My brain won't shut up when I am trying to sleep.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by BuzzardsWife

you have what's called Hamster Brain..you know...like a hamster running on a wheel..try melatonin..but take it every night, not just when you feel like it..it's also great for migraine sufferers to take it every night

I have a friend who has had her children (both under seven) on the stuff for years every night and it has obviously had some really worrying effects. Its not that they don't have energy, but when combined with ADHD meds it seems to have taken the "childhood edge" out of their interactions and activities.

Basically, it looks like they're stoned all the time. My nephew is ADHD, on meds, but no Melatonin and he's the opposite (like any ADHD kid should be).

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

I'm going to have to disagree with this. I think you should only take it when you really need to. Some stuides have shown that you should not take Melatonin for lengthy periods of times either. It's suggested you take it for nore more than 90 days, then take a break from it for 30 days. This is why I trake it when I feel I will really need it - nights I HAVE to get to sleep but know I won't be able to or am simply not tired at all.

Damn it! OilKiller is right again.

Melatonin may not be addictive but if you were to take it everyday for a long term period you could find that you will not be able to sleep without it.

They have done many short term studies (90 days) to show no side effects in dosages of 3mg or less. I would recommend not going over two pills (6mg) on any given night. If you find you need more I would visit a doctor because the problems could be more than just a busy mind.

For myself I only use it when I need to now, which is only a few times a week but when I was really having troubles I would just take it Sunday-Thursday nights so I know I would get a full nights sleep on work nights, but on the weekends I would not take it because I knew I would have the advantage of sleeping in with no work.

I also know family friends who have boys that have Autism and it helps them sleep full nights for anyone that has a child with Autism or if you know someone that has it and can't sleep.

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Damn it! OilKiller is right again.

See what happens when I visit the Off Topic forums...

[MissTeeks]

Originally Posted by troutman

My Dad found out he had apnea - he was always tired and short of breath. Snored like thunder. He does not use the machine every night like he should - it must be uncomfortable or a nuisance to use.

Totally off topic, but sleep apnea machines always remind me of the Simpsons when Artie Ziff invented a machine that turned Homer's snoring into music.

"Sweet Dreams" Intro
"Dump him Marge, he's a loser!"
"I traveled the world and the seven seas."
"I am watching you through a camera!"

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I have a friend who has had her children (both under seven) on the stuff for years every night and it has obviously had some really worrying effects. Its not that they don't have energy, but when combined with ADHD meds it seems to have taken the "childhood edge" out of their interactions and activities.

Basically, it looks like they're stoned all the time. My nephew is ADHD, on meds, but no Melatonin and he's the opposite (like any ADHD kid should be).

I would never give it to my kids. If you take it for 90 days you should get out of the insomnia pattern though. I'm not saying it should be taken for life. But my husband takes it every night at it's helped him greatly.

[bigtmac19]

I picked up some Melatonin tonight, will give it a try. I don't know why I have this insomnia all of a sudden! Just got back from a short vacation in Toronto and the beds in the hotel were so comfortable, still one of the nights I was awake most of the night. The whole next day I felt like crap. This has been going on for over a month now.

[Torture]

.........bump

[CaptainCrunch]

I was reading through this thread and I thought I would throw another bizarro thing in. It seems that I spring to life right at about 2:15 every morning, and its consistent. Its not like I have to get up and go to the can, or I'm thirsty or anything, its just pow, I'm awake, its not gradual, and Its like I go from sleep to wide awake in about a second.

I'm also having gawd awful nightmares every night, I used to never remember dreams, but now I remember them in detail and they're pretty hideous and graphic.

[flames_fan13]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I was reading through this thread and I thought I would throw another bizarro thing in. It seems that I spring to life right at about 2:15 every morning, and its consistent. Its not like I have to get up and go to the can, or I'm thirsty or anything, its just pow, I'm awake, its not gradual, and Its like I go from sleep to wide awake in about a second.

I'm also having gawd awful nightmares every night, I used to never remember dreams, but now I remember them in detail and they're pretty hideous and graphic.

I've had the same thing happen to me recently except it isn't always nightmares, sometimes dreams that are just wierd but nothing scary about it.

I figured it's just because of the change in temperture. It will be a little chilly one night so I would keep the fan off but then have the dream I turn the fan off the rest of my sleep is fine and vice versa. Although I'm in Vancouver so I don't know if you have been having the temperature changes. But if you have it could be the reason for the vivid nightmares.

[HOOT]

Dissen - - how are things going for you? Anything work?

[Roast Beef]

I know what you mean but I have strange symptoms.

I will start falling asleep and just when i feel really relaxed i will get something that feels like a wave of energy. It will start very quickly as a pain in my chest and rapidly move outward through my body all the way to my fingers and toes. I will be then be wide awake and my heart will pound for a minute or so. Then i will relax and start to fall asleep and it will happen all over again.
This keeps me up so often that i am up all night and cannot function during the day. I''m ashamed to admit it but i have started turning to drinking beer to help me sleep, and the days i don't drink i take sleeping pills. At this time i honestly feel better in the morning after downing a 6-pack and sleeping than staying sober and being awake all night. I have been to the hospital, i have been to 3 different doctors and no one can tell me what is wrong, all they ever do is prescribe sleeping pills. After reading this thread i am starting to think it might be sleep apnea (i'm a tubby mofo but i wear the weight really well) Does anyone have a number or a website i can go to without a Doctor's referral? Any help would be appreciated....i am really at my wits end here.

[joe_mullen]

do you have a regular family doctor? if you go to a different doctor each time, no one will have the opportunity to work your problem up appropriately and actually see how their management worked/didn't work. these type of issues are much better dealt with when you can have regular follow-up with the same physician.

sleep apnea assessment do require a physician referral, but there may be something else here. you might benefit from having a heart tracing or 24 monitor to rule out an irregular heart beat. also, have anxiety attacks ever been an issue? also, the alcohol is only a short term "solution" and may actually be aggravating the problem.

Originally Posted by Roast Beef

I know what you mean but I have strange symptoms.

I will start falling asleep and just when i feel really relaxed i will get something that feels like a wave of energy. It will start very quickly as a pain in my chest and rapidly move outward through my body all the way to my fingers and toes. I will be then be wide awake and my heart will pound for a minute or so. Then i will relax and start to fall asleep and it will happen all over again.
This keeps me up so often that i am up all night and cannot function during the day. I''m ashamed to admit it but i have started turning to drinking beer to help me sleep, and the days i don't drink i take sleeping pills. At this time i honestly feel better in the morning after downing a 6-pack and sleeping than staying sober and being awake all night. I have been to the hospital, i have been to 3 different doctors and no one can tell me what is wrong, all they ever do is prescribe sleeping pills. After reading this thread i am starting to think it might be sleep apnea (i'm a tubby mofo but i wear the weight really well) Does anyone have a number or a website i can go to without a Doctor's referral? Any help would be appreciated....i am really at my wits end here.

[Bagor]

I've tried skullcap on a few occasions with great success. You should be able to get it at a decent herbal store. I got it in dried form and threw it in a cup and made tea from it.

By great success I mean one of those deep coma like sleeps where I woke up completely charged with the benefit of a really chilled out but efficient sensation the next day.

I should add that I've only taken it about 4-5 times in my life and have no idea of any repurcussions/side effects if taken regularly.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_2603000665

[bigtmac19]

only tried the Melatonin one night and woke up in the middle of the night with a wicked headache, so I am kind of nervous to take it again.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Dissen - - how are things going for you? Anything work?

The Melatonin just made me sleepier but my brain still yaps away. I have now gone over every possible line combo for the Flames this year, imagined entire games even,lol. Another one I do lately is to match up teams in a playoffs series according to the first vs last letters of the alphabet. So Anaheim faces Washington, Atlanta faces Vancouver...what a barrel of suck that series would be...ect... I guess I will just have to face the fact that 4 hours of sleep for me is a blessing.

[FireFly]

Well I tried something I don't recommend... I took a painkiller that is supposed to cause drowsiness... the only problem was that after 45 minutes I still wasn't drowsy... so I took another. Then I was high as a kite and my body felt like lead. Although I was drowsy as well... problem was then I became nauseous and puked. However, after I puked I fell right asleep and I felt great this morning... so all is well that ends well?

[redforever]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The Melatonin just made me sleepier but my brain still yaps away. I have now gone over every possible line combo for the Flames this year, imagined entire games even,lol. Another one I do lately is to match up teams in a playoffs series according to the first vs last letters of the alphabet. So Anaheim faces Washington, Atlanta faces Vancouver...what a barrel of suck that series would be...ect... I guess I will just have to face the fact that 4 hours of sleep for me is a blessing.

There is a sleep clinic in Calgary, have you asked your family doctor for a referral?

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The Melatonin just made me sleepier but my brain still yaps away. I have now gone over every possible line combo for the Flames this year, imagined entire games even,lol. Another one I do lately is to match up teams in a playoffs series according to the first vs last letters of the alphabet. So Anaheim faces Washington, Atlanta faces Vancouver...what a barrel of suck that series would be...ect... I guess I will just have to face the fact that 4 hours of sleep for me is a blessing.

Ugh, God, don't you hate that?? You're preachin to the choir man. I hate it when you try to explain it to people who don't have that problem, and they ask you if you're worried about something, even though you're totally not, your head just won't shut off. They ask this because that would be the only time they've experienced similar problems, they just can't fathom not being able to turn off your brain unless something troubling was on their minds. I've had people convinced that I'm just not "opening up" about troubles I'm having that are apparently keeping me up. They just don't understand.

On a side note, for some reason I'm on an unbelieveable streak of sleeping unassisted. Got 8.5 hours again last night, for some reason I can only sleep in the summer.

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Well I tried something I don't recommend... I took a painkiller that is supposed to cause drowsiness... the only problem was that after 45 minutes I still wasn't drowsy... so I took another. Then I was high as a kite and my body felt like lead. Although I was drowsy as well... problem was then I became nauseous and puked. However, after I puked I fell right asleep and I felt great this morning... so all is well that ends well?

I hope you never leave us FireFly.

[BlackArcher101]

I finally got more than 6 hours sleep last night.... except I ended up sleeping through all my alarms for that to happen. Ended up being late for work by 2.5 hours.
Maybe I should drink red wine more often though

I can never win.