Anyone else suffering from insomnia?

Thread Options

Find a Conversation

Avatar for ms_suzzyq
ms_suzzyq
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
13
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 3:41am
Okay, it isn't very often I'm completely awake at 1:30 in the morning and it is kind of disturbing. My sleep has been off for much of the past three months but this is all new territory for me. I've had nightmares and frequent wakenings but not complete eyes open, starring at the ceiling insomnia. Where was this gift when I was in university?

What are your secrets for sleep? I'm a mental health worker and know lots of tricks but my education is not coming through for me right now. Nothing is working. Help?!

Susan (army wife sleepless in Canada)

Pages

Signatures On
Avatar for gargoyle89
gargoyle89
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 5:34am
Sorry to hear you've got insomnia. I don't have a suggestion for you. I'm a night owl and luckly have a daughter who is also so I can sleep in a bit in the morning. Sorry to hear about the nightmares though. I can tell you what works for me to make me comfortable in bed alone and not scare of sleep when hubby is gone. :-) I used to sleep with every light on in the house. I've gotten down to a couple of night lights and a lamp on in the living room. And although I'm not into a religion persay I'm a spiritual person. And while talking to my dad about being uncomfortable at night he said that since I was raised catholic that some things from that religion would help me calm down. That I shouldn't use them as a talisman to keep away the percived evil of the night but to calm myself and make me feel internally better. So on really bad nights I put my grandmother's rosary under the pillow and it makes me think of her as I go to sleep. My grandma died a few years back and in her later years I became very close to her. Perhaps if you find something that will do that for you it will help. Good luck to you.

Hugs,

Kaleolani
Avatar for nerlami
nerlami
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 9:50am
Oooh yah!! Insomnia! I've had it for about two months now.... (since dh left)

I'm dealing with it by exercising a lot to raise my endorphins and eating better...no coffee etc. That seems to be helping. And lots of soothing music during the day.... And when I get up in the middle of the night, hot showers, heating pads help.

I think what matters most is how you take care of yourself during the day... making sure you are relaxing, peaceful, taking care of yourself... and even wearing yourself out during the day!! it does help minimize the insomnia....

keep me posted on how you are doing, and good luck!!

Tiffany

 

"I've learned
that it is the weak who are cruel,
and that gentleness is to be expected
only from the strong."

cl_drgnemrald
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-21-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 12:39pm
awww, Sus, I have no advice whatsoever, big help, aren't I? LOL! I just want to give you huge hugs, and hope that you can nip that stuff in the bud. It's best to get some kind of restful, restorative sleep every night. That can be so hard, though! I don't know when the last YEAR was that I could sleep a full 7 hours without being awakened by ANYTHING!....sigh! many many moons ago! LOL! good luck on getting yourself to sleep, honey, you really need your rest right now!

Love you,

Chris

Chris

30's Lounge

cheri800
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 5:06pm
Since DH left I haven't had a decent nights sleep. Now that I know he's at a base in which he can call me and I don't know when he leaves that base or if he'll run into a pay phone in the middle of the desert it is even harder to sleep because when he calls it is usually between 1-3a. I try to make myself go to be early so I will fall asleep hopefully in an hour or I hop in our hot tub in the middle of the night.

Cheri
dscs4
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 6:37pm
I know what you're going through. As soon as my dh got called up (from the army reserves), I stopped sleeping. I kept running the "what ifs" and "how comes" and "now whats" through my head over and over. I was already a lousy sleeper to begin with, so not getting any was really starting to make me loopy. Having two daughters who are happy peppy morning people, didn't help either. I decided to find ways to deal with it. Some things have already been mentioned by others in their replies. Other things I can recommend include:

Yoga. Nothing fancy or complicated. Believe me I'm not limber, but some simple stretches and breathing work wonders. Some you can do in the dark in your bed. There are some good videos too.

Stop watching or reading the news and don't listen to news radio. I know it's hard. At first, I couldn't get enough of it. It was starting to affect not only my sleep but my time at work. Now I only watch or listen every couple of days (if that). I figure if something earth shattering happens, I'll know about it through my connections before the media tells me.

Consider aromatherapy. I recently bought an herbal eye pillow. Now don't laugh. It soothes the eyes and calms your nerves. There are candles too.

I hope this helps.

Sylvie,

Avatar for ms_suzzyq
ms_suzzyq
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 8:32pm
Thanks for all the suggestions and feedback. It is good to know I'm not alone with this problem. I'm hoping things improve soon. I will never be able to get better if I can't get some decent sleep.

Hugs to everyone,

Susan

Avatar for rececup
rececup
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Mon, 04-07-2003 - 8:47pm
hi there,

boy i wish i could give some good advice but i am suffering from insomnia as well i have slept all of 3 hours since dh left 2 days ago i also have had nightmares for about a month i think i will try the yoga, dh leaving is still fresh and painful hopefully things will get better for you and me both, i have a friend here her dh is leaving shortly he is in your hubby`s unit my only comfort is knowing i am not alone i hope you know that too and i hope to see you out this way some time soon. let me know what works for you i am taking sominex at night but it isn`t working

love

rece
Avatar for cl_melisca
cl_melisca
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Tue, 04-08-2003 - 7:55am
I can't sleep either. Lately, I've been falling asleep around midnight and then wake up at 3:30 on the dot every night. (It's the strangest thing.) Then, that's it. I'm up for the day. I know I can't get to sleep, so now I don't even bother trying.

For me, it's the anticipation. DH hasn't left yet, but is doing all the preparations.

I'll be reading the tips others give you. I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.

((hugs))

:) Melissa

Avatar for sthrnmagnolia
sthrnmagnolia
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Tue, 04-08-2003 - 8:00am
Hey Susan, already replied to you on the group...but wanted to say again...hope you get some sleep...sending relaxation fairys...lol

hugs,

dina

Avatar for ms_suzzyq
ms_suzzyq
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ms_suzzyq
Anyone else suffering from insomnia?
 Tue, 04-08-2003 - 10:38am
Thanks so much Dina. To everyone else suffering from insomnia I hope you are doing better. I've been unable to get any sleep yet. I'm heading back to the doctor again today to figure out why I haven't been getting better and why I am now suffering from insomnia and a serious stomach problem. I'm unable to keep anything down now so it is becoming kind of scary.

Hugs to everyone,

Susan

Pages

Quick links
or Register to join the conversation.
Latest from the board
See all discussions

Memeber Support

Visit our Member Support area or browse the iVillage Help forum
Q:Where can I change my password?
A:Log in, go to Edit My Preferences, and click the Account tab. Make and save your changes.
Goto Support