Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?

United States
March 8, 2013 4:07pm CST
I saw this question on Swagbucks the other day and it got me thinking because I have trouble with both. Most of the time I have trouble falling asleep and I'm not even sure why and once I fall asleep I can't stay that way for more than 5 hours because of Episodic Insomnia. Sometimes when I am trying to fall asleep I will just lay in my bed and talk to myself, yeah its weird but its the only way I can get to sleep unless I take an advil PM which will knock me out cold way past that 5 hours. I did notice the other day when I went to the dentist that the novacane mixed with the laying down in the dentist chair made me sleeping (I really think if the screeching of my teeth blaring in my ears I probably would have been passed out) maybe I am just a lightweight when it comes to drugs or sedation. [b]What do you do when you can't fall asleep? Is it normal for you to be awake at 4 AM or even stay up all day?[/b]
4 people like this
19 responses
• Philippines
8 Mar 13
I have a hard time falling asleep. I don't know about staying asleep. I always set my alarm. Even if I want to stay asleep, I can't because I always have lots of things to do. My radio is always open at night and I listen to classical music. It's like a lullaby to me. Weird that I need that but it's the only way for me to sleep right away. There was this one person here who posted that he sleeps 18 hours a day. I'm so jealous that he can afford to be asleep that long.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Mar 13
I used to fall asleep to music playing but I haven't done that in a while. Sleeping 18 hours a day is usually caused by a medical condition. I do remember my mom telling me that she would sleep 22 hours a day back when she was pregnant with me, I find that really crazy.
@squallming (1775)
• Malaysia
27 Mar 13
I don't usually have problem falling asleep or staying asleep. Most of the time I would have the problem not to fall asleep. I don't know why but maybe it is due to the low blood pressure and low cholesterol level that I have. Whenever I lie down, I would fall asleep in a short while even though it was not my intention to sleep at that time. I would normally sleep for 4 to 5 hours and if I would like to continue sleeping, I would fall asleep again in a minute.
• Greece
9 Mar 13
I do not have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep but I am careful about what I do, drink or eat before I go to bed. Sleeping during the day, if only a short cat nap on a chair is sure to give me a restless night. Drinking coffee or anything with caffeine in it will prevent me going to sleep for hours. So I avoid drinking coffee after 7.30 p.m. I sometimes pray for people if I can't sleep, it takes my mind off my own problems and relaxes me - OK I also hope that my friends benefit from my prayers as well! I have six dogs and if anything comes near the house they start barking, so that is a wake up call and if they bark for any length of time and I have to investigate then sleep is lost for ages.
@Ahana123 (139)
• India
9 Mar 13
Thanks for sharing your views. I can sleep for 8-9 hrs a day..but of course wake up and see the clock at times. Taking bath before sleep, listening to music of your choice, using aroma therapy (like using oils of lavender, rose, sandal etc.) helps in getting proper sleep.One can go for meditation also to calm his / her mind before sleep.
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
9 Mar 13
well I need to sleep before 11 much as I wanted to stay awake because if I stay awake I have the tendencies to eat or smoke or to drink coffee. not good.
@BarryVP (46)
9 Mar 13
Both! Especially last night and the night before.. I was going to say I have no idea why as I have not changed eating habits or anything physical but of course I realise I am overlooking relationship trouble as I typically spend so much time stressing over it somehow I almost end up managing to erase it from my mind but keeping the stress. It took me about an hour to fall asleep again and I woke so many times. Any advice would be great, I hope your sleep gets better for you somehow :) I used to have it really bad too, this seems more a temporary phase because of stress.
@r0ck_r0ck (1952)
• India
9 Mar 13
Hi Demon! :P From what i know and understand that you have to be tired to fall asleep, i use to be an insomniac back in the days but those were the times when i was jobless. Now i work 12 hours a day and every night after work when i get back home, it just takes a blink of an eye to get snoring and stuffs. :]
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
9 Mar 13
I think I have sleep problems. The very reason maybe the breath. I always feel I can not breath well during the sleep, so I will wake up several times during night. At the same time, I can feel my body is having enough sleep and totally recoverd, while my brain does not have a good rest. I have many dreams during night and sometimes I will feel headache when I get up.
@joliefille (3690)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
No, I have no trouble falling asleep as I am tired the whole day. I write articles and then review my notifications in other sites. But I mostly do writing and the noise in the house is enough to drain my energy that my body easily drains its battery at the end of the day. Also, as long as I don't drink something with caffeine twice in a day, I am good.
@mods196621 (3652)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
Sleeping is not a problem in me. I can easily fall sleep when i need to sleep. Even at bus van or car i can sleep as long as i feel sleepy. I always travel when i go to work and along my way riding at vehicle i am sleeping until reach my destination.. I don't have trouble in sleeping..
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
9 Mar 13
I have no problem with sleeping at all. Normally I sleep 8-9 hours a day, if I don't get out of bed, I may sleep 2-3 hours more...
@else22 (4317)
• India
9 Mar 13
Yes,I often have to spend sleepless nights.Last night I could not sleep for reasons I don't know.I was mentally tired,yet since sleep was elusive I preferred to read some cuttings of newspapers along with my choicest of books.But spending a sleepless night is frightening.When I can't have a sound sleep at night,I know I would remain lazy for the whole of the next day.Also I will lose my hunger.
@BigMoney25 (1286)
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
There are times wherein it's very hard to sleep especially when I feel a little anxious for an examination I feel like I must stay awake in order for me to retain whatever that I have studied.
• Philippines
9 Mar 13
I had the same problem 2 years ago. I was not sure if I was suffering from Insomnia but I really had nights when I didn't sleep even for a second. Maybe, it was because of over-thinking that my mind was so pre-occupied. I bought 5 kinds of over the counter medicine and took them all at once thinking that those medicines might make me fall asleep but it was unsuccessful. I knew my body was so weak and tired already but my mind was resisting that need for sleep. It took me almost a month to recover. I didn't know what I did to solve my problem but I was happy that I overcame that sleeping disorder. Now, I don't experience anymore sleepless nights and in fact I always sleep more than 8 hours a day.
• United States
9 Mar 13
I sleep a lot better than I used to. I used to have insomnia, and though we sleep at random times, I seem to fall asleep alright, though I often feel like I do not get enough sleep.
@rosekiss (30380)
• Eugene, Oregon
8 Mar 13
I have an easy time falling asleep, but it is staying asleep, where my problem lies. I wake up all t the time as I will look at the clock to see what time it is, then I have a hard time getting back to sleep. I never get a full nights sleep, and I don't know why either. I am just hoping that my sleep pattern will change. I end up falling asleep in my easy chair, and so when I it is time to go to sleep, I just end up waking up, and not being able to go back to sleep. Take care, and have a great day.
@jricky1 (6800)
• China
9 Mar 13
Well recently i have a problem falling asleep.But i try not to think of something that disturbing me to sleep,for some light music and meditation would be helpful for that,i think you should really go to the doctor and see what you can do,cuz having been awake for 4 am is not a good thing to do.
@mohkanari (1957)
• India
8 Mar 13
I am a person fortunate of NOT having weak points of temptation to sleep. That nature is very helpful in study matters. At the same time any day without normal good sleep affects negatively to my living and all activities on the next day especially on concentration and efficiency in job matters.
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
8 Mar 13
I only suffer the same whenever I move to a new bedroom or sleeping on a new place for the first time. It's like my body is adjusting to the new surroundings after getting used to my old bed and room. I would usually take some warm milk and in extreme cases, take some melatonin tablets to help me sleep.