insomnia

[karbon]

i fail at the sleeping.

i've been unemployed for a while, so a sleeping pattern is hardly top of my priorities.
on monday i had a phone interview, and tomorrow i have a real live action interview.

i've been setting my alarm and getting up early and going about my day, going to bed around midnight and just not being able to sleep.

culminating in either me getting up around 6AM or passing out for an hour or 2 and getting up when my alarm goes off.

anyone got any pointers as to what i can do to resolve this? i recon the interview tomorrow should be a walk in the park, so hopefully i'll have a job soonish which will mean i need to actually sleep.

[Kell_ee001]

Once you're back to work and have an actual routine you'll find it a lot easier. When I wasn't working I really pushed myself at the gym, so I had class every morning at 10am so that meant I had to be up each day.

[karbon]

the gym was quite high on the list of "things to do while not working" that failed pretty badly.


i just don't want to be a gibbering wreck in this interview tomorrow :(

[Pheebs]

I'm sure there's a thread like this recently - James was having probs (how are things James?)!

My advice - works very well - pen and pad by your bed and write down bullet points of things you're thinking about before turning out the light. Like:

1. Interview
2. Clothes
3. Breakfast
4. Sleeping
5. The new Jason Strathem Transporter Filum
6. Captain Jack Sparrow

;) ;D

Seriously - it helps clear your mind. I think it's one of the best things ever. No hot drinks before bed (it will only make you want to wee in the night) and ensure there's air circulating in your room (a window cracked) but you're warm and cosy.

Hope the interview goes well Mister :) You'll hopefully be running high on adrenilin anyhoos :)

[karbon]

half as much sleep as i really should have (for the 3rd night in a row) but feeling alright. up and dressed and hair done and looking and smelling wonderful :P

just need to toddle out in the cold now.

[Jingo]

I'm sure there's a thread like this recently - James was having probs (how are things James?)!


Yes thank you I'm getting on so much better now!

I pretty much put things down to not organising myself efficiently enough in all aspects of my life, leading to my brain working overtime and not allowing me to switch off...

Then, when you aren't sleeping one becomes less organised and this starts something of a vicious circle... all the time one becoming more & more frustrated at the overall situation!

Routine is your friend, working out & knowing what you need to do takes the ease off having it on the back of your mind when trying to drift off. Writing lists, as Pheebs has already mentioned, is a truly fantastic way of 'offloading' the buzz from your mind- it's a very basic form of meditation.

Some people find it difficult waking up following a bad nights sleep - however, you will easily be able to wake up if you have something to wake up for!! Writing these lists confirms something for your next day's schedule and you'll find you'll subconciously wake up better and easily as you know you have something to be doing.

Life stresses such as bereavement, job worries, financial concerns are also difficult to combat, but spending an afternoon figuring out a strong action plan that leaves you feeling positive will give you that get up and go you require; replacing the "oh no what am I going to do....*worry worry*" with "I'm getting on with that on X day according to my todo list... *now its time to sleep peacefully knowing that you have made provisions*.

Other tips I have found really useful - no caffeine after 12pm - go decaff. No eating inbetween meals, no eating anything after 8pm, spend the final hour before bed doing nothing (no physical exercise [rumpypumpy is an exception], no gaming, no working, no mentally stimulating activity) just veg out with a book or television.


I managed to turn around a month of sleeping issues within 10 days by being strict, and now I have the ability and mental prescence to undertake my two jobs, research, socialising and managing my life comfortably :) You have it within you, just take the necessary time to make provisions for everything and you will find yourself 'feeling back to normal' sooner than you think :)

[Pebs]

I have a shocking body clock at the mo. Earlies I have to be up at 4am, lates I finish at 1 or 2am and nights are nights. I either sleep for 15 or so hours or get about 2 hours a night. Not good and I'm very very run down as a result.

[karbon]

i'm failing at sleep again. but the interview went really well, so that'll give me a week or 2 at least to sort it out before i (hopefully) start. should be more than enough time to even out again.

[Pheebs]

Glad the interview went swimmingly :)

Sleep wise - Did you try the noting down thingy? I promise you it's worth a shot :)

[Justsomebloke]

You need to learn to talk yourself down, Do you feel in complete control of your mind ???
I do it to myself & these days I can talk myself down & to sleep in no time at all, It's almost like hypnotising yourself to calm down & get in to the state where you drift off, I can do it to other people as well if they are open enough & know me well enough to trust me. Funniest thing is I can do it to animals but then that just makes me & this whole post seem Nutz :o

[McDan1el]

Sometimes there is very little you can do.

For as long as i can remember i have had trouble sleeping, taking 1-2 hours to fall asleep because my mind doesnt shut down, its not even stress i just think about random things. I tried everything from no caffeine, exercising, not eating after 6, taking herbal stuff, reading, baths, the lot over the last 10 years.

Few weeks back i got quite a lot of bad news all at once and my sleeping spiralled out of control because now i was stressed/heading for depression.

I was then put on Anti-Depressants to try and relax me they were called Amitiptyline - they made me very drowsy all the time but despite being exhausted still struggled to sleep. After 2 weeks went back to the Doctor as work was becoming very bad, trying to concentrate and i had to have meetings with my manager, he has since put me on Temazepam which is much stronger, i still take a while to get to sleep but feel "better" it is hard to explain, only been on these a few days though so will see how they go!

[NokkonWud]

Once you're back to work and have an actual routine you'll find it a lot easier. When I wasn't working I really pushed myself at the gym, so I had class every morning at 10am so that meant I had to be up each day.

I do the exact same thing. Give yourself something you MUST do early in order to maintain a pattern. It's amazing how quick the body sorts itself out when something needs doing.

[Pheebs]

Heh, despite taking on board all advice I can find, I am *wide* awake at 2:30 and then drift at 3:30 and then spot on 4:30 I am wide awake again.

Darnit.

I blame the drugs I am on - I'm sure it's taking it's toll on me though as I am starting to look tired and meh during the day! Boo!