[AAAAA]

Several hours ago I was so drowsy and thought that I’d finally get some good uninterrupted sleep. I turned off the laptop and TV, settled comfortably into bed. Then as soon as my head hits the pillow I’m WIDE AWAKE! I thought that I’ll just lay here in the dark until I get sleepy again. I was thinking nice relaxing repetitive thoughts. I laid there for over an hour. Is there any better feeling in the world than drifting off to sleep?!?!?

Originally Posted by AAAAA

Several hours ago I was so drowsy and thought that I’d finally get some good uninterrupted sleep. I turned off the laptop and TV, settled comfortably into bed. Then as soon as my head hits the pillow I’m WIDE AWAKE! I thought that I’ll just lay here in the dark until I get sleepy again. I was thinking nice relaxing repetitive thoughts. I laid there for over an hour. Is there any better feeling in the world than drifting off to sleep?!?!?

This I understand completely. Have told my med's doctor about it - but he doesn't seem to be concerned with it.

I have an appt tomorrow so I never sleep the night before...

But yes, every night exactly 1 hour after falling asleep, dark circles under eyes to prove it.

Feel for you

[Sabrina]

I know exactly what you mean. If I don't take my sleeping meds, this happens to me. I love that feeling of drifting off to sleep but sometimes I have to lie for hours and hours before it happens.

[AAAAA]

Oh if I have something going on the next day such I know I'm not going to sleep, I live that life I know how it is. What was so particularly frustrating was I wasn't stressed, worried or anxious for a change and I was so looking forward to a good nights sleep for a change.

Hope you got some sleep - I was up until about 4:00, thank God my appt isn't until 2:00!

[RubyRedd]

[quote=AAAAA;1097228]Several hours ago I was so drowsy and thought that I’d finally get some good uninterrupted sleep. I turned off the laptop and TV, settled comfortably into bed. Then as soon as my head hits the pillow I’m WIDE AWAKE! I thought that I’ll just lay here in the dark until I get sleepy again. I was thinking nice relaxing repetitive thoughts. I laid there for over an hour. Is there any better feeling in the world than drifting off to sleep?!?!?[/quote i love the feeling of sleep. except i have the same trouble. i can start naming things that go together in abc order. very boring. like apples, bananas, cantalopes...then it gets out of control and i'm wondering how to get the grape stain out of fav shirt , i have a cucmber going bad in the fridge, i should eat more carrots etc.etc.etc.

[AAAAA]

I'm the same way, so that's why I came up with the system of a single relaxing thought over and over again. My dream retirement home is a little two room cabin in Alaska with a huge fireplace in the main room being the only heat source.

I've always had sleeping issues. We lived in northern Michigan in the snow belt. One Friday night there was a rare lighting storm in the winter and it knocked our our oil furnace, our only heat source in the house until the repair man could get there on Monday was the fire place in the living room. My parents put thick blankets over the doorways to the livingroom. I slept on one couch and my brother on the other. My parents slept in the recliners. I never remember sleeping so well in my life. Watching the fire in the fireplace and the snow falling in the windows beside it was SO relaxing, plus I was able to "sneak" my dog in beside me.

So my relaxing thought over and over again is snuggling into a thick down comforter watching a fire and snow at the same time. I concentrate to hear only the wood popping in the fireplace.

[never clever]

I hate it when that happens!!! At least you eventually fell asleep. It is a wonderful feeling especially after you've laid awake for a long time. Although, there have been nights where I tossed for the entire 8 hours I had previous dedicated to sleep. That's poopy! I hope you never have to do that.

I can relate to curling up with the dog, my little puppy always makes me feel relaxed and safe when it's time to sleep. I get the best rest when she's there (and not fighting with me and my husband for space).

[marjan]

I always have sleeping problem, because my brain is racing on my thoughts....but recently meditation has helped me a lot and besides, I try to stay away from stressful situations or people who are bothering me....I found it so relaxing if I avoid people and places that are causing me stress and then not a good night sleep because at night I'm thinking about them....specially stressful/unhealthy relationships are the worse ones ever....
so many times has happened to me that I'm so tired, but once I get to bed, I'm all alert and aware and can't sleep...well...i'm not on any kind of medication and an extra strenght tynanoly is making me to fall asleep, but next day I feel so tired and dizzy and frustrated....
I would suggest to watch out what you are eating and doing during the day....you will find a patern and you can figure out which days you were sleeping better and why? for example, if one night you slept well, just next day write it down what you ate or which types of activity you did the day before? or who did you hang out with? then you can find out your patern of sleeping if something external is causing your sleepless nights....

take care
Marjan

[AAAAA]

I've always had sleeping issues. For as long as I can remember I've had trouble sleeping. When I was in school, at least when I eventually fell asleep on Fridays I could sleep as long as I wanted on Saturdays.

I've never been able to determine a pattern. I know my room must be very dark and cool. I've tried giving up caffine entirely. I went a full year without caffine and that didn't help. I've tried exercising, eating a light meal before bed, not eating before bed. I've tried reading, but that doesn't work. I've tried with or without the TV. Having ESPN on with golf on worked for a while.

I HATE HATE HATE it when I go to bed finally expecting to have a good nights sleep only to have that conversation "ok, if I go to sleep now I'll still get 6 hours... 5 hours... 4 hours...3 hours. Ok, I need at least 2 hours."

[marjan]

Originally Posted by AAAAA

I've always had sleeping issues. For as long as I can remember I've had trouble sleeping. When I was in school, at least when I eventually fell asleep on Fridays I could sleep as long as I wanted on Saturdays.

I've never been able to determine a pattern. I know my room must be very dark and cool. I've tried giving up caffine entirely. I went a full year without caffine and that didn't help. I've tried exercising, eating a light meal before bed, not eating before bed. I've tried reading, but that doesn't work. I've tried with or without the TV. Having ESPN on with golf on worked for a while.

I HATE HATE HATE it when I go to bed finally expecting to have a good nights sleep only to have that conversation "ok, if I go to sleep now I'll still get 6 hours... 5 hours... 4 hours...3 hours. Ok, I need at least 2 hours."

I do have sleeping problem and I think like you...oh my god, now I get just 6 hours sleep...no 5 hours...and so on...and that creates so much anxiety for me...specially if I have to wake up early in the morning for something important or something not important like hiking....I know how you feel...It's so frustrating....but if I avoid all those stress, then I can be in relax state of mind and can get sleep....
I really suggest you to meditate in regular basis....it will help you in long run, you can expect a miracle all of a sudden....you need to program your brain....and that needs time....it's like when you go on diet, if you lose weigh slowly and constantly then in long term, you actually lose a big chunk of weight and your weight stays without change....
give meditation try...you need a meditation class, try to find a local one, if not, then you can just follow the instructions in a book or online....but the key is not giving up....
I do meditation sometimes at work for a few minutes or so....it just calm me down and then I can keep going....
hope for a good night sleep...
Marjan

[Blubaby]

hello there..

I'm so sorry to hear your problem... i seriously feel for you people..
i used to have this problem when i was a kid.. but now i am ok... in fact more than ok... the moment i lay on bed I'm fast asleep, well that is because I'm too tired every time and even a small bit of work weakens me.. that is not a problem now that i see what your trouble is..

i wish i could help you out may be by lending you some of my sleep.. I'm sleeping all the time and however much i do, i feel its not enough for me... its so weird, isn't it?? some people get enough sleep no matter how less they slept, some are not satisfied however long they sleep, while some just cant get themselves into sleep!!

i remember those days when i could never get myself to sleep. then i would go off to my grandpa and ask him to do something, and he would tell me a story of a horse in a beautiful meadow... and that sometimes helped.. at other times he would gently massage my lower back or he would rub at my temples.. now this one just put me to sleep and believe it or not, its tad difficult to wake up if he did that coz it was so soothing and comfortable..

i think this sleeplessness has got so much to do with our thoughts... if we don't steer clear off all the thoughts we are never going to find peace... you could start thinking of your lovely children and your wife, how wonderful it is to be loved by someone and to have someone to love... this thought will always keep you happy, and peaceful in the mind.. it also kind of brings a sort of security in your sub-conscious mind...

hope this much helps you out... and i pray that you get over your sleeplessness...

[marjan]

Originally Posted by Blubaby

hello there..

i think this sleeplessness has got so much to do with our thoughts... if we don't steer clear off all the thoughts we are never going to find peace... you could start thinking of your lovely children and your wife, how wonderful it is to be loved by someone and to have someone to love... this thought will always keep you happy, and peaceful in the mind.. it also kind of brings a sort of security in your sub-conscious mind...

You are right, most of my sleepless nights are because once I get into bed, I start thinking....and most of my thoughts are over the same story, why I'm alone and not have love....when I was in love and he was with me, I was getting good night sleep....
well...now I try to not think about my loneliness, because it looks like I can't do anything about it unless it's giving me so much stress instead....

[billieJ]

Originally Posted by AAAAA

Several hours ago I was so drowsy and thought that I’d finally get some good uninterrupted sleep. I turned off the laptop and TV, settled comfortably into bed. Then as soon as my head hits the pillow I’m WIDE AWAKE! I thought that I’ll just lay here in the dark until I get sleepy again. I was thinking nice relaxing repetitive thoughts. I laid there for over an hour. Is there any better feeling in the world than drifting off to sleep?!?!?

No, there is no better feeling in the world than drifting off to sleep. As a depressive and a chronic insomniac, my case manager once asked what I most looked forward to. Having the loss of interest typical of major depression, I told her I most looked forward to going to sleep. She thought that was sad, but when sleep is scarce, particularly so scarce that sleep deprivation causes psychosis, sleep's the best thing there is!! Sign Me - About to Go There ~ billieJ