Insomnia Thread

[Ponderthought]

Anybody else having trouble sleeping? Its 2:15 am here, and a little while ago, a scorpion fell out of my hair. I may never sleep again.

[drakir_nosslin]

Here it't 9:25 and I'm at work, would you like to switch places? I'm falling asleep in my chair here... No scorpions in sight either *sigh* MLIA

[Innis Cabal]

Thats not insomina...thats just being scared (rightly so) out of your mind.

[IonDragon]

I got up extra early today and was extremely tired right around 6 PM due to having gone to the lake for my friend's bday and having gotten too much sun. I decided the best course of action was to stay up until about 10 PM so I didn't mess my sleep cycle too much. It is now 12:30 AM, and I'm really wishing I'd gone to sleep at 6, because it now seems I can't.

[Ponderthought]

To be fair, I doubt i was going to sleep well before the scorpion. Now its just more likely im not going to sleep at all.

Sorry about work man. Ive had those days.

[Ponderthought]

I got up extra early today and was extremely tired right around 6 PM due to having gone to the lake for my friend's bday and having gotten too much sun. I decided the best course of action was to stay up until about 10 PM so I didn't mess my sleep cycle too much. It is now 12:30 AM, and I'm really wishing I'd gone to sleep at 6, because it now seems I can't.

I feel your pain. i think ive permanently wrecked mine.

[drakir_nosslin]

Messing with your sleep cycle is fun!

I'm changing mine twice each week now. Monday to Thursday I get up around 5:30 am and go to bed at around 11:00 pm. But then on Thursday I get up at 5:30 go to work, get home around 4 pm, sleep for around 4 hrs, then go to work again at 11 pm.
Work until around 4 am, go home and eat breakfast/dinner/whatever and go back to work at 6 am. Nice. Back home again at 4 pm. Sleep until 10 pm, back to work at 11. Come home again in Saturday morning, sleep until late afternoon, work Saturday night.

Then I use Sunday to turn back everything until Monday when I start all over again. Awesome summer, my body hates me :smalltongue:

[Ponderthought]

Messing with your sleep cycle is fun!

I'm changing mine twice each week now. Monday to Thursday I get up around 5:30 am and go to bed at around 11:00 pm. But then on Thursday I get up at 5:30 go to work, get home around 4 pm, sleep for around 4 hrs, then go to work again at 11 pm.
Work until around 4 am, go home and eat breakfast/dinner/whatever and go back to work at 6 am. Nice. Back home again at 4 pm. Sleep until 10 pm, back to work at 11. Come home again in Saturday morning, sleep until late afternoon, work Saturday night.

Then I use Sunday to turn back everything until Monday when I start all over again. Awesome summer, my body hates me :smalltongue:

Wow. That is...an impressive effort at madness through deprivation.

[IonDragon]

Messing with your sleep cycle is fun!

I'm changing mine twice each week now. Monday to Thursday I get up around 5:30 am and go to bed at around 11:00 pm. But then on Thursday I get up at 5:30 go to work, get home around 4 pm, sleep for around 4 hrs, then go to work again at 11 pm.
Work until around 4 am, go home and eat breakfast/dinner/whatever and go back to work at 6 am. Nice. Back home again at 4 pm. Sleep until 10 pm, back to work at 11. Come home again in Saturday morning, sleep until late afternoon, work Saturday night.

Then I use Sunday to turn back everything until Monday when I start all over again. Awesome summer, my body hates me :smalltongue:

You know, I'm pretty sure that's actually REALLY bad for you. I couldn't tell you how exactly, but my friend who's an RNA (I think that's the title, he did nursing school) yells at me when I do things like that.

[drakir_nosslin]

Wow. That is...an impressive effort at madness through deprivation.

Thanks :smallsmile:, I'm actually doing it to have enough money for the coming semester, not to twist my mind 180 degrees, but I think that I'll manage both actually.


You know, I'm pretty sure that's actually REALLY bad for you. I couldn't tell you how exactly, but my friend who's an RNA (I think that's the title, he did nursing school) yells at me when I do things like that.

It's only for the summer though, so I think that I'll be fine. I'm a much healthier person during school. (As in sleeps during Thursday night, otherwise it's pretty much the same, but replace work at 5:30 with training before school)

[Starfols]

I've been sleeping later and later every night. First I started getting ready for bead around 2:00, and nowadays I'm pushing 4 :smallsigh:

[IonDragon]

I've been sleeping later and later every night. First I started getting ready for bead around 2:00, and nowadays I'm pushing 4 :smallsigh:

According to my 8th grade science teacher which was the last time I asked someone about this, it is because your Circadian rythm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm) is naturally set to a ~25 hour day for whatever reason. This is quite common especially through the teens and twenties and fairly often into the thirties. This means that your body wants to stay up an extra hour each day, so unless you work yourself until you are tired at night, and/or get up early in the morning you will continually push your 'bed time' back.

[LCR]

You know, I'm pretty sure that's actually REALLY bad for you. I couldn't tell you how exactly, but my friend who's an RNA (I think that's the title, he did nursing school) yells at me when I do things like that.

My friend's a DNA. She's twice the fun.

[drakir_nosslin]

My friend's a DNA. She's twice the fun.

Ba-dum Tsh! (http://instantrimshot.com/)

[Bhu]

I've always had sleeping problems. Scorpions are only a problem depending on where you live, so it might not be dangerous to you. Losing sleep is. I was once awake for 2 weeks straight, and told I was risking permanent psychosis if they didn't put me to sleep with meds. Insomnia is nothing to fool with.

[Dr.Epic]

Anybody else having trouble sleeping? Its 2:15 am here, and a little while ago, a scorpion fell out of my hair. I may never sleep again.

Where do you live?

Also, might be pulling an all night Tuesday. Anyone else awake PM me and keep me company.

[Ponderthought]

Texas. Their everywhere. Their mostly harmless, but some of them have one hell of a sting. Plus, some are the exact same color as my flooring, making them nigh invisible.

[AkazilliaDeNaro]

insomnia is just having trounle sleeping for one night. cronic insomnia is where it happens over and over. i knoow this because i did a fair amount of time reserching(bout 20 minutes).

i have a wierd problem with my mind which causes me to always be active. that and me not having anything to do all day causes me to have trouble sleeping.
other times its just the opposite ill sleep for like 15 hours for no reason.

[IonDragon]

insomnia is just having trounle sleeping for one night. cronic insomnia is where it happens over and over. i knoow this because i did a fair amount of time reserching(bout 20 minutes).

i have a wierd problem with my mind which causes me to always be active. that and me not having anything to do all day causes me to have trouble sleeping.
other times its just the opposite ill sleep for like 15 hours for no reason.

That is commonly referred to as 'being a teenager,' enjoy!

[Dallas-Dakota]

Well usually I'm fine but I went to bed at 2, that's fine too.

But for some reason I woke up at 6 AM.:smalleek:

[vollmond]

It's not exactly insomnia, but I'm sitting awake in bed keeping an eye on my wife. She had a reaction to some prescription painkiller she took earlier, but it passed within a few minutes, so we didn't go to the emergency room. Upshot is I get to stay awake while she goes back to sleep and make sure she doesn't stop breathing or anything (morbid people... yeesh).

I'm between jobs right now (new one doesn't start for a week) so at least I won't have to worry about work tomorrow (today? it's 4:40 AM now).

edit: now the dog's puking. this night gets even better.

[ForzaFiori]

I seem to be tired all the time, but can't sleep without meds. It's horrible. Like I'm about to pass out in my chair right now, but tonight when I lay down to try to sleep, It'll be 4, 5 in the morning before I even begin to drift off, if I'm lucky, and I wake up at like 9 no matter what.

It REALLY sucks during school, though I've pretty much gotten used to doing all my work half asleep. It'll also probably make those days I show up to class after parties now that I'm in college even easier. :smallbiggrin:

[Trog]

I've been waking up earlier and earlier each day for like two weeks now. I have to be at work at 8 a.m. but I woke up today at 5:45 a.m. instead - way ahead of my alarm. I'm hoping this trend doesn't continue.

[RandomNPC]

I went to the doctor about insomnia, described my problems, told him I had changed my diet, I tried exercising to exhaustion, eliminated soda and sources of cafeene, even tried hypnosis, all kinds of things.

I wasn't asking for meds, I wasn't even thinking of a sleep study, maybe just another idea to try. The medically trained three times my age doctor with an entire network of people to fall back on if need be looks me in the eye and tells me to try getting more sleep.

So I feel for ya, and if getting medical help results in a "go to bed" style response, may I sugest telling the doctor off and getting another doctors opinion, sending the second bill to the first doctor, with a kindly worded letter about how helpfull the new doctor is in correcting old doctors methods.

[Bhu]

I seem to be tired all the time, but can't sleep without meds. It's horrible. Like I'm about to pass out in my chair right now, but tonight when I lay down to try to sleep, It'll be 4, 5 in the morning before I even begin to drift off, if I'm lucky, and I wake up at like 9 no matter what.

It REALLY sucks during school, though I've pretty much gotten used to doing all my work half asleep. It'll also probably make those days I show up to class after parties now that I'm in college even easier. :smallbiggrin:


Given the nature of the forum I hesitate saying this, but have you tried sex? It burns a lot of calories and (in men at least) releases chemicals that cause sleepiness. So it's usually guaranteed to make you at least a lil tired. Heck one of the specialists I saw prescribed it for weight loss half jokingly.

[ForzaFiori]

Given the nature of the forum I hesitate saying this, but have you tried sex? It burns a lot of calories and (in men at least) releases chemicals that cause sleepiness. So it's usually guaranteed to make you at least a lil tired. Heck one of the specialists I saw prescribed it for weight loss half jokingly.

Lol, while an excellent suggestion, I'm afraid that's not an option for several reasons. It's against my religion to have extramarital sex, the girl I'm trying to date wouldn't be up for it for that same reason, and she'd kill me if I went anywhere else for it (even if we weren't dating).

[Ponderthought]

Yet another sleepless night, comrades.

[IonDragon]

Yet another sleepless night, comrades.

This night however, I'm working graveyard, so there is money to be had for this sleepless night.

[Lord Raziere]

aye, sleepless night. Bad thing is that the darkness is actually comforting, in a way, no one else is around so I'm all alone and it feels so peaceful.

[Odentin]

I slept like crap last night, so now I'm ridiculously tired, but every time I try to lie down and go to sleep, I can't. Bleh.

The person I usually talk to in the middle of the night is offline tonight, too, not that I blame her...

[Ponderthought]

Ah, I sympathize, all my midnight friends have grown into more normal sleep cycles, while I while away the late hours with creative efforts. Not sure witch one is the cause and the effect with that.

[IonDragon]

Ah, I sympathize, all my midnight friends have grown into more normal sleep cycles, while I while away the late hours with creative efforts. Not sure witch one is the cause and the effect with that.

I've always found stupidly late to be my most productive times. Something about mental filters not being so quick to stop my thoughts. I read somewhere that most authors have trouble getting started not because of fear of failure, but because of fear of success.

[Ponderthought]

I find the wee hours of the morning sharpen my mind like a knife, what with all the distractions of the daylight hours asleep. Then again, being so focused might be contributing to the late hours.

[Odentin]

I always find my best poetry comes when I'm half-asleep, no matter what time it is. Late at night used to be when I would game, but with the loss of my stable internet connection, I seem to be in need of another passtime. Hence me posting here more and more...

[Kneenibble]

Well if the trade-off of social functionability for the creative conflux hours is too great, may I, a mostly reformed insomniac, please recommend sublingual melatonin pills. Their power is magical and they are not addictive drugs and have no side effects with short-term use.

[Odentin]

Well if the trade-off of social functionability for the creative conflux hours is too great, may I, a mostly reformed insomniac, please recommend sublingual melatonin pills. Their power is magical and they are not addictive drugs and have no side effects with short-term use.

Key word there is SHORT-TERM. Since melatonin is your brain's natural sleep-inducing chemical, using it for too long makes your brain stop producing it, which in turn means that you'll have an even harder time falling asleep without it...

[Lord Raziere]

Key word there is SHORT-TERM. Since melatonin is your brain's natural sleep-inducing chemical, using it for too long makes your brain stop producing it, which in turn means that you'll have an even harder time falling asleep without it...

I knew there was a reason why I my intuition was saying not to try it.

[Odentin]

I knew there was a reason why I my intuition was saying not to try it.

Don't get me wrong, it's a natural supplement to your body's own manufacture, if you're deficient. Like everything else, though, moderation is key.

[Kneenibble]

Key word there is SHORT-TERM. Since melatonin is your brain's natural sleep-inducing chemical, using it for too long makes your brain stop producing it, which in turn means that you'll have an even harder time falling asleep without it...

You'll have to tell me where you got the idea that supplementing it will make your brain stop producing it, or else I will call bogusness. Anyways, short-term was all I needed. We're talking three weeks and not every night.

[Odentin]

It's the same situation some juicers get into, where their bodies stop producing Testosterone. If the Hypothalamus registers an excess of a certain hormone, it signals the appropriate gland to cut back production or stop it completely (in long-term cases). If there is a deficiency, it begins to order production of more. This is how the body stays balanced.

So, if a hormone or a chemical that duplicates a hormone's function is being fed to the body artificially, it can inhibit the production of that hormone. If the production of that hormone is stopped for too long, the gland in question has a hard time producing more. Kind of a muscle memory type of thing. Haven't done something in a while? Gonna be hard to start up again.

All of that information is available online, though I learned all of this from my mother (a Cytotechnician) and from my Nevada School of Massage Therapy classes.

[IonDragon]

You'll have to tell me where you got the idea that supplementing it will make your brain stop producing it, or else I will call bogusness. Anyways, short-term was all I needed. We're talking three weeks and not every night.

Yes, a friend of mine once told a story about a friend of his (yeah I know, friend of a friend stories...) who took them for 3 years, then stopped cold turkey with little or no side effects. Frankly, I wouldn't try it for more than a couple of nights in a row.

[Odentin]

Yes, a friend of mine once told a story about a friend of his (yeah I know, friend of a friend stories...) who took them for 3 years, then stopped cold turkey with little or no side effects. Frankly, I wouldn't try it for more than a couple of nights in a row.

Completely possible. There's also people who can drop smoking cold turkey.

Bad approximation, I know, but it's still valid. If there was never an excess in the body, production would have never stopped. This is usually the case if there are other forces at work, like a drug that inhibited Melatonin receptors that was no longer being taken, or something messing with his/her Hypothalamus...

[Kneenibble]

You're making an extreme and unlikely hypothetical projection, and look, spooking sleepy people away from trying something that could change their life. Caution is wise but hyperbole is silly. I shake my ostrich feather duster and tap my stilletto heel at you, sir.

[Odentin]

No hyperbole, no projection. Just advising caution.

[Dr.Epic]

I was up until like 5 last night and just woke up like an hour ago.

[Trobby]

Interesting that you should mention insomnia. My bro (not RL bro, but close enough that I call him that) has insomnia. And not the "I can't really sleep that well tonight" kind of insomnia. No, this is pretty much a constant inability to sleep.

Regularly, he will go for several days without being able to sleep, even when he tries to sleep again and again after days of being restless. And then, when he does not want to sleep, he will fall asleep at the least convenient times.

It's...a little sad to me...it means that he is regularly going on duty without sleep, and falling asleep when we're online and just trying to chat. Fortunately, he has medication to help him but...well, it's still a problem for him.

[Ponderthought]

Looks like im up again in the middle of the night. I blame spicy indigestion inducing enchiladas.

[Odentin]

Forums are dead, nothing's good on TV, and my connection ain't good enough to play WoW on. Bugger.

[The Succubus]

Urgh, I know the problems with insomnia well. Last time it happened, I ended up forming these underground boxing clubs and blowing up a bunch of credit card companies. =/

[Dr.Epic]

Well I was up all night. Around 4:30 I decided to watch Fern Gully - an old Disney cartoon from my childhood - on youtube. Don't ask why. About halfway through I noticed that it basically had the exact same plot as James Cameron's Avatar.

Also, saw a random LotR meme and laughed for about half a minute. In hindsight, it wasn't even that funny.

I think it's safe to say I shouldn't be do anything that requires intense thinking or full attention today.

[IonDragon]

Well ... About halfway through I noticed that it basically had the exact same plot as James Cameron's Avatar.

So does Pocahontas, and so does Alien (http://theoatmeal.com/comics/aliens_avatar).

[The Succubus]

So does Pocahontas, and so does Alien (http://theoatmeal.com/comics/aliens_avatar).

Very true. I liked the bit in Pocahontas where the racoon bursts out through Pocahontas' chest.

[IonDragon]

Very true. I liked the bit in Pocahontas where the racoon bursts out through Pocahontas' chest.

That was my second favorite part. The mech warrior battle was my fav.

[Odentin]

The only time I've been that bad was at about the 70 hour mark...

[Dr.Epic]

Why did I stay up all night again?!?!?

[Ponderthought]

Wake up! Wake up and talk to crazy old Uncle Ponder.

[Odentin]

I'm still here. Probably will be for a while, yet. What's up?

[Ponderthought]

I dunno, im stuck awake and i dont have any art left in me tonight, so im brainstorming concepts for a story. other than that, just being pissed at the mess the plumbers left.

[Odentin]

That sucks. What happened?

[Ponderthought]

They did a great job, even installed a new system that means we wouldnt have to turn off the water to all parts of the house if we needed to do repairs.

I suppose my only complaint is they tracked dirt all over the house and had to tear up out floorboads.

[Odentin]

Well, that's a pretty major complaint, especially if they didn't replace said floorboards.

[Diva De]

Insomnia thread...here I am.

I blame the meds at the hospital. No reason I should be awake now. *grumble*

[Ponderthought]

Perhaps this shouldnt count, as I did get some sleep, but dammit if it isnt 2:15 in the morning and Im up again.

[shadowxknight]

Well I am home for summer break from college.

I can't remember the last time I slept before 2AM haha :smalltongue:

[Ponderthought]

Thats the kicker, i fell asleep at ten, proceeded to have a disturbing dream, woke up at one and cant get back to sleep.

[shadowxknight]

Hmm maybe you are going to bed too early. Were you tired at all when you went to bed?
And the dream thing...if it happens a lot you might want to go see someone.

[doliest]

For the last week I've been staying awake around thirty hours, then getting maybe four or five hours of sleep and staying up thirty hours again. I've just woken up from about fifteen hours. I'd be happy it's over, except that I shudder to think how long I'll stay up now.

[Meirnon]

Can I join? Every night I take forever to sleep, and when I'm able to, I have to lay on my back for maybe half an hour with my eyes closed, lay on my side until my hips get uncomfortable, then when I'm nearing the edge of consciousness, roll on my belly until I fall asleep. I always wake up on my back, strangely.

Anyway, I think I joined this kinda late... my laptop busted and I just can't stay up at the desktop past 1 most nights. Although I can't help but stay up until 5 or 6 laying in bed. Gaaah... I'm so tired.

[Ponderthought]

Can I join? Every night I take forever to sleep, and when I'm able to, I have to lay on my back for maybe half an hour with my eyes closed, lay on my side until my hips get uncomfortable, then when I'm nearing the edge of consciousness, roll on my belly until I fall asleep. I always wake up on my back, strangely.

Anyway, I think I joined this kinda late... my laptop busted and I just can't stay up at the desktop past 1 most nights. Although I can't help but stay up until 5 or 6 laying in bed. Gaaah... I'm so tired.

No worries, its a post-whenever-you-damn-well-please kind of thread

[Meirnon]

Alright, I'm done checking my homebrews for peaches and responding. I'm going to go and try to enjoy my first night of sleep as a legal adult... by curling up on the floor with the blanket I've had since I was born with my friends. :smalltongue: