Posted by KaraS on September 11, 2004, at 2:58:49
In reply to Re: Trouble sleeping - please help » KaraS, posted by sb417 on September 11, 2004, at 0:11:12
> > > Both trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Trazodone made me feel nauseous and it didn't go away even after a couple of months. Neurontin I only took once or twice and I just remember that I felt awful the next day. Maybe it's worth trying a smaller dosage. I wish I remembered how much of each I had taken but it was a long time ago.>
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> Hi Kara,
> You and I have similar reactions to some medications. I felt awful after trying Neurontin also. In fact, I felt awful for several days after taking it. I had a paradoxical reaction to Trazadone.
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> > > Delayed sleep phase syndrome - is that when you keep going to bed later and later because your natural clock is much longer than the normal 24 hours?>That's what I thought it meant.
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> In the delayed sleep phase syndrome, I want to go to bed later and get up later each day. If left to my own devices, I would probably do just that.That's exactly my problem and since I haven't been working, I have been doing just that. Then I'll get some temporary work and have to try to get on a normal schedule for a few days. It's absolutely hell on my body.
I do remember reading about some studies done a few years ago in which the subjects were in a cave, deprived of all external cues that would indicate the time of day. There was no sunlight, no clocks, etc. If I remember correctly, I believe the subjects ended up on a 25 hour cycle, or perhaps it was even a bit longer.
I had also heard of that study but I wonder why others don't have the same problems that we do if everyone is on a 25 hour clock. (One of nature's nasty little jokes, wouldn't you say?)> >
> > > > These days I'm so exhausted and out of it until later in the day. There's no way I can make myself move in the morning. I know it would be great for me so maybe once I start to feel better... I can do it.>
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> I feel like that in the morning until I exercise. It takes nearly superhuman effort to get myself to the pool, but once I've done my exercise, I really do feel better. I've come to believe that one reason I hate to go to bed at night is that it takes so much effort to get to a point where I feel good and productive that I don't want to let go of it by going to sleep because the next morning I have to start all over again.EXACTLY!! I'm finally getting some motivation and feeling like I have some energy at that point. Is this just the depression and if that's ever under control, we won't experience this anymore?
> > I've been taking a high carb snack before bed but think it's probably good advice to have my dinner be high carbs as well. (Sugar gives me blood sugar problems so tends to disrupt my sleep.) >
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> Yes, you're absolutely right about the sugar. I shouldn't have mentioned that except that when I have PMS, I find a bit of sugar seems to help. Too much makes it worse.
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> Oh, another thing that seems to help at night before you go to bed is to have very few lights on, and use very low wattage light bulbs. This helps me wind down. If I use any bulb above 60 watts, that keeps me up later. Even 60 is too much. Also, if you wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, try to use only a flashlight or a nightlight. Turning on the lights for even a moment can wreak havoc with melatonin.No kidding, that little bit of light can wreak that much havoc? Have you ever taken melatonin? I'm wondering if you're supersensitive to its effects or if we all are that sensitive to it?
Do you take anything to help you sleep or are these lifestyle changes enough? Also, would you mind telling me what other meds you take? If you have already done that in the past, I apologize for asking again. My memory is not terribly good right now.
poster:KaraS
thread:388936
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040909/msgs/389527.html