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re: Sleep restriction for insomnia

Posted on 3/27/24 at 8:20 am to
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
89686 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 8:20 am to
quote:

You'll think this is dumb


I don't after trying it one time. I may bump this thread either way after more research.

quote:

Do your normal bedtime routine but spend the final 20-30 minutes prior to curling up without TV or electronics. Let the brain rest. Then, as you turn out the lights and tuck in, close your eyes. Relax.



I did violate this - I was looking at TD and, coincidentally stumbled on this thread. I'm trying to get better at limiting screens at bed time. I do use a Kindle Paperwhite, but with a really warm backlight setting. Regardless, I was not in compliance last night.

quote:

When situated, spend the next 3 or so minutes rolling your eyeballs in a circle for 10 or so orbits. Stop. Now, focus on moving eyeballs completely up, then down and repeat 10 or 20 times. Stop. Go back to eye rolling. Repeat for as long as you can... circles then up downs.


Frankly, I don't think it took 3 minutes. I know I did the circles 3 times. I'm not sure I was on the up/down the 3rd time or had started the circles the 4th time or not. 7+ hours later, woke up at the alarm.

Small sample size (1 attempt). I would have to give it an "A" at this point.
Posted by mudshuvl05
Member since Nov 2023
740 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 8:36 am to
I've had insomnia since I hit puberty. It's not hard to see who has it on this board if you look at their posting time trends.

That said, melatonin only really works its wonder if you take it consistently. If it's a one-off thing then it's no guarantee it'll do much of anything at all.

I take the 10mg quick release melatonin tabs and 2 valerian root and can be out in minutes. We have newborn twins right now, so I'm not taking it, but when they get on a sleeping schedule I'll go back.

My main problem is until I'm out for good, any noise or movement will wake me up. Once that happens and I miss that window of opportunity to fall asleep, there's no telling when I will be able to fall back asleep.
Posted by cyogi
Member since Feb 2009
5141 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 8:37 am to
If you have sleep anxiety sleep restriction can make things worse.
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
89686 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 8:44 am to
quote:

That said, melatonin only really works its wonder if you take it consistently. If it's a one-off thing then it's no guarantee it'll do much of anything at all.

I take the 10mg quick release melatonin tabs and 2 valerian root and can be out in minutes. We have newborn twins right now, so I'm not taking it, but when they get on a sleeping schedule I'll go back.


This just isn't true for everyone. If I take mel every day, it stops working altogether, except for the side effects in 4 or 5 days. I take it intermittently with Valerian root and Mag and that gets me through rough patches
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13911 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 9:32 am to
quote:

Get a script for benzodiazepines such as Valium or Ativan



Whatever you do, do not do this.

Horribly addictive and the withdrawals from benzos are epic in a bad way. You might have to take them for the rest of your life.

Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13911 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 9:35 am to
quote:


I guess a lot of people have quirks to get to sleep.

One weird thing for me is I have to have a ceiling fan on high, even if it's 20 degrees outside. I'll wake up if someone turns the fan off. I never sleep well in hotels because they don't have fans.


I have something like this I put in my suitcase. It sounds ridiculous but it's awesome. I, too, need moving air. I also blast white noise on my phone.

I often wonder what our ancestors would think about how needy we are . But those people worked their asses off physically every day (most likely) and when I do that I could sleep in any condition.

LINK

This post was edited on 3/27/24 at 9:41 am
Posted by JasonDBlaha
Woodlands, Texas
Member since Apr 2023
2472 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 10:09 am to
quote:

Horribly addictive and the withdrawals from benzos are epic in a bad way. You might have to take them for the rest of your life.


That’s why the majority of people only take them for 2-3 weeks before stopping them. For short term usage they’re not harmful. Whenever I book a flight, to help with my flight anxiety I’ll get a script for Ativan that only prescribes doses for the day I’m flying and nothing more. I’ve never had any problems from this
This post was edited on 3/27/24 at 10:13 am
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13911 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 10:11 am to
quote:

That’s why the majority of people only take them for 2-3 weeks before stopping them. For short term usage they’re not harmful. For long-term usage, they definitely are harmful.


Just not starting is the smartest thing. If he needs to be knocked out that badly, take a bunch of benadryl.
Posted by JasonDBlaha
Woodlands, Texas
Member since Apr 2023
2472 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 10:17 am to
Benadryl is useless as a sleep medicine. If OP doesn’t want benzos, he should get a script for hydroxyzine. It’s an antihistamine that’s much stronger than Benadryl. The only downside to hydroxyzine is that it can prolong the QT wave in your heartbeat and can cause heart arrhythmia if you’re genetically predisposed to developing one.
This post was edited on 3/27/24 at 10:24 am
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13911 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 10:40 am to
quote:

Benadryl is useless as a sleep medicine.


My doctor once told me to take benadryl if I'm having trouble sleeping. It sure knocks me out. My kids certainly attest to this as well, it knocks them out cold.

Maybe you're one of those people that has the inverse effect and it gives you energy?

ETA:

diphenhydramine hydrochloride (benadryl) is literally the component in NyQuil that is meant to knock you out. They've rebranded Benadryl as ZzzzQuil sleep aid and it's just diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

This post was edited on 3/27/24 at 10:42 am
Posted by JasonDBlaha
Woodlands, Texas
Member since Apr 2023
2472 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 12:01 pm to
Benadryl didn’t do anything for me when I took it. I guess some people don’t feel anything from it when they take it.
Posted by St Augustine
The Pauper of the Surf
Member since Mar 2006
64486 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 12:09 pm to
I often wake up during the night and have trouble going back to sleep.

If I'm up later on weekend say till 1 I'll often sleep more straight through but still wake up early
Posted by Jimmy Pop
Member since Dec 2023
12 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 1:10 pm to
melatonin + trazedone = much better sleep
Posted by Krane
Member since Oct 2017
997 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 1:15 pm to
I’ll probably get laughed at for this suggestion but I will just read a book for 15-20 minutes and then fall right back to sleep

Tried every other remedy over the years and this still works the best for me
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13911 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 1:27 pm to
quote:


I’ll probably get laughed at for this suggestion but I will just read a book for 15-20 minutes and then fall right back to sleep

Tried every other remedy over the years and this still works the best for me


No laughing from me. Reading at night gets me yawning after like 2 pages
Posted by Sao
East Texas Piney Woods
Member since Jun 2009
65974 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 1:48 pm to

Good deal, Ace. Glad it helped.
Posted by RandySavage
Member since May 2012
30917 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 2:15 pm to
Tell me about trazadone, i don't like taking meds but the Dr just prescribed it. She said it's not habit forming
Posted by MRTigerFan
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2008
4275 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 2:24 pm to
quote:

Tell me about trazadone, i don't like taking meds but the Dr just prescribed it. She said it's not habit forming

I stopped taking it because it worked too good. I would sleep through my alarm clock and be groggy when I finally did wake up. I still have it and occasionally take one if I can't sleep and don't have to be up early for anything.
Posted by Sao
East Texas Piney Woods
Member since Jun 2009
65974 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 2:24 pm to
I can't recall if I've ever taken that Rx actually. Was your MDs only resolution a pill? That was it?
This post was edited on 3/27/24 at 2:25 pm
Posted by dupergreenie
Member since May 2014
5359 posts
Posted on 3/27/24 at 2:26 pm to
quote:

trazadone,


It takes way to much trazadone to get me to sleep and it's not out of my system until probably 10 the next morning
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