Ahhhh...Insomnia! « Back to Group Discussions

[writermama12]

It is 1:58 am in my house. Everyone is sleeping well but me. For no good reason I am up and now on my laptop. I have been waking up at 12:30 the past few nights and my thoughts begin to race and I get anxious and scared about bad things happening like everyone in my house getting a stomach bug or my baby cracking his head open when my 11 year old plays rough with him. My heart begins to race and I try really hard to think about something nice and to fall back asleep but nothing is working and I am really tired during the day. I cannot believe I am up, again, when tomorrow is going to be so busy. 

Anyone else getting weird insomnia? What have you done that's worked, or hasn't?

[Chapsie]

YES!  I always get pregnancy insomnia.  It doesn't help that I work til midnight and don't get to bed til 1am and my mind is still racing when I do go to bed.

The only thing I find that really works for me is self-hypnosis through Hypnobabies.   There is an entire childbirth preparation home study course you can use (that always puts me to sleep, haha) or you can just purchase their "Peaceful Sleep For All"  or their "Peaceful Sleep Now for Expectant Moms" CD.  I think its like 15.95 on amazon (you can get 10% off if you like them on facebook and then order through their website I think).  I know I sound like a commercial, but it really does help me.  Self hypnosis is just really deep relaxation, it's not as crazy as it sounds.  :)    

I hope you were able to get some good sleep last night!

[madelaine]

I did hypnobabies last time around and it is very relaxing. I need to dig those CDs out again. Last time I got these soft sleep headphone thingies that were comfortable enough to wear while laying down. http://www.sleepphones.com/

I try to meditate if I can't sleep, I have a whole process I think through that I've been doing since I was a kid. But my sleep problems are so far more in the realm of (1) have to pee (2) 3-year-old wants something.

[babytoes]

Oh how very fascinating. I just got home from running errands all over the city (for the past four hours), and I saw this post... And immediately started laughing hysterically! Most likely because I am so over tired my brain can barely function... Oh yes the insomnia! Yesterday and today, I'm wide awake at 4am, my brain just spinning away, I always lay there and lay there as the first hour will creep by... just begging my brain to stop thinking so I can at least get one more hour of sleep, but no, it never does stop, and I never do seem to fall back to sleep once it starts getting light. I normally am an excellent sleeper and only have bouts of insomnia once in a blue moon. Being this is the second day in a row, I am very worried my body might be starting a new trend.

I am not really sure what to do about it either. I have taken melatonin in the past when I have had a problem falling asleep from the start. But this 4am crap is totally different. I don't think I should take melatonin at that point because the day will be starting in three hours, and that stuff will knock me out for an entire night. Yesterday I got up and fiddled around on my computer at my desk with a hot cup of chamomile tea. I went back up to bed around 7:30 when I knew DP would be starting to wake up, and instantly fell  asleep so deeply I don't even remember him getting out of bed or saying goodbye to me... I did not do that this morning though, I had so many things to do I couldn't take the time to get a nap in.

Actually, yes I do have time. Right now. I'm off to the couch and blankets with a background movie... 

[writermama12]

Oh man, I really hope to get some sleep tonight. running on four hours of sleep that was chopped into little pieces. 

[babytoes]

YAY!!! I got 10 hours of sleep last night and only got up to pee ONCE!! Holy crap that in it's self is amazing... haha

Oh yeah, I am ready to tackle this busy day now!

[writermama12]

I am so happy for you babytoes. 5.5 hours here. Actually feeling okay right now, but it may be the delirium of several days lack of sleep--running on adrenaline or some such thing. Hoping hoping hoping for more sleep tonight before six hours worth of driving tomorrow and a weekend away in Boston for my anniversary. I certainly don't want to waste my first weekend away from my toddler sleeping!!

[firespiritmelody]

I'm in a similar boat ladies. I have a hard time shutting off my brain in general so I often will watch a tv show to fall asleep. Lately my show of choice is Mythbusters lol. I love the narrator's voice and I've seen all the episodes on netflix so many times that it's not overly interesting. I set the timer on the TV to turn it off when the show is over and if I wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep, I start the whole thing over again. I know that wouldn't work for everyone, but it's what works (most of the time) for me.