Sleep, my longlost friend.

I know what you mean. I have always assumed I can get by on three hours of sleep. However, after a car accident that totaled out my car, I have not been able to sleep for more than 45 minutes at a time. I wake up and can't get back to sleep for a couple of hours then I sleep for another 45 minutes, etc. Horrible. And my daughters wonder why I am always so tired and why my back always hurts!

i know what you mean there i am an insomniac i have been since i was young and then i got into a bad relationship and had alot of stress and my body was getting worse and worse from all the crap my ex did to it . so i did not sleep i once went three weeks on about 4 hrs sleep it is not good to do that you should talk to your doc and see about something that might be able to help you get some sleep . also i used some anti-stress things to sleep i hope you will be able to get some sleep soon dear you sound like you need it

I'm sorry for all you are going through. I would sleep okay if my two kids wouldn't keep waking me at night. On the positive side they will grow up and leave one day!!LOL

The brain burns the chemical serotonin in direct proportion to the amount of stress people feel in their immediate environment. I know of some serious stressors in your life. The longer the stress goes on the more serotonin is burned and people start burning faster than they make it. A shortage or serotonin creates depressive symptoms and it's often called a chemical imbalance. Some people think it's a feel good chemical but it really keeps people from dropping to low. The bad news is that we only make serotonin while we are sound asleep. It's like when we need it the most, the factory starts operating part time. Consequently, my concern for you is that you might be getting depressed.

take care Austin..

When I was working I only got 3 to 4 hours sleep a night..

Sorry to hear this Austin.I know this well and wouldn't wish it on anyone. I have had sleep problems a long time. In the 80's my husband told people I was on Guam time. Running a wood stove to keep the house warm was an every 4 hour chore, but I did have problems. He stopped telling people the Guam time as during an operation in 2003 they had to intubate me and everyone was congratulating me for waking up in recovery. I knew something was up. I was advised to have a sleep study test. It appears that my tiredness all the time was because of the lack of REM sleep. I averaged ceasing to breathe 20 times an hour. I know have a c pap machine but the difficulty is I can't take the medicine every night because it is a narcotic and addictive, course I was on it several years every night before my doctor told me he would no longer give me enough for every night. I take it to get a good night sleep on the weekends. Without it I only get 3-4 hours sleep...so I can understand your situation. I have a bad back and putting a pillow between my knees and around me helps some. Keep looking for for solutions!

For everybody, if you or your spouse is always tired, snores loudly and stops breathing, gasping for air at night, get a sleep study done. You may save a life!

Maybe you could try some relaxation therapy before you go to bed. Another suggestion they taught us in nursing school is to use your bedroom only for sleeping and sex. Take the tv out, keep the room very dark and only go in there when you are ready for bed. Hope you are feeling better soon.

I love sleeping and had no trouble until midlife and hormonal changes took their toll. First question that comes to mind: How old is your mattress? When I had terrible back pains, that was the culprit. Do you turn your mattress regularly, not just turn it over but flip the head of the mattress to the bottom of the bed, so you get regular use of all parts of the mattress? For aches and pains, I have no remedy except that if you get really desperate, Tylenol PM is good for at least one night of sleep and maybe pain relief. I now ache in places I never knew I could so you have my total sympathy!

Have you tried natural remedies, such as herbal teas that contain valerium or chamomile? Sometimes a nice, relaxing routine or putting lavender under your pillow can add to the soothing atmosphere. A friend loves her "white noise" machine. There is also melatonim, which I think is also natural and helps you reset your internal clock.

Attitude also helps, at least for me. I go to bed at a set time and simply rest, whether I sleep or not. I did have a sleep study and discovered that even when I thought I was awake, I was actually asleep a good part of the time. So I try not to tense up about it. If I want more relaxation, I read a soothing (or boring) book.

Good luck! If you find the answer, share it with us. Oh, yeah - try not to nap during the day.

Yep....know how you feel.....hope things get better !

From time to time, I don't get a lot of sleep, however, My sister hardley ever get's any! She works from 9:00pm until 4 or 5 am. She has to get up at 7am to take her kids to a private school they pay tons of money for and has no bus.

Hey been there(still there)

Doc just gave me a script for Ambien (4th different sleep aid) and I have a sleep study scheduled for Tuesday.

It's been a long 7 years since I started with this, I hope you get some relief soon

I used to sleep soundly and wake up refreshed. I even remember a time when I wondered why people complained about insomnia. After all, couldn't they just shut their eyes and tune out the world? Then I experienced insomnia. Now I have it combined with hip pain. I have adverse reactions to sleep aids like Ambien. They make me very alert and wide awake!

I don't sleep very well either. YOu should look into it before you get really sick

You should mention it to one of your doctors. It's not until you reach stage four sleep does your body start to generate the chemicals that rebuid your body. Ron B. is right. It should be obvious by the time of this post that I know all too well the problems of not getting enough sleep. For two years I managed to get by on four hours (or less) of sleep per night. Then I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Now I'm going to pay for those two years the rest of my life.

Get that sleep problem taken care of before it becomes chronic.

Rarely, if ever. I've lately found myself in a situation where I need to wake up very early - and I'm pretty nocturnal, with an average bedtime of 2 am.

I never feel refreshed. I think my financial worries, combined with having three children, make for restless sleep. If the kids are at their grandparents, and I know I don't have to get out of bed in the morning, I have a refreshing sleep.

sounds like my life everyday ty for sharing

This may sound simplistic, but I would suggest a memory foam mattress topper at least two inches thick, and a memory foam pillow, but not a hugely fat one. I can actually sleep on my back some of the time now, which I hadn't done in years, and the pillow gives me two options for neck support. These will not be cheap but maybe you could find something on ebay or overstock.com that wouldn't be over the top in cost.

Food sensitivities could be contributing to the pain from the accidents. I got off the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant) and my hip joints and hands are better. Dairy or wheat are known be culprits as well. We get more susceptible as we get older.

To be honest, I'm not completely off nightshades but mostly off them, still I am better.

Suggest you and your wife give each other back massages if you don't already do so. Your library may have books on massage.