Anybody else have chronic insomnia? What do you do?

Question

Do you have chronic insomnia? What do you do besides take a warm bath and drink warm milk (neither of which ever work). I'm always on the lookout for new ideas as sometimes they help for awhile. No, I will not take pills. When and if I get to that state, I will just return to my doc for prescriptions. We both agreed that it is a last step.

Answer 1

I've got it, and heres some other stuff you can do: exercising or any kind of manual labor during the day (not right before you go to bed) will tire you out and naturally, you'll be sleepy around bed time.  Also, avoid caffeine, smoking cigarettes, and eating a few hours before desired bed time.  I know insomnia is probably one of the most frustrating conditions out there and I'm gonna be honest and say that I have resorted to taking medication at this point, but heres some more natural remedies if you don't wanna go that route yet.  Good luck!

Answer 2

Well usually I just stay awake until I can sleep lol sometimes that 3 am sometimes it's as bad as 8 am but if I need to get up early for something I take pills so I can get my Zzzzz's

Answer 3

Yes, I've struggled with insomnia on and off my whole adult life.  I find that sometimes focusing on it just intensifies it.

Try to keep really busy in the evening, limit your caffeine (if you haven't already.)  If you find your self unable to sleep, get up out of bed and try reading or doing something else for about 30 minutes and then get BACK into bed.  

I feel for you.  I know how frustrating insomnia is.  If those steps don't help, don't be totally against meds.  If they help you get some sleep and back on track, they might be what you need.  You don't have to take them forever.

Good luck.

Answer 4

i dont know i havent been able to fully deal with my insomnia. the only things that seem to work a little are meditiation and excersize.

Answer 5

Medical Marijuana. Safer than sleeping pills, hits you right away. No risk of chemical dependency and no stress on your liver from tryin to clean you from the pills.

It may sound radical, and many are opposed to it just because they simply do not know enough about it. Contact me if you are intrested in learning more, and if not, please continute to be frusterated.

Answer 6

For our distant prehistoric ancestors, stress meant only one thing: there are predators out there who will kill you if they had the chance.  So stress sets in motion a biochemical chain reaction that gives you a fitful sleep that allowed your ancestors to hear the predator approaching and defend themselves.  Nature can't distinguish between that kind of stress and the stress from work, relationships, money, family, etc., so it still causes a fitful sleep.  What to do to eliminate worry is not so easy but you should be aware that it profoundly affects sleep patterns.  

Aside from dealing more effectively with stress, the best thing for insomnia is to spend time outdoors in the bright light of the sun without sunglasses.  This causes the retina of your eyses to send a message to the endocrine system of the brain to produce serotonin which leads to the increasesd production of melatonin at night.  Mothers everywehre know when their children play outdoors they sleep better at night; this is why, and it works for adults too.  In addition to that, other answers above adivse you to lay off the caffiene and sugary food.  I will also tell you to avoid alcoholic drinks, since they convert to sugar and can easily keep you awake.

Try these suggestions and I think you will sleep like a baby!