Can't Sleep, Any Ideas?

[Silver]

Well, you can 'combine' the counting to 10 ~ perhaps counting from 1 to 10, then 10 to 1, all the while being mindful of your soft, smooth, breathing, and the warm milk w/cinnamon sounds good, something I haven't tried. I also thought of a comforting food like pudding with cinnamon, too. Oh something else I hadn't thought of was I hear that turkey (and other stuff) has tryptophan in it, and is supposed to be relaxing and conducive to sleep. So a turkey and cheese roll-up would sound mighty good to me. The cheese has the milk in it and turkey has the protein and tryptophan. And sounds yummy, maybe dipped in your favorite (mild mustard or mayo something like that) ~ maybe the ritual of fixing yourself a small snack like that is part of what will relax you in the end~

Make sure that the body is tired.
Go to bed every night at the same time, no matter whether you are sleepy or not. This trains the body to slow down and relax. This takes time, months rather than days or weeks.
Use auto-suggestion, a form of self-hypnosis, to relax the body. The mental effort to do this will also help to keep the mind from spiraling out-of-control.
When these things (plus the other already mentioned) work for the first time do not expect a repeat. Such an expectation will just prime you to be more awake waiting for the 'sleep signs' to appear, and is therefore working against you.

One important thing....don't drink alcohol late at night....it sends you to sleep,but wakes you after a few hours by raising your adrenalin levels.

Relaxing exercise in the evening is so good (such as a very steady bike ride) because it brings in the "feel good" factor...the endorphins.

When I had a bereavement and couldn't sleep I found a ride along the cycle track at dusk to sit and watch the rabbits playing was so very relaxing....animals have no regrets about yesterday and no fears about tomorrow....maybe that feeling rubbed off on me...sounds crazy,I know,but maybe I was communing with nature?...listening to the Owls hooting too....they have a very "night time" sound....I once nearly dozed off sitting there.

As Kaere said,Lavender oil on your pillow is also good....I tried it with some success.

But I'm sleeping better now....BUT...I still often "drop off" to sleep on the bus in the afternoon !!...missed my stop a few days ago !! (hee hee) If I had a bus in my house I think I could sleep wonderfully !

Blessings Mike

I'm going to list things you can try, if you haven't already.

Melatonin - I know a few people suggested this already.
Valerian Root
Hops
L-tryptophan
anti-histamines

I talk e hops every night and occasionally (when the insomnia is really bad) add valerian root, too.

Of course, if you are on any medicines, some of these might not be good combos.

[Spiritlite]

yeah and like someone said above I say a mantra over and over in my head, usually the hail mary because that's a prayer I said while in school in my childhood years.
Spiritlite

THat sounds like restless leg syndrome, which can occure in the eet all the way up to your hips. Im not a dr, just what it sounds like to me.....

I couldnt sleep for a while, and realised it was a combination of a crapy mattress, bad back and me not using my energy through the day. Id have so much energy built up i couldnt shut m brain off. MEditating before bed helps me. So does makeing sure i use everybit of energy i possibly can throughout the day.

Putting on music works too, becasue its something to focus on. I lsitin to pink floyd myself LOL, i ber youll find some.

Meletonin is usual used for older women (not saying your old jsut saying in general LOL), it balances out your brains chemicals. The only unortunate thing about it is that it DOESNT PUT YOU TO SLEEP. It only helps you sleep better.

A sidenote about ambien, i know about 10 people on it, and none of them can stop taking them, and they now take them like candy...... every sigle one.....

Have you tried a bit bath to calm your nerves? Your condition sounds like a good excuse to buy a hot tub I would myself do anything short of taking medication ( with the exception of advil ( ibprophin)), to get my back to relax. Stretching and a hot bath worked well ( of course problem is different then back pain).

If you havnt already, i would see as many doctors as I could in your position, physiotherapists, chiropractors, homeopathicdrs, yoga, thai chi, accupunture, dieticians, neroscientists... anything that your doctor can refer you to. Just because one dr doesnt have any suggestions ( or the web for that matter), doesnt mean that there isnt a solution.......

I wish you all the best

Originally Posted by Time

If you havnt already, i would see as many doctors as I could in your position, physiotherapists, chiropractors, homeopathicdrs, yoga, thai chi, accupunture, dieticians, neroscientists... anything that your doctor can refer you to. Just because one dr doesnt have any suggestions ( or the web for that matter), doesnt mean that there isnt a solution.......

I wish you all the best

I appreciate the well wishes. Sadly I am on a very fixed income, and medical help is through state medicaid so my options are very limited. I have to get a referral, or worse a pre-approval to see any other doctors. And alternative medicine of any sort is simply right out. But I think you may be right on the restless leg thing, coupled with neuropathy pain, or caused by the nerve damage.

So far the only thing that works is a combination of drugs which knocks me out for 12-14 hours and leaves me groggy for another 6-8 after I wake up

[Spiritlite]

Could you try splitting yoru sleeping pills into two? And taking half, but however please call your pharmacy to see if it's not an extended release and that you are able in fact to split your pills, maybe then you would sleep less and not feel so groggy after?
Spiritlite.

[Silver]

Originally Posted by Scibat

I appreciate the well wishes. Sadly I am on a very fixed income, and medical help is through state medicaid so my options are very limited. I have to get a referral, or worse a pre-approval to see any other doctors. And alternative medicine of any sort is simply right out. But I think you may be right on the restless leg thing, coupled with neuropathy pain, or caused by the nerve damage.

So far the only thing that works is a combination of drugs which knocks me out for 12-14 hours and leaves me groggy for another 6-8 after I wake up

Defo call your doctor or pharmacy and TELL them this information, that way they can change the scrip or get something that will work BETTER for you.

Only other thing I can think to tell you is to think more positively that SOMEthing WILL work for you.
{{{Hugz}}}

i forgot you are supposed to count your breaths from 1 to ten and then ten to one.