Insomnia!

[Wildflower]

Anyone else here have it? I am struggling with it these days. Notice I am up posting here at 3am!

I am struggling with menopause these days and am on new medication for my spinal condition and high blood pressure (that was recently diagnosed), which makes me so sleepy during the day, but come bedtime I simply can't fall asleep and if I do, I can't stay asleep. I was this way before the new med though, but it amazes me that it makes me so sleepy during the day, but not at nightime. :confused: I can't switch the hours I take it either.

What do you do when you have trouble sleeping? I don't want to take sleeping pills. I hate meds and am mad that I have to take any at all, but don't really have a choice these days....

[DarkStar]

I'm struggling with this too. It isn't constant, but it seems that once I have a night where I just can't sleep, it doesn't stop with that one night - it goes on for a string of nights. Stress seems to do it for me - probably a bit of menopause in there, too.

I'm looking for solutions, too. Sometimes if I don't get up, and just focus on my breathing, or the night sounds, I can drift back to sleep. Other times I just get up. Skullcap tea helps, too, but not reliably for me.

[Float On]

I go through stages of it. No answers. I do drink caffine so when I notice that I'm heading into an insomnia cycle I try to remember not to drink anything with caffine after noon. I'll usually move into the living room because it's more peaceful to sit and do something calming than to just toss and turn in bed being frustrated. I'll go a 7-10 days with only 3 hours sleep a night and then shift back to regular sleep. I'll nap a bit during the day if I can.

[CathyA]

I used to have trouble sleeping, during perimenopause, but that was probably because of sleep apnea. With sleep apnea, your cortisol goes up and makes you have to pee alot.......so that would wake me up.
Here's a few tips:
You might try giving up caffeine altogether. Even when I drink it in the morning, it can cause me to wake up at 4a.m. (don't forget how much caffeine there is in chocolate).
Don't eat anything in the evening.
Never drink caffeine any later than noon, if you can't live without it.
Try taking your blood pressure medicine at a different time.
Never exercise in the evening.
Never do anything in the evening if it requires intense concentration.
Try taking calcium and magnesium in the evening.
Don't drink alcohol in the evening.
Try not to take any naps during the day.
Get some exercise in the day.

Can you get to sleep initially, but then something wakes you up?

[Sad Eyed Lady]

When I was going through menopause the only symptom that bothered me much was the sleepless nights. It was horrible. I finally found and tried Remifemin an herbal supplement for menopause support, and after being on it for awhile, (it is not going to work overnight), it helped greatly. It was a bit pricey I thought, so when I read that the ingredients were just black cohosh and some peppermint for flavor, I bought black cohosh and took that with the same good results. It is supposed to help with a lot of symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, etc. but all I was concerned about was getting a good nights sleep. I recommend it if this is the cause of your insomnia. If not, you already have some good tips here. I might add, Sleepytime Extra tea. It is more effective than just the Sleepytime because it adds Valarian in the Sleepytime Extra.

[catherine]

My remedy for insomnia is two-fold:

First, embrace it. Which is hard to do! Especially if you have to get up and function at work the next day. But you know the saying: What you resist persists. I truly believe that with insomnia. The more you try to get back to sleep, the less able you are to fall asleep. But sometimes I use the time awake in the middle of the night to just watch the shadows on the ceiling and love the peacefulness. Then, while I'm in that frame of mind, I'll practice gratitude, and "count sheep" with things I'm grateful for.

Finally, and this is my own method that can be modified for non-Catholics, but I pull out my rosary. The rosary gives you a meditative framework of repetition that also helps you detach from those negative thoughts that tend to swirl around you in the dark. But there are other kinds of beads out there that have the same purpose. you can use them to recite a mantra of your own choosing.

If it's the medication that's causing it, see if the dose can be adjusted if the insomnia continues to be bothersome.

[redfox]

Anyone who wakes frequently at night should be tested for sleep apnea,in my opinion. I have OSA, obstructive sleep apnea, at the very mildest end of the scale. I was still chronically exhausted. CPAP, or in my case, APAP treatment freaked me out, yet I acclimated to it. Now I take small doses of melatonin to help sleep as well.

[Tweety]

I tried reading, but would get too interested in the book and an hour and a half would go by before I began to nod off. Then I tried listening to the classical music station, thinking that the music would be calming, but I ended up listening with too much concentration so it was no better than a book. Finally I discovered the BBC World Service overnight broadcasts on a local NPR radio station. Somehow those plummy British voices put me right to sleep, even if I am interested in what they are talking about! So now when I renew my membership in the NPR station, I always tell them that the BBC is my favorite program, I just don't tell them why!
When I visit my DD in Key West where there is no BBC overnight, I find that listening to a sermon on the local religious station is almost as good.

[tootall]

Not that I know about menopause...but as a Mechanic I can lay huge stock in Accupuncture.

I was on hydrocodone for pain, and lorazapam to calm myself down as well as prilosec for heart burn. After taking full stock in accupuncture and about 2-3 months of bi-weekly appointments I was calmer, slept better, did not need the anti-acid drugs and all in all better health. Your body is a machine like it or not and most people in america are over drugged, since it costs money and people can profit. It might not cure your sleep issues but I found that staying awake untill I was nodding off or just drop dead tired helped me fall asleep faster and more soundly.

I reccomend accupuncture to anyone, even if they feel they are healthy, they can be more inline with their molocules...chiropractic helps in spades as well.

A good accupunctire artist can show you directly how they can help you, mine was on my first visit, I had low back pain constantly and with three tiny pins in my left hand she had me walk down the hall and wow, I could feel less pain in my back and that got me hooked....too bad I don't have insurance anymore because I can't afford the visits anymore, but if I had tha ability I would be there in a flash.

Never forget: Medical Doctors Practice......

[cjones]

I've had insomnia for years. Since my illness a few years ago (I've recovered) I've had terror added to the insomnia---a feeling of crushing abject fear. I can validate the value of praying the Rosary for those who have this belief--also, the BBC broadcasts! I exercise a lot, limit caffeine, do deep breathing, and when it's particularly bad I also take Lorazapam. Over the counter Bendryl is almost as effective as Lorazapam if you don't take it too often. I find it also helps to go lie on the sofa for a while. Recently I heard about something called Tapping and I'm going to try that too. Good luck to all of us with insomnia---it can be a real trial!

[Wildflower]

I fell asleep last night (finally) and later woke up practically hyperventilating. Basically, a panic attack I think. I rarely have caffeine and hadn't had any yesterday. I think I am having a bad reaction to one of my new meds. Could be hormones too, or a combination of both. *sigh* Will be talking to my doctor about it....

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and advice with me.

[Dhiana]

Glad to read you will be talking with your doctor about it, just to eliminate medical reasons.

Unfortunately I, too wake in the middle of the night and like the previous poster mentioned; embrace it. Plan for it :)
My solution has been to simply read a book but never one that's too good :) A basic who-donnit like "The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" or a cheezy romance.
Many are free or super cheap via kindle. It helps that I use my iPod Touch on a dim setting, I don't need to turn on a light. My husband likes that part :)
The reading keeps the nervous running dialogue in my head to a minimum.

Did read an interesting article on BBC's website about 1st sleep & 2nd sleep which talks about our 8 hours of sleep are really (2) 4-hours of sleep with a wakeful break in the middle. Really explained a lot about my 'insomnia' :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783

Hope you get that good nights sleep soon!