I'm stupid

[scottcsmith]

When you suffer from insomnia, like I do, DO NOT consume 100 MGs of caffeine at 3:00 p.m. It's a really bad idea. You know it's going to be a bad night when none of the sleepy-time drugs kick in. Sigh.

[Guaranteed]

1. Yeah...you gotta counteract every 20 mg of caffeine with

a shot of JD. :toast: That'll take care of that....hee hee!

[Booberdawg]

2. I'm unemployed so i just made another pot of coffee

and sitting here reading. What the hell - I just need a few hours sleep and can sleep till noon.

[shockingelk]

3. I'm somewhat of a choice insomciac now

Things that help me ...

- getting away from computer - even a GREAT book read in bed will eventually put you to sleep.

- if you like alcohol at night, try herbal tea instead - try blends from the co-op with stuff like kava kava, skullcap, chamomile, hops. I like going heavy on the kava kava by adding more to the blend. You might like something else better - lots of people like skullcap ... skullcap makes me groggy the next day; kava makes me have wild dreams and be relaxed the next day. Talk to the hippy type person hanging around the bulk herb bins, they'll help you out.

- this was a big revelation for me: mattresses wear out! I had the same bed for about 24 years, minus the eight or so years when I was at college or crashing in various places across the country. A year or so ago, my folks and brother started telling me I needed a new bed. I said nah, mine is fine. In Oct, I was given the choice of a new bed for a birthday present - was given a price range ... of the five or six in the price range, one was clearly the most comfortable: a hard one in which the springs were attached only in the middle instead of at top and bottom. Since I've been sleeping on that, I've heard about 10% of the BBC radio I was accustomed to listening to while I thought I was "trying to get to sleep" - I was actually trying to get comfortable.

- this doesn't seem to apply to me any more, but when I was trying to get comfortable, I usually fell asleep quicker if I made myself not listen to the radio. I imagine watching TV would be much worse.

- during my last "really bad" insomnia bout, I got a prescription for generic Valium (hadn't slept since a friday afternoon, got the prescription Monday eve) ... the prescription ran out in August, I had refilled it less than I could have, and haven't asked for a refill since ... I think it helped me "learn" to get to sleep, everything mentioned above seems more effective now, except for the new bed, which came afterwards.

- consciously staying still helps - when I feel the urge to toss and turn, I quietly ask myself if rolling over will make myself more comfortable, or if it's just part of me that really wants to stay awake.

Anyway, I definitely know what not getting to sleep is like, and wanted to share what has helped me.

[VOX]

4. Excellent tips, shockingelk.

Thanks for posting, and I think I'll turn in now.

:toast:

[shockingelk]

6. I think it was mostly for myself (sleep tip at end)

I've been an insomniac for a good peck now. I'd better have some good advice!

I have the advantage of making my own hours ... thanks to a rare genetic disease, a FDA/CDC funded program (which saved my life) and SSI, I was able to eek by in a $320/month hell-hole while I taught myself a skill (I sincerely doubt the state, county and fed govs would have supported me had I said "I want to take a couple years off and become more productive than a telemarketer!")

Yup, in the Clinton years, the talent I honed in less than two years on the dime of evil big government entitlement programs got me more than self-sufficient in much less time than I spent in college.

I was lucky enough to get a huge new one-time client in 2002. 2003 was the first year I had to actually borrow money since the big evil government created an economy in which over half my clients, small businesses, no longer had the money to support, far less create a website.

I think of myself as a common man barometer; I am a very small business - one permanent employee and less than half a dozen subcontractors or associate businesses - the vast majority of the people who have provided me work have likewise been very small employers.

And today, in Bush's America, it's a 10 hour work week at best. I once thought I should get a part-time coffee shop type job just to get out among people every day. Now, I'm thinking the same thing just to pay my bills every day.

PS - another sleep tip: that counting sheep thing really works. Relax and think of one thing that doesn't make you angry, lonely, empowered, hopeful or any other exciting thing. You'll have more energy to feel angry, lonely, empowered, or hopeful the next day and you'll come out ahead.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

5. And don't drink repeatedly amounts of Pepsi while eating sugar cookies

that was my mistake last night .