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Sleep and Insomnia Help

Started by Eric Jones8 · · 👁 10 views · 81 replies

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Participants Eric Jones8Rebecca Scott3Jonathan Ortiz2Joshua Adams41Nicholas KingNicholas Gonzalez8crimsonfox26Sean CruzSam Wright21feralhound17Ronald JonesKevin Nguyen3brightmaker12jadewolf16shadowgull42mellowotter16Rebecca James3Michael Foster37crimsontiger97rowdyscout8James Thompson12Larry Rivera2Melissa Sanchez8John Phillips5 …
James Thompson12 James Thompson12 Newcomer
8 messages
joined Jun 2013
#61 ·
rowdyscout8 said:🤣 Man, I toss and turn, sometimes I even laugh or yell in my sleep🤣 I move around so much by 4 AM... honestly, when my friends told me last summer while we were at the beach that I should probably have my own bed because I'm Mike Tyson, I totally got it...
My point is, I just don't notice any of it myself.🤣 I guess that's why I'm always so exhausted—because I'm basically boxing in my sleep and moving around like I'm doing high-intensity cardio training.🤣
I really feel bad for whoever I end up marrying or dating, seriously! That's why it might be best for everyone to just have their own rooms. Problem solved, right?

Must be nice. If my job was like that, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I've been dealing with this since 9... yeah, just perfect.


Talking in your sleep and yelling? 😲 🤣

Man, I'd love to actually see that happen with a girl. 🤣
Larry Rivera2 Larry Rivera2 Member
17 messages
joined Nov 2009
#62 ·
Can someone actually answer this... Is it even possible to hack your sleep needs? Like, you’ve got a mountain of stuff to get done during the day, but since I need a solid 8-9 hours to function—otherwise I'm just a total wreck, cranky and moving in slow motion—I can't get through my to-do list. Some people seem fine on basically zero sleep, while others need an eternity. Can you actually train your body to run on less without feeling like garbage the next day?
James Thompson12 James Thompson12 Newcomer
8 messages
joined Jun 2013
#63 ·
Larry Rivera2 said:Can someone actually answer this... Is it even possible to hack your sleep needs? Like, you’ve got a mountain of stuff to get done during the day, but since I need a solid 8-9 hours to function—otherwise I'm just a total wreck, cranky and moving in slow motion—I can't get through my to-do list. Some people seem fine on basically zero sleep, while others need an eternity. Can you actually train your body to run on less without feeling like garbage the next day?

I've been wondering the same thing, honestly. I highly doubt it's that easy, though. Sure, lifestyle habits play a huge part and you can probably tweak things, but how much of a difference can you really make?
rowdyscout8 rowdyscout8 Member
11 messages
joined Sep 2013
#64 ·
James Thompson12 said:Talking in your sleep and yelling? 😲 🤣

Man, I'd love to actually see that happen with a girl. 🤣

And it wasn't just that... I actually ended up breaking my ex-boyfriend's nose in his sleep. Well, maybe "breaking" isn't the right word, but since he's a boxer, he's pretty sensitive about it. He actually woke me up because he had to go to the bathroom, and when he came back, he was holding tissue to his nose. 😢
I'm pretty dangerous, but honestly, only when I'm asleep. 🙂
I scream, I yell, I vent... I don't do it all the time, obviously, but man, sometimes it just hits me. 😂

Larry Rivera2 said:Can someone actually answer this... Is it even possible to hack your sleep needs? Like, you’ve got a mountain of stuff to get done during the day, but since I need a solid 8-9 hours to function—otherwise I'm just a total wreck, cranky and moving in slow motion—I can't get through my to-do list. Some people seem fine on basically zero sleep, while others need an eternity. Can you actually train your body to run on less without feeling like garbage the next day?

I'll get back to you soon... I'm going to be testing this over the next four days because I've got a ton on my plate right now.
Melissa Sanchez8 Melissa Sanchez8 Active Member
65 messages
joined Mar 2015
#65 ·
Larry Rivera2 said:Can someone actually answer this... Is it even possible to hack your sleep needs? Like, you’ve got a mountain of stuff to get done during the day, but since I need a solid 8-9 hours to function—otherwise I'm just a total wreck, cranky and moving in slow motion—I can't get through my to-do list. Some people seem fine on basically zero sleep, while others need an eternity. Can you actually train your body to run on less without feeling like garbage the next day?

Sleep requirements are purely biological.
It's just how everyone is wired.
If your body genuinely demands a certain amount of rest, you can't just flip a switch and change that.
Getting eight or nine hours is pretty standard for most Americans... it's right in the ballpark.

Sure, you can force yourself into a routine that's unnatural for your system, but eventually, the debt comes due. You'll end up crashing hard to make up for all that lost time, not to mention how much harder it'll be to actually stay productive...
John Phillips5 John Phillips5 Newcomer
1 message
joined Sep 2013
#66 ·
🙂 I really need some help here because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I honestly don't know what is happening to me lately. Here is the situation: I cannot fall asleep at night to save my life. The only way I actually get any rest is during the day, once the sun is up or sometime in the afternoon. I can pull double shifts at work—twelve-hour days or longer—and even when I am absolutely exhausted, I just can't drift off until maybe 3:00 AM. And even then, if I do manage to catch a nap, it lasts maybe thirty minutes before I snap awake and that's it for the night. It sounds silly, but there is this intense pressure in my forehead that just won't let me sleep; it forces me to stay active. My whole body feels flooded with this crazy surge of adrenaline, so I have to keep moving just to cope—tossing from side to side, kicking my legs, fidgeting with something. It makes sleeping impossible, even though I am bone-tired. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going to burst into tears; I genuinely feel like I'm going crazy. I'm 19 years old and this has been happening for the last month. Hey everyone, if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be incredibly grateful.
Jack Smith5 Jack Smith5 Active Member
87 messages
joined Jan 2011
#67 ·
Look, you clearly have some issues going on here that require a professional evaluation, but don't go jumping to conclusions about needing surgery or anything extreme just yet. You need an actual diagnosis first before you start making big moves.
Also, try talking it out with your family at home to get their perspective. When you see a doctor, try to steer the conversation away from just being handed a prescription for sleeping pills. If they just try to write you a script and send you on your way, push back. Ask if there are other options—maybe some therapy or something else that can work alongside medication rather than just being a quick fix.

Medication alone doesn't solve the root problem; it just masks the symptoms.
crimsoncanyon2 crimsoncanyon2 Active Member
123 messages
joined Jan 2014
#68 ·
John Phillips5 said:🙂 I really need some help here because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I honestly don't know what is happening to me lately. Here is the situation: I cannot fall asleep at night to save my life. The only way I actually get any rest is during the day, once the sun is up or sometime in the afternoon. I can pull double shifts at work—twelve-hour days or longer—and even when I am absolutely exhausted, I just can't drift off until maybe 3:00 AM. And even then, if I do manage to catch a nap, it lasts maybe thirty minutes before I snap awake and that's it for the night. It sounds silly, but there is this intense pressure in my forehead that just won't let me sleep; it forces me to stay active. My whole body feels flooded with this crazy surge of adrenaline, so I have to keep moving just to cope—tossing from side to side, kicking my legs, fidgeting with something. It makes sleeping impossible, even though I am bone-tired. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going to burst into tears; I genuinely feel like I'm going crazy. I'm 19 years old and this has been happening for the last month. Hey everyone, if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be incredibly grateful.

Why are you working two 12-hour shifts back-to-back? Are you working nights?
If you're doing two 12-hour day shifts, you should be crashing like a baby once you get home and waking up normally in the morning.
But if you're pulling two consecutive 12-hour night shifts, then it makes total sense that after that second night, you pass out like a light from pure exhaustion—and then you can't sleep that third night. Your brain and body have basically locked into a rhythm where they expect the third night to be another night shift. If that doesn't happen, it’s perfectly normal to be pacing around the house until the early morning hours, which isn't even a huge problem unless you're expected to show up for a day shift the next morning.
vividmason71 vividmason71 Newcomer
7 messages
joined Mar 2008
#69 ·
John Phillips5 said:🙂 I really need some help here because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I honestly don't know what is happening to me lately. Here is the situation: I cannot fall asleep at night to save my life. The only way I actually get any rest is during the day, once the sun is up or sometime in the afternoon. I can pull double shifts at work—twelve-hour days or longer—and even when I am absolutely exhausted, I just can't drift off until maybe 3:00 AM. And even then, if I do manage to catch a nap, it lasts maybe thirty minutes before I snap awake and that's it for the night. It sounds silly, but there is this intense pressure in my forehead that just won't let me sleep; it forces me to stay active. My whole body feels flooded with this crazy surge of adrenaline, so I have to keep moving just to cope—tossing from side to side, kicking my legs, fidgeting with something. It makes sleeping impossible, even though I am bone-tired. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going to burst into tears; I genuinely feel like I'm going crazy. I'm 19 years old and this has been happening for the last month. Hey everyone, if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be incredibly grateful.

The fix is simple: sleep when you're tired. It doesn't matter what time it is, as long as you aren't at work or somewhere you actually need to be awake. And if you aren't sleepy? Don't just lie there tossing and turning trying to force it. Get up and do something. Try doing something boring—something that usually puts you to sleep. If it's nighttime, try to hit the sack as soon as the exhaustion hits. You might want to check out the Health subforum, unless there's some other reason you're convinced this is all in your head.

One more thing: why do you actually think you're losing your mind? Are you seeing or hearing things that aren't there? Are you having blackouts where time just disappears? Can you still handle your job and your chores? If you can't function, or if you're dealing with memory gaps and hallucinations, then yeah, you need sleep—take a day off from work if you have to. But otherwise? I don't think you need to worry about going crazy.
crimsoncanyon2 crimsoncanyon2 Active Member
123 messages
joined Jan 2014
#70 ·
John Phillips5 said:🙂 I really need some help here because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I honestly don't know what is happening to me lately. Here is the situation: I cannot fall asleep at night to save my life. The only way I actually get any rest is during the day, once the sun is up or sometime in the afternoon. I can pull double shifts at work—twelve-hour days or longer—and even when I am absolutely exhausted, I just can't drift off until maybe 3:00 AM. And even then, if I do manage to catch a nap, it lasts maybe thirty minutes before I snap awake and that's it for the night. It sounds silly, but there is this intense pressure in my forehead that just won't let me sleep; it forces me to stay active. My whole body feels flooded with this crazy surge of adrenaline, so I have to keep moving just to cope—tossing from side to side, kicking my legs, fidgeting with something. It makes sleeping impossible, even though I am bone-tired. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going to burst into tears; I genuinely feel like I'm going crazy. I'm 19 years old and this has been happening for the last month. Hey everyone, if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be incredibly grateful.

Oh man, I know that feeling all too well. I went through the exact same thing when I was pushing myself way too hard during those overnight shifts at work—you know, where you're forced to stay wide awake and hyper-focused. It was like that frantic, high-stress energy just crawled under my skin and stayed there. Even once I finally got home, where I was supposed to just chill out in bed, relax in front of the TV, and enjoy the comforts of home... it wouldn't stop.
It’s like this dictatorial kind of self-control, constantly screaming, "Come on, get it together, you can't fall asleep, stay alert, stay sharp 😠 🙂," while on the flip side, you're actually dying of pure exhaustion 🙏 🙂. It's like that drive to stay "on" partially suppresses the tiredness, but only up to the point where it creates this constant internal conflict—which just leads to total frustration and irritability 🙂, which you then aren't even allowed to express. Honestly, it's just exhausting..
rowdyjackal54 rowdyjackal54 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Sep 2013
#71 ·
John Phillips5 said:🙂 I really need some help here because I feel like I’m losing my mind. I honestly don't know what is happening to me lately. Here is the situation: I cannot fall asleep at night to save my life. The only way I actually get any rest is during the day, once the sun is up or sometime in the afternoon. I can pull double shifts at work—twelve-hour days or longer—and even when I am absolutely exhausted, I just can't drift off until maybe 3:00 AM. And even then, if I do manage to catch a nap, it lasts maybe thirty minutes before I snap awake and that's it for the night. It sounds silly, but there is this intense pressure in my forehead that just won't let me sleep; it forces me to stay active. My whole body feels flooded with this crazy surge of adrenaline, so I have to keep moving just to cope—tossing from side to side, kicking my legs, fidgeting with something. It makes sleeping impossible, even though I am bone-tired. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm just going to burst into tears; I genuinely feel like I'm going crazy. I'm 19 years old and this has been happening for the last month. Hey everyone, if anyone has any ideas on how to fix this, I would be incredibly grateful.

Try drinking some warm milk or herbal tea and just focus on the taste and the aroma to calm your thoughts; if that doesn't work, you really should go see a doctor.
Karen Gonzalez8 Karen Gonzalez8 Newcomer
1 message
joined Sep 2013
#72 ·
Solid workout today! 😁
Douglas Lee4 Douglas Lee4 Newcomer
2 messages
joined Oct 2013
#73 ·
Eric Jones8 said:I am not entirely certain if a similar discussion already exists—I did attempt to search for one, though I was unsuccessful, so I assume there isn't one... Please forgive me, as this is the very first thread I have ever started here...
Does anyone else here experience issues with sleep? Perhaps waking up frequently during the night or something along those lines...?
To give you an idea of my own situation... Sometimes I find it difficult to fall asleep, though that is actually the lesser of two concerns. For the last five or six years, I don't think there has been a single night where I haven't woken up at least two or three times—and I am not exaggerating. It seems I wake up roughly every three hours or so. Usually, I just stir in my sleep, and in about 90% of these instances, I am able to drift back off quite quickly... Additionally, I often find that if the previous day was exceptionally draining, or if I happen to go to bed quite late, I might only sleep for about four hours before I am done for the night. On those specific days, I don't really struggle with fatigue, but generally speaking, I do...
Furthermore, I do not have any psychological disorders; in fact, I have nothing clinically diagnosed (haha), though I must admit I have never actually consulted a doctor regarding this matter.

So, if anyone has had similar experiences, knows someone who has, or perhaps has some advice or even just a story to share... I would certainly welcome it...

So, here's the thing—many people wake up briefly during the night, and it’s actually just a physiological and psychological way for our brains to signal that we feel safe enough in our environment to drift back to sleep. It's a well-established fact, really... I'm honestly surprised you haven't looked into it yet!
I tend to wake up about three times a night, and it's always very brief, almost like my brain is doing a quick "safety check" before letting me fall back under. As for why that happens? Well, for me, it traces back to experiencing an earthquake when I was a kid, as well as the impact of the war🙄(even though it was far away from me, it still left its mark on my psyche)...
In reality, this is perfectly normal behavior... Though, I wouldn't recommend watching intense action movies, playing high-stakes video games, or anything else that sends your pulse racing (unless we're talking about sex, because let's face it, that's how guys work!), and sleeping on your back isn't exactly ideal either, especially for those prone tosleep paralysis
Maybe try sipping some warm milk? I've also heard it's helpful to listen to your body; if you're exhausted, you should probably just rest (except maybe when you're at work, though even then, a little break doesn't hurt😉 ).
P.S. Personally, thinking about sex helps me get a much more peaceful night's sleep. -.-' ahh...
Carl Rivera43 Carl Rivera43 Veteran
1.6K messages
joined Mar 2016
#74 ·
So, here’s the deal. It’s summer, we’ve got those long, sweltering days and even warmer nights, and lately, I just can't seem to stay awake during the day {even though I’m getting a solid 6 to 8 hours of sleep at night}

The worst part is when I try to take a quick little nap in the afternoon, thinking it’ll just be a quick 10 or 20 minutes, you know? But instead, I end up out cold for an hour, sometimes even ninety minutes.

Also, it's weird—I rarely even sweat if it's under 85 degrees, even if I'm being active. In past summers, I used to sweat way more than this. Is my circulation just sluggish, or am I actually becoming heat-resistant?
Laura Ortiz83 Laura Ortiz83 Member
17 messages
joined Dec 2011
#75 ·
I’ve been dealing with this particular issue since I was pregnant.

It’s been eight months since I gave birth. My baby sleeps through most of the night, yet I find myself wide awake regardless, staring at the ceiling for about two hours before sleep finally comes back to me.

I tried taking 5mg of Ambien, but even with the medication, drifting off remains a struggle even on the nights when exhaustion feels absolute.

I can't quite pinpoint whether there is some underlying anxiety I'm failing to recognize, but the situation is becoming increasingly draining, and I feel myself slipping into a state of heightened anxiety and irrational fears that I can't even explain.
Melissa Sanchez8 Melissa Sanchez8 Active Member
65 messages
joined Mar 2015
#76 ·
Laura Ortiz83 said:I’ve been dealing with this particular issue since I was pregnant.

It’s been eight months since I gave birth. My baby sleeps through most of the night, yet I find myself wide awake regardless, staring at the ceiling for about two hours before sleep finally comes back to me.

I tried taking 5mg of Ambien, but even with the medication, drifting off remains a struggle even on the nights when exhaustion feels absolute.

I can't quite pinpoint whether there is some underlying anxiety I'm failing to recognize, but the situation is becoming increasingly draining, and I feel myself slipping into a state of heightened anxiety and irrational fears that I can't even explain.

Are you worrying about the baby? Like, checking to see if they're sleeping or what they're doing?

Xanax is more for relaxation than actually knocking you out.
There are other meds for sleep, but I wouldn't recommend them in general. You end up building a tolerance where you need higher doses just to function, and eventually, that starts messing with your nervous system.

Your sleep cycle can also get trashed if you aren't going to bed at the same time every night or if you're napping during the day... though anxiety definitely plays a huge role too.
Laura Ortiz83 Laura Ortiz83 Member
17 messages
joined Dec 2011
#77 ·
Melissa Sanchez8 said:Are you worrying about the baby? Like, checking to see if they're sleeping or what they're doing?

Xanax is more for relaxation than actually knocking you out.
There are other meds for sleep, but I wouldn't recommend them in general. You end up building a tolerance where you need higher doses just to function, and eventually, that starts messing with your nervous system.

Your sleep cycle can also get trashed if you aren't going to bed at the same time every night or if you're napping during the day... though anxiety definitely plays a huge role too.


I am not actually worried; the kid is doing great, eating well, sleeping, and hitting their milestones...

I have some family issues going on, which is likely weighing on me subconsciously.

Normabel just knocks me out for two hours, and when I wake up, I feel even worse than before. On top of that, it takes me forever to fall asleep again.

Sent from my
Melissa Sanchez8 Melissa Sanchez8 Active Member
65 messages
joined Mar 2015
#78 ·
Laura Ortiz83 said:I am not actually worried; the kid is doing great, eating well, sleeping, and hitting their milestones...

I have some family issues going on, which is likely weighing on me subconsciously.

Normabel just knocks me out for two hours, and when I wake up, I feel even worse than before. On top of that, it takes me forever to fall asleep again.

Sent from my

That could definitely be it. I know from experience that when I'm stressed, sleep just disappears.
Do you find yourself overthinking things at night, during those hours when you're just lying there wide awake?

Normabel puts me out for maybe two hours. Then when I wake up, I feel even worse. Not to mention how long it takes me to drift off again.

It doesn't really have the properties to actually knock you out or keep you asleep for a full stretch. It mostly just relaxes you enough to catch a few minutes of sleep before you're wide awake again...
Laura Ortiz83 Laura Ortiz83 Member
17 messages
joined Dec 2011
#79 ·
I’m not sure... I suppose I’ve just become incredibly sensitive to noise; I practically require absolute, dead silence if I ever expect to actually fall asleep...

I wonder if it’s some kind of neurological thing, or perhaps just nerves?

Sent from my Android using Reddit
Carl Rivera43 Carl Rivera43 Veteran
1.6K messages
joined Mar 2016
#80 ·
So, I called it. A total nightmare. Well, maybe "nightmare" is too strong? It was more like a series of weird, choppy jolts. What really tripped me out, though, was how much nostalgia was baked into it. It wasn't even about what I saw; it was more about the sounds. Like, a heavy sense of longing triggered by things I heard in the dream.

It felt like my brain decided to dig up all those old fears and anxieties I haven't thought about in ages. Just dusting off the old ghosts, you know? Plus, the whole idea of autumn creeping up and the weather getting colder was weighing on me. It’s actually stressing me out a bit because of my commute—I’ve got this nagging fear of being late for work.

It’s wild how much I was overthinking while I was actually asleep. I was basically standing there in my own head, nitpicking myself! But when you think about it, we spend maybe 30 to 35 percent of our lives sleeping. That’s huge, right? And then there’s that extra 10 to 20 minutes every day spent drifting in and out of light sleep or waking up groggily. That adds up to a lot of mental processing.

Oh, and yesterday being a holiday probably played a role in the dream intensity. Holidays are like glitches in the matrix, aren't they? They break the routine that defines about 80 percent of our year. It changes the rhythm.

And man, the rain last night... it was heavy. We haven't had a downpour like that in a while. It started right at dusk, too. Honestly, that probably fueled the whole nostalgic vibe of the night.

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