STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

problems sleeping (long)

Starstuff · Kenneth Cole

Hey -- I'm sorry your sleep patterns are going screwy. I don't have any experience with this, but you might want to check with your Dr. Perhaps your body is changing the way it reacts to your antidepressant? Talking with your Dr. can help, and he/she can recommend a non-habit forming sleep-aid, or something else. Good Luck!

Kelly · Hermes

I know you were thinking about going on a pretty harsh diet a while ago. I know you said that your eating patterns are the same, but how are your exercise habits? If you've increased your exercising but not your food intake, it could be messing with you.

-- Edited by ttara123 at 12:57, 2008-12-11

Suasoria · Chanel

Don't discount the antidepressant factor, since it sounds like you're experiencing some manic behavior (energetic, tense, jerky). Side effects of medication can appear out of the blue. A friend who takes ADs has to change them up every couple of years because they either stop working or create such mania that she can't deal with them. So she goes back to her psychiatrist and tries something different.

Conventional wisdom advises against TV before bed because it's too stimulating. Generally they say to reserve the bedroom only for sleeping. If you do other activities in the bedroom, like TV, reading, exercising, etc., you can't "train" your brain to get sleepy when you go to bed.

But you work 12-hour days, had a major loss a few months ago with the death of your mom, and everything else going on in your life...you're definitely under a lot of stress. I would go with the general stress-reducing tips like yoga, meditation, music, aromatherapy, massage, and see if you get any relief.

jj · Kate Spade

I have similar problems where I fall asleep, seemingly exhausted at 9:30, then wake up at 3 for a few hours, only to fall back asleep and be exhausted when my alarm goes off at 6:00.

Tricks that work for me:

I *force* myself to stay awake an extra hour, so I am SUPER tired when I go to bed.

I read in bed instead of watching TV. I have a stash of really dull books for when I am truly desperate, and I am out like a light.

I lay in bed and meditate - I try to tighten then relax every muscle in my body one by one. Even when I seem to be relaxed, it's amazing how much tension I erase when I do this.

Exercise to clear my head - I get "wound up" really easy and a walk with the dog or a run helps to clear my mind.

Writing my thoughts in a journal - another way to clear my head.

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

I have had similar problems (actually, I still do). I know I feel and sleep much better when I -

- Eat a "clean diet" (very little bad carbs/sugar + lots of veggies, fruit, and high quality protein)
- Eliminate all caffeine (needs to be done slowly)
- Exercise at least a little bit (30-minute walk per day or so and/or yoga and simple stretching)
- Eat a dinner that is on the lighter side (snack a lot during day)
- Stay off the computer at least an hour before bed
- Take a multi-vitamin (I also like to take vitamin C--non acidic form)

Basically, many of these tips are part of the "prescription" for my various stomach problems too.

I take antidepressants and sleep medicine because the antidepressants can cause sleeplessness hmm

I did have a sleep study done, but I didn't have the stressors in my life that you are experiencing.

NCshopper · Hermes

I'd go to the doctor and see about a sleep study to rule out the possibility of sleep apnea or some other medical issue that may be disrupting your sleep. Since it came on around the time of your mother's passing and you've been experiencing some manic behaviors, I can't help but think that the issue is related. I'd talk to your doc about readjusting your meds if he/she thinks it's a good idea.

Elle · Hermes

Bloomie, the problems you're describing sound similar to those of a thyroid issue. All it takes is simple blood test to diagnose, but because the symptoms are so similar to anxiety and bi-polar it's frequently misdiagnosed as such.

Aside from that, how often are you exercising? Could you be doing it too much or too little? Too close to bedtime?

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Thank you everyone for all your responses. As far as exercising goes, I am not doing any disbelief . I used to do Pilates 3-4 times per week, but I just got so busy that I quit. I feel more in control when I do Pilates. I am going to force myself to reintroduce that into my routine. I always felt better when I did it. I think the staying up an hour later might help me, too. Maybe I could excercise during that the first 20 to 30 min during that time and it would tire me out? Something else major happened, too, that I forgot to mention. It has just become such a part of my life that I didn't think about it. I became Assistant Division Chair in my Department at work and that is a never ending job. I wasn't really asked--I was just sort of told that I had been selected and then the boss said, "so do you accept?" I didn't feel like I could say no. I do feel constant stress from that and that job started during the summer. Hmmmm..... I also started teaching a class in August that I had never taught before for a new program we have at work. That has taken up a lot of my free time at home this semester because I have had to write notes and study my lectures more. There are some perks--I am credentialed in two different subject areas and I am getting to teach more in the one I like best because my position gives me more choice in how scheduling is done. Also I get an extra $200 per month for the job that is fun money for my husband and me. I really like being in this asst division chair position for the simple fact that I know what is going on behind the scenes, but I have got to figure out someway to deal with the stress. Maybe the fact that the new class I am teaching ended yesterday will help. I think I am going to go to the doctor just to talk to him about my problems and see what he says. Thanks for listening to me and giving me some advice.

relrel · Marc Jacobs

It sounds like you're gonna talk to your doctor about everything, but I just wanted to add a little piece about melatonin.

I've never been able to sleep through the night and I also have a hard time falling asleep. It was always really tough for me to "turn off" at night. I would lay there and just think, think, think about things. I'm a super light-sleeper as well so any movement by my boyfriend or noise outside would wake me up.

I tried melatonin and it does make me fall right asleep but I still wake up throughout the night. I haven't taken it in a while since I'm actually too lazy to remember to take it at night, but it worked while I was taking it. I take it now and again when I remember and it's not a perfect fix for my sleeping problems, but it helps a little.

Good luck with everything. It sounds as if you're super stressed and this is coming out in your sleep patterns. Stress is funny- sometimes you won't actually even feel stressed but it's taking a toll on your body without you knowing it.

sydney · Kate Spade

relrel wrote:
I tried melatonin and it does make me fall right asleep but I still wake up throughout the night. I haven't taken it in a while since I'm actually too lazy to remember to take it at night, but it worked while I was taking it. I take it now and again when I remember and it's not a perfect fix for my sleeping problems, but it helps a little. It sounds as if you're super stressed and this is coming out in your sleep patterns. Stress is funny- sometimes you won't actually even feel stressed but it's taking a toll on your body without you knowing it.

Ditto on the melatonin - not perfect but it does help and it's natural. Stress can really be the culprit. Exercise helps and I've read women have these problems much more frequently then men.

tina242 · Kate Spade

From your posts it does sound stress-related... Often stress is there even if you are not aware, and I hope the fact that your teaching job just ended helps!!

I'm 6 mos pregnant and am having a ton of trouble sleeping. I keep hearing exercising helps a lot and so am getting ready to start that back up.

I've also read that if you wake up, it helps to just get up and do an activity like reading. I have found this to be true...if I lay there I just keep laying there, whereas if I actually get up and do something I get tired again quicker. HTH!