Insomnia?

s0ulchicken

Does anyone here suffer from insomnia or general sleeplessness? I feel like I am going crazy. In the past 72 hours, I have probably slept 10 hours, max. I am so freaking tired, but I just can't sleep! And if I do manage to fall asleep, it is for 2 hours at a time, and then it takes forever to fall back asleep again. Does anyone have any experience with this? Have you found anything to help? TIA for any advice!

LoveActually4

I find when I exercise during the day (not too close to bedtime) I sleep much better overnight. Hope you get some rest soon!!

Nechie122

I used to, but now I just take Tylenol Simply Sleep/Benadryl whenever I'm having a difficult night.

You also have to make sure you're practicing good "sleep hygiene," i.e. not having caffeine too late in the day, not using your bed for anything but sleep or sex, not eating a large meal too close to bedtime ... or whatever your triggers are. If it's stress, for instance, it might help to keep a journal.

But if you're doing everything "right" and still can't sleep ... then my answer is head to the drugstore.

s0ulchicken

Thanks  @mamaREB29 & @Nechie22

I am sure that the ridiculous amount of coffee that I consume throughout the day definitely isn't helping my problem. But without the coffee, staying awake is nearly impossible. It's a vicious, vicious cycle!

I am going to try to cut back on my coffee intake today, and take a Tylenol PM tonight, if DH gets off in time to take over baby duty. Here's to hoping it helps!

Helenahhandbasket

I was going to also reccomend an OTC sleeping med, but then I realized you have 9 mo old twins-- so that might not be realistic for you.

If you haven't tried it-- meditations sometimes works for me.  I lay in bed and focus on deep breathing for maybe 5-10 minutes and that sometimes helps.

Sorry you are dealing with this!

s0ulchicken

Igoo0304 said:

Usually I have to do something to break the cycle, like take an OTC sleep med. also, I find that I really psych myself out when I'm not sleeping well (thinking things like "I don't even know why I bother to go to bed"). Changing my thoughts and thinking about how my night will go really helps. I tell myself after I shower, I'll put on my pajamas and read for half an hour, then take my medicine and go to sleep. If I wake up, I'll get a drink of water and go back to sleep. I'll stay asleep until DS gets up at 8:00.

That sounds like heaven. I try to lay down around 10:00, and find that I am still staring at the clock at 1:30. I have tried reading, listening to my IPOD, getting up and vacuuming or folding laundry, etc. When I finally do fall asleep, I usually wake up to go to the bathroom, and am up again for a while. Without fail, for the last week or more, I have been up for the day by 5:30am.

You're right about breaking the cycle though. I find myself getting anxious at bedtime because I "know" I won't be able to fall asleep. And then I lay there and dwell on not falling asleep.

I am hoping that DH will get off in time tonight to take baby duty so that I can try a Tylenol PM. I am afraid to take it without him at home though, for fear I might not wake up if the kids need me.

s0ulchicken

@fHSTAR81

I am so sorry. When my twins were newborns, we ran on a little less than that each night for months and months. It was HORRIBLE. I would drive places, and not even remember how I got there. The first night that they slept through the night was GLORIOUS.

I hope that you too are able to get some rest soon!