Unable to sleep.

[Kid_Dynamite]

I can be dead tired, to the point where I can't even keep my eyes open while I am driving home.  When I get home though, I either can't fall asleep or sleep for no more than a couple hours.  Since I was a kid I was never on a normal sleep schedule.  Always have been a night person, but over the last 6 months it has become really bad.  I am in college and I try to get to bed by 9 or 10, and no matter what I do I cannot fall asleep until 4 or 5 in the morning.  I sit in my bed for hours unable to fall asleep.  Does anyone out there recomend trying something like Ambia or another kind of sleeping pill?  I am uneasy about trying them because I heard you can get addicted very easily and your body will rely on them to put it to sleep.  Any suggestions?

[Suri123]

Hi Kid_Dynamite, how are you doing? Thanks for your posting and having shared your concerns. I do agree that you are having a very hard time to get normal sleep and the stress you are going through might still make it worse. Have you got a sleep study done to know the sleep pattern and are you on any medications that are prescribed? Ambien is good choice for treatment of insomnia, but it is intended for short-term use. Elavil/Endep can be tried if you are not comfortable with Ambien and it is a non-addictive drug. Try to relax and plan a healthy sleeping habit on a long-term basis.  You can consult a sleep specialist and a neurologist and get investigated. Take care and share your thoughts.

[scarlet37]

  Sounds as if your sleep clock is off, and you need to reboot it. Check out info on Circadian rhythm. Most sleep disorder web sites will have info such as  

" talk about sleep *******"

For short term sleep issues over the counter benedryl will work.

Best Wishes~

[Suri123]

Hi Kid_Dynamite, how are you doing? Hope you might have improved a lot better and are able to manage some sleep now? Have you consulted a sleep specialist to get evaluated? Are you taking any medications presently? Yes, you need to make changes in your life style and modify your sleep cycle pattern too. As you may be on school/college vacation now, it is good time to try it out. Massage therapy can also be helpful. Ambien is a good choice for insomnia on short term basis, but better to start after consulting the doctor. Take care and share your thoughts.

[sarahc55]

Hi Kid_Dynamite.   I am the exact same way as you,  I have never taken anything to help me sleep and I dont think i ever will.  I find that these tricks help.  For a few days and nights,  if you are going to bed at around 4 or 5 am..  try and get up early.. letting yourself only get a couple of hours of sleep.  I dont know if you do that already but i found after about 3 days of doing that and NOT napping during the day..  really helped me get to bed early.. the latest 11:00 pm.  Also..  try sleeping with a fan in your room,  I find that the back ground noise from the fan is soothing,  and helps me sleep.  I dont think I could fall alseep without it anymore.   Hope any of that helps.

[strawb]

hi,
i'm 27 and also go through very similar probs with sleep every few months or so.....i agree that the background noise helps out, and often try reading too.

the napping in the day is where i probably let myself down though, i find i'm so tired having not slept the night before that my blinks tend to run into one another til i've dozed for about an hour or so!

since saturday i've had maybe 5hrs of fitful sleep........

[Suri123]

Hi Kid_Dynamite, how are you doing? Hope you might have got better of sleep now. Have you consulted a sleep specialist and have got done the sleep test. I do understand how frustrating it will be to pass through the next day without having a good night's sleep. Have you started on Ambien or any other pill to assist your sleep? It is not a good idea to start on self-medication, so a doctor prescription might be better. Take care.