things are getting weird in my head

z31maniac wrote: You say during the summer when your busting your butt all day you don't have a problem sleeping. Sounds like you need to start hitting the gym and lifting weights, or go running. And cut back on the booze.

This, plus get all of that E36 M3 out of your system. You're pumped up so full of drugs that you're body is saying "Hey! berkeley you buddy!"

Work your ass off, unplug the TV and computer, read a book.

I don't think i've averaged more than 4 hours a sleep a night for the past 3 years.

Luckily, it hasn't really messed me up mentally yet, but i'm sure it's just a matter of time. I'm just continually tired.

I haven't really found anything that's worked yet, but i also have to admit that i haven't looked real hard.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I don't think i've averaged more than 4 hours a sleep a night for the past 3 years. Luckily, it hasn't really messed me up mentally yet, but i'm sure it's just a matter of time. I'm just continually tired. I haven't really found anything that's worked yet, but i also have to admit that i haven't looked real hard.

That is a quick way to an early demise. Try and do something about the lack of sleep sooner than later.

Take care of yourself so you will have more time to build cool stuff for the resto f us to read about.

Yeah, I'll condense and second the sentiment floating around this thread:

• Lay off the booze (trust me, I'm the last person to throw stones in this glass house, so there's no judgement attached to this item) It depresses your nervous system and interrupts your natural sleep cycles.
• Lay off the meds. I know it seems like you need them, but I really think they're doing more harm than good.
• Do a lot of dedicated physical work, both to tire you out and give you a sense of accomplishment for the day
• Start practicing good 'sleep hygiene' (see the link I posted earlier in the thread)

Your body is pissed off at you right now, and telling you something's not right. You need to listen to it, and get back to square one with your sleep.

Alright. Here's how last night went. I relaxed a little like I said. I then went to bed about 12:30. It took me a bit to get to sleep but I did stay asleep for a couple hours. I then woke up and started tossing and turning again. From then forward it was kinda hit or miss. I would pass out for about a half hour and then wake up again. I feel alot better than yesterday, but still far from normal. Also, I did catch myself talking in my sleep. Thought I was talking to my girlfriend but came to and realized that I had been talking to myself. creepy.

I agree with what you guys are saying. Especially on the alcohol bit. I think that I need to at least take some time off from the sauce. As far as meds go, as I said in the OP, I haven't been doing all this stuff at once. I tried each thing with usually a couple days of trying naturally in between. Since I've only had limited success I've decided not to try that anymore. With the exception of a small dose of melatonin ( 1 mg) that I took last night. I'm gonna try taking nothing and not drink at all tonight. I'm also making it a point to go to sleep the same time every night. That's something I'm really bad about. I've got some work today that should be pretty physical and I've got a chiropractic appt. tonight. I love going to the chiro. It's really relaxing and I don't toss and turn near as bad when I go because my back doesn't hurt really bad like it ALWAYS does.

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I don't think i've averaged more than 4 hours a sleep a night for the past 3 years. Luckily, it hasn't really messed me up mentally yet, but i'm sure it's just a matter of time. I'm just continually tired. I haven't really found anything that's worked yet, but i also have to admit that i haven't looked real hard.

That is a quick way to an early demise. Try and do something about the lack of sleep sooner than later. Take care of yourself so you will have more time to build cool stuff for the resto f us to read about.

I have a customer that works nights and reports that he only gets about 3 hours sleep a day. He's about 65 and he's starting to go a little nuts.

TuffWork wrote:

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I don't think i've averaged more than 4 hours a sleep a night for the past 3 years. Luckily, it hasn't really messed me up mentally yet, but i'm sure it's just a matter of time. I'm just continually tired. I haven't really found anything that's worked yet, but i also have to admit that i haven't looked real hard.

That is a quick way to an early demise. Try and do something about the lack of sleep sooner than later. Take care of yourself so you will have more time to build cool stuff for the resto f us to read about.

I have a customer that works nights and reports that he only gets about 3 hours sleep a day. He's about 65 and he's starting to go a little nuts.

In my case it's more because my work schedule clashes terribly with my natural clock.

I go to bed at 11 or midnite. I don't sleep soundly, never REALLY have, i wake up constantly, and i don't dream, which tells me that i never really reach REM.

Then my alarm goes off at 4:30am.

Minimal sleep is definitely not something to which to aspire. What time you make available for work, family, et cetera is not quality time.

I know a woman who for years stayed up as long as she could and kept the radio on when in bed. Art Bell whispering in her ear. She said she had bad dreams and wanted to avoid them. When she did crash, even the trucker style alarm clock wouldn't wake her. Yeah, she went a little nuts.

Mostly sorted out later, with more regimented eating/sleeping patterns.

Please, be careful.

As others have said (and you have acknowledged), lay off the alcohol. Give your body at least 3 weeks to get all of it out of your system. Same with the pills.

Cut out screen time 3 hours before you plan to go to sleep. Computer, phone, TV, everything. These screens blink in a pattern that you don't typically notice, but it stimulates your brain enough to keep you awake.

Try yoga or at least some stretching at night. Make it a habit so your body sees it as a signal to get ready for sleep.

Make sure you are well hydrated. Dehydration does crazy things to our brains.

And finally, get a journal. When your brain just won't shut down, write down whatever thoughts you are having and then let them go. If you wake in the middle of the night, do the same thing. In the morning, you can look over them and try to make sense of why they were bothering you.

These things have worked wonders for me when I am having trouble sleeping. Good luck!

When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep... and you're never really awake.

Sorry - I have nothing to add but that was the first thing that popped into my mind.

Morbid wrote: As others have said (and you have acknowledged), lay off the alcohol. Give your body at least 3 weeks to get all of it out of your system. Same with the pills.

Umm.... not to nitpick on advice but....

I definitely agree that quitting drinking is probably the best idea for me. Not just for my sleep patterns but for my life. I'm not a heavy drinker anyway. I've just tended to indulge a little more lately. That being said. I think to claim it takes three weeks for alcohol to get out of your system is a little far fetched.

I will precurse this by saying I'm probably wrong. I don't always know what I'm talking about and I have no medical experience from which to draw my conclusions but this is more the way I thought it worked: Alcohol isn't metabolized into your fat the way other drugs are. It is removed by the liver. So, as I understand it. Once you become sober the alcohol has been removed. You still suffer the unfair side effects of dehydration, lack of salts available to help rehydrate, and severe losses in vitamin B among many other things.

Now to defend your statement I could see how it could take 3 weeks to replenish the vitamin deficiencies that your body could have, but not to get rid of the alcohol in your system.

Now everyone, tell me why I'm wrong. I'm always open to criticism if it means I'm smarter for it in the end!

(If I seemed a bit rude in the statements above remember I've been a little short on shut eye )

PS Screen time was shortened by an hour or two last night and it helped marginally but it helped. I'll try reading for a little longer tonight. I did get more exercise today and was even out of breath for a little bit. Now I'm off to the aforementioned chiro appt. I'll prolly fall asleep on that little roller table thingy. Me and Mr. Durden are still getting along just fine so far. Project Mayhem is on schedule.

Recovering hydration and lost nutrients is what I wanted to say, but couldn't put the thoughts together. More than a little sleep deprived myself.

Okay, that's what I thought you meant. I guess I could have been less of a technical jerk about it in hindsight.

That being said I've taken all of your collective advice and had a much better nights sleep last night. That was night two off sleeping pills and booze. I still did the same sleep for two hours then wake up and wake up about every hour after thing, but I was able to go back to sleep quickly. I feel like if I keep up the good habits I'll proabably being getting back to some good ole R.E.M. in a day or two. Hopefully tonight. If nothing else thanks for giving me the encouragement I needed to do what I had to to take care of this.

Me and Mr. Durden are no longer friends. Project Mayhem has been unofficially called off.

No worries, I know what sleep deprivation can do to a person's demeanor :)

Glad things are improving for you.

Plus, the first rule of Project Mayhem, is YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT PROJECT MAYHEM.

Sorry. As A life long devotee to insomnia, I feel you, man.

Is this a test?