Insomnia: Who suffers from it and what do you do for it?

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

I'm sitting here at 2:30am not because I'm used to working night shift but because I can't sleep. I have a tendency (sp) of doing this a couple of nights a week. I've tried everything, please any personal help would be greatly appreciated. And yes I've spoken to my doctor who told me insomnia is not a diagnosis and shouldn't be medically treated, just to change my bedtime habits, which I have, and it's not working. Help, I'm so tired!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

A couple beers, rum and cokes, or some Jack on the rocks usually helps me.

If you don't drink try Tylenol PM, or an over the counter, non habit forming sleep aid with a cup of chamomile tea.

Other things that can help:

Watching TV

Hot bath

Think of a story from beginning to end while laying in bed . . . you'll get tired of it and fall asleep before the end.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

I work nocs too, and I find the same thing is true for me (evidenced by me being here at 4:30am :lol2:). Frequently what happens for me is I am able to get to sleep at a decent hour, just being generally tired, and then I wake up at 2. For the most part I just embrace it and get up and mess around on all nurses or read or knit for a few hours until I can settle back down again. That does often mean being tired in the AM when my little guy gets up, but I think it's the reality of being a night nurse.

When it's really going to be inconvenient for me to be up at the wee hours, I will get up and take 50mg (25mg doesn't do it for me) of Benadryl, which will get me back to sleep within an hour or so. I second the chamomile tea suggestion as well.

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My mom and I both take Doxyalamine (or something that is spelled similarly) which has really helped both of us to get back to sleep when we get woken up.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

Your doctor is FOS! Find one that will listen to you. Most of us on the night shift on my unit take some sort of prescription for insomnia (Lunesta, Ambien, Trazadone, etc). Other people swear by Melatonin. You can't alter your bedtime habits when you switch back and forth and you probably can't just keep the night schedule on your days off and expect to have a life or even the least bit of sanity. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

I agree with the advice you've received above and... in the meantime, welcome to the world of a night nurse!! It is called flipping. Most people attempt to resume a day/awake, night/asleep life, but our bodies and minds don't always cooperate. We flip into the night schedule. Learning how to make the most of it is one way to cope with being a night nurse. I would say you need to give yourself at least 6 months and up to a year to not only cope but also to thrive working nights. It may take that long to teach your system to flip back and forth between your work schedule and your life.

I like the advice you received about getting up and making the most of it. Lying in bed and worrying will only add to the frustration.

Get a new Doc, try to be VERY patient with yourself and remember not everyone can do the night shift and that its OK if it isn't for you.

Personally, I use Benadryl, sometimes Melatonin, but only to sleep during the day before work the next night.

Good lucK!!!

:yawn::yawn::yawn:

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Specializes in Tele, Infectious Disease, OHN.

Ambien CR. I agree, you need a more emphathetic doc.

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I have had trouble sleeping for years. My longest stretch was 12 weeks with only 1-3 hours of sleep a night. It became intolerable and dangerous. I would drive my kids to school and not really remember the drive. I would fail to pay a bill/bills. I couldn't string words together to make an intellegent sentence to save my life! I finally went to a dr who gave me a prescription for Ambien. I am typically not the pill-poppin' kind of girl, but this Ambien stuff is magic! I still try and maintain a consistent bedtime ritual... hot bath, read a little before I turn out the light, etc. BUT I have 5mg of Ambien sitting right next to me so if I find that I can't fall to sleep I take it. OH... I also find that running everyday really helps. The days that I don't run I find myself having a harder time falling/staying asleep.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

I've always had insomnia. It's why I started working nights.

I rarely take anything for it, but I will break down and take a couple Advil if my leg or back pains are keeping me awake. Sometimes I have a level of discomfort that keeps me awake and if I take a couple of tylenol, I can sleep.

What works for me best is to go to sleep with my DH. Failing that, when I come home and he's asleep, I get in the recliner in the living room with my little neck pillow and blanket. For some reason, I can fall asleep watching a movie or the news, or The New Detectives. Some of those narrators have such soothing voices, it just works for me.

Still, I wake up after about 4 hours and have a heck of a time getting back to sleep afterward. I'm nervous about taking sleeping pills, Benadryl makes me completely useless, hungover and cranky the next day, so DH and I have just learned to live with it.

Limit the coffee and caffeinated products you drink in the daytime, it might do the trick for you.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
I have had trouble sleeping for years. My longest stretch was 12 weeks with only 1-3 hours of sleep a night. It became intolerable and dangerous.

Oh My God!!! Were you hallucinating? That sounds absolutely like the worse torture I can imagine. Thank goodness the Ambien works for you!! I'm glad you made it through all that...unreal!!

:eek::eek::eek:

:cool::cool::cool:

:sleep::sleep::sleep:

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

I'd try Melatonin before you try a perscription sleep aid. You can buy Melatonin for about 5-6 dollars for 100 tablets.

My husband, who has always had trouble falling asleep, swears by it. He has tried Ambien and Lunesta, both with bad side effects. He has no side effects whatsoever from Melatonin. He is very sensitive to all meds so we both love the Melatonin.

I hope you are able to sleep soon!

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Oh My God!!! Were you hallucinating? That sounds absolutely like the worse torture I can imagine. Thank goodness the Ambien works for you!! I'm glad you made it through all that...unreal!!

:eek::eek::eek:

:cool::cool::cool:

:sleep::sleep::sleep:

Yes! I was in complete agony. When I said I couldn't string a sentence together I really meant it. My dr was so sure I was suffering from "depression"... well yeah... I'm NOT SLEEPING. All I could tell him is that I couldn't shut my brain off.

I don't seem to have any ill effects from the Ambien. I have heard others report short-term memory loss from prolonged use but I haven't experienced that myself...I don't think:uhoh21: I also don't feel hung-over in the morning, although a full night of sleep on Ambien is better than a full night of tossing and turning!

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