Have i got insomnia? How can i cure it?
Question:
Its like ill lay in bed and watch TV for a while so that i can relax and after i turn the TV off i lye awake for like 3 or 4 hours and just cant seem to get to sleep. When i finally get to sleep its for about 4 hours and then ill wake up again.
I always go to bed at the same time every night, im not overweight, i dont have any medical conditions that im aware of, so why is this happening?!
How can i stop this from happening? Im always really tired and liable to snap at my friends :-(
Answers:
There are many things that can help, but the first thing you need to do is not watch tv. Don't read before bed either. These get your mind going and if your mind is going it is not relaxed and ready to go to sleep (your body will be, but thats only half the equation).
If it IS your mind that is the problem (you are thinking about various things and thats why you can't sleep), then soak your feet in hot/warm water for about 5 minutes before you lay down in bed. You can go ahead and take a bath if you want. A foot massage is helpful too (even one done on yourself) to bring blood flow down to your feet. You want it out of your head.
If, on the other hand, your mind is not racing ut you just can't relax and go to sleep and when you finally do, you wake up..
This is common and can be caused by a number of things. Are you anemic at all? (Not clinically diagnosed necessarily). Is your tongue pale? Do you get cold hand/feet easily? Dizzy when you stand up? These could all be signs you need blood-tonifying foods and/or supplements in your diet.
Also, don't drink caffeinated beverages (even during the day) and see if that helps. Stress can also play a huge role in sleep. Are you stressed?
There are also a variety of herbal products to take:
Melatonin (not technically herbal)- this is a hormone that can help you get to sleep
Valerian Root- an herb commonly used for insomnia- found at health food stores.
There are many others, but you'd have to go to Whole Foods or another vitamin store to talk to them more about your issue exactly.- but there are great products out there.
Go to your Dr. and tell him about your problem. I've do the same thing and was put on Lunesta and Ambien, both worked for a while and then they both did the opposite, kept me awake ALL night! So I went back and now I take a Xanax before bed and sleep like a baby!!! Try that and good luck. It's horrible being tired like that!
More Questions & Answers...