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.

[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.

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.

[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 ]
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.

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.

[JuniorMintz]

PICTURES!

*ahem*

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

[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.

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.

[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....