Sleep?!?

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Cooper

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I can't sleep lately. There is nothing specific on my mind. I don't snore (per wife) and don't have sleep apnea issues. I don't take any medications or need them. I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning and don't drink pop or anything with caffeine except that 1 cup of coffee. Marriage is good, kids are fine, just can't sleep. I am a paramedic and work 24 hour shifts, but, I have been doing that for a long time. I can sleep while at work, but I can't sleep at home......maybe 3-4 hours at most, and I feel like I look at the clock every hour or so.... More of just complaining than anything.
 
Just had my yearly check-up. No health issues except being a few pounds overweight. It has been happening for a couple of weeks... I am 34 tomorrow.
 
Originally Posted By: sir1900
Thinking about your next OCI will do that to you.
HA! Maybe... But, I just changed both of them! I have a long wait then!
 
I have decided I am going to stop sleeping. I sleep 8 hours a night and am always dead tired. Might as well enjoy the time I apparently waste sleeping.
 
I used to have the same sleep issue. Started taking a sleep aid called MidNite. They are good at getting you to fall asleep and you wont wake up drowsy, even if you only get 3-4 hours of sleep. Had to take them for about a week and my sleep was better since. I only take them now if im restless.
 
This may sound corny, but when I was young my mom would give us some warm milk and maybe 2 teaspoons of maple syrup mixed together to help us sleep. The syrup just made us want to drink it, but I actually do like the taste even today. Not overly sweet, but just enough to give it some flavor. I'm 47 but occasionally I will still have a cup. Try it for a few days in a row and see if it helps. Good luck.
 
Just because you've done 24 hour shifts for a while doesn't mean they are good for you. I would imagine that really screws with your body's rhythms.
 
I second the melatonin. Take it 20 minutes before you want to sleep, it sure helped me. The sublingual drops seemed to work better for me than the dissolve tabs.
 
Try a product called "Natural Calm" it's just Magnesium powder you mix with warm water. I drink it every night before bed.
 
My sleep pattern has been messed up for the last 8.5 years. Nights I work I sleep during the day and on my off nights I sleep during the night. I take provigal to keep my clock ticking.
 
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I can't sleep lately. There is nothing specific on my mind. I don't snore (per wife) and don't have sleep apnea issues. I don't take any medications or need them. I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning and don't drink pop or anything with caffeine except that 1 cup of coffee. Marriage is good, kids are fine, just can't sleep. I am a paramedic and work 24 hour shifts, but, I have been doing that for a long time. I can sleep while at work, but I can't sleep at home......maybe 3-4 hours at most, and I feel like I look at the clock every hour or so.... More of just complaining than anything.
Well, a couple of ideas? No chocolate or soda with caffeine after mid afternoon. Bedroom is for sleep and sex. Not watching TV. Wind your body down a bit rather than watch an action movie then hop into bed. I take Vistaril which is a prescription but not habit forming, and you can sleep without it. Way different than Ambien which once you get use to it, you cannot sleep without it.
 
Originally Posted By: Tzu
This may sound corny, but when I was young my mom would give us some warm milk and maybe 2 teaspoons of maple syrup mixed together to help us sleep. The syrup just made us want to drink it, but I actually do like the taste even today. Not overly sweet, but just enough to give it some flavor. I'm 47 but occasionally I will still have a cup. Try it for a few days in a row and see if it helps. Good luck.
Some of those older remedies worked very well. I wonder what it is about warm milk that would help sleep? With the maple syrup, sometimes when I have a hit of sugar near bedtime it can make me tired. Then again, other times it can wake me up. Is there tryptophan in milk?
 
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I can't sleep lately. There is nothing specific on my mind. I don't snore (per wife) and don't have sleep apnea issues. I don't take any medications or need them. I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning and don't drink pop or anything with caffeine except that 1 cup of coffee. Marriage is good, kids are fine, just can't sleep. I am a paramedic and work 24 hour shifts, but, I have been doing that for a long time. I can sleep while at work, but I can't sleep at home......maybe 3-4 hours at most, and I feel like I look at the clock every hour or so.... More of just complaining than anything.
Turning 34....few pounds overweight. You're body is starting to change. It's not only women that go through changes. your metabolism could be slowing down. You don't mention exercise. I would recommend adding a simple exercise routine into your day (walking, jogging, cardio machines, etc). Exercising speeds up the metabolism and helps the body run more efficiently. Like another poster mentioned, even if you worked 24 hour shifts a while, it could now be throwing off your body rhythms. Good luck.
 
Originally Posted By: dtownfb
I would recommend adding a simple exercise routine into your day (walking, jogging, basket, etc).
+1
 
1 milligram Melatonin tablets, cut in half, work for me. I have the cherry flavored ones, put under your tongue... You can find them at drugstore dot com. Remember, Melatonin is broken down by light, (shining through your skin into your blood) so a dark room is needed. http://www.drugstore.com:80/walgreens-melatonin-1mg-tablet/qxp466232?catid=183279
 
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I can't sleep lately. There is nothing specific on my mind. I don't snore (per wife) and don't have sleep apnea issues. I don't take any medications or need them. I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning and don't drink pop or anything with caffeine except that 1 cup of coffee. Marriage is good, kids are fine, just can't sleep. I am a paramedic and work 24 hour shifts, but, I have been doing that for a long time. I can sleep while at work, but I can't sleep at home......maybe 3-4 hours at most, and I feel like I look at the clock every hour or so.... More of just complaining than anything.
Normal, but frustrating. If there is nothing worrying you, agree with the routines above -- exercise plus a winding down routine at night. If that doesn't work you could try getting up for awhile when you can't sleep until you feel tired. Look up can't get to sleep online , there are many reasons that have simple solutions without medication.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: yannis
Originally Posted By: dtownfb
I would recommend adding a simple exercise routine into your day (walking, jogging, basket, etc).
+1
+2... I'm about the same age, few pounds overweight, and I've had trouble sleeping in the past (mostly a few years ago, when I was married). For me, it has been a combination of things that have led to better sleep. a) limit or eliminate caffeine intake in the afternoon/evening. (I caffeinate in the morning and sometimes re-caffeinate around lunchtime, but by evening it's all worn off) b) drink more water, and fewer sodas. (I'm up to about 1.5 liters of water per day) c) exercise more. I have a treadmill now, and I've been running/jogging at least a half mile, 2-6 times a week. I'm sleeping well, I feel much better, and I've lost ~6 lbs since I started jogging ~2 months ago.
 
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