Reverend Ruin

I find that turning on my computer usually helps me sleep. It's the fan's constant drone. I just focus on the noise and it'll usually put me out.

There are some ultra-expensive brown noise-producing machines sold at places like Sharper Image, but jeezo. Just get a floor fan and put it in the room with you.

You know, it actually got to a point once upon a time where I couldn't sleep without a fan running in my room. Thankfully I was able to break the habit, but not after a bunch of sleepless nights.

(With the help of booze, of course.)

christ-on-a-stick

No, no, Reverend, it's the computer being *on* that's keeping me from sleeping!!!

I hear what you're sayin' about the "white noise" aspect though. I usually put the TV on in the bedroom at very low volume and put the sleep timer on. This helps sometimes, unless I "hear" something that sounds interesting at which point I sit up and start watching. :banghead:

Unfortunately my booze-to-help-sleep days are over... a few glasses of wine or light beers over the evening are ok but for a while there I was mixin' up the martinis freely to knock myself out and it wasn't helping matters in the big picture (doesn't do well with my SSRI's).

I will consider the fan idea tho!!! Thanks!

Duck!

What's Valerian root (sp?) ?

When I was working night shifts and also when I was working a three way alternating shift, my doctor gave me a prescription for sleeping tablets. I think they were barbiturates. But after a while I found I couldn't sleep without them at all. So I gave 'em up totally. Even over the counter medications like Nytol is based on some sort of antihistamine I think. And I can't stand the drowsy effect of antihistamines.

Is Valerian root the kind of thing I could buy over the counter from my local pharmacist? I have to wake up at 5:45 most mornings and I find it very difficult to get to sleep before 01:00. If I get six hours solid sleep I feel great. But that's a rarity.

I've never been a sound sleeper. Anything that works that's not addictive or make me feel like I'm spaced would be great.


Duck!

Mecha_Dude

Currently on clonadine(SP?) AND Respiradol (In super-low amounts) for my insomnia...
and it STILL takes 2-3 hours to get to sleep.

Gurdur

You can find a description of the plant Valerian here.

Otherwise, a word of warning on sleeping pills (not valerian !), especially barbituates:

You should never take sleeping pills longer than 2 weeks, otherwise you run risks of paradoxical reactions, addiction, depression and other side-effects.

ju'iblex

yep, you'll find it on the shelf along with the Vitamins and other plant extracts like St. John's Wort. Not difficult to lay your hands on at all, and i've found it to be very effective personally.

lisarea

Heh! My Sluggo's an 85# American Bulldog. Pretty similar breeds, both physically and personality-wise. I've fallen madly and deeply in love with many a boxer myself. I love all breeds, but I just go all squooshy over those big burly muscle dogs.

A-yep. When I brought Sluggo home from the pound, that was the only thing I didn't love about him. I read something about the yogurt idea, tried it, and BLAMMO. The problem was gone. I buy the 24-packs of the Costco brand (Richland?), and he gets a carton every day. I've gotten him on a pretty varied diet--more people food and less kibble--and I think it's gotten his digestive system more tolerant, so it's not a huge problem anymore, but early on, it was very measurable. If I forgot his yogurt one morning, I'd be 'reminded' in a particularly pungent fashion by that afternoon.

Good luck. Cause boy howdy, I feel for you on that one, too.

Amie

I suffer from bouts of insomnia, I was out back picking grapefruits at 3:00 in the morning a couple of weeks ago...

I found that swimming helps me if I swim long and HARD a few hours before I sleep.

warm milk makes me gag. sleepytime tea by celestial seasonings, what a scam...when all else fails there's always Nyquil however I tend to feel hungover the next day...

summing this up, misery loves company, come swimming with me neighbor!

christ-on-a-stick

Hey Amie -

LOL, picking grapefruits at 3 am, that sounds like me (except I was rollerskating around my neighborhood once at 2 am and a patrol car stopped me thinking I was on crack or something!!!)

I'd love to swim with ya (I swam competitively in high school) if you were in OC instead of LA! But alas... traffic BITES.

I agree though, working out hard earlier in the evening helps A LOT!!!

Me and Me

If you think you can't sleep now then try working nights and trying to sleep. I work nights and I only get about 4 hrs of sleep a day. I am used to it though.

btw. I am addicted to coffee though.