Insomnia ?

[walkin jack]

Carl was the inspiration for this post when he mentioned that he was not sleeping good these nights. That is a thing I can really relate to.

I'm not sure whether or not this problem is related to age but I've heard that older folks don't need as much sleep as they used to when they were younger.

I guess it makes since if you stop and think that when you were young you were burning a lot more energy working and playing and worrying about bills and life in general. Later some folks (me for sure) mostly just sit around an piddle on the computer. Oh sure I'll throw in a little yard work or a honey-doo here and there but compared to how I used to roll I'm pretty sedentary these days.

Years ago I read a book by Stephen King called INSOMNIA. It was about and old man who could fall asleep alright when he went to bed but would wake up in the wee hours and not be able to go back to sleep. As time passed he slept less and less before waking up and not being able to go back to sleep.

That is pretty much my problem these days but it isn't escalating like the old man in the book...at least not yet. I feel rested and refreshed but even if go to sleep about 11PM and wake up at say 4AM I feel fine.

Actually I enjoy having a quiet hour or two to myself in the early morning. Pam and the kitty-cats still sacked out and cuttin' Zs lets me get a few things done and have a quiet cup of coffee out on the deck. See I like BEING awake early but I don't like WAKING UP early if you get my meaning.

I have always believed that a person should do 2 things every day that they don't want to do. Me? I go to sleep every night and I wake up every morning. That pretty much covers my requirements.

Pam says I should take a sleeping pill but I don't want to. I don't want to get dependent on sleeping aids. I'm doing fine but just can't help wondering how all this is going to play out.

As you were..........

 

[jb19152]

Insomnia

I think older folks naturally relate to your problem. Myself at 78 yrs. have some vodka before bed time and then take my night medication, which includes a sleep aid. Everyone is different; so it's trial and error for you my friend. Dogwalk

 

[Doug627]

I have had insomnia since I was a child. I use Benadryl to sleep. It works and is not habit forming.

 

[arjay]

I don't fight it anymore,just get up at 2 am,make some coffee,feed the cat,read a bit and if I'm lucky,doze off.If not,a nice nap will definitely help the next day [emoji42]

 

[rwsmith]

Sleep aids......

Sleep aids can range from a cup of warm milk to some mild but effective over the counter products to more heavy duty meds that are available by prescription. Use the LEAST that you need.

Often I get up and piddle around until I get tired and go back to sleep. That doesn't bother me as much as insomnia and problems like a terrible case of sleep apnea that never allows me to get to deep sleep. Between the Cpap machine and some meds (xanax and Ambien) I do pretty well.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I also have had insomnia since childhood. The IMAX that is my brain will not shut off. I struggled for years and then discovered a natural sleep aid found in the rope family.

After a long affair with chemo, it has gotten worse. At night, I take Ambien, Trazadone, Carvedilol and Zoloft to muffle the calliope and Vicodin to dull the pain left by cancer surgery.

It still takes two hours for me to achieve lights out but, boy howdy, you should see the nightly floor show I do.

Ruthie has been blessed with an off switch. She decides it's sleepy time and within 10 minutes she is throwing rocks in a wood chipper. I envy her.

As far as I know, I have never taken a nap.

Staying up at night and exploring under the counter sleep aids, the music industry seemed the perfect fit. It worked out well.

No complaints.

 

[WardenRoss]

Try eating a good bit of Paprika with your evening meal. Cures my insomnia. Also reduces heart burn.

 

[pharmer]

I'm doing fine but just can't help wondering how all this is going to play out..........

Pretty sure it's the same, for all of us. Joe

 

[Scrapper]

Try eating a good bit of Paprika with your evening meal. Cures my insomnia. Also reduces heart burn.

Interesting.

 

[vonn]

I go to sleep easy enough but my mind doesn't shut down and then I am awake for awhile at all different hours. Go like that for a few nights then really crash hard and catch up but I never really feel too tired to function so I don't let it worry me.

 

[carpriver]

I can't seem to shut my mind down, it just keeps running and running, when I do get to sleep I wake up to bad dreams and nightmares. I have been taking trazadone for many years. the meds slow down my brain and helps me drift into sleep; it gives me about 6 hours of sleep. I avoid alcohol 3 hours before bed because alcohol can relax you but mess with the ability to get into deep sleep.

 

[Onomea]

Since I retired, it really doesn't make any difference when I sleep. So if I wake up in the middle of the night, and can't go back to sleep right away, I figure, so what? Maybe read for a bit, or fool around on the computer. I often catnap during the day, but that's fine, too.

When I was working, if I couldn't sleep it was stressful because I needed to be rested for the next work day.

 

[shouldazagged]

Sciatica and arthritis pain make sleeping a bit of a chore. I do sleep, but not very well. I'm on a muscle relaxant for leg pain that gives me weird, intricately-plotted, cast-of-thousands dreams--not nightmares, just video versions (in color, always) the the great American novel. Sometimes wake up tired from keeping track of all the stuff going on.

But what the hell, I'm retired, and there's usually only one morning a week that I have to get up at any specific time. And I'm a long-time sober drunk, so I avoid heavy pain meds--all I drank for was to get unconscious and not hurt.

 

[model70hunter]

Insomnia is not an old age issue.

But I find my sleeping habits have changed as I aged.

I used to go to bed at midnight, sleep until 6 and was good to go.

Now with my bad knees aching at times and my sinus' acting up I some times do not nod off until 2 AM. But I can sleep until 8 AM so It is working out ok.

Upon occasion I take a slug of Irish cream Liquor an hour or so before bed time. It seems to work. In the past when My sinus' would go crazy I'd take a swig of Nyquil, sleep like a baby and wake up feeling a little drugged so I have not used it in a long time.

Last night I slept in a chair in a motel room when we went to our "god daughters" wedding. I have severe issues sleeping on the road. I'll sleep good tonight.

I had some kidney stones removed and my Blood Sugar is just over the high mark, so I have to get up once a night to relieve my self but seem to go right back to sleep. This is better, right after the stones I had to get up 3 or 4 times a night, this bothered my sleep.

If I had insomnia bad I'd line myself up in front of the right Dr and see what could be done.

For tonight sweet dreams for you who have it.

 

[6518John]

I can't sleep tonight because I am up worrying over whether the police should use foul language.

 

[johngalt]

I'm not old but don't sleep well. I'm stressed out all the time and my mind is always churning. I usually fall asleep listening to my iPod or watching a video. Can't sleep more than about 4 hours, wake up, then maybe get another 1 or 2.

 

[Fishslayer]

After a long affair with chemo, it has gotten worse. At night, I take Ambien, Trazadone, Carvedilol and Zoloft to muffle the calliope and Vicodin to dull the pain left by cancer surgery.

Oxy puts me in a good place. Recently had to have another few sessions after a bput with some crud. Usually lets me sleep but ocassionally it gives me busy brain & all I want to do is sit up and listen to Pink Floyd videos...

My biggest problem is napping in front of the TV in the afternoon. Kills my nighttime sleep.

 

[model70hunter]

I can't sleep tonight's because I am up worrying over whether the police should use foul language.

Read my post on when to use, benefits of and how those words are both motivational and used in healing and you'll sleep better, maybe.

Now John, knock off the crud, shut off your lights and close your eyes. You've got a big day in court tomorrow, snap too rookie and get some shut eye.

Just imagine how much more effective that would have been If i had actually used pigeon devil speak.

hope you are sleeping and don't see this tonight.

 

[NYlakesider]

Interesting thread.

Since I have been in my teens I have been a very light sleeper. Most times the least little thing will wake me up. At that point I normally will cat nap for the rest of the night, with about a 60% awake and 40% in a light sleep mode.

As a lot have commented I am also a member of the mind will not shut down club. A normal night for me is to lie awake at least a hour before I do drop off in to a little semblance of sleep.



With the minimum sleep I do get for the most part I function all right.D the wife will not agree with that statement) There are many OTC sleep aids and I only use them after a period of less than normal sleep (for me) . Do to my health problems and the script meds I'm on many drugs are verboten for me.

 

[Gamecock]

I sleep on my back.

Hip problem for three months (I thought it would never go away) forced me to sleep on my side. I slept much better.

How's that for irony?