I haven't been able to sleep at all for one week straight, any suggestions?!
Question: I asked a similar question, and this is what the answeres told me, plus some of my personal tips! (Note: This is a long answerm so please stick with me...):
1) Relax. If you are stressed, upset about something, over-excited or just not calm, it will be harder for you to sleep. Do someting calming before you sleep - e.g: yoga, meditation, sing softly to yourself. And when you're falling alseep, don't try to focus on clearing your mind, because then you'll be thinking hard anyway.
Maybe some soft, soothing music (not loud rock music, ok?) will help you relax. While you're lying on your bed, instead of filling your mind with thoughts, picture something nice and relaxing, like a waterfall, or the holiday spot of your dreams.
2) White noise. A lot of people suggested that I sleep with the fan on - the steady humming noise drowns all other noises and helps to keep your sleep steady. If it's too cold for a fan, use a heater instead or just pile on heaps of blankets.
You can also use a white noise machine that plays the sound of waves on a beach - it's very steady and relaxing, so I am told.
3) Don't excercise or drink/eat any caffeine 4 hours before you sleep. Also, eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime. Plus, don't watch TV, play video games or go on the computer before you sleep. Research has proven that this makes it harder for you to sleep.
4) Read. Read for about 20-30 minutes before you sleep. It will help you to focus on one thing, will help you to relax, and will also help you will good dreams!!
5) Make sure you're comfortable. Sleep on a comfy mattres and a soft, feather pillow. Add and remove your blankets until your completely comfortable with the temperature. If you're too hot or cold, it will be much harder to fall asleep, and sleep steadily.
6) Of course, there's always also medication, but I don't recommend that, because some sleeping drugs can have side effects, and can be very addictive. But if you do want to use medication, Melatonin is very affective and not harmful.
7) OTHER THINGS TO DO: Put a few drops of lavender on your pillow. Ask your family to turn the TV down, and make an effort to keep quiet (or just use ear-plugs). Adjust the light to your likings -- some people can't sleep in complete darkness, and some people have to have complete darkness!
Good luck, hope I helped!
Answers: I asked a similar question, and this is what the answeres told me, plus some of my personal tips! (Note: This is a long answerm so please stick with me...):
1) Relax. If you are stressed, upset about something, over-excited or just not calm, it will be harder for you to sleep. Do someting calming before you sleep - e.g: yoga, meditation, sing softly to yourself. And when you're falling alseep, don't try to focus on clearing your mind, because then you'll be thinking hard anyway.
Maybe some soft, soothing music (not loud rock music, ok?) will help you relax. While you're lying on your bed, instead of filling your mind with thoughts, picture something nice and relaxing, like a waterfall, or the holiday spot of your dreams.
2) White noise. A lot of people suggested that I sleep with the fan on - the steady humming noise drowns all other noises and helps to keep your sleep steady. If it's too cold for a fan, use a heater instead or just pile on heaps of blankets.
You can also use a white noise machine that plays the sound of waves on a beach - it's very steady and relaxing, so I am told.
3) Don't excercise or drink/eat any caffeine 4 hours before you sleep. Also, eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime. Plus, don't watch TV, play video games or go on the computer before you sleep. Research has proven that this makes it harder for you to sleep.
4) Read. Read for about 20-30 minutes before you sleep. It will help you to focus on one thing, will help you to relax, and will also help you will good dreams!!
5) Make sure you're comfortable. Sleep on a comfy mattres and a soft, feather pillow. Add and remove your blankets until your completely comfortable with the temperature. If you're too hot or cold, it will be much harder to fall asleep, and sleep steadily.
6) Of course, there's always also medication, but I don't recommend that, because some sleeping drugs can have side effects, and can be very addictive. But if you do want to use medication, Melatonin is very affective and not harmful.
7) OTHER THINGS TO DO: Put a few drops of lavender on your pillow. Ask your family to turn the TV down, and make an effort to keep quiet (or just use ear-plugs). Adjust the light to your likings -- some people can't sleep in complete darkness, and some people have to have complete darkness!
Good luck, hope I helped!
go to the doctor and get a prescription for sleeping pills or go to the store and get an otc pill like Simply Sleep or Unisom.
same problem honey =[
go to your doctor, explaining everything
he SHOULD give you some medication
especially if its effecting you day to day life.
and your work.
hell give you meds and they will get your clock straigjht
See a doctor before you become out of touch with reality. Long periods of lack of sleep cause psychotic episodes.
well Leo 1st go to the doc,s and leave your PC turned off !!
I have similar problems too, I have even been referred to and seen a neurologist for it, there are some genine sleep disorders so its worth checking them out with your doctor, but otherwise, here are my suggestions:
Getting to sleep is something that can be affected by most and many things, like caffine- which is in more foods and drinks then you may be aware of:not just redbull tea and coffee but also chocolate and some sweets (always read the label) if you have caffine you are unlikey to get to sleep as easily until upto 6-8 hours later.
Alcochol, I know you said you were only 17 but that never stopped me... alcohol will also affect your sleeping patterns, you can feel slowed down after one too many but unless you have tierd yourself out with alot of energy expenditure, you wont fall asleep as easily and then you will wake up in the night, when you wake you wont feel refreshed either. Its just how alcohol works.
There are things you can try to be proactive about going to sleep, if you have an attitude issue with yourself and you cant seem to relax, try going to a yoga class where they can give you tips, it does help- it helped me, there are many many types of yoga, hatha and iyenga are both very relaxing, ashtanga and birkrum are both quite energetic and stimulating, but all have a relaxation componant. Its worth looking into it, no experience necessary.
But the best plan? get the issues that worry you and write them down before you go to sleep in simple bullet points and leave them beside your bed, as soon as you think of another one, write it down. The idea is once its written down you do not hink about it any more- or atleast not that night.
The next day, when you get up, use the day to sort and deal with the problems, if your stressed with the school work, deal with it, do it or get some help with it- or talk to your mates about it all, if you dont feel like it or put it off, you'll only be worrying about it the next evening/night.
DO NOT tkae sleeping tablets, the sleep you get from them is not the same as the sleep you get when you sleep naturally, so when you wake you still feel tierd, and the sleeping tablet will take ages to get though your system so you will also feel groggy and hazy, not good for reducing your stress as you'll probably fall behind at school. I have heard of people takeing melatonine- infact I was advised by a neurologist (I have sleep issues too) to take melatonin- but you need to as your doctor for a prescription for this as its only by prescription (you can pick it off the shelf in the supermarket if you live in the US, by hey, this is European law for you.)
Aside from that theres aromotherapy, lavender on your pillow, scented candels or incense- dont do it all at once, sensory overload will actually keep you awake!
and winding down hours before you fall asleep, making sure the tv is off an hour before you sleep as is every other elecrtonic and stimulating device- eg ipod, computer, radio, music- unless its whale song or something!, then if you really have to do something, read- but not school work, this will only add to your anxiery, read something that has nothing to do with school- a ficton book, try the incident of a dog in the night time or something similarly nothing to do with you, but try not to read magazines, they are really stimulating as they have colours and short snapy articles, it wont help you to relax, it will keep you awake!
and go to bed/wake up at the smae time every morning, dont be tempted to get up later or go to bed when you get tierd, it wont help, it will just give you a really messed up sleeping pattern.
Melatonin is a natural sleep aid. You may need to see a physician. Ambien, Restoril, and Lunesta are just a few of the RX meds available.
You actually ARE sleeping ! If you went 168 hours of sleep deprivation you would be unable to function coherently enough to post this question. You're obviously having micro-sleeps, you don't say how you are functioning, but the body and 'brain' will force you to sleep [ unless you are being deliberately wakened or forcibly injected with stimulants ]. Relax you will get enough sleep. People with sleep debt usually self inflict it, and you don't seem to be in that category ....... and, yes, I DO expect 'thumbs-down' honesty attracts that !
I agree with the psyc dude. it depends on what you mean by you cant sleep. Are you just not sleeping in your normal pattern or have you really not slept at all for a week? It would be impossible for a human to stay awake for this long without some chemical stimulants. You must be a complete wreck. How can you type properly?
IMPOSSIBLE.
Let's just say you are not aware of the sleeps you have had.
My suggestion is: do nothing. You are sleeping and your body is taking care of it all by itself. Let it do the job rather than you forcing it. Everything will fall in place.
No sleeping pills, no lavendar in laundry, no candle in the kitchen or any fancy ideas. Reading a book is a good habit but don't over do it. Bedtime reading is retained better in your brain cells than anyother time. Other than that, just let the nature take its course.
Yes, for good nutrion's sake, drink warm milk at night before bed time. It does not necessrily induce sleep - contrary to popular belief - but it is one last good thing you do to your body.Why warm and not cold? Warm milk helps in digestion of the meal you had earlier in the evening and it also will help in having proper motion the next morning. I guess my preference is warm over cold. But some people drink cold milk and they are just fine.
You wouldn't even have enough energy to be typing right now if you haven't had "any" sleep for a week straight. What you mean to say is you are losing sleeping time and probably not getting enough REM- deep sleep which is important for your health. I suggest talking a nice warn shower right before bed. Not doing anything like the computer or video games or anything that stimulates your mind. I can tell you one thing that will help you fall asleep is reading. Something about reading at night gets everyone going. If this continues you should really ask the doctor. They can give you a little something to help you relax and get you to sleep. Your body will have to eventually catch up somewhere and you don't want it while you are at work, school, or worse yet driving.