I have alot going on right now and am having a really hard time sleeping. Anyone have any home remedies or over the coutner ones that help?
I do not want to go on narcotics of any kind.
TIA

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GO TONY!!!!!!!!!!! # 20!!!

I am at the 'age' (54) where women often don't sleep well. I wake up many nights at 3:00 and can't go back to sleep for about an hour. I find that taking one Advil PM at bedtime helps me go to sleep and stay asleep. The package directions say that you can take two, but I have always only used one.

Good luck! Not being able to sleep is awful.

The best remedy is to not worry about getting enough sleep.When your body is tired enough it will fall asleep no matter WHAT is on your mind.If you can't sleep just go online until your brain can't function anymore ,lol, then you will get some sleep.

Another thing that helps is to control your thoughts and not let your thoughts control you.When laying in bed don't let the days events start echoing in your mind.Try telling yourself an imaginary fantasy story.This will wear your brain out fast and in about 10 minutes and you will fall asleep.

A couple of silly things I try when I can not sleep

Lay on your back stretched out....say goodnight to each body part...good night toes, good night feet, good night ankles..and so on. Once you get to say good night to your hair, you may be doze off!

Think of a show you like and watch each week. Slowly name all sets you remember...The basement, the kitchen...just boring enough to make you fall asleep.

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Nutella,....
proving some of the best things in life come in a jar.

Might I suggest getting more exercise.....and possibly more S-E-X. Seems to make for better sleep.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

SEX!!! SO will love that!! When I used to work night shift I used to make sure that SO and I fooled around when I got home and I slept like a baby.

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GO TONY!!!!!!!!!!! # 20!!!

I used to have alot of trouble sleeping.

1. I couldn't go to sleep for atleast 2-3 hours after I laid down.
2. I would finally fall asleep wake up look at the clock and it would only be an hour or so since I last looked at the clock. And I would be wide awake.

I tried everything. Relaxation techniques. Wearing myself out. Not having caffiene at all. Nothing worked. I was too the point I was so frustrated at night I would get up and just cry because I was tired but I couldn't sleep. I tried the tylenol pm, the sominex nothing would help me sleep. I finally had to go to the Dr. and he prescribed a pill and I tell you it is the best thing I have done. I take it 20 mins before I want to to go bed and when I lay down I go right to sleep. I stay asleep all night and get up fine in the morning. Infact I have more energy and requre less sleep to feel rested because I am actually getting a full sleep. Before I would sleep late if I could sleep because I was so worn out and it finally caught up to me. Or I would drag myself around with no energy because I was so darn tired.

I have TONS of trouble sleeping. For example, on Christmas night I went to sleep around 11:30. I woke up at 1;35 and couldn't get back to sleep. AT ALL. So I got up and went to the stores that opened at 6:00 to get the deals and then to Target. I wasn't even that excited about anything so I don't know why I couldn't sleep. I can see if there was a whole list of things I wanted it might have made me anxious. For the last few months it has taken me 2 to 4 HOURS to get to sleep at night. What a waste of time. I have all kinds of tricks but they don't always work. I imagine myself ice skating (which I can't do!), or mentally remodel my house, say prayers (which never hurt!!), etc... My sister takes Nyquil if she can't sleep!! lol I hate that stuff. Good luck. Not sleeping is very frustrating and such a waste of time!!!!!

I used to have trouble getting to sleep and this is one trick that worked for me. Sounds odd, but here goes. With my eyes closed, I aim my eyeballs downward, as if I was looking at my chest with my eyes closed. Try to hold them this way. For me, it seemed to shut my brain down- I couldn't think of anything, or worry about anything while doing this, and was able to fall asleep this way.

Now, i can fall asleep easily but wake frequently and can't get back to sleep, even with the above trick.

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Jackie

Music is what feelings sound like._ ~Author Unknown

In my past experiences with insomnia, I have tried everything to help me sleep, including over the counter medications and "natural" sleep aids. I finally asked the Dr. for something, tried several sleep meds and found that prescription meds helped. I don't take them all the time, but they do help when I know I need the rest to work nights or just to get back on a normal person's schedule.

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We're off to never never land

Me again. Having a terrible week. That's why I'm posting this at 4:30 am after only two hours of sleep. I guess I will try to stay up and hit Target at 8:00 and then come back and try to sleep then. I don't think I've ever been quite this messed up!!!

My trouble is not falling asleep it's staying asleep. Melatonin works well for about 4 hours and then I'm wide awake. If anyone has any tips on staying asleep w/o taking prescription Meds, PLEASE post it! I'd love to get more than 4 hours of sleep at any one time.

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Mary

When I know that I'll work the next day (substitute teacher), I'll take ONE Benadryl at bedtime. If I take more than one, I'm sluggish and dry the next day. Generics are inexpensive.

I did a little bit of research (cheapo that I am!) and it contains the same active ingredient as Simply Sleep over the counter -- 25 mg of the sleep aid diphenhydramine HCl.

It helps my body and mind to relax -- plus it reduces stuffy nose breathing problems at night that will sometimes wake me up!

I don't take it all the time because I don't like taking stuff either but if I know that I have to be *ON* on a particular day, it really helps me and my frame of mind to get a good night's sleep.

I am not having trouble going to sleep but rather staying asleep.. I have sleep apnea and I wonder if my numbers need to be adjusted on the machine.. but I did do the advil pm and it worked! I slept like a baby for 7 full hours!~ It was wonderful...great idea thanks!

Me, right now. I am working six days a week, and Mon. is my only day off. Of course I usually have to get up at the buttcrack of dawn with the kids on school days. Well, there is no school today, DH is off for th holiday, and the three younger boys are staying w/ grandparents. I had grand thoughts of sleeping til noon, but I have been wide awake since 5:30am. I am so annoyed because I have been feeling so run down lately, and know I could use the sleep.

Thanks ladies!! I am going to call my Dr and go see her next week. I have tried Benadryl and like many here, it lasts for about 2-4 hours and then I am wide awake. Do you know last night I was up at 1145,115,230,345,500 and then the alarm went off at 6. I started to keep a log of this so I can show my dr.
I have tried many relaxation techniqeus. I think I am going to continue to log all these attempts and go see MD. I dont have a choice.

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GO TONY!!!!!!!!!!! # 20!!!

I hope you find a solution. I go through bouts of the same thing. Benadryl however, speeds me up. Dimetapp works for me but like Benadryl, I'm up after 4 hours. I usually lay in bed and pray for anyone and everyone that comes to my mind and sometimes that helps clear my mind of my own problems and I can fall back asleep.

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My sleep has been messed up for years. A while back someone mentioned taking melatonin. I tried that and it actually works. I wake up so refreshed, as if I had had a great nights sleep. I just forget to take it.

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When I can't sleep, instead of just laying there wide awake, I get up and go to the kitchen and make me a small cup of warm milk. I don't know what it is about it, but I can go back to bed and go right to sleep.

Also, one other thing my rheumatologist told me about taking sleep aids -- he said to always take your sleeping pill a few hours BEFORE you actually go to bed. That way, it will be in your system and you'll go right to sleep and it will wear off before you have to get up the next morning and you won't have that groggy feeling.

I have a horrible time sleeping and have for years.......You can try Melatonin and something called Valerian. One is to help you get to sleep, the other is supposed to help you stay asleep. I pull my bottles out later, and post dosing info.......


Hope you get a good night sleep soon...Not sleeping really sucks!


PS....I really like CJ's idea!

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Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

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