If I ever write my autobiography, I’m going to title it Chasing Sleep. I am a lot of things, but I’m always that. For about four years, I’ve been in a cycle of sleep-deprivation. The first thought I have every morning is usually, “When can I go back to sleep?” It’s a question that generally has a disappointing answer, and then the cycle begins again.
I have a variety of sleep issues: For starters, I’m a light sleeper. Since I became a mother, I hear every noise my kids make. If my husband falls asleep before I do, his heavy breathing keeps me awake. If I’m awakened, I can’t get back to sleep. I dream a lot, and don’t sleep peacefully. I go to bed as early as I can, because the first three to four hours of sleep are usually the best for me. When we go on vacation, I take my ginormous and loud white noise machine with me because I can’t fall asleep without it. But it doesn’t really matter, because regardless of how much sleep I get, I still wake up tired.
I swear as soon as I wean Sophie the first thing I’m gonna do is make a doctor’s appointment to get this thing figured out. Maybe then I’ll catch up to sleep, but until then, the chase continues.
And so does my whining about it!
I got the cure..and it ain’t more cowbell! Go over brothersstudios.com and laugh till it hurts and you’ll be so exhuasted you’ll fall right asleep. Or read one of my postings and you’ll be bored to sleep. Either way you’re on your way to sweet sweet slumber! SWEET!
Jenny…We have all seen you post case after case of Mt. Dew on here…do you think it could possibly be the CAFFEINE??? lol
I can relate to what you are saying. I was on a downhill spiral when it came to sleep. I got to the point where I didn’t want to even go to bed because I knew a good nights sleep wasn’t going to happen and I would only wake the next morning more tired than I was when I went to bed. I finally relented and went to the doctor. He suggest a low dose sleep aid of which I refused because I just don’t take meds … period! For me meds = something I take only when I feel that I’m on my death bed and it’s the only way I’m going to recover and becoming addicted to a nighttime sleep aid wasn’t an option. Instead I requested that I be scheduled for a sleep study. One night of sleep while wired to a machine that was reading and recording my sleep pattern answered the question as to why I wasn’t sleeping. I suffer severe sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. I was put on C-Pap at night and I can honestly say that I have never felt better. I’m not taking any sort of medication at all. I simply put on my mask at night, turn on my machine, and go to sleep. When I wake up the next morning I feel well rested and ready to face the day … whatever it may bring.
I’ve got two words for you insomnia sister…..BENA DRYL!
Actually, you sound a LOT like me. I went to my doctor. He went through the list with me of things I should/should not do….
No exercise late in the evening.
No caffeine in the afternoon/evening.
My bed should only be used for sleep. No reading/No TV.
Warm bath before bed.
Go to bed at the same time every night.
No naps during the day.
Yada yada yada.
So on the way home from that appointment, I stopped at the store and bought Tylenol PM! HA! It works. Although I switched to Benadryl because I didn’t really need the Tylenol. And now I go in insomnia phases. I’ll sleep well for a few weeks, then crappy for a few weeks. After the first night of crappy sleep, I start taking one Benadryl (store brand is cheaper) every night for a week or so and then I’m good.
And have no fear….you’ll STILL hear your kids if they need you. But it takes the edge off.
i am right there with you……….. we need a moms vacation where we just sleep…. i haven’t slept right since i was pregnant w/ eban…. i think caffeine has a lot to do with it too…. i need it to make it through the day and then i can’t sleep. it is a vicious cycle…advil pm works good but i don’t think to take it til it is too late and then i am afraid i won’t wake up with the kids
Oh yes, me too. I only manage a few hours (at most) at a time. I may BE in bed for a good 8 hours…but I’m not getting a full 8 hours of good sleep. We still co-sleep, which helps in some ways. But it doesn’t help that my husband wakes at 3:30 AM for work. UGH.
I’m going on nearly 10 years of insomnia. It’s horrible. Ambien was a gift from God, until I actually got hooked on it!! Now, I just kind of live with it.
Isn’t that what you were supposed to be doing when you were in LA JOLLA?
I want to know how many Mt. Dews you had after we left last night?
I had a similar problem after having kids and it continued for about 6 years. I tried everything that Karen’s doc told her. Tylenol PM and Benadryl did not help either. Point is: there was a prescription med I could take short term (EVEN WHILE NURSING 🙂 and honestly, after a few weeks it kicked me back into my pre-mommy sleeping and I have been getting 8 beautiful hours each night since. 🙂 Now…I just wish I remember what it was called so I could tell you!! lol. Good luck!