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Falling Asleep

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I found a trick to help to help turn my mind off. In the past, I've tried journaling the issues out, as suggested, but I will still obsess in my mind. Sometimes the journaling takes me in even more directions and makes it worse. I usually end up dwelling on an "issue" or visualizing my next creative project, or just philosophizing in general, but I just can't shut my mind down. Sometimes just reading with a dim booklight until I can barely keep my eyes open is enough to escape my thoughts.

My last resort, that has been working like a charm, is tucking some headphones under my pillow and listening to a talk-show or audiobook (but nothing too deep that it will get ye old head-wheels spinning again.) It actually works pretty good, because I can lay in a comfortable position AND have my eyes closed (which you can't do by reading.) The pillow mutes the sound, so I have to focus to listen, which forces me to UNfocus on my thoughts. I usually fall asleep very shortly. At first I was worried about having words unconsciously imbedded in my subconscious, but eventually realized that sleep was more valuable. (Plus, I can't stand the tast of cough medicine!)

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I've got chronic insomnia. I get maybe, if I'm lucky, 2 hours of sleep a night. It takes me 3 hours to fall asleep. I wake up every 90 minutes or so, and it takes another half hour to get back to sleep. The slightest noise or light will wake me up.

It's irritating, because I get very tired at night, but don't go to sleep. I'll be too tired to read, or think, or watch TV, but I won't sleep.

Lately I've been reading past the point of exhaustion. I eventually drop off, but I end up having to reread long sections. Makes for slow going.

When it gets to be morning I can't sleep anymore because of the light and noise, but the lack of significant sleep makes it hard to gather the energy to get up. It's really quite obnoxious.

Since I'm starting law school in the fall, I'm thinking of going to a doctor over the summer, and maybe trying a prescription sleep aid (I've done the Tylenol PM thing - no effect at all). Lunesta's supposed to be non-addictive and good for long term use. Does anyone have any experience with prescription sleep aids?

-Q

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I've struggled with insomnia off and on for the past three years.

I tried Tylenol PM too, and it doesn't do anything for me. Last year, I tried Ambien and it worked well. However, I would still wake up in the middle of the night when I took Ambien. While Ambien is helpful, I think that Xanax is a much better sleep aid. Over the past three years, I have never gotten a *fantastic* nights sleep unless I was taking Xanax.

I was on a strict regimen of diet and exercise over the summer and didn't have as many issues with sleep then. I highly recommend diet and exercise as a solution to sleep issues also.

I hope that was helpful to you!

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I've got chronic insomnia.

.....

Since I'm starting law school in the fall, I'm thinking of going to a doctor over the summer, and maybe trying a prescription sleep aid (I've done the Tylenol PM thing - no effect at all).

You should see a doctor. Not for sleeping aids, but to get tested in case you have a treatable condition such as Sleep Apnea. It can usually be treated easily. But left untreated, it is often fatal. Sleeping aids just make it worse.

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  • 1 month later...

I don't really do anything special, I would say I fall asleep pretty naturally even with the sirens, horns, lights, etc. I have to get up at 6:30am to prepare for work in the morning, so usually I try to go to bed at 11pm-ish. I think the key is to completely use you energy for the day and I try to push myself to squeeze as much value as I can out of the time I am awake. Another thing I have learned is that if don't procrastinate, and action or close every issue I can every day, then I can fall asleep very peacefully without anything to worry about.

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I've struggled with insomnia off and on for the past three years.

There's an Objectivist named Jonathon Rosman who's a sleep medicine specialist. He posts on the "Ask the Experts" section at 4aynrandfans.net. If he hasn't already said something helpful to the insomniacs here, you might want to ask him.

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