Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
Jun 25, 2014 19:53:37 GMT
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Post by Mystie on Jul 30, 2017 6:26:30 GMT
I know, I know, the first thing would be to get the hell off the Internet. I am a little anxious because I have to do something at church tomorrow that I hate to do (children's time, we have a few hellions) and a little depressed because my husband is going to be gone all day tomorrow and I've been having a hard time getting my eating and exercise under control and I keep watching the scale creep up and I'm diabetic so I REALLY need to get back on track and I can't make my brain shut down. I've been an insomniac since I was a little kid, and it's frustrating. It's too hot to have a cup of soothing tea. I've got an old movie on but that's not helping. Just looking for some sympathy and maybe some new ideas. The main thing is getting my anxious brain to calm the hell down.
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Post by nlwilkins on Jul 30, 2017 6:33:50 GMT
Hello fellow sufferer. What do I do? I try not to let it stress me out cause that only makes it worse. Then, I find some calming activity to do like color or play on the computer. Of course I have to check the peas and I save that for late nights. But, still I only manage to get my full 8 hours maybe once a week. Mostly, I get about four a night. Sleeping pills only work for about a week and then no more.
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Jul 30, 2017 6:34:06 GMT
ooh, sorry you're still awake, Mystie! when I can't sleep, I get a book and read in bed... not a gripping page-turner, necessarily, but a book I've been working away at for a while, or one I've read a million times. The reading gives my mind something to do besides thinking about all the 'stuff' and it usually doesn't take me too many pages before my eyes start drooping, and I find that I've been reading the same page over and over again, or I start nodding off. Good luck with the kids in church!! It'll go okay, and it'll be over with before you know it.
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Post by mcscrapper on Jul 30, 2017 6:48:20 GMT
Add one more member to the club. I've also had insomnia my whole life. When I know I have something going on that makes my brain churn or something big the next day, I medicate before going to bed. I have both OTC and prescription meds I use. If I wake up before 0100 and cannot get back to sleep, I'll pop something. Melatonin works pretty good for me but I have to take it and be in the bed and ready to fall asleep as soon as I feel it take hold. A lot of people take it thinking it will take an hour or so to kick in so they piddle around the house and they miss the melatonin train.
If I wake up with worry or something on my mind, I write it down. I started keeping a note pad beside the bed and it really does help. I also pray about it and give it to God. I also stretch and focus on my breathing. I found several yoga poses and stretches on Pinterest and have those memorized and just do what feels good and relaxing.
If none of that works, I mess around on my phone or get on my laptop and come to Peas and a few other sites I frequent. Insomnia sucks!
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craftykitten
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,304
Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Jul 30, 2017 8:45:28 GMT
I watch videos on YouTube. Wood turning sends me right off. Pottery is my latest thing, pots being thrown on the wheel.
It's horrible when you get stuck in that cycle of not sleeping/worrying. I hope you can break it and get some rest.
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paigepea
Drama Llama
Enter your message here...
Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Jul 30, 2017 11:14:14 GMT
I'm in the club. It's hard for me to sleep at the best of times but we're currently away which makes the sleep issue worse. We have sown relatives crashing our vacation for one night so I have little dd in bed with us. It's adorable and I love the cuddly feeling but for someone with sleep issues it's harder to sleep! On a side note, we're picking older dd up from camp in the morning and I'm super excited. Maybe that's why I can't sleep. But in the end it usually is a combo of factors. I know experts say no internet but I go on line a bit and just try to not be bothered by being awake when it feels like everyone is sleeping. Tonight morning can't come early enough. Falling asleep would be so perfect, but the 3 of us in a queen bed is so tight. Cheers for vacation!
P.
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Post by mikklynn on Jul 30, 2017 11:21:53 GMT
When my problem is not being able to turn off my brain, I count backwards from 500. The trick is the moment you think of anything but the numbers, you start over. I have never gotten to 0. It interrupts that endless loop of worry, so I eventually fall asleep.
I can't remember where I read about it, but it does work for me in this situation.
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keithurbanlovinpea
Pearl Clutcher
Flowing with the go...
Posts: 4,280
Jun 29, 2014 3:29:30 GMT
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on Jul 30, 2017 11:29:44 GMT
I do the count backwards thing sometimes, starting over when my thoughts wander. I also write things down. Sometimes, if the worry is hefty, I will take the note(s) about the worry and explore the thoughts further.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 17, 2024 6:41:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2017 11:36:46 GMT
I read a book. Being on the computer/I pad makes my brain more active.
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Post by farmdpea on Jul 30, 2017 11:49:47 GMT
I listen to/watch YouTube videos designed to help you sleep. I use headphones so that I don't disturb DH, which is annoying but it gets the job done. There are all different types of videos: ASMR, rain, bedtime stories, etc.
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Post by baslp on Jul 30, 2017 13:00:02 GMT
I usually read a book on my tablet and pray I can get sleepy again!
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Post by peasapie on Jul 30, 2017 13:36:29 GMT
There was a time in my life, after my babies were born and hormones were loopy, when I had a lot of insomnia. I used to stay up worrying that I was staying up. Cleaning, reading, pills -- didn't work. What finally worked for me was watching boring tv. Like HSN, or old Jackie Gleason re-runs. My brain had enough stimuli to be occupied but not enough to be engaged.
The only problem is that now when I watch tv, it puts me to sleep even when I don't want to sleep...
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hannahruth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,629
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Aug 29, 2014 18:57:20 GMT
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Post by hannahruth on Jul 30, 2017 13:36:48 GMT
Another one here not sleeping every night - my solution is reading a chic flick type of book which I don't have to think about and if that doesn't work I get up out of bed and go into my craft room not necessarily to do anything constructive but to potter about, tidy my desk, sort papers or photos, look at my next quilt project - really just anything to pass the time.
There have been been nights that I don't sleep at all and then I just struggle through the day and then go to bed at the regular time. These nights are not very often thankfully.
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
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Post by georgiapea on Jul 30, 2017 14:17:31 GMT
I take Tylenol PM. The Tylenol takes away my hurts and the Benedryl sends me to sleepy land.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jul 30, 2017 14:21:00 GMT
I've started to listen to books on audible. I set the sleep timer for 30 minutes.. I almost always drift off by then, Of course I have to relisten to the bit I slept through but it seems to do the trick better than hopping on line.. which I used to do.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 30, 2017 15:03:03 GMT
I go around and around with insomnia too, and have since I was a little kid. I used to try the counting tricks and they never worked for me. Something DH read or heard once is instead of counting forward or backward, just count 1-2-1-2-1-2... etc. The problem with counting is that you have to engage your brain to think of what is coming next, instead of relaxing it whereas saying something repetitive like 1-2-1-2 you don't have to think about it at all so it supposedly helps you to relax. When all else fails, I take a Benedryl and it's lights out for me. Only one though because two will give me a sleep hangover the next morning. One just takes the edge off so I can fall asleep.
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Post by clarencelynn on Jul 30, 2017 15:04:59 GMT
I find scrolling through Pinterest or the 'garage sale' items on Facebook Market makes me sleepy again. The smooth scrolling motion makes my eyes sleepy.
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Post by Fairlyoddparent on Jul 30, 2017 15:07:02 GMT
I watch HGTV on my IPad. Something about it lulls me right to sleep.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 30, 2017 16:12:01 GMT
I stick a tablet under my pillow and I listen to west wing
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Post by Tammiem2pnc1 on Jul 30, 2017 16:24:37 GMT
I take Nyquil...every single night of my life. It works, I got to sleep. If I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep I take a bit more. I never pick up my phone or tablet because that just keeps me awake. I've talked to several of my doctors and none of them are concerned about the nyquil, they told me if it works to keep doing it.
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139
Jun 26, 2014 14:43:10 GMT
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Post by scrappington on Jul 30, 2017 16:58:32 GMT
Either do a brain dump and write down lists. If it's down on paper you don't have to think about it so you won't forget it.
My brain races all the time. I have to slow it down at night so I find my happy place to focus on.
I build my dream scraproom everynight. I focus on it. Nothing else. And I go to sleep. Took me awhile to figure out what worked. I also have to tv on sleep mode. A stupid re run so I don't have to pay attention. But it gives me something to focus on that isn't keeping me awake.
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uksue
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,506
Location: London
Jun 25, 2014 22:33:20 GMT
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Post by uksue on Jul 30, 2017 17:38:07 GMT
Listening to podcasts helps me . I'm currently loving these ( he's a writer/producer on criminal minds and ex FBI. She's a very respected criminologist here in the UK who founded palladin and works to prevent violence against women and children .) www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/real-crime-profile
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Post by Delta Dawn on Jul 30, 2017 17:43:23 GMT
I listen to Youtube videos on yoga or skin care really softly so I can't hear it really. It's just white noise. It works well for me. I use Firefox so there are no ads on it so I really appreciate it!
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,362
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Jul 30, 2017 18:06:51 GMT
I first try to do a restart. I get up, get a drink, go to the bathroom, and then crawl back in bed. If that doesn't work after a bit, then I get up and go to the couch and read on my kindle until I get sleepy.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
Jun 25, 2014 19:53:37 GMT
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Post by Mystie on Jul 30, 2017 23:10:44 GMT
Thanks for all the good ideas! I would love it if I could read in bed till I got sleepy, but when my husband is asleep, I can't have the light on. (He has zero problem sleeping. Sometimes I want to smother him with a pillow. ) I got about three hours of sleep, had a full day, and now I'm on the couch with my eyelids drooping. So at least I should sleep well tonight. I am going to try some of the sleep cures you all mentioned, too.
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Post by walkerdill on Jul 31, 2017 0:01:31 GMT
I don't sleep well & haven't for years. I am a 2am baker. I bake alot & then bring it into work so I don't eat it all.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 31, 2017 0:06:47 GMT
Thanks for all the good ideas! I would love it if I could read in bed till I got sleepy, but when my husband is asleep, I can't have the light on. (He has zero problem sleeping. Sometimes I want to smother him with a pillow. ) I got about three hours of sleep, had a full day, and now I'm on the couch with my eyelids drooping. So at least I should sleep well tonight. I am going to try some of the sleep cures you all mentioned, too. what about a paper white or nook glow light? I can't read to sleep because I keep reading until the booj is done.
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Post by mama2three on Jul 31, 2017 0:23:39 GMT
Thanks for all the good ideas! I would love it if I could read in bed till I got sleepy, but when my husband is asleep, I can't have the light on. (He has zero problem sleeping. Sometimes I want to smother him with a pillow. ) I got about three hours of sleep, had a full day, and now I'm on the couch with my eyelids drooping. So at least I should sleep well tonight. I am going to try some of the sleep cures you all mentioned, too. what about a paper white or nook glow light? I can't read to sleep because I keep reading until the booj is done. Agree. I will stay up reading for hours and hours when I can't sleep. With my kindle I can even check out the next book in the series from the library and keep reading. I use my kindle set on blue shade and dimmest setting. Or with a paper book I use a small flashlight with a red beam. Just bright enough to read by without making me more awake, and it doesn't keep DH up.
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Post by annabella on Jul 31, 2017 0:33:30 GMT
Definitely get a kindle and turn the light setting down so it's not so bright. Don't get on your computer or look at your phone an hour before bed, that light signals to your brain that it's not time to go to bed. I bought orange glasses to look at my computer at night. Try some sleep supplements, my mom loves this one. I also like the Acupressure Mat and use it for 10 minutes right before bed.
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Post by stingfan on Jul 31, 2017 2:55:31 GMT
Sometimes a location change helps. Head to the guest bed or a couch or even just move your pillow to the other end of the bed.
Have you tried a sleep mask and/or earplugs? Removing stimuli might help.
What about a little...uh...sexual release 😳? Alone or assisted 😉...
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