[Nike007]

Hello. So for the past few months, ever since I got back from a trip to Europe (6 hours east time difference). I know it was normal at first, like the first two weeks, but it still happens now. Once to twice a week, I find myself laying awake in my bed after I already managed to fall asleep, and then not being able to fall back asleep. I take Melatonin, which helps me get to sleep, but doesn't keep me asleep. Like last night, I was up from 1:30 to 5 when I fell asleep at 10:30. It was not a pleasant night, especially since I had an exam at 9 today and was doing it with 5 1/2 hours of sleep.

I want to do a sleep study once I turn 18, so my mom won't use it to "prove I'm fat". I mean, it may be obstructive sleep apnea since I snore and am overweight. I am trying to lose weight at the moment.

Anyways, does anyone have similar symptoms and advice? Other than seeing a doctor, which I plan on doing once I'm 18? I take melatonin, go to bed around the same time (10:30-12), am working on my weight. Thanks for any advice.

Social anxiety disorder, ASD, GAD, OCD, and panic disorder

Lexapro, 10 mg; Ativan 0.5 mg PRN

[Skeezyks]

Hello Nike007: Yes... the Skeezyks has this problem. I tried Melatonin. But I found that if I was going to be able to fall asleep, I fell asleep anyway. And if I wasn't going to be able to sleep, the Melatonin didn't help. Plus it made me groggy the following day.

What I do when I wake up in the middle of the night & can't go back to sleep is I get up & walk slowly around-&-around our dark & quiet townhome front-to-back around-&-around... I'll walk anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours or more. I focus light attention on each foot as it touches the floor & pay light attention to what's going on in the rest of my body as well.

Thoughts come & thoughts go. I simply allow them to do so. If a difficult thought or memory comes along, I simply smile to it, breathe into it, & allow it to fade at its own pace. Sometimes I'll even place my hand over my heart as a sign of lovingkindness & compassion for it. I actually enjoy these walks enough that, if I go for a few days without doing it, I begin to miss it. I walk during the day as well. But it's not the same. Almost always, once I do go back to bed, I fall asleep...