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Hi!
I try to go to bed around 11:30-12 am every night, but most nights, I won’t be able to fall asleep until at least 2 am, even though I will be lying in bed/ going to the bathroom then lying in bed some more. I was not able to fall asleep until 4:30 am this morning, and I needed to wake up at 7:30 am, but I was not able to. When I get really desperate (and I know this is not healthy at all), I will eat several slices of bread with butter (I just switched to whole wheat), then after I bentch, I am able to fall asleep within minutes, but I would like ideas for a more practical solution.
I am IMMUNE to melatonin, and I do not have good enough health insurance to get evaluated for a sleep disorder through a sleep study, although I have had multiple doctors suggest this. This issue started nine and a half years ago. Does anyone have any tips?
The following things do not work:
Melatonin
Counting backwards from 100.
Counting Sheep.
Mantras.
Writing in a journal before going to sleep.
Whether shower at night vs morning does not make a difference in either falling asleep or waking up.
Sleeping masks- My skin is really sensitive and I always pull them off after 30 minutes because i can’t stand them.
Ear Plugs- I live in a dorm, and even when I didn’t, my ears always get irritated by them that I wait until 1:30 am to take them out, and then I still can’t fall asleep.
Classical music.
Ceasing use of screen devices for an hour before bed time.
Excercise.
there was an article recently in the binah about insomnia. I will try to find it and post some points.
I know music before lying down, just to get sleepy and relaxed, works for some. Have you tried white noise? You can get the effect by turning on a radio talk show on low, or onto a fuzzy channel.
And something i push my friends to do is to go to bed when they start getting tired naturally, not staying up past that. Even if it messes up your schedule by having early nights for a few nights, it may get your body back in rhythm.
have you tried exercising in the mornings?
I had the same problem until I started exercising in the mornings?
What about your vitamin d and b12 level?
do you say shema?
you are not for sure getting enough vitamin d- u shud check that cuz that cud be the problem. you might be getting calcium but as a frum girl, chances are vitamin d is the problem- it was a big part of mine.
Oh well, another post bites the dust.
SB – You need to change Meds.
most people are low on vitamin D but i never heard that it affects sleep
again check ur vitamin D- coming from north america (im assuming here) u are low in d- having a bit of exposure for your arms face and maybe legs (depending if theyre covered or not and denier of tights) is not enough. Its a simple blood test. Also if ur vit d deficient, ur not absorbing the calcium of which u need 1000 mg daily and that can also be a cause.its worth a try
well it can- i know from myself and a medical point of view
Ambien.
SB -“Health: I see doctors at least once a month. Sometimes more often.”
You still have to change them. Did you get ahold of that Frum org. that I told you about?
“I am very tricky to medicate.”
Yea, for the Docs that you’ve seen only, not for any other Med Prof.
snowbunny3318
Start saying krias shema al hamittah with hamapil.
Btw what works for guys and one of my Roshe Yeshiva recommended it is trying to learn Gemara at night. The Yetzer Hora will have you yawning in no time. For girls maybe also try learning some in depth Torah. You can also try going to sleep listening to a shiur. (If he/she has a boring voice even better!)
I am not a medical professional but it seems to me that it’s lots of stress you are under.
Have you ever tried staying up all night and then starting the new day? If the following you feel tired at 7pm, so be it, enjoy your sleep. The next day you’ll stay up later.
Also, I hear there are lots of differences among the amount of sleep different people are used to. You should consider how many hours of sleep usually make you feel you rested well, and then compute according to that.
hi snowbunny,
u mentioned in another post that u have stomache problems.. idk if u take medicnes but maybe u cant fall asleep becuz of a side effect? if that cud be a possibility mayb ask ur doc if u can go off for a day 2 c…
also, maybe try relaxation dvds when u r trying to fall asleep. i used to do this and it rly works 4 me.. it has soothing music plus it tells u what muscles 2 tense then relax, which ttly makes u fall asleep within 10 min of the dvd being ovr. b4 u buy these dvds mayb download some online or try on youtube.. gluck and daven!! its prob soo annoying..
snowbunny3318: Have you developed bad sleeping habits previously? It took me a full year to readjust my circadian rhythms after seminary. If that’s the case, then I don’t think fancy drugs and etc. will help. I sort of just braved through it (with some abuse of caffeine pills and cold meds :P).
My advice: Don’t try and force yourself to sleep at prescribed times. If you are really having trouble, you are going to have to ease yourself into it. Take naps during the day if it helps, and try to slowly get yourself into a normal schedule.
Nap in the miklat (that’s what some people in my sem did). ^_^
just a warning about staying up the night. that always hits me not the second day of being awake but the day after, so if you are zombie-like on thursday, be aware it may just be that.
hatzlocha rabba then! and enjoy your cousins
whats a milkat?
If you really are having trouble sleeping, I would tell you to tell everyone not to disturb you during your break, and let your roommates know not to turn on the light/make noise then.
Welllllll then, tell them that if you don’t get enough sleep, you will turn into a rage zombie and EAT ALL THEIR BRAINZZZZZ (for the z’s, of course). ^_^
I recommend working on your diet. Any caffiene? Anything else that might set you off? Try playing with your diet to see if you skip something if it helps. Milk, wheat, sugar, citrus etc.
Good luck!
don’t know what ‘so late’ is, but my friend cant have coffee or even chocolate past 4 if she wants to sleep before 1am. Worth trying
🙂 g’luck and have a good day!
SB -“I tried them, but there was a big language barrier, so they referred me to a doctor in Tel Aviv, which i had no problem with (at this point, my stomach isn’t so much of an issue- most of the time), and I left a voice message on the doctor in Tel Aviv’s voicemail, but i never got a call back, and I tried contacting that guy for two hours.”
It’s good to hear that your IBS is calming down -that means your anxiety is lessening.
You need to recontact them and speak with a person there who speaks English. You need a referral to three Docs. And if there is a language barrier have them provide you with a interpreter.
snowbunny-
i know its hard 4 u not being able 2 fall asleep, but at least u cud get a lotta things done at night b4 falling asleep;)
yuck…
snowbunny-
cud a neurlogogist help u fig out whats wrong?? u gotta see a doc.. fast.. ur prob soo sleep deprived..
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