How do y'all "Shut Down" at bedtime ?

[clayg08]

we all have daily stresses in one form or another, lingering thoughts, etc.

i have these cycles where i just can't shut my mind down. no matter what, i just can't get to sleep. once i do, it's restless sleep. then, i wake up and my mind starts racing about what i need to do at work the following day, and i might as well get up at 3am. it sucks...

i've been to see the dr several times. he's prescribed several different sleeping meds, and, none have really worked. some, yes, i can tell an improvement, but, nothing satisfactory. last week, he gave me some anxiety medication to help out. ( no, i'm not taking anti-anxiety and sleep meds together ).

my stress limits have peaked recently at work, then, daily concerns, etc.

i do have a vacation / anniversary cruise coming up in a few weeks.

i have experimented with not trying to drink "anything" after 6pm so i won't wake due to bathroom urges. i turn off all electrical devices, TBH, , tv whatever else, and, still no bueno.

anybody have any ideas or remedies ? unfortunately, i'm not as rich as i am good looking, so, not working is not an option

[Mayhem]

S E X always helps me go to sleep, but i dont really have a problem sleeping to begin with.

[Jspradley]

Im in the same boat. If I drink anything with caffeine after 4 or 5 PM I am wired and cant sleep.

The only thing I have found to work if I do screw up is OTC sleeping meds, they are a bad long term solution though.

Have you tried melatonin sublinguals or valerian root extract? Those work pretty well.

[gingib]

S E X always helps me go to sleep, but i dont really have a problem sleeping to begin with.

x2

[bphillips]

Not sure what can be done. I've always been lucky in that if I'm not at work nothing about it is on my mind. I play with the kids and watch lots of cartoons until their bedtime and mine is right after so if anything we lay in bed laughing about how goofy the kids are until I'm asleep

[DaveS903]

Working out relieves stress. If you google it, you will find all kinds of things to do to control stress.

Has your doc screened you for sleep apnea? I used to have the same symptoms you are describing. My constantly waking up and not feeling like I never got a good night's sleep was due to apnea. The sleep study was a major life-changing event for me. Ask you wife about your snoring. She might notice that you snore loudly, snort and wheeze in your sleep, stop breathing, etc. If so, I would strongly suggest you ask for a referral to a sleep doc.

[RascalArms]

I know the feeling and have suffered with work and personal stress that leads to insomnia. I eventually started taking 2 Tylenol PM every night about 30 mins before turning in. Now, it's actually CVS's version of Tylenol PM pain relief. I suffer from shoulder and neck pain but this has really helped me with falling asleep.

Only other advice I can give is to make sure you cut out caffeine like tea after a certain time every night.

[clayg08]

S E X always helps me go to sleep

how do i go about getting the dr to write a prescription for that ????


not getting sleep night after night for continued periods is really starting to take a toll on me.....

[slayer]

MELATONIN - over the counter, works like a charm. . .

[Mayhem]

how do i go about getting the dr to write a prescription for that ????


not getting sleep night after night for continued periods is really starting to take a toll on me.....

I write my own prescription.

[Jspradley]

how do i go about getting the dr to write a prescription for that ????


not getting sleep night after night for continued periods is really starting to take a toll on me.....

Sometimes you have to just "take matters into you own hand"....

[clayg08]

Has your doc screened you for sleep apnea?

that's actually next on the agenda.

I eventually started taking 2 Tylenol PM every night about 30 mins before turning in.

tylenol PM actually works better than most prescribed sleep meds i tried. but, i had a recent issue of elevated liver enzymes, and, i was told the tylenol was actually doing more harm than good

[HoustonHunter]

MELATONIN - over the counter, works like a charm. . .

Stuff gives me crazy dreams but helps me go to sleep fast.

As mentioned above, the hanky panky makes me fall asleep fast and I'm told I usually snore more as well.

[CastAndBlast]

Most of the time, I can read a chapter in a good book and it puts me right to sleep. If I have more on my mind, then I keep a note pad under my bed. I will right my thoughts down on that to get them off my brain, then read a chapter in my book and can fall asleep that way.

[txdukklr]

I am a very restless sleeper and typically 8 hours of sleep is a lot. can't remember a time with 8 hours of uninterrrupted sleep.

i've done the melatonin and all that.

kill all stimulation (beside the S E X) and just decompress. Even if you aren't sleeping at some point your mind will settle down.