WHY CAN'T I FUCKIN' SLEEP?!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Went to bed at a little after 7 last night, my normal time.

It's now almost 3 am. I've gotten maybe one good hour of sleep all night. The rest of the time I've been tossing, turning, throwing covers off, putting them on again, and cursing myself for not being able to fall asleep.

I'm done trying. I'd be up at 3:30 even if I did get a normal night's sleep.

I didn't have any caffeine at all yesterday. I do know it's been over a week since I had to start at 5 am. Damn this cruddy economy forcing me to work all sorts of different shifts just so I can get my hours.

I've also got at least 4 Excedrin in my system and may need 2 more because I have a splitting headache that won't go away. Screw you, liver.

After I drag myself through my shift (I was contemplating calling in sick, but we'll be shorthanded as it is today) and come back home and hopefully get a nap in, I'm stocking up on MidNite.

[RootedPhoenix]

I'm so sorry Irv. I know the feeling. :( *shakes fist at Irv's headache/his non-sleeping body* Let him sleep!

Try a wet, cold washcloth on your neck. Freezing a wet one works wonders. If cold doesn't work, try a hot pack.

Also, sometimes a shower helps. Must be the heat in the water. :shrug:

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I can't sleep if I'm thinking about a lot of things. Doesn't even have to be bad stuff, if I'm working on a project it might keep me up. My kitchen remodel has kept me up, just thinking stuff like "Okay, gotta go to Lowes tomorrow and get paint, need to remember to call the contractor about X, gonna have to borrow the truck to haul X," ect ect.

I dunno what kind of Excedrin you took, but the Excedrin Migraine has caffiene in it and will keep you awake. The irony of which, of course is that both sleep and caffiene will help get rid of a migraine. :rolleyes:

You're probably more than a little worried about the fact that you are being forced to scramble to get enough hours.

And, of course, the worry that you aren't getting enough sleep weighs on your mind...keeping you awake.

While I am loathe to recommend it, a shot of whiskey or something might help in the future, but with that much Excedrin in you, I wouldn't drink alcohol. If I was really desperate, I'd probably take some Benedryl, which knocks me out.

[Gerrinson]

Yeah, I'm going to second that it's probably the Excedrin because it's chock full o' caffeine.

I can't stand coffee, so when I need a pick me up I take an Excedrin instead.

Sorry for your pain, I know how much it sucks. Good luck, Irv.

[tropicsgoddess]

I would second the Excedrin (since Gerrinson pointed out the fact that it has caffeine) , but I think it could be mostly all the changes you're going through with your schedule and all the stress. Been there, done that. Drink some warm milk, do something mundane before you go to bed or just watch tv (that always works for me since 9 out of 10 times I always pass out in front of the TV, lol).

[Broomjockey]

Yeah, I'm going to second that it's probably the Excedrin because it's chock full o' caffeine.


Depends on the sub-brand. The Tension Headache ones? Yeah. The normal ones? Not that I've seen.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Well, I got through my shift...somehow.

I was pretty much buzzing the whole day. I notice I do that when I don't sleep.

But now it's time for me to try and recoup the sleep I missed last night. I go beddy bye now. Nighty night...or afternoon. :sleep:

[AccountingDrone]

for the next time:

get up and change the bed sheets and pillow cases.
Go take a shower, and get fresh jammies [unless you sleep nekid, in which case .. pictures please :wave:]
get a single small cup of something warm to drink, hot cocoa, hot tea, hot lemonaid with a touch of ginger...
sit on the edge of the bed, sip the hot drink then lie down, turn off the lights and count to 5 until you fall asleep. The latter my doctor suggested - seems that a lot of people with active minds keep track of how high they are counting ... so if you eternally repete 1 through 5 you are blocking your mind off from thinking about whatever it is you were dwelling upon, and not being interesting enough for you to be thinking about the counting=)]

Most sleep disorder docs will tell you to get up and change something, then go back to bed and to not use the bedroom for anything except sleep and sex so you dont associate doing something with the bedroom.

I personally find that fresh clean sheets and pillow cases are great as they usually smell fresh and clean, and are coolish unlike the how rumpled possibly sweaty sheets from before. The shower and the warm drink are relaxing=)

[wagegoth]

The only Excedrin I've found without caffeine is the Back and Body version. A couple of regular Excedrin is like downing a can of soda. If you're having pain issues before bed, my husband likes Advil PM. Even you just need help sleeping, trying a dose of Benadryl. It usually wears off pretty well between six and eight hours of taking it, so the grogginess doesn't normally linger. Try taking it about 30 minutes or an hour before you go to bed.


It takes three weeks for your body to adjust from one shift change to another. I'm very lucky in that I'm one of those people who can sleep whenever. I'm a night person, but I can crash whenever I get the chance. When I'm short sleep, I've been known to fall asleep sitting up. If I can't sleep, then it's BAD. I can stay up 24 hours easily if I've had a decent night's sleep beforehand.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

A couple of regular Excedrin is like downing a can of soda.

The pills in question were Excedrin Migrane.

I checked the label. One of those has almost as much caffeine as a 24-ounce bottle of coke. :eek:

Oh well, now I know what not to take before bed. I'll stick with Tylenol or Ibuprofen unless those will also keep me awake. (I won't take two Tylenol PM or similar--I found those make me groggy in the morning.)

Go take a shower, and get fresh jammies [unless you sleep nekid, in which case .. pictures please ]

Boxers. Sorry. :p

[JuniorMintz]

PICTURES! :lol:

*ahem*

Excedrin PMs are my best friend. I'm with you-fuck you liver, shut up and take one for the team already! :D

[Peppergirl]

I'm sorry Irv. I am a chronic insomniac, so I can totally feel your pain.

I have prescription meds for it, but I only rarely take them due to unfortunate side effects. :(

:hug: Here's to getting a good night's sleep!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Fuck fuckety fuck fuck fuck...

I forgot to pick up the MidNite when I went out for my few groceries.

Guess I get to do that tomorrow, unless I forget AGAIN.

Among the several things wrong with me is that I occasionally suffer an acute case of CRS: Can't Remember Shit.

[RetailWorkhorse]

Welcome to the.....wonderful....world of Weather Sensitives. There's a low front heading in front the North so I'm not about to sleep for a week and a half or so until the blasted thing moves on. You could be hyper sensitive to it (like moi) and it won't let you sleep none at all.

It SUCKS moldy monkey ass. >.>

Well, might as well grab a book and start reading. Only so much porn one can watch before it starts to get boring.....that or I need to get more porn. Hmmm.....choices. :lol:

[BookstoreEscapee]

The first time I took Excedrin (I was in college - I had a bad headache...I actually called my mom in the afternoon and cried, then took a nap and she called me an hour later to wake me up because I had an appointment) it was about 3 in the afternoon. 3 in the morning, I was laying in my bed, staring at the bottom of my roommate's loft bed, wondering if I'd ever sleep again....

[Der Cute]

Do you meditate?

Breathe in, slowly. Clear your mind, and just picture an empty, big old blackboard (old school). (something big and vacuous, but not happy. Peace & tranquility.)

As you breathe in, think about how the air goes in. Through your nose, up your sinuses, down into your lungs. Breathe in, as far as you can - slowly and steadily. Extend your belly as you inhale - when the air comes into your lungs, think about how it fills. If you inhaled a little dot, where would it go? How far down your torso?

Slowly, think about the dot coming in and traveling down to your belly button. Can it get there? Extend your stomach in and out. Slowly, smoothly, rhythmically do this.

Keep the picture of the old blackboard in your head as you breathe. After about 10 or so breaths, take note of your shoulders and neck. Can you send them a note to relax? Good. Keep breathing. :)
As you breathe in and out slowly, relax another section of your body.

If you start squirreling in your head, tell it to shut up and focus on the blackboard again, and focus on slow steady breaths.

Cutenoob

[Bella_Vixen]

I broke down and got some OTC sleeping pills at the EES. They actually help me a lot.

When I know I don't have to work the next day is the worst. If I'm lucky, I go to bed around 4 am. If not, 7 am...or 10 am...or not at all.

That time a few months ago, when I didn't sleep for well over 24 hours, I finally drank some hot chocolate, ate some oatmeal, took a shower and managed to actually sleep.

Then I got called into work. Twice.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

So last night I had some trouble falling asleep again.

So I took RK's advice, poured some Jamesons in a paper cup, slammed it down, crawled back into bed, and slept like a drunken baby.

Not that this will become a habit, but it worked this time.

[AdminAssistant]

I stumbled into bed, absolutely exhausted and still pretty tipsy, at 3 am. I woke up at 6:30 am and could NOT go back to sleep.

Guess who is not a happy freakin' camper?

[Peppergirl]

I'm with you guys.

I got off work at 11pm last night. I worked from home. I laid down around midnight. I think I fell asleep at 430a. I started work this morning at 8am.

*sigh*

I might try the Jamesons. Used to be a single beer would work for me, but not anymore. :(

[XCashier]

I've been dealing with stress-related insomnia, too. If I remember to take a melatonin tablet before bed, that'll help, though occasionally it'll stop working around 3 AM and I'll be awake the rest of the night.

A shot of Bailey's will help sometimes too, but I don't want to make a habit of it.

[blas]

A little late here, but I feel for ya Irv and I'm suffering right alongside you.

Just one more week until that nosy old bitch comes back.......instant reason why I'll have trouble getting to sleep. Watching her TV at max volume, talking on the phone really loudly, vacuuming for hours on end...

I've been doing the night shift thing for almost 3 years, and it can be trying at times, but if I can try to tune out certain noises, it usually works. In the winter, when nosy old bitch is gone, I can fall asleep right away in the late morning....but my current problem staying asleep has been when my next door neighbor gets home between 3-5 pm....he stomps up the stairs, slams his door shut, tosses his knapsack at the wall (I swear, I hear a huge thud) and he takes a shower. I mean, I can deal with the running water, because these walls are so thin, but the bastard had the audacity to bitch at me for being loud when I have my boyfriend over on the weekends....yet once he's home in the evening, I have a VERY hard time staying asleep. This man does dishes louder than anyone I've ever known.

But there's really nothing I can do. The answer to my problems is to work a "normal" shift. I look like the bad guy because when I'm up at night with friends, I'm "loud" and cause problems, and everyone is trying to sleep. No one really cares that I sleep during the day, and certain loud daytime activities really hurt my ability to fall/stay asleep.

[RootedPhoenix]

I feel for you Blas. It makes me upset when people help your insomnia. :rant:

If I don't get my sleep, my life explodes. People don't get it.

Everyone with insomnia has my sympathies.

[taxguykarl]

I've been dealing with stress-related insomnia, too. If I remember to take a melatonin tablet before bed, that'll help, though occasionally it'll stop working around 3 AM and I'll be awake the rest of the night.
That works for me too and I've had isomnia since my teens.