I can't sleep

@dfollin (24146)
United States
February 24, 2013 2:41am CST
This happens a lot,I will wake up in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep for hours.I was told that when I can't sleep to get up and do something.I usually get on the computer so that I do not wake other people in the house. Does this happen to you? Sometimes or a lot?
2 people like this
12 responses
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
24 Feb 13
I do experience that sometimes, dfolin. Sometimes, i would wake up to pee. And when i go back to bed, i cannot sleep anymore. So sometimes, i would get the bible in the lampshade table beside me and read. Or at times, i would play a game in my cellphone. And sometimes, i pray the rosary and after that i feel sleepy already.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Hi SimplyD,I do not have a lamp by my bed,so I cannot read.
@SIMPLYD (90727)
• Philippines
25 Feb 13
Me, sometimes i instead use the flashlight to read. Putting on the lampshade would sometimes awaken my husband , that's why. Do anything that can occupy your mind, so you won't feel bad that you weren't able to sleep. In no time you will feel sleepy after that.
• India
24 Feb 13
It happens to me at times.Especially if i am too pressurized or excited about things.Its tough to get sleep during the time and as such i too spend time on things online.I do spend time online till i find enough sleepiness to go to bed.I think my stressful life is one of the reasons for sleeping late at times.Sometimes, i spend time listening to songs and clear things from mind.Its hard to find sleep when there are lot of things going through your mind or stressed with many things.I too also become forgetful of things when too many things are happening in life.Even now, my sleeping pattern is greatly affected and i find it very difficult to wake up early in the morning.May be i can put some more efforts and get good results in making my sleep better.I find spending time in front of internet and computer helps us to kill time in the most best and relaxing way possible.It also helps in just helping to soothe things in mind and perhaps for body.May be i should do something to reduce my stress and look at things positively.Good to know you do things late night if needed without disturbing others.So thoughtful of you.Thanks!
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Hi asokavaradhana,I know mine is caused by stress as well.I love a lot of stress in my life.And this all effects my blood pressure too.
@dpk262006 (58673)
• Delhi, India
24 Feb 13
Hi df! It is not good that you do not get a sound sleep and you would awake in the middle of the night and you just can not get back to sleep. I feel sitting on computer is not a good idea. Working on computer will completely take away your sleep. Your brain will start working and you just can not feel sleepy if you are working on a computer. You could better read some magazine or a book or could listen to some soft music (of course using headphones) to get back to sleep.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Hi dpk,Thanks.The computer does not keep me awake.And the soft music or nature sounds help me get back to sleep and does not bother anyone else.Matter of fact it helps them sleep too.
• United States
24 Feb 13
yea,i've had chronic insomnia all my life. i usually get up and find something to do.lying there does me no good,might as well get something done until i finally start crashing. makes it a pain with jobs tho.often by the time i'm sleepy it's time to go to work.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Hi scarlet_woman,I am sorry you have such a bad problem with it.Yes it is a pain with jobs.Yeah,a lot of times by the time I fall asleep it's time to get up.
1 person likes this
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
24 Feb 13
Whenever this happens to me, I just go read twitter or facebook or something using my smartphone (still in bed) until I fall asleep. They do say that you should not force your mind to sleep but rather just motivate it to be asleep again. Usually, I fall asleep again for around 15 minutes after. Hmmm.. I don't have problems sleeping so far. Have a great mylot experience and hoping for better sleep soon!
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Hi laydee, You are lucky that you don't have problems sleeping.
• United States
24 Feb 13
There are a few rules that someone once told me when it comes to having trouble sleeping 1. If you've been laying in bed for more than an hour without falling asleep, get up and do something else. 2. Don't exercise or consume caffeine for the last few hours you are awake. 3. Don't watch tv or use the computer to help you fall asleep. It has to do with the lighting of the screens that will keep you up. I would suggest reading a book. That usually helps me
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
24 Feb 13
Hi jjwilly,The first rule that you mentioned I have heard and I do get up.I cannot read a book because there is no where that I can sit without the light bothering someone else.That's why I get on the computer,but it doesn't seem to keep me awake,I usually start getting sleepy again in about 30 to 45 minutes.I have a book light but I cannot find it right now.
@GardenGerty (157047)
• United States
26 Feb 13
You should not just lay in bed, but you also should not do computer or TV because the bright lights stimulate your pineal gland and will cause you to continue to wake at that time lots of nights. I do this occasionally, and it is a symptom of anxiety, and you have enough going on in your life I can understand being anxious. Best thing to do is to get comfy and read.
• Philippines
26 Feb 13
sleeping problem - When you think you have trouble sleeping and it's been occurring several times already, it's better for you to consult a doctor before it becomes toxic to your body.
I am not sure if I have experienced this. I have this talent in sleeping. I can almost sleep if I will to anytime, anywhere. But there were times before when I had insomnia. I really couldn't have a good sleep. So I went to the doctor and she prescribed me some medicine. After that, I could really sleep well on time. Probably you have to go see a doctor. They will know what to do so that won't happen to you again and again. That would be very unhealthy to your body if that continues. So better before it takes its toll on you.
@aghiuta (525)
• Canada
28 Feb 13
I used to have problems sleeping,and was getting tired of it!Then I discovered Verbena,a herb,and every night before going to bed,I boil a cup a water and pour it over some leaves,let it steep for 15 minutes,and drink it.Did not have a sleepless night since.Maybe you should try it.
@ShyBear88 (59261)
• Sterling, Virginia
25 Feb 13
I don't wake a lot in the night to the point where I can't get back to sleep. I do get up in the middle of the night and a lot of the time it's because of my 5 month old son needs to be feed and it only is normally once or twice not as bad as it was with my daughter. Some times she wakes in the middle of the night can't sleep. On rare times I'll wake and can't sleep at all or can't fall a sleep period and those are the night's when I do some extra work online as best as I can.
@neelia27 (896)
• Philippines
25 Feb 13
it happens to me once in a while.. and if this happens to me i usually listen to music.. or play in my tablet and it really works for me.. but if this happens to you often why not try to eat foods that can make us sleep like almonds,cashews,spinach which is high in magnesium,, you can also try these foods which is rich in vitamin b complex such as green leafy vegetables,nuts and legumes or try to take supplements of taurine, vitamin b6, and magnesium,.. hope this helps..
• China
25 Feb 13
Sometimes i do particularly when i am under so much stress from my work. I know this does no good to my health but just can not help thinking of the schedule or loads of work that i need to do tomorrow. Lucky thing for me is this just happens at times but not so often, i hope i do not get insomnia