insomnia

[Guest guest]

Dear Regina, You poor thing. Can we help? Really, as one of your many mothers

on this list, you MUST make yourself stop and call the doctor today. Please

have mercy on your body. It cannot help itself without you. Even with stress-

I am a post-trauma specialist remember— the body will tire and fall into

periods of fitful sleep.

Sorry to press, but I think you have mentioned that you have had this before,

and my question to you still is, have you ever seen a neurologist for this

insomnia you have had in the past that is similar to the one you have now?

Insomnia is not just a 'counting sheep' issue for many. It is sometimes a

part of a chronic long-cycling syndrome that has other aspects to it also. It

can be a symptom of a few others things as well. Only A COMPETENT doctor can

help decide this with you. This comes with love to you.

Just for general info's sake for our group: Sometimes certain brain chemicals

spill profoundly causing a person to not be able to enter the brain-wave

cycle that inaugurates sleep. During this time, a person may take up much

activity even though they are exhausted. Alcohol can cause this to worsen.

Secondly, there are also sleep disorders (an entire topic to itself) that can

cause disruptions in sleep. It is true that sometimes insomnia is caused by

caffeine over-consumption which in some persons radically alters the abiilty,

you might say, for the hard drive to spin down at day's end. It just keeps

going instead. Sometimes insomnia is caused by excitement as in 'I just met

this wonderful person and want to stay awake for ten days in a row to enjoy

them.' Sometimes it is caused by a profound brain chemical imbalance that can

be 'triggered' by any number of things psychologically and/or physically. The

latter can come on suddenly as a result of a shock, a sudden surprize, etc.

In any case, it is more than a " little " insomnia to go many night without

sleep. The body systems suffer greatly without sleep. Think of an engine

running at high torque for days without respite; think of the heat and

friction generated, what that does to the fragile components.

The latter material is only offered as basic info made very simple. When a

person is unable to sleep for so many days it is cause for concern. The body

cannot regulate itself properly if it cannot rest and repair.

thanks

ceep

In a message dated 11/21/02 10:54:29 AM, Graduate-OSSG writes:

<< Couldn't get to the doc or call

because have been way too busy with some other things that had to get

taken care of. I'm sure I'm not sleeping due to the incredible amount of

stress I'm under right now. >>

[Guest guest]

Since WLS, my sleep patterns have really been screwed up, and I don't seem to

require very much sleep either. Things that help me are daily exercise,

relaxation, yoga, meditation. If you're the type whose brain keeps processing

stuff over and over and over ad nauseum, u may benefit from training yourself

how to empty your mind and just " float " , visit your " favorite place " in your

mind, etc. There are lots of techniques for this, from teachings in hatha

yoga to self-hypnosis. I would try some- thing like that first, and if it

doesn't help, then start looking for biological causes.

Carol A

[Guest guest]

> HELP. On my fourth or fifth day of insomnia. So tired I lost count.

> Anybody have any ideas?

> Regina

******************************

Oh Regina, boy can I relate! I had posted about this several months

ago, and apparently, there are a lot of us out there. I tried

everything, even Ambien, and nothing helped except time. I was a

physically exhausted wreck for a while, so I know what you're talking

about. I tend to blame it on peri-menopause, but it could also be

stress or anything else. I wish I had better news for you, but it

took maybe 4-5 months, and it finally went away slowly. It started

with being able to sleep half the night, then being able to go back

to sleep after waking in the middle of the night....that type of

thing.

Good luck, and just know that it has to end eventually. Hang in

there!

in NJ

[Guest guest]

I don't have an problem with sleeping anymore and I'm just curious.

Do you insomniacs exercise a lot? I have a heavy workout (meaning to

dripping sweat intensity, pushing past my mental limit) 6 days a week

and since I started this, I sleep straight through except for potty

trips.

If I don't exercise, or if I exercise half-assed, I find I have too

much physical energy (especially when my body is burning and losing

weight) and mental stimulation to relax.

I'd rather do a 3 mile walk with the dogs than take drugs and such to

manipulate my body, if it is possible. That in itself is new to me.

It definitely is my " natural " state to want to do the drugs and not

the walk!

Vicki A.

> > HELP. On my fourth or fifth day of insomnia. So tired I lost

count.

> > Anybody have any ideas?

> > Regina

> ******************************

> Oh Regina, boy can I relate! I had posted about this several

months

> ago, and apparently, there are a lot of us out there. I tried

> everything, even Ambien, and nothing helped except time. I was a

> physically exhausted wreck for a while, so I know what you're

talking

> about. I tend to blame it on peri-menopause, but it could also be

> stress or anything else. I wish I had better news for you, but it

> took maybe 4-5 months, and it finally went away slowly. It started

> with being able to sleep half the night, then being able to go back

> to sleep after waking in the middle of the night....that type of

> thing.

>

> Good luck, and just know that it has to end eventually. Hang in

> there!

>

> in NJ

[Guest guest]

> I don't have an problem with sleeping anymore and I'm just

curious. Do you insomniacs exercise a lot? I have a heavy workout

(meaning to dripping sweat intensity, pushing past my mental limit) 6

days a week and since I started this, I sleep straight through except

for potty trips.

>

> If I don't exercise, or if I exercise half-assed, I find I have too

> much physical energy (especially when my body is burning and losing

> weight) and mental stimulation to relax.

***********************

Nope, actually, I really don't exercise at all. I know, bad ,

but it would probably have helped with the sleep problems a lot, and

not just for working out, but for stress relief. Yeah, we know what

to do, but...

in NJ