Anyone else get insomnia?

This is getting absolutely ridiculous. I have gotten a few hours of sleep every night for the past week almost, and I'm absolutely exhausted but cannot seem to sleep. Had the same problem during my summer internship, but would drink/take some sort of pill to knock me out. Really don't want to go down the sleeping pill route every night, but I cannot seem to fall asleep and I'm tired of feeling like absolute hell in the morning. Anyone else dealt with this? Any tips/ideas?

 
jec:
Soros:
Try melatonin - seriously. Its natural and OTC. Google it.
sperm count....

You officially just scared the crap out of me. I've been taking this stuff forever. At least I know i'm ok but dang that's a real random side effect.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/232169-the-effects-of-melatonin-on-re…

"If you want to succeed in this life, you need to understand that duty comes before rights and that responsibility precedes opportunity."
 

What's up, fellow insomniac? Yeah, it sucks. Ambien CR will get you to sleep and keep you asleep. Otherwise, Sonata is good for a quick knock out with minimal grogginess.

Worst case, try something like Benadryl - I am pretty sure it messes up your sleep quality, but sometimes you just need to knock yourself out.

Soros:
Try melatonin - seriously. Its natural and OTC. Google it.

This can help. Take it an hour or two before you need to go to sleep. I found it semi-effective...I seemed to sleep more soundly when I took it. I was surprised to learn that constant exposure to computer monitors can actually mess up your ordinary melatonin production, so that could be a contributing factor.

 
West Coast rainmaker:
Worst case, try something like Benadryl - I am pretty sure it messes up your sleep quality, but sometimes you just need to knock yourself out.

Dph (Benadryl) is the only thing that puts me down now that I don't have an Ambien script anymore. Just from experience I assume it does mess with your sleep a bit and probably isn't too good on the liver but it gets the job done. Even with that I still only sleep 3-4 hours a night at best and have ass-backwards insomnia but my body's adjusted to it. For me, melatonin fuckin' blows, but if it works for some other posters then it must not be all that bad I guess. I'd recommend OP go for Ambien if possible and try your best not to get carried away :P

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 

From Zzzquil.com Diphenhydramine HCl (50 mg) is the active ingredient in ZzzQuil Sleep-Aid. Basically, it's a big word for a small compound that helps you sleep

Benadryl® Allergy contains the histamine-blocker diphenhydramine. This product relieves: runny nose; sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; itchy throat.

ACTIVE INGREDIENT (IN EACH CAPSULE) PURPOSE Diphenhydramine HCl 25 mg Antihistamine

So yeah you're just taking over priced benadryl.

 

Run yourself down. Literally, go out and run, workout, break a sweat. The body was designed to be physically active and just because your brain is tired doesn't exempt your body from needing fatigue.

Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
Run yourself down. Literally, go out and run, workout, break a sweat. The body was designed to be physically active and just because your brain is tired doesn't exempt your body from needing fatigue.

Never works for me. I get home from work I am dead tired and can fall asleep for the rest of the night. I fight the urge, head to the gym and workout. I am then wired and full of energy

 
Bobb:
UFOinsider:
Run yourself down. Literally, go out and run, workout, break a sweat. The body was designed to be physically active and just because your brain is tired doesn't exempt your body from needing fatigue.

Never works for me. I get home from work I am dead tired and can fall asleep for the rest of the night. I fight the urge, head to the gym and workout. I am then wired and full of energy

Yeah working out in the evening is the worst thing for my sleep.

 
UFOinsider:
Run yourself down. Literally, go out and run, workout, break a sweat. The body was designed to be physically active and just because your brain is tired doesn't exempt your body from needing fatigue.

Start working out, rigorously, for 1 hour 3 - 5 days a week. Melatonin before bed. You are going to start sleeping like a baby. It is your body that isn't allowing you to sleep, regardless of mental/emotional exhaustion.

And so it goes
 

I have a sort of self induced insomnia. Not even insomnia, terrible sleeping habits. By the time I'm off work every night, I go for a run/work out, and want to do nothing but relax and drink coldbeer. Because it's so late by the time I'm done working and exercising, I rarely find myself asleep before midnight. Mix that in with some CFA studying and you have yourself one shitty morning...every morning.

 
CaR:
I have a sort of self induced insomnia. Not even insomnia, terrible sleeping habits. By the time I'm off work every night, I go for a run/work out, and want to do nothing but relax and drink coldbeer. Because it's so late by the time I'm done working and exercising, I rarely find myself asleep before midnight. Mix that in with some CFA studying and you have yourself one shitty morning...every morning.

so you're the only one who goes to bed after midnight because you like to drink and try to prepare yourself for a better job in the future?

I eat success for breakfast...with skim milk
 
TonyPerkis:
CaR:
I have a sort of self induced insomnia. Not even insomnia, terrible sleeping habits. By the time I'm off work every night, I go for a run/work out, and want to do nothing but relax and drink coldbeer. Because it's so late by the time I'm done working and exercising, I rarely find myself asleep before midnight. Mix that in with some CFA studying and you have yourself one shitty morning...every morning.

so you're the only one who goes to bed after midnight because you like to drink and try to prepare yourself for a better job in the future?

Likely not the only one. And it's for my job now, not one in the future.

 

Second the melatonin - haven't tried it myself, but I have had two roommates with insomnia both swear by it. Just take it like 1-2 hours before you go to bed.

General advice - turn down the lights in your room/home as much as possible an hour or two before you go to bed.

 

My experience combating jet-lag on long trips (15- 20 hours):

Spend at least an hour in the morning out in the daylight. Will help your mind adjust timing wise. Also, exercise vigorously and be social during the day (before dusk) and cut out the coffee, soda, alcohol for a week and go to bed at a decent hour (say 10pm). It takes time to readjust to a normal sleeping schedule.

I hope this helps.

 

I second ZMA the shit knocks you out cold. I've tried everything from melatonin, benadryl, herb, booze, benzos and nothing works better than ZMA. Slight drowsiness in the morning but you get used to it in about two weeks.

Harvey Specter doesn't get cotton mouth.
 

Zma= Zinc, magnesium and b6. Hands down the best sleep supplement I have ever taken. I have no idea why taking the combo together has the effect it does but it works for me and knocks me out cold. It's starting to lose its sleep effectiveness after taking daily for a month but it still packs a punch. Each person is different though. http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-ZMA-CAPS-OPTIMUM/product-review…

Harvey Specter doesn't get cotton mouth.
 

[quote=ScoobyDoobie]Zma= Zinc, magnesium and b6. Hands down the best sleep supplement I have ever taken. I have no idea why taking the combo together has the effect it does but it works for me and knocks me out cold. It's starting to lose its sleep effectiveness after taking daily for a month but it still packs a punch. Each person is different though. http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-ZMA-CAPS-OPTIMUM/product-review…]

It's not the combination of those things in ZMA that knock you out. It's the valerian root in it that has sedative and antianxiety effects. The zinc/magnesium/b6 is more likely to amp you up and mess with your sleep schedule, which is why they added the valarien root to counteract these side effects. You could buy the valarien root seperately cheaper.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only one here with bad insomnia. I think a glass or two of wine usually does the trick if I don't have any pills to take. Never tried melatonin but Tylenol PM/Advil PM is great. Does anyone know how and it actually is for you? Or taking benedryl every night?

 
AQM:
Have a glass or red wine, or go to the gym and do CIRCUIT TRAINING. Look it up, I circuit train for half an hour (10 exercises) and it's really hard, and I go to sleep at like pathetic times like 9 PM lol

funny... going to the gym later at night has the opposite effect for me.

Money Never Sleeps? More like Money Never SUCKS amirite?!?!?!?
 

i'm soo hooked on caffeine now that if i don't drink enough the day before, I feel terribly tired all morning. Its like I have to keep a huge reserve of caffeine in my system so when i go to bed the caffeine keeps me up til 3 am, but when i wake up at 7-8 am I'm perfectly refreshed (feels like a power naps). If I try to ease up on the caffeine to fall asleep earlier, i just end up feeling exhausted the next morning.

 
Relinquis:
I'm surprised how much you guys self-medicate in order to sleep. Do you do so for other parts of your life?

No I don't have erectile dysfunction if that's what you're asking

 

I don't drink coffee aside from one or two cups in the morning and sometimes one in the early afternoon depending on how busy the day is. I'm usually exhausted all day/want to fall asleep in class/while working and then start to feel increasingly better as the evening hits. Once it's 7 or 8 and energized and can get work done, and don't get sleepy until past midnight. Then I'll go to bed pretty tired but will end up lying there for hours unable to sleep. It's mental exhaustion but yeah, not physical. Working out at night gets me even more awake actually. I usually work out in the morning instead. Pills always do the trick, but I'm wondering how bad the adverse health affects are and when taking Tylenol PM every night for a few months will catch up to your liver.

Relinquis:
I'm surprised how much you guys self-medicate in order to sleep. Do you do so for other parts of your life?

And what does this even mean?

 

I've had this problem before - how late are you drinking coffee, and what would you guage you're stress level is at.

I think the healthiest option is to not drink coffee after 4pm, and to keep your stress level down. Granted this isn't always possible. I've been in situations like the post above where you're drinking coffee late at night just so you'll still feel it's affects when you wake up in the morning, and don't sleep through you're alarm and whatnot - it'll catch up with you though (not able to focus, decrease in productivity and attention to detail)

Best long-term solution: create a habit of being just as productive with no stress as you are with lots of stress (every time you start to stress out, just give one big sigh or yawn, ignore the fact that everything's going to hell, and just keep chugging along)

 

i tend to suffer from insomnia, especially during the summer months when things are hot. here are some things that i've noticed that have helped me:

1) be comfortable... try to buy extra pillows, soft sheets, and control the temperature of the room with heater/AC/fan (i personally prefer things cooler)

2) it's hard to sleep on an empty stomach, so eat something an hour before you go to sleep (note, this is NOT advisable if you're trying to lose weight)

3) a glass of wine or two can't hurt

Money Never Sleeps? More like Money Never SUCKS amirite?!?!?!?
 

I had the same problem. Whenever I am about to leave work, I get excited and naturally feeling good unless its 2am. Usually this excitement that I got out wears off by the time I get home but what I noticed is that if I start watching TV or play with my computer I get wide awake again. Therefore, I try to get done all reading and non work related stuff while I am still in the office so when I get home I just try to hit bed right away.

However, if this does not help have some 10Ks to read while laying in bed. If you dont pass out then - its not meant to be.

 

take a melatonin (3mg) almost every night, knocks me out in ~10min, otherwise mind is too active and can't sleep for 30min-hour. started taking it senior in college. no side effects except for the fact i can't fall asleep at night normally without it unless i'm extremely tired

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Get married and have kids. You'll be exhausted constantly and have the exact opposite problem. But on the plus side, work will seem like a vacation!

(but not really, haha)

"My caddie's chauffeur informs me that a bank is a place where people put money that isn't properly invested."
 

The problem with all this "just get a rigorous workout and be in bed by 10pm" advice is...I'm in the office til 2am!

Seriously I have a huge sleeping problem in the best of times, and given the hours at work, it is rarely the best of times. Takes me at least an hour to cool down after work, maybe longer. Have a drink. Netflix. Check my email. Anyway I have been operating on such little sleep for years. Doubtful a healthy way to survive.

 

All good advice. I'd workout and keep a routine, try to get into your bed a certain time and wake up at a certain time.. it may be hard at first but your body will get used to it.

 

Proper sleep hygeine.

Don't work on the computer right before bed. Don't have bright lights on. Turn off loud music etc.

Read a book or something boring but constructive (preferably relevant but dry nonfiction).

 

As I write this at 3:45am unable to sleep, I'll say that reading in bed until you're tired generally does not work. Agreed that insomnia is miserable...

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 
CompBanker:

As I write this at 3:45am unable to sleep, I'll say that reading in bed until you're tired generally does not work. Agreed that insomnia is miserable...

SO MISERABLE. 4 am here..have to be up in less than 4 hours. awesome. i will forever blame banking for doing this to me.

 

I have this issue sometimes. But the fact that you are posting at 4am means you are on your computers. There are a lot of articles/research that says overstimulation of electronic devices hinder your ability to fall asleep. Its a combination of the light and mental stimulation. I've tried not using electronic devices in bed and it seems to help. Might want to give that a go.

 

Taking melatonin every night is no good - it will increase your tolerance.

I'm a terrible sleeper as well and am finally going to see a sleep doctor next week. I'd suggest doing the same - reading about insomnia side effects is scary shit. Will provide any useful advice the doc hands out.

 

Man I wish I knew what sparked my insomnia. I usually sleep well but every couple of months I get it for like a week. Can't sleep for shit and end up pulling all-nighters to try and get back on track.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
MalibuCarry81:

Get laid, puts me out.

My problem is the pills keep me up.

[quote=Matrick][in reply to Tony Snark"]Why aren't you blogging for WSO and become the date doctor for WSO? There seems to be demand. [/quote] [quote=BatMasterson][in reply to Tony Snark's dating tip] Sensible advice.[/quote]
 

Why do you take pre-workout pills before bed? It seems like there's a pretty easy solution: stop taking them.

Benadryl works wonders for me. I've tried all of the natural things (melatonin, etc) and they just didn't work, and I've tried Ambien and other prescription drugs and they didn't work well enough for feeling a bit hungover the next morning (and being hungover when you weren't drinking just sucks). My doctor recommended trying benadryl and it works well, it's non-addictive and I wake up fresh the next morning. And you can buy 100 pills OTC for $6.

 
Dingdong08:

Why do you take pre-workout pills before bed?

It makes the workout more fun. Dat der blue pill and other stuff I can't mention here.

[quote=Matrick][in reply to Tony Snark"]Why aren't you blogging for WSO and become the date doctor for WSO? There seems to be demand. [/quote] [quote=BatMasterson][in reply to Tony Snark's dating tip] Sensible advice.[/quote]
 

Buy some melatonin (around 3mg) and it should help. But you should cycle on an off ever couple months so your body doesn't stop producing it.

"If you want to succeed in this life, you need to understand that duty comes before rights and that responsibility precedes opportunity."
 
TheBigBambino:

Buy some melatonin (around 3mg) and it should help. But you should cycle on an off ever couple months so your body doesn't stop producing it.

@"TheBigBambino", thanks. What do you do when you're on an off cycle?

[quote=Matrick][in reply to Tony Snark"]Why aren't you blogging for WSO and become the date doctor for WSO? There seems to be demand. [/quote] [quote=BatMasterson][in reply to Tony Snark's dating tip] Sensible advice.[/quote]
 
DickFuld:

Borderline functional alcoholism. Problem solved.

Anyway, at least the sleep problem is solved.

Yeah this is truly how I basically get by. A drink before hitting the bed solves my problem.

"When you expect things to happen - strangely enough - they do happen." - JP Morgan
 

@"Tony Snark" pre workout is unnecessary, if you need it to have the energy to get through a lift, you're not eating well, sleeping enough, or doing enough cardio, cut it out of your regimen. if you're leading a healthy lifestyle and making you workouts count, you should have plenty of energy to get through a 12-14 hour day of work, exercise for an hour, have a few hours to chill and then hit the sack for 6-7 hours.

I think pre workout first thing in the morning is fine but if you're so drained in the evening you can't work out, something's wrong. clean your diet up, drink less during the week, stop taking pre workout if you work out at night/afternoon, and you should be fine. I'll take melatonin some weekends because it's natural but I agree with other posters that you should never have to rely on a pill for something your body does naturally (get tired), and you shouldn't use it nightly.

 

Take 6mg Melatonin with your pre-workout stack and 3mg before bed. The 6mg will double release of hgh after lifting and the 3mg will help you sleep. If you still have trouble cycle Huperzine-A 3x/week. ZMA will also help. Nice signature btw.

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 

less alcohol + rub one out then shower, should help. taking pills to cancel out other pills sounds odd

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I have lots of insomnia. In general the way to fall asleep is to get yourself relaxed so your brains starts to shut off. Recently I've been listening to slow peaceful music for a little while until I start feeling sleepy. Or you can just take some nighttime cold medicine, in the absence of prescription pills, though that all has side effects.

 
Best Response

Some tips:

Get out in the sunlight at least a little each day. Go for a 10 min walk outside if that's all you can manage.

Stay away from the computer after you leave work. Watching TV is a much better option imo. When I am on the computer right before bed I sleep a lot worse.'t

Don't eat late, but make sure you aren't super hungry.

Write down anything that you need to do the next day, etc, so that it is less likely to be on your mind

Shut down your communication an hour or so before you want to sleep. This helps your mind unwind/relax/sleep more easily.

Workout regularly, eat healthy, try to maintain a schedule. That means don't sleep all day on the weekends, get up at a more decent time so that when you get back to the workweek it isn't weird. You basically want to get on a schedule that older people have if possible. It's hard when you work late/party, but the more rigid of a sleep/wake schedule you have, the easier it'll be to sleep.

 

Valerian root has been helping me relax and get some zzzz recently. Warning: it smells like shit (really).

 

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