Insomniac's Thread...

[buckytom]

In the first 7 years of my career at CBS, I worked two 4 to 12s, two 8 to 4s, and a midnight shift, with Tuesday and Wednesday off. Actually, I got off at 8 AM on Monday, and didn't have to be back at work until Thursday at 4 PM.

It was a difficult shift, but I was young, and it afforded me a lot of time to go skiing, and backpacking, and canoeing. Mostly by myself, though, so it was kind of lonely.

Then, for the next 16 years, I worked mostly whole weeks of 4 to 12s and midnight shifts, but never either one for more than 2 weeks at a time.

Finally, about 6 or 7 years ago, I started working straight midnight shifts. It's difficult, but at least it's the same shift day after day. And I get to be around for my son a lot, albeit perpetually tired.

It takes me about 4 or 5 days of vacation before I can sleep for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time.

 

[CWS4322]

My sleep aid is Gravol--if I remember to take it. I have tried others, but 1-2 Gravol does it for me.

My nightmares started when I found my brother dead. Well, I didn't find him, the police did. I was waiting in the stairwell. He had passed away 2-3 weeks before I had the welfare check done. I didn't have to identify him, Thank goodness. You don't want to know the details of the nightmares that wake me up. They are less frequent--but it has been almost a year. I never used to have nightmares and my dreams were always like movies--not about anyone I knew. So the nightmares threw me for a loop.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

"To relieve stress, I do yoga. Just kidding, I drink whiskey in yoga pants."

CD, Since when does whiskey come in yoga pants? I thought it was bottled.

 

[caseydog]

"To relieve stress, I do yoga. Just kidding, I drink whiskey in yoga pants."

CD, Since when does whiskey come in yoga pants? I thought it was bottled.

Who told you about that? I only did that one time. Every other time I used a glass. Ruined a good pair of yoga pants.

CD

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Uh-huh...

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I have the same problem. My mind just won't shut down. And worse, I have a lot of anxiety causing factors in my life, so that's what I think about whilst staring at the insides of my eye lids. I am working on eliminating the anxiety sources one by one (fortunately many of them are a nature that I can get rid of them) but I suspect even after I will continue to have problems. One professional healthcare provider told me that all old people have such problems, and don't reach the deeper levels that young people can reach.

My experience with melatonin is that it worked for 3-4 weeks, I didn't have the daytime problems you had, but it just quit working. Be wary about escalating to over the counter sleeping aids, or worse, prescription drugs. They can cause the problem they intend to cure. You body will adjust to long term use until you can't sleep without whatever drug, and your insomnia is just as bad as it was without the drug.

There are many things you can do to get better sleep, Google is your friend, but here are a few:

1. Maintain a routine, go to sleep and wake up the same time every day including weekends.

2. Quit drinking coffee or other stimulating beverages early in the day. Definitely by noon. (Note caffeine has a half life of 4 hours. 12 hours later 1/8 of the original dose will still be in your blood stream.)

3. Avoid TV and computer usage in the later evening, the light emitted by these devices affects your brain rhythm.

4. Avoid over-consumption of alcohol or food, get lots of exercise (but not right before bedtime, unless it's horizontal!)

5. Wind down as the evening gets late, as I said turn off the TV or computer. Do relaxing things, not stressful things.

I read ebooks when I can't sleep. They get my mind off of thinking about my stress producing problems. Eventually I get so tired either my e-reader shuts itself off, or I realize it's time and turn it off and go to sleep. Some nights I go through 2-3 cycles of read-sleep-read-sleep.

And as I discussed elsewhere in this forum, I've reduced my alcohol consumption, and that has made a noticeable improvement in my quality of sleep.


ETA: Forgot to add, have sex before sleep!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

The eReader may be a problem Greg. I suggest a 5 pound tome that will knock you out for sure when you drop it.

Good advice there. However, if the only thing that will help you sleep is prescription only, do not hesitate to use it. I fought prescriptions for a long time, never getting more than 2 hours of sleep at a time. Now I can get 7 solid hours without any waking moments (read 2 hours long).

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I'll admit the e-reader contradicts the no-TV no-PC suggestion.

My experience is that prescriptions eventually become the new normal and are ultimately self defeating. Like Ambien, read the physician's data sheet. It says do not prescribe for more than 4-6 weeks. Like anybody pays attention to that.

A healthcare professional I know well tells me once a person reaches 60+ they no longer experience deep sleep, and it is common if not the norm for such people to have sleeping problems the rest of their life. She also says older people generally don't need as much sleep.

Hey, she's got her doctorate, I can't tell anybody if she is right. However I think if I can solve my anxiety problems (situational) by simply removing the anxiety-causing elements from my life, it can't help but make me sleep at least a little bit better.

 

[caseydog]

I'll admit the e-reader contradicts the no-TV no-PC suggestion.

My experience is that prescriptions eventually become the new normal and are ultimately self defeating. Like Ambien, read the physician's data sheet. It says do not prescribe for more than 4-6 weeks. Like anybody pays attention to that.

A healthcare professional I know well tells me once a person reaches 60+ they no longer experience deep sleep, and it is common if not the norm for such people to have sleeping problems the rest of their life. She also says older people generally don't need as much sleep.

Hey, she's got her doctorate, I can't tell anybody if she is right. However I think if I can solve my anxiety problems (situational) by simply removing the anxiety-causing elements from my life, it can't help but make me sleep at least a little bit better.

My 84 year old father only sleeps about five hours per night. However, if you add in the time he nods off during the day, reading the news or watching TV, he probably gets closer to that ideal eight hours.

I was just reminded of one of my favorite jokes... When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandpa did, not screaming in terror like the other three people in his car.

CD

 

[blissful]

I bought a new mattress yesterday, it is a great relief to have something softer to sleep on. My hips feel better.

When we took the old bed out, it was nearly collapsed and the tag that you cannot remove under penalty of law said it was 16 years old. BLAAAAAAAUUUU. I'm happy for my new mattress. My sleep was a little better.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Funny story CD.

Uh, blissful, the tag is not to be removed before sale. The mattress police won't come looking for you if you remove the tag once you get home.

There is no mattress alive that could maintain its good sleeping qualities for 16 years. I suspect 8-10 years is even too long to expect them to last. And worse, I think they are building to lower quality in recent years.

My best guess is that most mattresses are worth about 5 years.


I miss my second generation water bed. It did last a lot of years. It was what followed the single, big water bladder: it had 7 sausage shaped bladders (top to bottom orientation) and was great for 7-10 years. I slept well then but I was young then too.

 

[blissful]

Yeah, I get it. But with the tag not removed, the warranty either prorated or non-prorated, is in effect, or not in effect. We had no idea how old this mattress was. I'm just glad it's out on the curb now.

 

[caseydog]

Funny story CD.

Uh, blissful, the tag is not to be removed before sale. The mattress police won't come looking for you if you remove the tag once you get home. .

Yeah, just don't mess with the phone cops...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTPzTG1Lx60

CD

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Yeah, I get it. But with the tag not removed, the warranty either prorated or non-prorated, is in effect, or not in effect. We had no idea how old this mattress was. I'm just glad it's out on the curb now.

I hope nobody moves in before it gets picked up.

I suspect warranties run out way before the mattress gets in such bad condition that you could turn in a claim. But I admit I know nothing.

Yeah, just don't mess with the phone cops...

Meh. I don't usually even answer the phone. My friends know to call my cell.

 

[blissful]

I hope nobody moves in before it gets picked up.

If we both die of my cooking before it gets picked up, it is possible. lol

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Let's hope your city has a good pick up service. I get 4 oversize pick-ups per year in my area. Put it out day before trash day, phone in an appointment, gone at the end of trash day.

 

[Kayelle]

Personally, I think the mattress industry has everyone brainwashed into thinking a mattress should be replaced every X number of years. The mattress I sleep on is 20 years old and it's as comfortable now as it was then.
Don't anyone start a lecture on dust mites because I'll just ignore you.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

It seems to me my first Beautyrest lasted almost that long. The one I bought about 4 years ago already has a permanent sag where I sleep. I rotate it but both places now have a permanent sag. Definitely the last Beautyrest I'll ever buy.

Oh, and worse, they used to have two sides so you could flip them. Not so today. Now all you can do is rotate.

Dust mites haven't killed me yet either. Just don't sleep with mites.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'll admit the e-reader contradicts the no-TV no-PC suggestion.

My experience is that prescriptions eventually become the new normal and are ultimately self defeating. Like Ambien, read the physician's data sheet. It says do not prescribe for more than 4-6 weeks. Like anybody pays attention to that.

A healthcare professional I know well tells me once a person reaches 60+ they no longer experience deep sleep, and it is common if not the norm for such people to have sleeping problems the rest of their life. She also says older people generally don't need as much sleep.

Hey, she's got her doctorate, I can't tell anybody if she is right. However I think if I can solve my anxiety problems (situational) by simply removing the anxiety-causing elements from my life, it can't help but make me sleep at least a little bit better.

I won't take the newer generation of sleep aids, they cause me to have amnesia and I don't sleep.

As soon as I retire, I won't care about the quality/quantity of my sleep, I'll sleep when I want. Until then, I do need help in getting the sleep I need so I can function at work.

I agree with getting rid of things that cause you anxiety, it has to help with the constant movie in your head when it's time to sleep.

 

[caseydog]

I have a Tempur-Pedic mattress. IIRC, it was well over a thousand bucks. I also have a Thermarest camping mattress. That was about 300-bucks.

They are both very comfortable. It has nothing to do with my insomnia. I either fall asleep or I don't.

The camping mattress does have one advantage -- I am camping. Spending a day outdoors, breathing fresh air and cooking over a fire makes a huge difference.

CD