awake in the middle of the night

[Zoe Girl]

I woke up about 3:30, an hour ago. I have had a running headache for days off an on. I try to cut down the caffeine but then my head hurts. Sunday I realized later that I had really overdone it. Part of the reason to be awake is that I ate sugar before bed, it tends to make me super hungry and wake me up at times. In the middle of the night you tend to have the worst thoughts! Everything is negative and disastrous, self conscious and focused on anything you have ever done wrong. At least I have had enough of this over the years to just realize I will go back to sleep and be more positive after that. I am really glad I have my new job and today I don't have to be in until 10 am.

Okay back on track with sugar and caffeine, maybe even the fast acting anxiety medication.

[iris lilies]

I woke up about 3:30, an hour ago. I have had a running headache for days off an on. I try to cut down the caffeine but then my head hurts. Sunday I realized later that I had really overdone it. Part of the reason to be awake is that I ate sugar before bed, it tends to make me super hungry and wake me up at times. In the middle of the night you tend to have the worst thoughts! Everything is negative and disastrous, self conscious and focused on anything you have ever done wrong. At least I have had enough of this over the years to just realize I will go back to sleep and be more positive after that. I am really glad I have my new job and today I don't have to be in until 10 am.

Okay back on track with sugar and caffeine, maybe even the fast acting anxiety medication.
Ok, good! Sounds like you are reacting to yoir symptoms wi5 the right mindset and treatment.

That is too bad about caffine withdrawal lasting more than a day or two. When I quit coffee years ago, it took about a week for headaches to disappear. That was for 6 months.Later I took coffee habit back up. Love my coffee!

[Tybee]

I woke up about 3:30, an hour ago. I have had a running headache for days off an on. I try to cut down the caffeine but then my head hurts. Sunday I realized later that I had really overdone it. Part of the reason to be awake is that I ate sugar before bed, it tends to make me super hungry and wake me up at times. In the middle of the night you tend to have the worst thoughts! Everything is negative and disastrous, self conscious and focused on anything you have ever done wrong. At least I have had enough of this over the years to just realize I will go back to sleep and be more positive after that. I am really glad I have my new job and today I don't have to be in until 10 am.

Okay back on track with sugar and caffeine, maybe even the fast acting anxiety medication.

I drink decaff only and I still have the middle of the night horrible thoughts-- "negative and disastrous" is absolutely on the money. I think it's depression/anxiety for me and has nothing to do with sugar or caffeine. It has been terrible in the year since my parents' collapse and placement in nursing home and consequent family fighting. Really don't do much sugar or caffeine.

Not to say caffeine and sugar don't set you off--I know my dil cannot do any caffeine, it gives her panic attacks.

I need to investigate going on an anti-depressant and fast acting anxiety medication. I had bad effects on Paxil, Prozac, and Lexapro. Not sure what to try.

[Teacher Terry]

Tybee, maybe try Effexor.

[Tybee]

thanks, Terry, will look into it!

[Teacher Terry]

It's an older drug that works really well for some people. However, once you start it you can't quit cold turkey or you will feel like you have the flu. YOu have to slowly taper off of it. It is also cheap because there is a generic.

[Tybee]

Does it make you gain weight? I have already gained a ton of weight and don't need more.

[Teacher Terry]

No it doesn't.

[herbgeek]

My old frenemy 2am. That's when my brain decides to revisit every dumb thing I've ever done and said. That's when I get to fixate on all the bad things that are yet to happen in my life.

[Zoe Girl]

I am taking celexa as one of my medications. It is good, I know that others have not had much of an effect. And I have actually lost weight. The DR is the best resource actually if you tell him/her your concerns. Pretty much all of these meds will take slowly building up, a chance to work and then tapering down if they are not effective so it can be quite a process.

[Tybee]

Thanks, Zoe, you are right about the doctor, I just don't like my doctor very much and don't feel comfortable talking about anything with him.

[dado potato]

If I have a sleepless night, I don't seek a medication for it. I tend to say (subvocally) "Aww... Drat!", and I'll sit up for a while in a dark or dimly lit room. I have some "go to" minimalist music. Then when I decide to go back to bed, recently I have been doing the progressive relaxation while listening to YouTube hypnosis files. There's quite a range available (good, bad, indifferent) … I think it's a matter of individual taste what sort of hypnotist one would prefer to go into trance for.