So, what do you do when you have insomnia and you are sharing a motel room with your family. I dread the feeling of laying there without anything to do while the rest of my family snores... At home, I can deal with it because I can go into another room and do something but when I'm sharing a room, I don't want to bother anyone -- although they are all heavy sleepers and probably wouldn't wake up if a parade went through the room!

Sleeping aids (ie Simply Sleep/Benadryl) don't help any more than if I didn't take anything. Also, I tend to sleep more restlessly when I take medications... even cold meds do this to me. Weird chemical makeup.

What to do? If anyone has advice, it would be appreciated.

book lite and book??
We all ( all five of us, and smetimes a guest) stay in our camper (a 29 ft trailer)...I am a terrible insomniac, so when I wake up, I put on my LL Bean headlamp and read a book. Of course, I am in the "bedroom" which has a curtain you can close, and DH just lays there snoring away.
I tend to sleep poorly in motel rooms...I dont know if it is the mattresses or what, but when I wake up my back is killing me (even when we get the "premium" rooms with pillowtop)..I guess I am just used to my own bed at home and in trailer

Aah, vacation! LOL. So relaxing...

Great tip Brendsm1!

Anyone else have any ideas that do not involve too much technology. We are going to cabins in the woods with no TV or internet and I love that we are getting away from these things -- been doing this every June for 17 years!

wake everyone up and play midnight bingo! LOL


I feel you. I have the same problem. I read.

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if you are going to a cabin in the woods, can you take an egg crate foam mattress topper?? Those mattresses are really bad (we stayed in one at a PA State park over the winter...I thought I was sleeping on cornshucks or something )
we took a portable dvd player just for night for the kids to wind down a bit to. Its nice not to have technology, but if you get rain, or the adults are having an adult conversation around the campfire at night, it can be a God send. You can always stash it, and only pull it out if you need it,

Earplugs for the snoring.

I never sleep well in hotels. OTC sleeping pills keep me awake..wide awake..if I take the dosage on the bottle. If I take half a dose, I sleep very well. I always carry earplugs since I am a pretty light sleeper.

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

OTC sleeping pills never work for, so I normally take a benadryl , take a really hot shower and then read for about 15 to 20 minutes. Next thing I know DS is waking me up to go have breakfast.

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I don't have any new ideas to post...just wanted to say yes! on the book and a small light. Reading always helps me relax and before I know it, it is morning....lol

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How about a glass (or 2) of wine with your book? Red wine is suppose to be good for you. (antioxidants)

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I have the same problem OP and I also read while everyone else is sleeping...sometimes it works to take Excedrin PM or Tylenol PM but that doesn't always work and when it does, it takes a couple hours to go into effect.

I have on a couple of trips, had to resort to getting dressed and heading for the lobby with my book or whatever. Another trick is to pick a book that really doesn't interest you all that much. Same thing if you stay up watching TV. Make sure the subject is soothing and semi-boring. Golf, certain cooking shows, or anything that doesn't have volume extremes or subjects that require a lot of thought.

Lately I have been counting not sheep, but fruits and veggies. I think of all the ones that start with the letter "a" and there should be at least 10 to 15 for that letter, and then on through the alphabet. Unless I'm really wound tight, this works most nights.

I also heard someone talking about this recently on some show, and they said to simply keep mentally repeating to yourself "I must go to sleep", and oddly enough, this sometimes works. You may have to fight to keep that the only thought in your head, but if you can keep your mind from wandering off that phrase it might help.

lol I used to go through the alphabet making a girl and boy list of baby names-not that I'm pregnant-just something to do. It gets interesting with y and q! I have lots of sleep problems too. Good luck!

Well, I normally get on the laptop and surf the net, but it sounds like that isn't an option for you. Still, if you have one and have work that you can do offline (I make lists ) or want to play minesweeper or something, that's an option. I've also been known to get mostly dressed and hang out in the lobby. Also, I'll go into the bathroom and do things like color my hair , pluck eyebrows, paint nails, etc.

Hope you enjoy your vacation, Cuthie!

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

Oh, I forgot, I bought a "Listen Up" hearing amplified device...so if you want to watch tv, you can keep it really low (it does work, also you willl know if people are talking about you )

Oh, almost forgot, maybe you can bone up on your son's hh video games and beat them!

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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

Yes, I think plucking your unibrow is a great idea CJS

I have insomnia enough that I have a prescription for a sleep aid. It might be something to discuss w/ your MD.

Other than that: warm bath, high protein snack, glass of milk, reading

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Good heavens, hun, grow up! .

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

One could always figure their checkbook.

cpsfsisooi

I take a book into the bathroom and read.

Reading does it for me, too.

How about a warm washcloth on your forehead? That will usually make me relax.

Someone else mentioned a warm bath...that relaxes me too. A warm shower wakes me up though, go figure!

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Oh goodness! This one CRACKS ME UP!! Can you imagine a kid's reaction if mom was to beat his/her high score! Priceless!

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

Thanks for all of the ideas. As it turned out, I slept pretty well. I stayed up later than anyone (reading with my headlamp) and woke up right at sunrise and read some more. I had a really good book which helped! It ended up being a fun and relaxing time.

I might have to do the video game idea this summer... hmm.