Diffculty getting any sleep...I'm disturbed

**Anaida** · 09-12-2011 09:23 AM

I've been getting through quite a bit stress in my life lately. A week ago, I was completely withdrawn into a shell without any specific reason, and started getting a chronic effortlessness at eevrything towards me. And now, I feel, its developed into a sort of unexplainable stress. I'm having difficulty going to sleep, often getting into useless arguments with my mom, and cannot concentrate on my college project-which is due next week, which is only making things worse.

To top the list, I'm absolutely loathing homemade food, I'm finding ALMOST EVERYTHING that's cooked at home tasteless and cardboard-ish, and have developed an intense craving for fast/restaurant food.

I've NEVER OFTEN HAD troubles getting to sleep--so this is bothering me a lot. I have difficulty going to sleep, and often end up sleeping really, REALLY LATE, which is most unusual for me as I normally drift off to sleep a few minutes after getting to bed. I'm having poor, disturbed sleep and waking up earlier than usual.

Any ideas on how to make this go away?

**Seeker_Advice** · 09-12-2011 03:03 PM

No electronic stimulation TWO HOURS before bed. No TV, no radio, no iTunes. Go to bed earlier, say between 9:30 and 10:00. Go to bed in a completely dark room that is geared only for sleeping and/or sex. Again, no TV in bed, etc. Stop talking/arguing with mom on the phone by 8:00 PM each day. Turn off your phone's ringer and turn your cell to vibrate.

Sounds like you need to re-teach your body/mind that it's time for sleep. Do this over and over and over until it becomes habit. Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning. You will be amazed at the results.

Be patient...as it may take a couple of well disciplined weeks to re-train your body/mind to sleep.

**BabyGirl** · 09-12-2011 06:40 PM

While I never have trouble falling asleep or waking Early ( usually 4:30 -5:00 AM , without an Alarm.
As Seeker Said, it is a Natural Habit with my Body Clock. Sometimes I do wake every Hour or Two and that disturbs my sleep. This usually only happens if I stay up Late , 10 pm is Late for me .

Now if up late ... I will usually slice a Banana add some Grapes ( green ones ) Slice or chunk some Cheddar or Swiss Cheese, pour a glass of milk, add a couple of teaspoons of Honey. Go to bed, put on some Boring TV show, which is usually an Infomercial or a Preaching Station, keep the volume low to a " Drone Tone".

And before I know it, I am waking up, looking at the Clock and it's almost Always 4:27 or just after. I turn my TV to the News , lay about for 1/2 hour, then get up.

I cannot sleep in total Silence, being an Ex Manager of Apts and being an Ex Rancher. I hear every noise, every car door, car starting, dog barking.
Every footstep up stairs, Toilet Flush, every " they are having Sex and the Headboard is against My Headboard Wall and the Fights

*in mine , Next to and just below me *

And then I am up , to look out the window. And that is a Almost NO SLEEP Night.
So I Drown it out, softly ..

Now another thing is No Caffeine, no Soda's no Chocolate, no Coffee or Tea ( unless Decaffeinated ) at least 4 hours before bed,. Remember it takes 4 hours to Digest whats put in your Body. 20 minutes to tell your " Brain " you are Full or what we call the " Itus or Sleep Itus "

The.. I ate so much and now just want to lay down Tired . But you still have to go home, Drive home. Fast food is Cheap though not as Nutritious as Real Food

But the No Caffeine Chamomile tea is a Good one, just use Honey instead of Sugar.

Seeker also had Great Advise. No Arguments with your Mom or anyone else. If she is a Nightly " caller " and you don't live at home. Just politely tell her, you are Unavailable to take calls . Say you have a Study Hour or Two. You can even say you Study with another Student.

That wouldn't be a Lie, just that you will have full attention of Yourself, the Uninterrupted Person, the Study Partner .. lol

Right now, I am trying to help *Her Re`train her sleep pattern " Her Request .

21 year old Daughter. She's been off College on a 2 Semester Break due to FASA .Denial for not keeping up her GPA, 2.9 instead of 3.0 ..

Up all Night, Sleep all Day. On the Internet for her Art Searches, Deviant Art, Co~ Artistic people, Contests, Scholarship entries.

Doing and Learning her Waccom Intuous Tablet, CS4 thingy program . The Things I don't understand.. But Krystalyn does

Internet Timelines is so different, It's Instant in most times and Locations, but also a Wait time in ones that are not on the same Schedule.

So Setting the Time, is Very Important. Using that time is Also. If you have a job that you have to be at by 8 AM, you best be up at least 2 hours before, get ready, dressed, eat ( or stop by Busy Starbucks) and Be 15 minutes early. School Same Exact thing .,

Not sure your age hun...

I have learned that you can re adjust.. Set Goals, Set Rules, Set Privileges, all to Reward yourself.

**Anaida** · 09-12-2011 10:15 PM

Here I am..back..the past two nights I'd only been having DISTURBED SLEEP...and yesterday night, I COULD NOT sleep at all.....I went to bed at 11.00 pm and lay in bed with eyes closed, but no trace of sleep, not a wink, before some faint sleep around 4.30 am. When I got up, I could feel some lump within my chest......an irritable lump sort of. When I consulted my uncle (who runs a lab) he said it could probably be I had developed toxins from being acidic and having gas. Now I've had fairly large problems with gas on and off throughout my childhood and adolescense, and sometimes even now, but never really faced Sleep Deprivation coz of it. I'm scared now....

Do you think I should take sleeping pills?

Btw, I didn't watch TV or Radio yesterday.

**Anaida** · 09-12-2011 10:16 PM

Also, I dont drink cofee. ONLY tea. :P

**Mes T** · 09-12-2011 11:30 PM

Gas problems (and sleep problems) are almost guaranteed to be directly related to what you eat. Could you tell us what you eat on a regular basis please? Don't leave anything out, be specific.

If you're eating moderately healthy and are still experiencing lots of gas, you could potentially have IBS. Better to catch this sooner rather than later and adjust your diet accordingly.

**Anaida** · 09-13-2011 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Mes T

Gas problems (and sleep problems) are almost guaranteed to be directly related to what you eat. Could you tell us what you eat on a regular basis please? Don't leave anything out, be specific.

If you're eating moderately healthy and are still experiencing lots of gas, you could potentially have IBS. Better to catch this sooner rather than later and adjust your diet accordingly.

Well I have constipation problem sometimes, and had gas problems as a teenager, but not that mcuh now.

On THAT day, (the night I couldn't sleep) I'd eaten 10 Paani puris(Indian spicy roadside snack), bought some hot dogs from a roadside stall and had Mutton curry in dinner. You say now.
Btw, yesterday I slept better after taking a gas pill, though I did wake upi earlier than usual.

**Mes T** · 09-13-2011 11:46 PM

It sounds like you'd benefit from a more balanced diet. We've all got gas sometimes but I don't think you should be having such an issue, unless like I mentioned earlier you might have a medical issue like IBS. It might be worth checking out with your doctor.

Nothing more embarrassing than being on a date and needing to blow some gas.

I may be speaking from experience...

**Anaida** · 09-14-2011 04:44 AM

^^ LOL!! Well, I said I've had gas problems, but nothing that severe, lol. And I stopped having them too much since the last three years. However, I NEVER expierienced something like this before, eg., being up awake for almost the entire night. It was pretty scary and almost like having sudden amnesia. :O

Also, I am a heavy napper, and I sleep atleast 2-3 (sometimes more) hours per noon, but yesterday and today also, I found that I'm unable to get any sleep at noon.

ADDITION: Most people'd say that napping harms a good night's sleep, but I've never been that way. I.e, even after taking 6 hours of nap, I can go to sleep pretty quickly, unless I've just slept until two hours before bedtime. :P

**CHANDLERS WISH** · 09-15-2011 03:19 PM

Definately a "nap" is good for you..The Europeans close shop at 3am in the afternoon and re-open at 5am or at least they used to, people would go home and get a short nap, and refresh and go until 10pm.. I remember feeling so refreshed I spent months over there.

Having said that, 2 hrs or 3 hrs is not a nap and it definately puts your sleeping pattern out of wack.. A nap is 20 - 30 minutes tops, you are not supposed to go into a deep sleep, it's a bit like meditation, you drift to a comfortable spot but awake fresh.. I would honestly suggest you don't do this anymore , 20 mins to 30 mins tops

Having cravings for fast food usually equates to needing comfort. It's comfort food to replace the "down" feeling you are having however, everything you stated you ate in one day? Is all rich in spices and fattening

I would agree with Mes that your body's screaming for nutrition and can no longer take the spicy foods, you more than likely have developed a weak stomach, therefore this tends to bring on IBS which can last a month, and all of that is bought on by too much stress...

Re:- the lump I would get that checked out, any lump is not worth ignoring.

What can you do to relieve the stress factor?

Try thinking positive and give yourself one week to eat only good things, even if you have to prepare it yourself, salads, vegetables, avoid cheese, dairy for that week, avoid oil and fatty foods, and only eat a small portion of red meat, white meat, fish is fine...Sleep only for that 20 to 30 minutes during the day, and see what comes of that.

Imagine, sleeping 3 hrs is almost half of the night sleep, so your body has had enough that's why you can't sleep until wee hours and only for short periods...