe here)...pretty soon 3 cats were keeping me company.  It was a fun time..altho' Diego seems to have gotten a head scratch from that sassy girl he is so obsessed with!  

I used to do the bed feed thing..haha..had to stop as Diego was getting really bossy about it.  His deal is to paw things off night table..jewelry off chest..you name it..if he can move it ...he will as he knows it'll get my attention.

Night can be lonely...and beautiful...at least it was last night as I viewed it from cat's perspective:)

[margypops]

I had to tell you you write so beautifully, I was imagining your walk at night under the waning moon with your kitties ..