sleeping trouble

[Nostalgia]

i am having major trouble sleeping at the moment, i just cant seem to sleep, my parents are refusing to buy me or let me take anymore sleeping pills, and wont let me see the doctor about it, and have given me the lifestyle lecture, but i simply cannot sleep, last night i slept better than i have other nights but i still keep waking up, i have tried pretty much everything i can to try and sleep but it just doesnt happen, my mum says to try and drink a mug of hot milk, but what if that doesnt work.

[The Morrigan]

Well, in all honesty I think it might be for the best that your parents won't let you take sleeping pills anymore. Taking them long term (especially if they're non-prescribed which I remember you telling me they were) can do more harm than good.

I do however disagree with them not allowing you to see a doctor. Is there no way you can just go on your own? You're 20 afterall...

Maybe try out the warm milk idea, if it doesn't work at least you can say you tried and if it does work then problem solved

[nouman]

You don't notice it, of course, but while you're asleep, your brain is still active. As people sleep, their brains pass through five stages of sleep. Together, stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep make up a sleep cycle. One complete sleep cycle lasts about 90 to 100 minutes. So during an average night's sleep, a person will experience about four or five cycles of sleep.

[Nostalgia]

yeah but nouman i do not sleep i lay awake in bed at night for ages and ages.

they are unprescribed ones, mainly over the counter ones, i have been taking them for roughly a year and half just simply changing the brand each time, i've had the asda ones, the tesco ones, the kalms ones, the sainsburies ones, ive had the ones from a health store too. and then i went back to kalms. i tried the hot milk last night and i didnt sleep. i need see a docotor - as im really not sleeping i told my mum today i need see a doctor im fed of not sleeping, and my mum didnt say a thing to me. apart from try the hot milk agian. i slept abit last night like from 4am to 8am sort of thing.

[Fictional]

You could try herbal teas, a warm bath before you go to bed, playing calming music, but it sounds like that probably wouldn't help. Is there anything at all stressing you out at the moment? I know a lot of people struggle to sleep when they are stressed.

[Nostalgia]

i have possible tribunal court case comming up, my jobs not very secure, money problems. i did have a hot bath last night it didnt do alot. i have lemon and camomile tea in the cuboard downstairs but its never seemed to work. i am going to try and convince my mum to let me go doctors as she is agianst it as she thinks the doctor will just put me on pills, ive told my mum i can ask the doctor for advice ect and maybe tell the doctor that i do not want to go on sleeping pills.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

In the mean time of seeing a doctor, the main reason I think you don't sleep is the anxiety and stress from various issues. Have you tried taking relaxing baths and whatnot but going to bed in a different room altogether? Reason I suggest this is a strong psychological theory for insomnia is that you've conditioned yourself to staying awake in that going to bed leads to stress instantly, which prevents sleep. These stresses are then compounded by the life stresses you mentioned, so it's like there's a double dose of stress. If you go to bed in a different room, it's possible that you may get better sleep.

[BDF]

Restless sleep? Resulting from... too much energy? I don't know, I'm just guessing, but if it is that then perhaps try exhausting yourself before bedtime. I get restless sleep quite often also, but I have kind of solved it by going to the gym from 8pm till 10pm almost every day. I come back and I'm tired and collapse in bed.

Body is complicated though... it could be anything. If it's somehow something to do with hormones (at the age of 20 though?) then I don't see much that can work apart from sleeping pills, perhaps trying some diets, but I myself don't know of any.

Ye and also people have mentioned stress. When I'm stressed out I either write stuff down or go on the treadmill.

[ALLorNOTHINGforCHRIST]

I would think since you are an adult you could go to the doctor without mom having a say even if she transports you you are old enough to make your own appointments. As for money, there are low income health services in most areas. In addition, many doctors have payment plans if you could not afford to pay for the treatment all at once.

[Nostalgia]

i slept abit better last night, i drank two lemon teas which seemed to help and read three chapters of a book before bed, im heading into town today so i will look in health stores in town to see if theres anything other than sleeping pills that i can try to help me sleep, on the internet it says rubbing lavender oil into my temples can help but i dont see how that can help.

[MJACSON]

Here are some tips from me:

Sleep problems cause more than just sleepiness

a lack of quality sleep can cause accidents, affect your relationships, health, and mental prowess; and make you feel generally “disconnected” from the world. If your sleeplessness is caused by a tough deadline or a common cold, you might not have trouble getting your sleep back on track after the deadline or cold go away, but if you have trouble sleeping on a regular basis, this guide to managing common sleep problems and disorders can help you be well on your way to experiencing healthy, restorative sleep.

[skydivers-in-reverse]

The number one cure to insomnia is exercise, I'm not talking situps before bedtime, but some form of aerobic activity throughout the day. Walking a lot, running, swimming, so on and so forth will not only tire you out but exercise releases endorphins and other chemicals in your brain and is awesome stress relief.

I would try and incorporate an hour of solid exercise a day, whether it's just a nice calm walk or actually heading to the gym and give valerian caspsules a try(they should be available at health stores and supermarkets). Once you regain your cicadian rythym then you'll begin to fall asleep naturally.

If exercise does not help then you should consult a doctor. I've been prescribed sleep-aids since I was 13 continuously because I would stay up for literally 3 or 4 days at a time, exercise constantly(which, in my case was less of a good thing and more of an addictive thing, one time I even took Ambien and stayed up exercising the entire night1) and absolutely wear myself out...but not sleep. Now I still have problems sleeping, I've never taken a sleep-aid every night, but I do take them about 1-2 times a week because I have cicadian sleep-disorder, where my body simply does not follow a 24-hour cycle, the pills are used only to get my body back on cycle.