Sleep advice for an insomniac?

Hi guys!

Just woke up, from six long hours of sleep.  For me, that's about the most I can sleep in a night ever.  Usually its four...  I rarely have trouble falling asleep, but usually I wake up early - WAY too early and can't fall back asleep.  Like if I go to bed at eleven I'll be up at four.

Apparently this is a pretty common problem, so I was wondering if anyone else has troubles sleeping?  Do you have any tricks or advice for me?  

Thanks in advance!!!!!

well, first, is it a problem?  not everyone needs seven or eight hours, so if you feel well-rested, it's okay to just get up and go on with your day.

if not, you'll want to figure out the cause.  are you getting too much caffeine?  it can stay in your blood stream for up to 12 hours, so i try not to have any after 10am. 

when you wake, are you overwhelmed with thoughts and worries?  if so, it can help to sit down and write down all your concerns, then go through one by one.  eliminate the ones you have no control over; prioritize the rest according to what can wait, what must wait, and what you can deal with now.  then take steps to address the immediate ones.

other than that, i suggest yoga and/or yogic breathing.  there's lots of research suggesting that this really works to relieve anxiety, stress, and depression, and that it relieves insomnia.

Oh man I have soooo been there. To the point where a weeks worth of sleep would be like 20 hours total. And I really never found a solid solution until I started exercising. My doctor had told me it was probably too much on my mind which is still the case but now I make myself get up at 6am to run and then by 11pm I am so sleepy I sleep until like 6am. Yay! Before the exercise though I tried pretty much everything. Ambien (doctor prescribed and I don't suggest it. If its gonna be something like that then just drink some liquor) i also tried valerian, melatonin, sleep assure (not bad but doesn't work after your body gets used to it), kava kava. And most of it kind of works.....but never for long term.

So, unfortunately what Pgeorgian said of finding out what the problem is would be the best bet. Good luck!!!

I think the exercise solution is pretty promising.  Why didn't I think of that, exercise cures everything!  And yeah, yoga is what everyone's been telling me but I've tried it and I really don't like it.  I guess it works for some people.

I've been looking into drugs too, but I think I'll try the exercise first.

Thanks guys.

Ambien.

I am going through the same thing. Up at 3-4 everyday. I go to sleep ok but wake up way to early. I think it is stress and having so much to get done. I workout/weight train so lack of exercise is not the cause for me. If I sleep till 4 I don't feel too bad but sometimes it is 2:30-3:00 and I am exhausted all day. I don't think it is caffeine either. I have one cup of coffee first thing in the morning and then one cup of green tea about 9:00am. No other caffeine.

Original Post by luvpenny:

Hi guys!

Just woke up, from six long hours of sleep.  For me, that's about the most I can sleep in a night ever.  Usually its four...  I rarely have trouble falling asleep, but usually I wake up early - WAY too early and can't fall back asleep.  Like if I go to bed at eleven I'll be up at four.

Apparently this is a pretty common problem, so I was wondering if anyone else has troubles sleeping?  Do you have any tricks or advice for me?  

Thanks in advance!!!!!

Well, have you talked to your doctor? Before you assume it's insomnia or even a problem for you, I would talk to your doctor and ask for a specialist.  The reason being is, are you having normal sleep patterns? N1 -> N2 -> N3 -> N2 -> N3 -> REM is an example.  If you aren't reaching REM and NREM stages this is a sign of trouble in your sleep.  Otherwise you have a normal sleeping pattern and your body feels rested so it is waking itself that or it's you waking yourself up thinking you can't go back to sleep.  Remember, we control our sleep patterns by willed behavior as well as with other things.

A study by the University of California, San Diego showed that people who lived the longest reported only sleeping 6 hours a day, while the national sleep institute says you should get 7-9 hours of sleep a night.  Doctors will vary on opinion.

Do you drink (and not drink as in Alcohol) before you go to bed? I would try not to drink anything for at least an hour or two before bed.  Do something calm before trying to sleep.  The best way is to sit in bed with the TV on low low and watch something boring, make sure the TV turns itself off.

Don't excersise 5 hours before bed, this can impact sleeping patterns as well.  Many don't realise that.  Don't eat so close to bed time, no "midnight snack".  The types of foods you eat can impact your sleeping as well.

Many people think they need things to sleep but over time they don't realise how unaware it makes them while sleeping as well they don't realise that it can effect their sleeping, things like: TV, Music, Light, Noise. 

On the subject of the person who says they think it's not the caffeine: Do you smoke, do you eat candy? Do you drink alcohol? Do you eat regularly? The improper diet mixed with proper excersise can effect sleeping as well.

I have the opposite problem, i have trouble falling alseep and waking up early. I hope you find some answer