Sleep Deprived - Waukegan, IL

What I had to do was put the bumkin to bed and take a nice hot bath where I would write down all the things that were running through my head. For some reason putting them on paper made me stop worrying about them and I knew then that I could remember what I had to do for tomorrow and for some reason I don't know why it worked. Then I make sure I rub down every inch of my body with some of my favorite lotion and drink some tea (camomille, no clue on how to spell it) and that would do the trick. If you sleep with the tv on maybe put it on a timer and or even turn it off once it's time to sleep. Also maybe going on a nice 30 min walk before you put the kid(s) to bed can also help you relax also. Let me know if any of these work. I am a young mom too so sometimes being in school or for me my first job we put a lot of stress on ourselves and forget to take care of mommy. That's important and when you do you are able to take care of the family better.

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I have trouble sleeping as well. Sometimes I can't fall asleep at all or I will fall asleep, one of the kids wakes me and then I can't fall back asleep. I find not fighting it is my best way of going about it. I go downstairs, grab a book, watch t.v. or get some work done on the computer or other paperwork. I find that if I have a really busy day without any down time is when I have the hardest time falling asleep. It's like I need that time for myself to just veg and be by myself. Now I have this book called 'Eat this, not that' and it gives these few suggests to get some sleep (I have not tried them myself). (the following is exactly from that book) Eat nonfat popcorn. Pop a bag half an hour before bedtime: The carbs will induce your body to create serotonin, a neurochemical that makes you feel relaxed. Skip the butter-fat will slow the process of boosting serotonin levels. Eat oatmeal with sliced banana and walnuts. Sleep is inspired by the hormone melatonin, but stress or excitiement can disrupt melatonin's release. Bring your brain back down to earth by whipping up a bowl of instant oatmeal and topping it with a sliced banana and crushed walnuts, both rich in melatonin. It's worth a try.

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I read this info in a women's health magazine and I use it now on a daily basis.

They recommended that we take our calcium supplement at night for better sleep. I highly recommend Caltrate with Vitamin D. It has helped me tremendously. Anyone who complains of lack of sleep in conversation - I always tell them about this.
And when they use it, they give me a positive feedback.

Please try - I know it will help and you can look forward to better ZZZZZZ's.

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C.,

I'm sorry to hear you're having a problem sleeping - how awful. I don't know what you're lifestyle is like, however I'm assuming that if this has been going on for weeks and that you went to the doctor over it that you are doing some of the "usual" things, such as reducing your caffeine intake throughout the day, eating healthy foods, eliminating stimulating activity (such as exercising or t.v. watching before bed) and TRYING to reduce your overall stress levels?

If so, then my best suggestion is to try to exercise in the morning. Exercise not only is healthy for you, but by PHYSICALLY exhausting yourself, you will make your body more tired in the evening. Second, create a small pattern for yourself after about 6pm. Start turning down the lights and volume of anything you do. At least one - two hours before bed, no t.v. R-E-L-A-X. Hopefully by taking time to make yourself a priority, your can convince your body to SLOW DOWN and get ready for bed. Take a warm bath. Maybe light a couple of scented candles. Listen to soothing music. Then keep the same "bed time" each night. I recommend trying this for a few nights.

I realize that at 23 you are probably in the prime of your life and can't imagine creating a "bedtime routine" as if you are a baby. However you may find IT WORKS!

We all have often felt invincible and over do it. Our bodies eventually "remind" us that we need to slow down and take care of ourselves.

If this does work for you - which I hope the solution is that easy. Then remind yourself that YOU need to be the first one to take care of you. If you eat healthy, exercise and take good care of yourself, your body will reward you by taking good care of you in return.

Truly, best wishes and SWEET DREAMS!

(This advice comes from someone who's been there. I hope this solution works for you too. I have found that the exercise portion doesn't have to be difficult, just heart pumping enough to "wear you out" a bit. I hope that your body will pick up on these little cues and fall asleep easier. Feel free to e-mail me if you like.)

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I had 3 months of horrible sleep deprivation issues and tried every imaginable thing...went to 3 doctors to find out if something was wrong with me, added more excercise, deep breathing, prescription drugs, about 7 different natural vitamins/supplements, etc.... but what ended up being my saving grace was this article....
http://www.doctormurray.com/conditions/Insomnia.asp

I followed his melatonin and vitamin B12 therapy and my problem was solved within 3 days. Reading that article is definitely worth your time. Good luck!!!

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Have you had this problem before? I don't know the strength of the prescription drug but I'm sure he doesn't want you to be relying on it continually - habit forming.

I have been there and know that eating habits, vitamins, some exercise and reducing stress are all factors. Make sure you are not doing anything stressful or strenuous before going to bed. Do you like to read or listen to soft music? Reading helps me relax and I use some wonderful aromatherapy products that are so soothing too. Our senses have a lot to do with how our body reacts to things.

Are you eating before you go to bed? Take out high sugared foods, carbonated and caffeine beverages after dinner. Fruit is good to eat and easily digested. Have fresh air in your bedroom if at all possible. Go for a walk after dinner to get some exercise and get those endorphins flowing to help the brain relax. Get a massage! I use wonderful massage oils that smell awesome! If you're on vacation, do things you like to do! Go swimming, relax a little in the sun - but do wear protection. If you like to shop, give yourself a boost and buy something nice for yourself. Inner happiness helps tremendously!

I am into health and wellness and know that if your body isn't getting all that it is necessary to function properly, then our body "tells" us in different ways. Sleep is essential to function properly. I would be happy to assist you in any way that I can. Don't let this go on too long. Enjoy your vacation and do relax and have fun!

K.

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I just read your "A little about me" and chuckled. I also worked full time and took full time classes to get through my bachelors degree. It was grueling. My suggestions are these...

-No alcohol until you get this figured out.
-Try yoga or meditation around 9 pm to start getting slowed down.
-Stop your active day earlier than you have been (if possible) so you can just veg on the couch or read a book for an hour before bed.
-Truly "talk" to yourself about how you are "going to calm down and get tired now."
-Practice deep breathing before bed.

Your mind is just racing and won't turn off. I also experienced insomnia terribly after the loss of a close loved one. If you are going through something hard right now, maybe talking to a counselor would help.

Good luck - it will pass. Try to keep your anxiety low.
A.

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I am not sure what your lifestyle is like, but I work for a chiropractor and one of our patients goes through accupuncture and that seems to be the only thing that helps her sleep. If you try the other advice and it doesn't seem to help try going to a chiropractor for accupuncture, it is covered by most insurance companies. Let me know if you need a reccommendation!

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When your body is low in Magnesium, you will notice issues with insomnia, actually eating a baked potato (no sour cream, use ghee or real butter) will help induce sleep and build its natural seretonin. Foods high in tryptophan like chicken which has more than turkey may help. Take a calcium/magnesium supplement after dinner and before bed.

Try and turn off the world at 9:30pm, no TV, no computer, get yourself into a bedtime routine, we do it for babies, why not us? Aim to be in bed by 10:30pm each night, wash your face, spray some lavender on your pillow to help your body relax, read, journal, stretch to relax your muscles or do some deep breathing lying flat on your back with your hands on your belly, breathing through the belly like babies do, not through the chest.

It sounds like you are busy with work and school, been there! I use to make a list of things I had to do, needed to get done all before I turned into bed so I would not think about it at night or wake up. It helped me out tons! (especially with wedding planning)

Taking sleeping pills so young will really mess with your liver and other organs. Hopefully some natural stuff will get you back on track.

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Ok, so, I know all about Rozerem and if you only took it once, you didn't give it the proper chance of working. What Rozerem does is reset your internal clock the natural way. You need to take it at least 1/2 hr before you would like to fall asleep and then don't think about if it is working or not, just go to bed. It works unlike other sleep aides, in that it doesn't just make you feel woosy or you bam fall fast asleep. It is more natural and given enough time, will reset your internal clock and then you will be able to fall asleep and stay asleep on your own without anything. You should try it for at least a week consecutively, but better to take it longer than that. Also, it sounds like your doctor should be re-educated on the proper use of Rozerem, which is what we find has to be done half the time. I wouldn't give up on it, it's a great drug! and far better than lunesta or any other sleep aide. It is non addictive and isn't a controlled substance. It also doesn't really have any side effects.

Good luck!

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Hi C.,
Try taking some Calcium/Magnesium before you go to bed. I take the powdered kind and mix it in with 8 ounces of water before I go to bed and it knocks me out. Ask you local health food store for a recommendation.

Best,
D.

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Has anything changed in your life in the past 3 weeks? Like anything extra stressful or change in what you are eating or how much exercise you have?

I had some problems sleeping when hubby lost his job a few years ago and took meletonin (sp?) and it didn't help, I had to actually learn to relax! I did yoga DVDs at home and it helped a lot.

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Oh my gosh! You have to be gentle on yourself. I had a hard time doing that when I was in school full time and trying to work and manage a family on the side. It was tough! Give yourself a break. Even though you're "on vacation," your body is used to a very vigorous routine. Maybe fill your free time with things you've been wanting to do? Whatever you do, don't be hard on yourself. Give yourself a chance to relax and be proud of how hard you've worked in your classes, etc.

I realize that my response doesn't include how to improve your sleep. For me, my issue was that I was so used to being busy, that when I was "on vacation" (what a joke!) that I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt guilty trying to sleep or relax. The best thing you can do is to excercise every day, acomplish 1 thing (no matter how tiny) and then you'll feel a little bit better. And hopefully sleep better? Good luck!

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Start excercising - you'll be amazed at how much better you sleep! I know it's probably the last thing you want to think about when you're already tired but it will work. Even if you just walk your neihborhood each am or pm for a few days you will see how much better rested you will be. That's assuming there aren't other biological issues preventing you from sleeping. Good luck!

Check with your doctor but melatonin is a natural sleep aid and can be purchased at any drug store. My mom uses it and ti works wonders for her. Also some frends of mine had severe trouble sleeping lately ( only one hour a night for two nights straight for one girl) and we told her about this and now she is sleeping 6-7 hours a night. hope this helps

I have problems sometimes and the Tylenol pm and some of the other drugs make me feel hung over in the morning and if the kids need me in the night I don't feel in control and that is scary. There as an over the counter one in the supplements sections called Melatonin and it is said to promote sleep patterns so if you take it and then stay up and watch tv it doesn't do anything, but if you take and go to bed it does help and no yucky feeling in the morning.

Have you tried putting a pad of paper next to your bed and write down everything that floats into your head as you're trying to relax. The more stuff you right down the more clear you're allowing your head to be so you no longer feel the need to hold on and remember whatever it is... good luck!

C.

I know from working in a local hospital,that they offer milk and graham crackers for bedtime. The milk is a natural sedative and will help the sleeping. I have also had patients tell me 2 different versions of making it work better. One is to slightly warm the milk and the other is warmed milk with honey mixed in. Also,turkey is a great sleep aid so even 1/2 a sandwich at bedtime couldn't hurt. Also,as you stated the tylenol pm is good but most important is to totally relax including letting your brain slow down. Taking a warm soak in the tub followed with your snack would be very beneficial. You are way too young to have sleep problems. Good luck and try just taking it easier closer to bedtime. J.

Look up "sleep hygiene" on the internet and you will get good advice. There are some basics; no caffeine or other stimulants past 7:00 pm, no alcohol, no reading/watching tv in bed, make sure your room is dark, no exercise 2 hours before bedtime. Good luck.

Ask him to test your thyroid - overactive thyroid can make it very difficult to fall asleep.

Start by examining your lifestyle. Are you eating nutritiously, getting moderate exercise each day (even if it is just a 30 minute walk), and managing your stressors? Try modifying those areas before resorting to pills. Also, if you do have to use medication, keep in mind it might take a few days or so before your body adjusts and the medicine works properly.

I'm not sure if you are referring to rozerem or some form of rozerem. I've used it and understand it takes about two weeks to actually start working for you. I'm surprised your doctor didn't mention it to you. I've taken ambien after being through some trauma but that can be addictive. It definitely works. My doctor didn't want me on it for too long and then put me on rozerem and warned me that it would take a while so I needed to be somewhat patient. You might want to call your doctor and ask about it. Happy sleeping!