Thread: Insomnia

I`m pretty sure I have insomnia, no, I`m almost positive I have it. But my parents refuse to believe me. I've told them about it, and they tell me it's just my fault for not wanting to go to sleep, or not trying hard enough. I have ADHD, and I think that might have something to do with it, but either way, I know somethings wrong, because I usually only get four or five hours of sleep when I try. There have been nights where I just sit in my room and stare at the wall until morning, which I find extremely disturbing.
Is there any way you know of which can help me get to sleep without the use of sleeping pills? Are there certain scents, sounds, or regulations which will help me with this? Clearing my mind won't work, trust me, I've gone through 4 hours of non-stop mind-clearing, but my brain just won't shut up. Down.
Can someone please help?

I used to have a lot of problems getting to sleep. This is the best technique that worked for me.

I would visualize myself sitting at a table with a note book in front of me. Then I would open the note book, and on each page I would draw a number with a black marker. Starting with the #1. I would visualize it as best I can, even try to smell the ink from the marker. then sometimes after drawing the number, I would tear that page out of the note book and throw it in the trash. Then start the next number on the next page. There is something about the motion of my hand moving, and drawing the numbers, that would pull me into sleep. Sometimes I would suddenly find myself no longer visualizing it any more, But actually there. because it would become a dream.

Another way I also do it. Is to draw numbers on a black board with chalk. Once I get to many numbers on the board, I would pick up an eraser and erase them. then knock the chalk dust out of the eraser. This worked quite well also. I still use these techniques when I feel like I need them.

I would never use drugs to fall asleep either.

Welcome to Dream Views!

I used to sleep 9 to 10 hours a day, until I went to mechanic school and worked a full-time job for two and a half years. Since then, I can only sleep about an hour and a half at at time, so I try to chain them together into a decent night's sleep. It works sometimes, and sometimes not. That's how I stumbled across LDing. I have no advice to give, I'm sorry, but I feel your pain.

Maroon_Sweater, go to the advanced search page of DreamViews, and search for Insomnia, selecting "Search Titles Only" from the drop down menu.
You will find many topics about it.
Also I once did a thread with a suggestion to insomniacs:
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ad.php?t=37897
I hope you can find some useful information in there.

I've had insomnia all my life, and it can be terrible. At it's worst, I there was a stretch a couple of years back when I was AVERAGING about 45 minutes of sleep total for 5 or 6 days in a row. I was going absolutely insane. I had even tried taking a large dose of Ambien (prescription sleeping pill) with absolutely no help.

Then my doctor did a thyroid test on me, and it turns out I was hyper-thyroid. It was my own body keeping me awake all those years! After being treated for it, I had the best sleep in my entire life.

I still have occasional insomnia now, but nowhere near as bad or for as long. Long story short... get that thyroid checked by a doctor!

I could recommend warm milk, lavender oil, incense sticks, and/or melatonin...

I don't have insomnia like you skysaw [and i'm happy in that case], mine's more periodic and tends to come after a period of hypersomnia... it's a bit like Maroon_Sweater's... brain never seems to shut up

Ah, thank you all so much! It's nice to have people able to relate, I've never met anyone else who can't get to sleep for that reason. I've just been worrying about it lately because I'm going back to highschool after this summer, and don't think it'll be very good if I try and study for exams running on three hours of sleep a night.
The chalkboard idea seems very intriguing. I`ll be sure to try that tonight, as well as the incense, I think I can get some from my mom.
And this hyperthyroidism mention, I'd never taken that into consideration... The dad of a friend of mine has this, he has ADD as well, I`ll really try and get this checked out, as much as I hate the doctor.

Thank you guys so much! I feel a lot more confident about getting to sleep properly now ^.^