Insomnia

[realityhack]

Realise I should have said sympathise, not empathise... deary me.

Anyway - about caffeine: If you're in a cycle of sleep-deprived misery, it can be hard to cut caffeine out as you'll be relying upon it to get you through the day. You've got to get off any form of caffeine.

You''l feel like hell at first (so start it on a weekend) but have nothing that contains the stuff for at least a week, then ration yourself to a tea/coffee in the morning and one more, no later than 3pm.

I cut out caffeine for 6 months once, then had a Red Bull, sans Champagne, and nearly had heart palpitations. I'm thinking about cutting it down or out again soon.

Oh, and if the brain's whirring away as you put your head on the pillow... don't watch telly or have an argument or think about work too much or anything like that for the last hour and a half before bed. Do something else, clear the head. Sex works quite well too... the body's own 'opiates' can be a no-sleep cure.

[OwlHoot]

.. And no drinking tea, coffee or alcohol* as least 1 hour before you go to bed.

and the rest, for the tea and coffeee at any rate. Probably more like 4 hours.

The snag is Wurzel is probably in a vicious cycle of having to gulp down a dozen mugs of coffee during the day to stay awake, and the caffeine hangs around in the body for hours. (If it's anything like alcohol, it is cleared at a fixed maximum rate.)

So one friday, Wurzel, on the assumption you're a caffeine addict, I'd stop drinking coffee entirely. Take a couple of anadin for the thumping caffeine withdrawal headache you'll get on saturday, and sleep as much as possible over the weekend.

Thereafter, ration yourself to one cup of coffee in the morning and one in the afternoon, and none in the evening.

Also, ensure your bedroom is as dark as possible - buy thicker curtains if necessary, and turn off all electronic gizmos, which can light up a room like an aircraft cockpit, and maybe use wax ear plugs. (I have some in my suitcase in the car, and will check the brand later.)

[OwlHoot]

and the rest, for the tea and coffeee at any rate. Probably more like 4 hours.

The snag is Wurzel is probably in a vicious cycle of having to gulp down a dozen mugs of coffee during the day to stay awake, and the caffeine hangs around in the body for hours. (If it's anything like alcohol, it is cleared at a fixed maximum rate.)

So one friday, Wurzel, on the assumption you're a caffeine addict, I'd stop drinking coffee entirely. Take a couple of anadin for the thumping caffeine withdrawal headache you'll get on saturday, and sleep as much as possible over the weekend.

Thereafter, ration yourself to one cup of coffee in the morning and one in the afternoon, and none in the evening.

Also, ensure your bedroom is as dark as possible - buy thicker curtains if necessary, and turn off all electronic gizmos, which can light up a room like an aircraft cockpit, and maybe use wax ear plugs. (I have some in my suitcase in the car, and will check the brand later.)

edit: The only time I ever have trouble dozing off is after a couple of nights boozing, say half a bottle of spirits on friday and a bottle of port on saturday, and then back on the wagon on sunday night ready for work. In that scenario, to avoid staying awake on sunday night, it's best to wet your whistle with a brace of tinnies or a bottle of wine. (I rarely drink during the week.)

edit #2: I now see the above pretty much paraphrases RH's 8:04am post, which I hadn't read before starting my post, honest. "great minds" and all that.

[shaunbhoy]

Anyone else out there suffer from the abject misery of insomnia? I've had it for years & it gets worse as I get older. I can actually go a whole night without any sleep now, despite trying my utmost to go to sleep. The net result is that I drive to work the next day in an unfit state feeling like absolute sh*t and I spend the whole day feeling nauseous with cold sweats and a vile taste in my mouth. I've tried all kinds of things like cutting out coffee, not boozing on work nights etc but I lie there and while I feel tired it also feels like there is a gram of whizz coursing through my system. I'd go and see a doctor but I get the impression that they'd put me on pills which would create a whole new load of problems. As you'll notice from the time of this post, I'm suffering again - that God it's friday is all I can say right now.

I am sure I read somewhere that a man's natural instinct, immediately after an orgasm, is to go straight to sleep. And they can usually manage this within 45 seconds.
So my suggestion is relatively simple, whilst also organically friendly. Simply knock one out when you get into bed and hey presto.............blissful sleep.
And if it doesn't work first time simply repeat until it does. You may end up blind, or with hairs growing in the palms of your hands, but it has to be worth a try shirley?

[VectraMan]

I suffer quite a bit, and have phases where it can be quite bad for whole weeks. I now only every drink coffee in the morning, even a cup early afternoon can keep me awake at night. And it's generally better to have smaller meals in the evening, and I read somewhere about having carbs. If I have something like pasta in the evening I tend to sleep better.

It's so frustating after having spent the whole day struggling to keep your eyes open and to concentrate on anything, the only time you feel truly awake is at 2am when you're desperately trying to go to sleep. But I've got better at shutting my brain off. You've just got to think "STOP!" everytime something pops into your head. Sounds ridiculous I know. Trying not to breath helps too: i.e. don't consciously breathe but wait until it happens naturally.

Cycling never seems to help. That just makes my legs ache and gives me another reason to stay awake.

[TimberWolf]

Try not to sleep at work.

My brother wouldn't touch tea or coffee after a certain time in the day because he felt it kept him awake. I find listening to something interesting on the TV or radio puts me to sleep quickly (too quickly usually). Music bugs me though and keeps me awake, in fact I have to turn it off; I've been woken up by the closing down music on radio 4 more than once.

[Scary]

On "Grow your own Drugs" they suggested sleeping next to a herb cushion stuffed with hops and lavender.

[TimberWolf]

On "Grow your own Drugs" they suggested sleeping next to a herb cushion stuffed with hops and lavender.

On a cheery note, you can last longer without food than sleep (according to links I provided yesterday). People that suffer a disorder that prevents sleep die quite quickly and painfully. Rats last about 2 weeks.

[Mich the Tester]

Exercise and sex.

[lukemg]

I suffer from this from time to time. One particular time working away and planning the closure of a team was dreadful. I would defo consider seeing the doc, there are all different sedatives and can be used sparingly. If you can stand to drink it, night-nurse is good, but not unless you are 'with cold'. I can recommend Nytol - bloody brilliant, they are actually anti-histimines and available over the counter. First time I popped one I slept 10 hours. BUT - they do make you a bit drowsy for a while the next day + body gets used to them (think it is the same with all medicine which is why Jacko was eventually on operation anaesthetic) SO - I used to limit myself to 2 nights a week, which I found could see me through the others. Exercise will defo help too, chills the mind and body.