Health & Support

Lately I have NOT been able to sleep. My mind is overwhelmed with useless thoughts. Things that don't bother me much during the day worry the hell out of me at night. I've had to take three tylenol PM to fall asleep and even then its somewhat of a struggle. Anyone know why this could be happening? Could it be because of my tendency towards bulimia (although I am currenly fighting it and taking the steps towards ending it entirely)? Has anyone else experienced this?

I don't personally know about the connection with bulimia but I have had my share of sleep issues. I've done the Tylenol PM thing too but not wanting to get into the habit forced me to look elsewhere. My pharmacist told me to try melatonin as a natural way of getting your body to sleep. It didn't work out for me, but I was also working odd shifts at work.

What has worked the best for me is de-stressing through exercise. It's kind of two-fold. I can sweat out some frustrations but it will also tire me out.

If it's worries that are keeping you awake, take steps to repair those. Write down an action plan or a list that you can check off.

Sorry if this is kind of broad, just maybe a jump-off point for ya'. Good luck!

I exercise for 30-40 minutes daily, and I do weights 3 times a week. I have had the worst headaches the past days, so much that its been making me nauseous. I'm thinking they may be migraines. That could possibly cause insomnia?

Maybe I'll try the melatonin. Thanks for the response :)

Yeah, migraines make it difficult for me to sleep too. I end up pacing around, and then lying down, then pacing.... It's weird. Maybe you need to look at the source of your migraines which will help your insomnia. For me, I think it was because I was getting the depo shot.

Also, I've heard that it helps if you keep your bedroom more on the cool side.

I'm sure you know the usual things... don't exercise at night, no caffiene after noon, don't go to bed too hungry or too full, no alcohol, etc.

The best thing that works for me is to create a bedtime ritual/habit.  It will take about a month for it to sink in.  For example, head to bed about a half hour before you're going to sleep.  Brush your teeth and all that.  Then write your worries and thoughts down in a journal.  Spend a good 10 minutes with breathing or mantra meditation.  It makes you focus on a word or your breath and helps to "cleanse" your mind of all the thoughts.  There are lots of types of meditation.  Prayer would work too if that's your thing.

Also, in addition to melatonin, one can use tryptophan (the stuff in turkey) or a soothing tea.  A tea with valerian root and chamomile helps me.

Hope those ideas help!

sleep MD is a gift from God.  even still, I wouldn't take it as a daily measure.  If it's really bad, maybe a counselor or therapist would help? Talk out everything and anything so there's less to think about at night?   I second the exercise idea, but too late in the day and it could set you back. Even at 4.3opm a long run will keep me up wwaaaay too late.  Good luck, insomnia sucks! >.<

I am just recovering from insomnia, I only just stopped taking prescription sleeping pills a few weeks ago, and at first I still didn’t get much sleep, but I still made sure I was out of bed by 9 am each day so my tiredness built up so I eventually felt tired enough to fall asleep at night!

If strong medication won’t work, then it is unlikely that melatonin or natural alternatives will work, and meditation is not for everybody

My insomnia was caused by a binge eating disorder and preoccupation with food that occurs with most eating disorders, I was thinking about food all the time and what I did and did not do properly, though it was worse when I binged

My insomnia was also caused by not taking in enough calories for the exercise I was doing, weight training and running for example can burn 400 calories a session so you are likely to feel hungry if you don’t eat some, if not all, of your exercise calories back!

I also had racing thoughts through my head which were a main reason I could not sleep, do I had to do a lot of self talk, were I challenged my worries with logic, and told my self that it is not going to make a difference if I worry or not

I have slept well, 5 - 7 hours this last week or so, but last night I ate rather late and could not sleep so going to bed hungry OR eating in bed will make it harder for you to fall asleep!

So, don’t eat too close before bed, don’t go to bed hungry or full, and don’t sleep in to compensate for lack of sleep, because your body needs to rise at the same time each day to get into a routine, and work out how to shut up those racing thoughts in your head while you try to sleep, it just took time for me.

thanks so much for all the responses. i'm taking everything into consideration <333

Wow-I'll try as well. I've watched the sun rise everyday this week! and though it's beautiful, I've been struggling with this since September, I know a lot of it is stress.. and I'll say "depression" but still... hard to shake, took this long to get in this mode.. tough to accept it's gonna take just as long to get out.. SO many factors! It's affected every area of my life..missing classes, appointments-LIFE! I'm on vampire, sloth mode. The doctor gave me trazadone about a month ago..and I took it a few nights,. gave me a stuffy headache and I was still up at four.. wasn't about to take another one.. don't think it works like aspirin-ya know? anyway... I would love to rise at 9am, even 8am these days instead of finally going to sleep then. Hope everyone gets sleep.

If anything works for anyone.. please keep that posted as well. THanks. ~Sweet Dreams~