I have trouble sleeping at night...Any suggestions?
440468
1. dont have any caffeine 6 hours before bedtime..including coffee, chocolate, tea.\n2. go for a 30 min walk 2 hours before bedtime...works off and stress by releasing the antistress hormone. plus gives u time to think and "figure things out", so ur not doing it in bed.\n3. try playing some soft intrumental music or meditation in while in bed.\n4. possibly try the herb called "melatonin" from GNC 0.5mg..instructions are on the label. this is the hormone needed for us to sleep..u may lack it.\n5.  if all else fails talk to ur doctor, maybe its just temporary and he needs to prescribe a mild sleep aid.
318049
You have insomnia & the only cure for insomnia is to sleep!  Seriously, as a fellow insomniac I can relate.  It's far better to actively do something rather than toss & turn in bed.  Try a bath/shower, quiet darkness, comfy room temp, & comfy pillow,bed/blankets.  Try reading or crossword puzzles.  Avoid afternoon naps & caffeine (at least after 11am).  Good luck.
618607
I feel your pain.  I went to bed at 2 am every night one semester because I had too much homework, and then I had to get up at 5.  It sounds like you have a similar sleep clock to me.  I can't go to bed before 11 pm, ever.  One thing that does help is not sleeping until noon on Sunday.  Get up earlier, you will feel tired earlier, and then you will be able to sleep for Monday.  Take naps if you have to.  If you are sleeping 4 hours a night I don't suggest medication.
122649
Avoid TV/computer screens, as light breaks down the chemical we need for sleep. Also, try and get more excercise and improve the diet. Not to be raunchy, but a healthy sex life also helps one sleep better.\n\nGood Luck!
839775
See a medical sleep specialist . . .it might be related to sleep apnea . .
154577
Caffeine.\n\nHere are some things that can help. \n1. Limit daily intake of caffeine especially after 6 pm. \n2. Try to avoid watching TV and hour before bed, if your mind is too stimulated it can keep you awake. 3. Drink enough water during the day, preferably half your body weight in ounces. Water is a metabolism regulator, if yours is stable you will sleep better. \n4. Try to exercise 3-5 times a week, when you sleep your body rebuilds itself, so exercising will allow the body to make you tired by emitting chemicals that allow you to get more restful sleep. \n5. Try to relax about an hour before bed, limit stimulation to your brain, meditate, read relaxing material, listen to soothing music. \n6. One of the best natural treatments for sleep deprivation is lavender extract. Some people dont like it but you put a few drops on your pillow and you will be out like a light.\n\nRegardless of your other issues you have going, some which you may have little control over such as stress, these are small things you can control that can help you sleep better.
722710
Try taking like Motrin or Motrin pm, it helps to relax you. And when you go to sleep don't try  forcing yourself to sleep. Just try to meditate. It does work sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep too. Just take deep breaths and slow your breathing, it should help to make you tired and then you can go to sleep. Make sure the lights are off, it will help too. Hope this helps
459934
I have the same problem! not sure what to do I am totally beat! The only way I fall asleep is if I absolutly cant stay awake its 4:30 in the morning right now.....when you find out let me know. Im not depressed I am very happy so I dont think that is it I honestly think its an addiction problem for me. I cant get off this damn computer. Its as bad as chewing my nails or something. anyhow let me know what u find out ok? thanks sweety.
1048749
I can only tell you my own experience on getting a good nights sleep:\n1) I avoid caffeine after 2pm. 2) Walk 2 miles per day (if possible) and  physical exercise throughout the day.  3)  are their any emotional problems thats on my mind and causing sleep disturbance..4) Avoid Alcohol (it is a known sleep disturber  5)) Avoid heavy foods such as cheese at bedtime that are hard to digest. 6) Are you suffering from depression  (early morning awakening) 7)Going to bed at the same time every night and getting into a routine such as reading or watching TV etc. Staying asleep  is also a trick for me and if I wake up during the night and can't get back to sleep I will read again or watch TV and have a small bowl of cereal and milk/ take Ibuprofen (motrin) as it is a wonderful sleep aid and non addictive .Also, avoid taking any naps during the day or in the evening If all these measure fail then I would seek the help of a Doctor.
1023160
I can understand from the question that you are having difficulties sleeping, you may find these tips helpful for the sake of better sleep: \n\n1. Keep regular hours. The best way to ensure perfect nights is to stick to a regular schedule. If you sleep late one morning and rise before dawn the next, you can come down with a home-bound version of jet lag. To keep your biological clock in sync, get up at the same time, regardless of how much or how little you've slept. \nTry to stick close to your usual sleep schedule on weekends and holidays as well as workdays. If you stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights and sleep-in the following mornings you may give yourself a case of "Sunday-night insomnia": You get to bed early to be bright eyed on Monday morning and try to sleep, but you can't. The harder you try, the more wakeful you feel. When travel or work throws of your routine, try to maintain some semblance of regularity. Eat your meals at the same times you normally do. Try to get some sleep during your usual bedtime hours. And return to your normal schedule as soon as you can. \n\n2. Exercise regularly. Exercise enhances sleep by burning off the tensions that accumulate during the day, allowing both the body and mind to unwind. While the fit seem to sleep better and deeper than the flabby, you don't have to push to utter exhaustion. A 20 to 30 minute walk, jog, swim or bicycle ride at least three days a week--the minimum for cardiovascular benefits--should be your goal. \nBut don't wait too late in the day to exercise. In the evening, you should be concentrating on winding down rather than working up a sweat. And don't expect early-morning exercise to have any impact on the tensions that build up during the day. The ideal exercise time is late afternoon or early evening, when your workout can help you shift gears from daytime pressures to evening pleasures. \n3. Cut down on stimulants. North Americans drink 400 million cups of coffee a day and get extra doses in tea, cola drinks (including diet colas) and chocolate. Some people seem sensitive to even small amounts; others build up a tolerance. \nIf you're a coffee lover, have your last cup of the day no later than six to eight hours before your bedtime. Its stimulating effects will peak for two to four hours later, although they'll linger for several hours more. Late-evening caffeine can make it harder for you to fall asleep, diminish deep sleep and increase nighttime awakening. \n\nCaffeine isn't the only dietary sleep-robber. Tyrosine, a substance found in chocolate, Chianti and cheddar cheese can trigger heart palpitations in the night. Diet pills contain stimulants that can keep you awake. Other drugstore drug interactions can also disrupt you nights. If you're taking any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, ask your doctor whether they may affect your sleep. \n\n4. Sleep on a good bed. A good night's sleep starts from the bottom up. You're less likely to get deep, solid, restful sleep on a bed that's too small, too soft, too hard or just plain too old. Unfortunately, we tend to get used to our old mattresses and box springs--just like a broken-down pair of old running shoes--and may not realize they've gradually been losing their comfort and support. If your bed is older than eight to ten years, use our on-line bed check to determine if it is ready for retirement. In selecting a new sleep set, follow Goldilocks' rule: Try a variety of mattresses and choose the one that feels just right for you. \n5. Don't smoke. Nicotine is an even stronger stimulant than caffeine. According to several studies, heavy smokers take longer to fall asleep, awaken more often and spend less time in REM and deep NREM sleep. Because nicotine withdrawal can start two to three hours after their last puff, some smokers wake in the night craving a cigarette. When smokers break their nicotine habit, their sleep improves drama
715567
I am a chronic depression sufferer and sometimes have a hard time sleeping.  I would suggest maybe homeopathic remedies before I would go to sleeping pills.  A warm cup of Sleepy Time tea or warm milk.  I started doing 30 minutes of yoga (from a DVD) before I started my bed ritual, and will read until I feel tired.  I no longer allow myself to sleep in nor watch TV in bed.  If the problem presists... visit your doctor to get some ideas what to do.  If you must use a sleeping pill to get some well needed rest Unisom or Excedrin PM put me out like a light.
104900
I have several suggestions.  If you have trouble falling asleep, you may need to set your body clock - you do that by getting bright sunshine (or bright light) when you wake up in the morning.  Later in the day, don't eat any heavy protein meals, try to just have fruit or carbs late in the afternoon.  Sleep in a room that's as dark as you can make it.  Do something relaxing before you go to sleep - journaling is good because it gives your brain a place to dump all your thoughts and anxieties so you don't have to keep mulling them over as you lay there.  If you wake up in the middle of the night, say to go to the bathroom, try not to turn the light on as it sends a message to your brain that it's time to wake up.  And try doing some deep breathing at night - through your stomach, emphasizing the exhale, which is the relaxing portion of your breath.  (Ever listen to someone sleeping, they breath in sharply and exhale slowly.)\n\nGood luck.
738501
Try listening to relaxing music.\nJazz, Samba anything that is relaxing to you. avoid the loud ones.\n\nOr apply Night Lotions that have bedtime scents.\n\nGood luck. :D
826932
try drinking chamomile tea. it really relaxes you. i fall asleep late, too, but this tea really helps me to relax and feel sleepy.\n\nyou should make a doctor appointment and get their professional opinion very soon. gasping for air when you try to fall asleep is not a good sign. get help right away.
1002363
I used to have the same thing about having the tv on low, Now i can only sleep if im holding (but not reading ) a book and the light's on. The wardrobe doors have to be closed because i have a problem with clothes-hangers! Also i cant have any clocks in the room , i can never find out the time else thats it ,no more sleep(so i dont know how much sleep ive lost ), I need the shutters down on the windows so i cant see the sun come up (again so i dont know the time )Bedroom door closed. And finally a pint glass of coke on the night stand. Apart from that not much really
1162063
I have a few suggestions for you...\n\nI have insomnia and problems sleeping and staying asleep etc, due to a head injury, so I've tried nearly everything to get myself to sleep.\n\nFirst off, if you're in bed and you're not sleeping, get out of it and do something else. Try to keep your bed as a "sleep only" area. \nThat way, when you get in the bed again, you associate it with sleep.. and not like paperwork or phonecalls, etc.\n\nSecondly, tea or warm anything helps sometimes. There's actually a specific tea out there that I found at Albertsons, made by Celestial Seasonings, called Sleepy Time EXTRA. And there's a red flag that says "VALERIAN MAKES IT EXTRA!". Valerian root is a natural sedative. Taken in low doses I have found that it calms, or, in a tea such as the Sleepy Time (It's Chamomile Mint I think, really good with a little honey) it puts ya right to sleep. (high dose)\n\nThere's also another natural sleep aid called Kava. My mom found it in the healthfood store (Rainbow Market) in a little drink called Elixr. The bottle says to drink the whole thing, but I tried just one tablespoon and I was out like a light. I did some research on it, and apparantly the more frequently you take it, the higher dosages you'll need to be able to sleep. (http://www.elixirtonics.com/)\n\nAnd of course there's sleeping pills. Walgreens has "Tylenol PM". That works, or "Simply Sleep", which is essentially the same thing. But it was nice because it did not have me feeling groggy and ridiculous or hung over in the morning. I just woke up feeling refreshed.\n\nYou could also consider prescription sleeping pills. I just got an Ambien prescription... I tried it once and hated it though, guess it works differently for different people, etc. I was miserable all night and felt unrested and a prisoner in my own body. Like my body was dead, couldn't move, but my mind was racing. I was overheating and sweating and couldn't do a damn thing about it. So.. I haven't decided if I hate that or not, I'll have to give it another shot, but I'm hesitant to even bother... \n\nReading helps too.\n\nOr turn on the radio on a quiet channel, or a soothing cd or something, and get it nice and dark and before ya know it, it's time to wake up. It really works.  Just don't put on a station or something that you'll be singing along with, it doesn't quite work out.\n\nAnd sometimes I go in the yard and just breathe. The darkness and the cold air makes me want to bundle up in my bed and usually I just knock right out. Sometimes with a little coaxing from a warm drink too. (non alcoholic of course)\n\nWell then I heard some people drink (alcohol) to relax and calm down and eventually sleep but that's apparantly highly unrecommended.\n\nI always fall asleep on my side with the pillow even under my neck. Maybe you're having trouble with either your pillow or your sleeping position? I read online somewhere that sleeping on your back is bad for people that are prone to snoring who have sleep apnea, because it's harder to breathe and it's not a restful night if they even get to sleep. And I also read that sleeping flat on the belly isn't that great either because your neck is craned to one side, and could lead to neck problems. \nIf you're a belly sleeper, maybe try sleeping with one leg up so that you're not totally flat on the bed. It will also make it so that your neck isn't completely craned to the side, and the pillow can be adjusted around the head and maybe a separate one for under the chest or knee for good elevation so you don't suffocate yourself.\n\nOh and maybe a body pillow too... ever try just holding something to sleep? It could help... pillow, teddy bear, someone.\n\nSometimes when you feel really safe where you are, you'll just knock right out, without a second thought.\n\nGood luck, hope you can catch some
7647
I'm in finals, so I'm having trouble going to sleep at night because I've been studying so hard during the day. So I'm mostly thinking, "Please let me go to sleep, please let me go to sleep."