When You Feel So Tired But You Can't Sleep....

[healinginprogress]

Yes, it's a Coldplay lyric, but it always goes through my head when I'm lying here NOT sleeping. I had maybe four hours of sleep last night, had to do a few things this morning, but then had a couple hours off where a nap would have been wonderful and beneficial, I'm sure.

My body needs rest to heal, and I'm very tired, but I just can't seem to fall asleep. Usually at night I take prescribed meds, but they didn't do much last night.

I guess I'm still resting by lying on the couch, but it's really not the same. I just started an elimination diet, so I don't see my energy levels really going up much in the next little bit...I NEED SLEEP~~~

[eatmeat4good]

Try Melatonin.

I use 5 mg. a night and it really works.

There is no hangover effect.

It helps your body with other stuff too.

Read up on it if you haven't, it is really fascinating.

It is said to help stimulate growth hormone which is exactly what we need when we are healing.

I have read that people eventually get used to it and have to increase the dose for it to be effective.

That hasn't happened to me. I have much more refreshing sleep when I take it, than I do when I don't take it.

I also use it in a smaller dose when I have anxiety and want to calm it down, but not go to sleep.

It is very safe and effective.

[Roda]

Try Melatonin.

I use 5 mg. a night and it really works.

There is no hangover effect.

It helps your body with other stuff too.

Read up on it if you haven't, it is really fascinating.

It is said to help stimulate growth hormone which is exactly what we need when we are healing.

I have read that people eventually get used to it and have to increase the dose for it to be effective.

That hasn't happened to me. I have much more refreshing sleep when I take it, than I do when I don't take it.

I also use it in a smaller dose when I have anxiety and want to calm it down, but not go to sleep.

It is very safe and effective.

So would this work for shift work too? I work nights and have trouble getting good sleep in the morning after I get off work. I had thought about taking provigil to stay more alert at work when I didn't get good sleep, but it has gluten in it. Even if it had been safe my doctor didn't recommend it for me. She thought it would increase my heartrate too much since it is on the high normal side. I am very reluctant, or I should say refuse to take sleep aids. For me the prescription sleep aids are not an option that I will even consider. If this is not habit forming then it might just help on the mornings I need sleep. Is this prescription or otc?

[eatmeat4good]

It would certainly help you with that situation.

People often take it for jet lag for that very reason.

It is non-addicting.

No hangover effect.

Just mildly relaxes the brain and you can sleep.

It is over the counter.

It comes in many different milligram sizes. I started with 3 mg. a night and went up to 5 mg.

It is perfectly harmless according to all I have read and in my own experience.

It is in the vitamin section of health food stores and I've even gotten it at the Walgreens or your local pharmacy.

It has a lot of benefits.

I give it to my teenager when he stays up to late on Sat night and then can't get to sleep on Sun. night.

It's not a medicine, it is a supplement.

It sure helps and I would think it would be perfect for shift workers whose hours change.

Try it.

[Roda]

I would like to try it but just read on one site that it can interact with verapamil. I just started(trial basis) on it for the raynaud's symptoms. The verapamil can make the melatonin less effective by helping the body get rid of it quicker. However, it is getting warmer and I could just not take the verapamil and try the melatonin and see how it works. I fear that once I start something my body will not be able to adjust without it on the nights that I am at home and trying to sleep. However I do have trouble going to sleep at night when I am off also because of the shift work. When I schedule vacation it only takes about 3 days for my sleep cycle to shift back to normal and I usually feel great. I was on vacation for 17 days in Jan. and ever since then I have had an unusually hard time back on night shift. I've been dragging...my moods have been horrible.

[healinginprogress]

I would like to try it but just read on one site that it can interact with verapamil. I just started(trial basis) on it for the raynaud's symptoms. The verapamil can make the melatonin less effective by helping the body get rid of it quicker. However, it is getting warmer and I could just not take the verapamil and try the melatonin and see how it works. I fear that once I start something my body will not be able to adjust without it on the nights that I am at home and trying to sleep. However I do have trouble going to sleep at night when I am off also because of the shift work. When I schedule vacation it only takes about 3 days for my sleep cycle to shift back to normal and I usually feel great. I was on vacation for 17 days in Jan. and ever since then I have had an unusually hard time back on night shift. I've been dragging...my moods have been horrible.

Melatonin is intended to help normalize circadian rhythms. I don't generally find it helpful, however, my med tolerance is pretty high, possibly due to damage to my insides? As an experiment, I will try it tonight, instead of my sleeping pill (which is prescribed, it's actually an antidepressant that makes me sleepy, but I take an antidepressant during the day, so don't worry about me going off a med or anything, I don't take the sleeping pills all the time)

I do like the potential of use as an anti-anxiety...I've been having a lot lately, despite my meds.

I'll let ya know how it goes...I have to be up super early for a hydrogen breath test, anyways

[healinginprogress]

Omg...I haven't slept at all...and I took five of the damn things! I'm fasting for my lab test, and I don't know if that's what's caused it, but I have the worst headache. And now there's a wind warning and it's so loud it sounds like I'm gonna blow away! Lab test is in 3hrs...I'm really hating life right now!

[Roda]

I know that must suck not sleeping. About two weeks ago I was up for almost 24 hrs. Not fun!

[healinginprogress]

Yeah, I've been up since 6am yesterday it's almost 5 and I have to get up at 6am to go to the lab. Sigh...really wish someone hadn't booked me on at work today, but at least it's only an hour.

[Jestgar]

Omg...I haven't slept at all...and I took five of the damn things! I'm fasting for my lab test, and I don't know if that's what's caused it, but I have the worst headache. And now there's a wind warning and it's so loud it sounds like I'm gonna blow away! Lab test is in 3hrs...I'm really hating life right now!

5 is too many. It's supposed to be a mild sleep assistant. Taking five would really screw up your hormone balance and make keep you awake all night.

[healinginprogress]

Awesome. I only took more because it wasn't working

[healinginprogress]

I'm sure the empty stomach and bad headache didn't help matters. Today will suck, but I'll get through it somehow

[Jestgar]

yeah, it's a weird one. It makes me feel 'heavy', but not really sleepy, and I feel a bit hung over if it's been less than 8 hours or so. I think of it not as a sleep aid, but more of a 'sleep better' aid.

Even though you'll be tired, you'll feel better once it's out of your system.

[Jestgar]

too late now, but people also use benadryl as a sleep aid.

[healinginprogress]

Benadryl never makes me sleepy. Gravol, sometimes. But I think I'll go back to the Rx

[IrishHeart]

I must be "special". benadryl makes me "hyper" not sleepy... and melatonin---well, I fell asleep, but woke up anyway..arrgh!! Valerian root, passionflower...WIDE AWAKE!! I remain, sleepless in NY

Really?/ how can we be so exhausted, yet not sleep or be able to nap?? I don't get it!!

[healinginprogress]

I must be "special". benadryl makes me "hyper" not sleepy... and melatonin---well, I fell asleep, but woke up anyway..arrgh!! Valerian root, passionflower...WIDE AWAKE!! I remain, sleepless in NY

Really?/ how can we be so exhausted, yet not sleep or be able to nap?? I don't get it!!

No kidding, I feel like I've gone manic or something!!! I've basically been up since 6am yesterday, and I haven't had any caffeine or drugs or anything...I don't think this has ever gone on for so long in one bout, yikes I'll take a sleeping pill soon and force it outta me I guess

[IrishHeart]

No kidding, I feel like I've gone manic or something!!! I've basically been up since 6am yesterday, and I haven't had any caffeine or drugs or anything...I don't think this has ever gone on for so long in one bout, yikes I'll take a sleeping pill soon and force it outta me I guess

Hope you got some ZZZZZZZZZZZZs! I cut out some foods with high salycilates (at the suggestion of another member) and got almost 6 hours last night...go figure!

[healinginprogress]

Hmmm salicylates...another thing to look up lol

Well, I did get some sleep, still tired, though...but I think that's a given. It's really nice out today...cold-ish, but at least sunny, so a walk with the dogs might perk me up.

Do/Have any of you experienced chills, or being cold all the time on the new diet? (I'm on elimination diet, not sure if that makes a difference)

[love2travel]

My insomnia is extremely difficult to bear. It is mainly due to severe back/hip/pelvic/shoulder/leg pain from a severe back injury three years ago. The only reprieve I get is with prescription sleeping pills. It's a horrible cycle. If I can't sleep my muscles cannot replenish themselves so the pain becomes worse then I cannot sleep because of the pain.

I've been gluten-free for two months and there is absolutely no difference but would love it is further down the road my insomnia were to end. Melatonin, Benadryl, etc. unfortunately have ZERO effect on me. The longest I've gone without sleep is TWELVE nights. I was hallucinating and so on. The doctors were scared of my organs shutting down so I had to be hospitalized and put on tons of Demerol, narcotics, etc. just so I could sleep. That was terrifying.

It is horrible when you just cannot escape it.

[Marilyn R]

Benadryl never makes me sleepy. Gravol, sometimes. But I think I'll go back to the Rx

Interesting. Benadryl has always made me "crawl the walls" vs. sleep. I thought I was a lone ranger.

[IrishHeart]

Interesting. Benadryl has always made me "crawl the walls" vs. sleep. I thought I was a lone ranger.

me too! Racy and wide awake...

I have had insomnia for most of my life. (now, I know why!!)

I STILL have not found anything to help me sleep (prescription or herbal)...but I did want to re-post and say that I can get to sleep now and most nights, I can go back to sleep if I wake up. I do get more than the 1 or 2 I was getting...some night -- ZERO sleep for many months....and like Love2travel, I have chronic pain that makes life horrible....and it wakes me up constantly. Yet, I cannot tolerate any medications whatsoever...sigh.

I know that feeling of hallucinating when very sleep-deprived.

BUT...the good news is....4 months gluten-free and I am at least getting about 6 now--with a few wake ups...I really need some restorative sleep...and I wonder if it will ever happen again in this lifetime??

Hope all of you are getting more ZZZZZs now...

[sb2178]

Magnesium is another one that could help as it is involved in regulating sleep. Celiacs (or those with chronic D) often are a bit low in it, but the blood test isn't incredibly reflective of total body nutrient status.

Try it for a week (200 to 400 mg) and see if it helps. Shouldn't hurt (although can have a mild laxative effect).

[FernW]

Yes, I miss sleep, was told I have chronic fatigue syndrome which did not develop for almost a year after diagnosis, now I developed restless legs. docs are trying to get it to where I am a bit more comfy. I am addicted to sleep when I can get it. I also sleep for short periods of time not like 6 or 8 hr more like 2-3 in a 24 hr period.

[FernW]

Benedryl does nothing for me but its is good if, used to use it for sleep but nothing helps anymore.