I Have Insomnia - Forum & Chat Board | How to treat insomnia

The first thing you need to do to cure your sleep struggles is determining if you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or both. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep all night, you’re experiencinginsomnia.  If you can fall asleep with ease but wake up in the middle of the night regularly, you may have the more-specific issue of “sleep maintenance insomnia”.  Read all the articles about how to treat insomnia

I think if you just eat the right food and have the rest once in a while that could be listen. And drink milk before you sleep.

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I've had problems sleeping since I was 13 (I'm 25 now).

When I started law school the problem increased three fold--I would go days without sleeping. I felt like I was walking through honey; everything was out of focus, my short term memory was shot, I was constantly irritated. After several months of that, I started seeing a psychiatrist who pumped me full of every pill that had "drowsy" on its list of potential side effects. I went through 5 different sleeping pills in 9 months. I was taking them by the fistful and I still couldn't fall asleep. I was taking the pills with alcohol. I was mixing the prescriptions. I was completely ignoring my doctors instructions. I was killing myself trying to go to sleep. Three weeks ago I took my last pill and threw away my prescriptions.

I decided to do it on my own. I started going to Yoga (Bikram) everyday. I started meditating and chanting. I didn't sleep for 3 days. My body had forgotten how to sleep on its own. But I was determined. I started practicing sleep restriction. I would get to bed at around 3am--even though I was so tired that I couldn't focus on my book or even sit upright, I still couldn't sleep. 4 hours later, when the sun was coming up, I got out of bed, took a hot shower, and started my day. At first it was terrible, but eventually it started to work. I took every suggestion I could, and I implemented them all. Here's what I do: 

I try to get (AT LEAST) 1 hour of DIRECT sunlight a day. If I can, I prefer to get about 5.

I turn off my lights when the sun goes down ( I don't drown myself in artificial light when my body should be getting ready to sleep).

I get OUT OF BED when I'm awake. This was the hardest part for me, so I assume it's hard for other people with this problem. When you haven't slept in 2 days the thought of getting up and walking is enough to bring on a stress headache. But you have to condition your body to think of bed as the place you sleep. Or get laid.

I take magnesium and calcium in the morning and at night a couple droppers full of melatonin. I don't know if this is more behavioral health or if these things actually do anything for me. Either way I'm sure its better than serequel, ambien by the fistfuls, trazadone, restoril, etc etc.

Don't drink alcohol past 5pm or any other liquid at least 2 hours before you go to bed. Yeah, its rough.

Exercise. I like to do mine in the heat. Bikram was good. So is running out in the hot sun. Do it every day.

I still have alot of work to do, but for the first time in a long time I'm sleeping on my own and I feel good about it.

I hope this helps people.

I've had problems sleeping since I was 13 (I'm 25 now).

When I started law school the problem increased three fold--I would go days without sleeping. I felt like I was walking through honey; everything was out of focus, my short term memory was shot, I was constantly irritated. After several months of that, I started seeing a psychiatrist who pumped me full of every pill that had "drowsy" on its list of potential side effects. I went through 5 different sleeping pills in 9 months. I was taking them by the fistful and I still couldn't fall asleep. I was taking the pills with alcohol. I was mixing the prescriptions. I was completely ignoring my doctors instructions. I was killing myself trying to go to sleep. Three weeks ago I took my last pill and threw away my prescriptions.

I decided to do it on my own. I started going to Yoga (Bikram) everyday. I started meditating and chanting. I didn't sleep for 3 days. My body had forgotten how to sleep on its own. But I was determined. I started practicing sleep restriction. I would get to bed at around 3am--even though I was so tired that I couldn't focus on my book or even sit upright, I still couldn't sleep. 4 hours later, when the sun was coming up, I got out of bed, took a hot shower, and started my day. At first it was terrible, but eventually it started to work. I took every suggestion I could, and I implemented them all. Here's what I do: 

I try to get (AT LEAST) 1 hour of DIRECT sunlight a day. If I can, I prefer to get about 5.

I turn off my lights when the sun goes down ( I don't drown myself in artificial light when my body should be getting ready to sleep).

I get OUT OF BED when I'm awake. This was the hardest part for me, so I assume it's hard for other people with this problem. When you haven't slept in 2 days the thought of getting up and walking is enough to bring on a stress headache. But you have to condition your body to think of bed as the place you sleep. Or get laid.

I take magnesium and calcium in the morning and at night a couple droppers full of melatonin. I don't know if this is more behavioral health or if these things actually do anything for me. Either way I'm sure its better than serequel, ambien by the fistfuls, trazadone, restoril, etc etc.

Don't drink alcohol past 5pm or any other liquid at least 2 hours before you go to bed. Yeah, its rough.

Exercise. I like to do mine in the heat. Bikram was good. So is running out in the hot sun. Do it every day.

I still have alot of work to do, but for the first time in a long time I'm sleeping on my own and I feel good about it.

I hope this helps people.

Well, if you have REAL insomnia here is various medications that DO work also i will talk of a different but maybe not as effective alternative to medicines after. First things first, this is a chemical imbalance and your imbalance needs fixed, then you can get sleep. These medicines which follow BALANCE the brain for sleep.

Mirtrazapine(antidepressant) - Exellent, wonderful sleep like a log, a side effect is an increase in appetite but if you keep that under control you are sorted.

Olanzapine(antipsycotic) excellent

Amitrityline(antidepressant)- Very good. Sometimes used also to prevent bedwetting.

Diazepam- This only works in the short term.

Soma- This really relaxes you

Now if you don't wich to take meds then stop all carbs, especially refined ones, forget alcohol, fizzy drink and excercise regularly only in the mornings. This will help.

Great suggestions...some of them have worked for me...I went the Ambien route for 12 years, during the time ai was waiting for the right Dx of RA. Finally had to just discipline myself and not gove up. Go to bed at the same time every night, get up at the same time every morning, whether I feel like it or not. Sunshine, exercise (however much I am able) and don't lie awake in bed for more than 30 minutes. Get up and do something...read...(SOMETHING BORING) WASH YOUR HAIR, TAKE A SHOWER...AND GO BACK TO BED TO SLEEP.

i HAVE NOT NEEDED MEDICATION FOR SLEEP FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, SLEEP THROUGH MOST NIGHTS, AND ALTHOUGH i STILL HAVE A CHRONIC PAIN PROBLEM, BY THE TIME i AM MOVING AROUND A COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE MORNING, IT'S BETTER.Sorry for the upper case here...my fingers are a bit stiff today...:)

thanx for that,, yep i get wat you r sayin,, iv got fibromyalgia, and iv been to hell and back,, its good you dont need meds anymore, iv tried but unfortunately as i said b4 its a chemical imbalance,, hoping one day i can get my eating and excercise regime up and running

 I'm also an insomniac and started this discusion on 20sb and got some really good suggestions

Go here to view it they were really helpful!

The first important thing in treating insomnia is its proper diagnosis. There are various types of insomnia - Primary insomnia, secondary insomnia, transient insomnia, acute insomnia and chronic insomnia. The ability to sleep can be learned by a continuous learning process. The solution to sleep problems is not in taking medications, drugs but it lies in following a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes proper diet, regular exercise, good sleep hygiene, a proper sleep routine, relaxation techniques etc. You can find all the information about treating and curing insomnia here.

Hi, there are a lot of medicines for insomnia treating. You need to consult with doctor and he can recommend you your own one!