Insomnia
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Sept 2004
I have had insomnia issues through much of my life (as do many of
my family members) and recently this problem has been exacerbated
by the stresses of a move, new job, big life changes--stress.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to alleviate this?
I get good exercise, do not partake of caffeine, and, when
sleepless, get up and do something until I am tired again. I also
keep pretty regular hours. I am afraid to take sleeping pills
because I am very sensitive to drugs and cannot afford to wake up
groggy. But if anyone can suggest a mild sleeping pill or
possibly a gentle homeopathic sleeping aid, I'd be interested to
hear about it. Thanks!
Tired
I suffered severe insomnia due to a thyroid disorder (have you
had your's checked?), and my wife suffered too, due to post
menopause. We both take antidepressants. She takes a low dose of
Trazodone, and I take Sinequan. These medicines correct brain
chemistry to allow natural sleep to happen, and we wake up
refreshed. I wasn't keen on taking a med for sleeping, but I
realized a good night's sleep was too important to miss out on.
I too am sensitive to meds, but after many tries, I found one
that worked for me. Before Sinequan, I tried Ambien and Xanax,
and I felt more knocked out, and groggy the next day, not to
mention the addicting nature of those meds. Also, have you had a
sleep study for sleep apnea? Good luck.
Anon
I have had the same problem for years. I usually drink a very
strong , yet small cup of chamomile tea before bed(if I drink a
whole cup i wake up in the middle of the night to pee)...on bad
nights i take a tablet or half tablet of Melatonin (the timed
release kind). Melatonin works wonders but I worry about
taking it daily...check it out...:-0
been there
I have chronic insomnia and have tried everything you mention. I'm
currently taking trazodone, 1/2 the lowest recommended dose, and it's
helping. (Trazodone is an antidepressant, and the dose for insomnia
is a small fraction of the dosage for depression.) I do feel a bit
buzzed during the day, I admit, but also less tired. I don't sleep
soundly with such a low dose, but, when I wake up, I fall back asleep
easily. Good luck.
Wish there were better solutions!
Try Valerian Root tincture (available in Whole Foods, etc). It
works quite well. Take it about an hour before bedtime. Also,
believe it or not, I count backwards, starting with odd numbers
such as 147. It can help, too.
Good luck.
kim
I have also suffered from insomnia all my adult life and it seems
to run in my family. This year (with the pressing needs of 2
little ones at home) I commited myself to really trying to find
some solutions because it had become such a quality of life
issue. You already mentioned some good things that you do and
there are a couple of other issues to consider. If you haven't
already, then I'd recommend reading some insomnia books where I
got some good points.
One issue that I learned (from my reading) is that you have to
accurately assess how much sleep you really need and only try
to sleep for that long. If you regularly need 7 hours of sleep
but are in bed from 10-6 over time your sleep will become
disrupted/disjointed and will deteriorate seriously... this has
been tested.
Another helpful tip is to keep a sleep journal for a few months
keeping track of your sleep as well as any issues that you think
might be effecting it such as stress at work, sporadic exercise,
diet, etc. In doing this I discovered that my insomnia was
partly caused by monthly hormonal cycles.
For a mild sleeping pill, try melatonin. Both my mom and I have
recently tried and found it works well. My doctor said it was
fine to use and it has been tested in double-blind studies in
Germany and found to be safe. I take a low dosage (.5 mg) when
I'm really have problems and at least at that level it feels
pretty natural and is very helpful.
Good luck.
roxanne
Try Hyland's Calms Forte (it is a homeopathic remedy), available
at Whole Foods (and I'm sure at other health food stores as
well). It certainly isn't as powerful as a sleeping pill, but it
often takes the edge off sleeplessness and helps me to relax
when I'm having trouble sleeping.
an occasional insomniac
Standford Hospital's sleep clinic has a cognitive behavior
insomnia treatment program which I found faily helpful and many
people found extremely helpful. Its a 9 week program and at
least it was a relief to be among insomniacs. Good Luck
anon
It is nice to know that you are willing to try natural methods.
But it is difficult to say that a handful of Homeopathic
medicine will help you without actually taking your case. It
would be wise if you approach a professional Homeopath who
would be able to take your whole case and then prescribe you
the right constitutional medicine. You will be surprised that
it will not only help you in your insomnia but also in the
overall health.
You can contact me as a Homeopath. Hope I might be able to help
you in sleeping well!!! You can either give me a call at
510.684.4248 or e-mail me at anamikastoller@yahoo.com.
Anamika
Feb 2004
So the baby is sleeping great, but I've decided it's finally time to do
something about the fact that I'm not. I've been an insomniac since I was
about 8 years old and I want to know about serious solutions. Please--
no folk remedies, I've tried 'em all. I'm interested in taking things up a
notch. I've heard about sleep centers that diagnose problems, but I'm
also curious to hear about other things. Medications? A little gentle brain
surgery? Bring on the big guns! Thanks for your help.
sleepy
Boy, do I remember that stage--seemed my body just wasn't able to
relax after the months of having to wake because of the baby. My
sympathies to you. For me, it was a stage that did not last that
long--
maybe at most a month, month and a half. Though I know going through
it is torture. Since I was still nursing, i tried the over-the-counter
homeopathic remedies. For me, the Hyland Brand, Insomnia formula
worked best, same brand, Calms Forte, second best. If you're still
nursing, check with your doctor about what's okay to take. You might
also check out a book called, The Promise of Sleep. It's a huge,
comprehensive book on just about everything related to sleep. Lot's of
information and very readable. Good luck and Sweet Dreams.
Carolyn
I've had trouble with insomnia during three periods in my life,
and it's been really hard. I really sympathize. There are
probably books on the subject. Since you have had the problem
for so long, perhaps a sleep clinic would be good. But, in
terms of medication, I've recently had great luck with paxil.
Apparently, one of the side effects is that it makes you drowsy
in the evening. Also, if (like me) you believe that stress or
anxiety over other issues may contribute to the insomnia, paxil
reportedly is helpful on that front as well. (As I understand
it, paxil is generally prescribed for anxiety or depression. In
my case, I was not having anxiety attacks per se, but just
feeling generally overwhelmed by a number of issues that were
simultaneously demanding my attention.) I also have been
prescribed an antedepressant (I think trazadone) to use on the
evenings that I find myself having trouble falling asleep. I
understand that it is not addictive, as other sleep medications
may be, but again has the side-effect of causing drowsiness.
While trazadone has worked well for me, I try not to use it too
often, because it does leave me feeling drowsy the following
morning. Finally, if you have Kaiser, I think that it offers
classes by a sleep specialist on dealing with insomnia, and
those classes offer a lot of practical real world help (not
simply meditation techniques). Good luck to you!
Anon
Oh, boy, do I know what you are going through all too well! I
am also an insomiac and have been for many years. At times,
though, I have had excellent sleep patterns, but they never
last too long. After having two kids 17 months apart in the
last! three years, I am completely unable to sleep on my own
without any drugs. What I do now is take a normal dose of
Benedryl (or generic brand of the same thing) every night
before bedtime, and it works like magic for me. If you don't
function well the next day and feel really groggy, then it may
not work for you. I don't have that problem so it's working
for me. My doctor also was quite delighted at the fact that I
can actually take Benedryl and still have a clear head in the
morning. She much prefers that I take that instead of sleeping
pills. You might want to talk to your doctor and see if you
can try taking antihistamine to go to sleep.
Sleeping Again
To the insomniac: Unlike you, I have not suffered from insomnia
all my life, just postpartum, and until recently, it was hell!!
I was terrified. I also tried many ''folk remedies'' as well as turning to sleeping pills. I also went to
a sleep center for an
initial consultation, and felt very dismissed, though many do
indeed have in-depth studies done on them there. It's part of
Summit. If you have been suffering from this for decades, HELL
YES, it's worth getting a serious analysis done. You'll have to
start with your regular doctor, who can then refer you. If you
want more of my story and how it was ''solved,'' feel free to
email me directly.
allison
I have found a great solution to my insomnia problem. There's a
drug called Remeron, an atypical antidepressant originally
developed as an anti-histamine. At high doses (45mg) it works
as an anti-depressant, but at very, very low doses (3.5mg) taken
at night before bedtime, it is a huge help with sleep. I take
this tiny amount nightly (1/4 of a pill) and sleep like a baby
after many years of horrible sleep. It has been truly amazing.
If you do decide to look into it, you will find out that
moderate or high doses can cause weight gain in some people. I
almost refused to try it for fear that I would inflate, but have
had no problem whatsoever. My appetite and weight have
remained normal, and I've been taking the drug for going on two
years. If you are ready for sleep and want a non-addictive, non-
addling drug to help you get there, give it a try (you'll need
to visit a shrink or GP for the prescription). Good luck!
Rested, former insomniac
Feb 2004
Ever since my son was born almost three years ago I've had sleep
issues -- anxiety, I think, about not being about to fall back
to sleep, being exhausted the next day, etc (my son is a very
early riser, and most days I'm up around 5:30 am). It takes me
about an hour or more to get back to sleep when I'm awakened at
night. Now that I'm expecting another baby I'm getting really
worried. My son goes to preschool now so I can catch up on
missed sleep during the day, but with a new baby I won't have
this luxury. I tried to learn self-hypnosis for sleep a couple
of years ago, but it didn't help enough. Now I'm wondering if
anyone has a suggestion for some kind of relaxation tape I could
listen to in the middle of the night, which would help me learn
to fall back to sleep more easily. Perhaps something that I
listen to a few times and then hopefully internalize. I'm just
dreading how tired I'm going to be if I can't return to sleep
easily after those every-three-hours nighttime feedings...Any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Already Tired
I can relate to your sleep anxiety, as I have suffered terrible
insomnia post-partum. My son's over a year old, and my sleep
has improved a lot, but there is always anxiety, and some
nights are really rough. Some years down the road, we'd like to
have another baby, but my biggest fear is around the sleep, so
I can imagine your worry. As for relaxation music/ sounds, I
burned a couple of cd's from my acupuncturist. They are
basically Chinese music with some mellowing elements (but not
too new-agey). I won't say they are a panacea, but they have
been really soothing. I use one of them all the time to help my
son fall asleep. Let me know if you'd like more info on them or
want to burn them!
allison
I also had the same problem - I could fall asleep but could not
stay asleep. Here are the things that really helped me:
1. Thinking about the last dream that I had. Or even a dream
that I had a few days before. It put my mind back into that
sleep state.
2. Counting backwards from 100 in 3's.
The anxiety about not sleeping really added to the insomnia. If
you can find a way to give up on stressing on that issue, I'm
sure it will help.
There is a very good web page called Talk About Sleep. They have
many books and CDs on insomnia and relation tapes and I can often
find information there that is different than the standards. ( A
very std thing that helped me also was to get the clock out of
the room or turn it around so you can't see it.)
Hope this helps.
Been There
Any certified clinical hypnotherapist can make tapes that are
specifically for you. I recommend Dr. Francis Dreher. He is
excellent. He is in Kensington at Colusa Circle. 528 3738.
Sydney
July 2002
My husband has recurring problems with insomnia. It goes away and
then returns with no predictable pattern. Work stress doesn't
always bring it on, and exercise doesn't seem to help stave it
off.
Sometimes he'll be really tired, will go to sleep for 20 minutes
at bedtime, then wake up unable to go back to sleep for several
hours.
He has tried Ambien (an MD's prescription) which usually--but not
always--helps him sleep but he feels groggy in the morning.
Do any of you have experience with alternative medicine and sleep?
Any other techniques? We have 3 kids and it's hard to keep the
house quiet so he can sleep in the afternoons when he hasn't slept
all night... Thanks for your advice!
I have no experience with alternative medicine and sleep myself,
but I know that Homeopathic medicine can help a great deal with
that. There is a Homeopathic educational center in Berkeley, on
Blake street, that can surely help you more than I can (they
have books and some remedies).
Reut
Your husband may be interested to read a new book called LIGHTS OUT by TS
Wiley. Therein, Ms. Wiley gives some helpful
understandings of our sleep cycle and ways to get back on track. I personally
find 5-HTP (5 hydroxy tryptophan, a metabolite of
L-tryptophan) works really well. Also, taking a warm Epsom salts bath relaxes
my body. Finally, acupuncture and other body
work can rebalance the body to ''get with the program'' to sleep when it's
time. If your husband's pattern is easily disrupted
by stress, some helpful herbal formulae are available. They are tailored to
address the ''stressed and wired'' or ''stressed and
tired'' types. Avoiding stimulants and sedatives and getting moderate
exercise (not too late in the day) can also help recover a
lost sleep pattern. Sleep disturbances can disrupt 10 hormones, so it's
primary to find a solution soon.
Nori
May 2002
Ever since the birth of my baby 13 months ago, I've experienced
very poor sleep - I have insomnia, hold my breath during periods
of the night, and wake up often (my daughter is sleeping through
the night so she is not the source of the problem). I am
looking for recommendations for treatment from people who have
had success treating similar sleep disorders and now can sleep
deeply and restfully. I am open to acupuncture, homeopathy -
etc. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
sleepless in berkeley
I highly recommend yoga to help with sleeplessness. I too have
had my sleep disrupted on and off for almost two years by a
wonderful daughter with recurring sleep issues, but I always sleep
really deeply after a good yoga class.
-- Ilana
Dear sleepless Mom: I have had acute insomnia and now chronic
sleep problems for the last 3 years, since my 3.5 years old was
4 months old. Over the years, after trying about 50 different
approaches to deal with my sleep disorder, it has improved to a
manageable level (about 5-6 hours of sleep a night). I was even
able to get a second child, and survived it! I feel that there
is not one cause to my insomnia, nor is there one solution to
the problem...In addition to sleeping pills that help me fall
asleep on most nights, I have tried (or am trying) meditation,
stress management, massages, accupuncture, homeopathy, and
therapy...they all have contributed to incremental improvements,
but none have proved to be a magic bullet (including the
sleeping pills who often don't help either!). There are lots of
good ressources in the East bay, some of which I have tried...
I had this problem when my son was younger, too. It was
terrible! He finally started sleeing through the night, but the
slightest noise would wake me up and I'd stay up. After
many weeks of exhaustion, I found a few things that helped.
Perhaps the greatest help was to rearrange the house,
so that our bedroom was closer to the baby's bedroom.
The physical proximity did wonders to relieve a sort of low-
level anxiety that contributed to my sleeplessness. Being
closer meant I wasn't constantly on alert, straining to hear
what was happening in his room. We did not go for family
bed, because we found that none of us--especially the
baby--slept well that way. However other parents might
recommend that you try it, and you might as well see if it
helps.
Some other things that helped me were vigorous but
relaxing exercise during the day (in other words, exercise
that isn't just pushing the stroller), acupuncture, yoga and
breathing exercises targeted to help with sleep, and
occasionally using Hyland's brand homeopathic sleep aids,
Calms Forte or Insomnia. The main thing that helped,
however, was time. When my son was was around 15-16
months old, I realized I was sleeping better.
I hope this helps. Sweet dreams.
Carolyn
I had trouble sleeping for months after my baby began sleeping
through the night. I found accupuncture helped for a few days
following treatment. After months of sleeplessness my doctor
finally recommended a short round of Paxil at a low dose. I was
still nursing and so hesitant, but finally tried it as we began
the weaning process and my sleep was restored. I stopped after 3
months and remained able to sleep well.
Good luck
I had insomnia for about 1.5 years after my son was born. I woke
up at the slightest sound and woke up every two to three hours
and would take up to two hours to get back to sleep. I used to
sleep like a rock before the birth but since, my body and mind
were deteriorating. My stubborness about not taking made
me suffer longer than necessary, I believe. My husband, who
teaches medicine, studied the literature on insomnia for a talk
he was giving at his hospital for Residents and Staff
Physicians. He informed me that my insomnia was very dangerous
and that continuation of insomnia for years could permanently
damage my body in many ways according to the literature. I went
to one of his talks on insomnia which convinced me that I had to
quickly take action. I fear becoming dependent on any or
masking my physical ailments with . He suggested I take
Benedryl which has very little side effects for most people. A
more ''natural'' od I heard of was to take Valerian tablets.
I've recently have been studying herbal remedies and most of the
books out there have the same or overlapping suggestions for a
particular ailment. My sister said Benedryl made her feel ''out
of it'' the next day. My insomina was remedied after about two
months of taking benedryl and wearing ear plugs. I now only wear
earplugs to sleep and need no medications. The literature says
to stay on the healthy sleep pattern for several months before
tapering off. Your body needs to set the new pattern. If I had
to do it over again, I'd try the ear plugs first, then add the
herbal remedies if that didn't work. Lastly, I'd try the
benedryl and other prescription . But don't take too long
to make a plan about insomnia; apparently there are some women
who after childbirth never resolve insomnia and their body/mind
become chronically ill. Best wishes for regaining your health
and spirit.
SJ
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