Terminalcoffee discussion
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Feeling Nostalgic? The archives
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The Long Count Calendar (Sally has conquored Insomnia)
I did too, because I was hungover all Sunday and didn't wake up until like 3 pm and knew I wouldn't be able to get to sleep and then I got to sleep late anyway and had a ratio of melatonin to hours of sleep which was far too high, and now I'm a little bit deliriosleepy. Whew. Need. Coffee.
I like the idea of writing a book. I think I'll title it Up the McCourt Staircase. Too obvious? Well, I'll think of something. Thanks to Charly and Larry for wishing riches for me. Actually, I've had an idea about some sort of mystery involving middle aged detectives or PI's. In one book I read, one PI only used middle aged women to follow people "because nobody ever notices them." What do you think? Anybody? Anybody?
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I don't know, but I must have read it somewhere else, because I don't read Sue Grafton.
Right! Older folks often have trouble with #2 though...HAha
Right you are. Just think of Elvis. :-D
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Melatonin update: 3mg is not enough to tame the beast that is my 2am mind.
Still the same pattern of sleep for a while then wake in the middle of the night? What if you forced yourself to stay up later?
And...dang...3mg of melatonin is pretty strong...
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Sally said, This has a huge effect on the memory,
I was wondering if you'd remember the $100 I loaned you in class today.
I was wondering if you'd remember the $100 I loaned you in class today.
Seriously, I've never had sleeping issues, but there must be some underlying issue, I would try changing things up a bit in your sleep patterns.
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My sister is an acupuncturist, and I know that she's had good luck with treating insomnia. Maybe try a five elements practitioner if there's one near you? http://www.tai.edu/Practitioners.aspx
Sally, if you insomnia is coming from stress, then you probably need some stress management strategies. I know I usually have negative side effects when I don't deal with what's stressing me out. But then again, I'm not always successful with that effort.A wise person told me once that it's not what's happening to me that determines how stressed I am. It's how I respond to what happens.
Yeah I know. Easy for me to say.
Sally, if 3mg of Melatonin isn't strong enough for you, you might want to try getting shithouse drunk. Sometimes I find on those lonely nights of self that a half-liter of Jim Beam really makes me sleep like a baby.
No! When I was having insomnia, drinking made me initially tired, but then I'd wake up with my heart pounding. The thing is, it's not that you're not tired enough. Your brain is a wheel that is spinning, spinning, spinning. It's horrible. Stuff that is supposed to make you tired DOES make you tired. More tired. Still, the spinning continues.
No drinking for insomnia!Sorry Sally,for not participating in here sooner. Let me introduce myself as a former chronic insomniac. UGH! It's awful - I had it all my life until several years ago and then my therpist put me on Trazadone, which is an anti-depressant whose side effects are drowsiness. My insomnia was classic psychological stuff, and also hereditary - my Dad had it.
Anyway, speaking as someone who has tried EVERYTHING, my problem was waking up and never being able to fall back asleep.
The worst thing to do is just to lie there. Get out of bed. Go look at the sky, listen to the silence, whatever gets you out of your head. Have some warm milk.
Tryptophane is a great supplement that's available OTC. It is what our body naturally produces for sleep, and also relaxes. Not cheap but worth every penny. I think melatonin is the enzyme our body makes several stages before it breaks down into tryptophane. Go directly to the end result!
Also, take a calcium pill, with a vit d. Calcium is best on an empty stomach, and it needs vit d for the body to absorb it best. Calcium also needs Magnesium, many tables come with both in the proper proportion. Calcium is a natural relaxant.
Try those!
When I'm drunk I have to wake to pee too much.Someone had to say it.
What about meditation/yoga beforehand?
Yeah RA, it's important to clear your mind before going to bed, quiet it. Yoga/meditation is great. Reading works for me in that way.If stress is a factor, making a list of the things you have to do is a nice way to shelf the anxiety. There, I wrote it down, it's done for now, I can forget about it til the new day starts!
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And nighttime yoga is a habit I desperately need to get back into anyway.
Montambo: YES! Exactly. Spinning, spinning, careening from thought to thought without cease.
Isaiah: I've been down that road. I've seriously tried the night-cap-iest of nightcaps: the toddy. It is like ny-quil. Zonks me for about 45 minutes and then I'm back up, worse than before because I feel achey, bloated, full of pee, and thirsty. No alcohol.
I also bought 5mg supplements, because Walgreen had buy one get one sale and I didn't know to buy Calcium at that time.
You guys rock.
Why not Attivan? It was my miracle. I only took it for two weeks!
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Well, yeah, and perscribed drugs especially something like Ativan do have side effects. It can also be highly addictive, altho it does sound great for short term if you are just looking to break a cycle of all the anxiety that goes along with insomnia - FUCK I can't sleep! I HAVE to sleep! I'm going to be a wreck tomorrow! I HATE this! I'm never going to be able to sleep! FUCK! Sally - have you tried Valerian? Sold in drugstores as well. Yep, valium is just a much stronger, chemically made valerian, which is itself an herb. Also Chamomile tea. And last but not least - Rescue Remedy, or Rescue Sleep as I hear they make now. That's a Bach flower mix - made from, yep, flowers! Also available in most drugstores.
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WHY ARE YOU SO MISERABLE YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY!hee. If that's not a load of anxiety right there I don't know what is.
Life is anxiety, Sally. Just living. Ya gotta learn to take it as it comes. Don't sweat the small stuff. What's going to be the most important things you think of on your deathbed? Oooooh, I wish I had cleaned my house more!
Naaaah. Go easy on yourself.
Dude, Sally, I bet if you took everyone on this thread's advice, at the same time, you would have a really fun night. It might be crazy enough to get us another scissors picture.
Sally, I'll be happy to call you and say, "GET YOUR ASS TO SLEEP! RIGHT NOW!"If that will help, of course.
Chamomile tea works wonders for stress/insomnia.
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I JUST WANT MY SLEEP BACK!
When I don't sleep I get very paranoid and stressed out. I hear you, Sally. I start to run every conversation through my head, think I did things wrong, etc. I'm honestly surprised you haven't collapsed yet...usually after a couple days it all catches up to me and sweet, sweet sleep arrives...
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If I collapse in any way ...
Sally- go get yourself some chamomile tea!Or have a nice cup of hot chocolate. Did you know that chocolate produces serotonin which is what anti-depressants are all about? Yes girl! Go have some hot chocolate! The milk has tryptophane, and chocolate will boost your positivity!
Gotta be dark chocolate and make sure it's the real stuff. The milk should have some fat in it, if you can whole milk is the way to go. And while you're at it, get some turkey lurkey, that also has tryptophane in it.
I JUST WANT MY SLEEP BACK! "I know that feeling.
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I'm still kind of freaked that the melatonin doesn't knock you out totally. 2.5 milligrams pretty much send me to dreamland, and I'm bigger than you. Hope you get to sleep soon...
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try watching The Titanic. i can last like 2-3 minutes and i am out like i was hit by a tranquilizer dart
Read the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. That one always put me to sleep. It took me months to read it through.I'm just kidding Sally. I know it's a serious problem.
Melatonin didn't work with me either Sally. I think it works for those who are off their sleep cycle, but you are off sleep itself.
I have major getting-to-sleep problems, so I take (get ready for this folks):3 mg Melatonin
10 mg Benadryl
900 mg Malic Acid(acts as a natural muscle relaxant)
600 mg Magnesium/Calcium combo
But, waking up in the morning is a whole nother issue. Oy.
Try the Malic Acid/Magnz/Calcium combo though, it really makes a difference.
Disclaimer - not to be taken seriously, though true.If you were to become chronically depressed, you could, and probably would sleep all night, then take at least two naps during the day. On the flip side, sometimes depression has the opposite effect, which would not be good.
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Well, if you become desperate...although it's not like a cold. It's not something one can "catch."
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Terminalcoffee
Books mentioned in this topic
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2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl (other topics)
Insomnia is awful. The next day is so long. I hate it.