Sleep Depravation

[The Gentleman Scamp]

It's making my life a misery and playing havoc with my work and social life.

My mindset is activly dispersed which doesn't help, and it's always at it's worse if I have an impotant engagement the following morning and have gone to bed earlier than usual.

Yesterday I'd had no sleep whatsoever and despite being tired to the point of almost being in tears I was still lying down with my eyes closed, trying to relax my mind come sun up.

Later in the afternoon I took enough Atarax to knock out an elephant and I managed by the skin of my teeth to get a couple of hours before waking up feeling completly monged, overheated, sticky eyed and heavy headed.

Today I had a Boots Sleepeezy tablet and a big swig of port and that's done no good and I'm now worried that I am immune to sleeping tablets.

Obviously I need to get back into a regular and consistent sleep pattern and also train my brain to wind down, but how?

Are there any changes I can make to my diet or natural remedy's I can take to help? Sleeping pills are an artifical way of helping and they're not doing much and apparently no good for the stomach.

Suggestions welcome.

Scamp.

[Nat]

There are many reasons why people find it difficult to sleep, such as: noise, temperature, caffeine, hunger, etc. However, if the condition persists than the reason might be emotional/psychological. If an individual is stressed, anxious, depressed, experienced a trauma or has a lot on their mind, than their sleep will be effected.

Crash course in consciousness : there are 5 stages of sleep (six if we include waking, this is when the person’s falling asleep) and they are repeated throughout the night – each cycle ends with REM. Some sleeping tablets can reduce the amount of paradoxical sleep (REM) one has, which can result in irritability and that feeling of being hungover or “not enough sleep”. The other thing about sleeping tablets is once one ceases taking them there’s a chance they may produce the symptoms they were originally designed to reduce (this is known as the rebound effect and can also occur with other medication, such as antidepressants). So best to avoid taking them.

The first step one must do to overcome the sleeping disorder is to identify the cause; is it psychological, due to diet, environment, medication, etc. This may not always be easy, but once it’s been identified a strategy can be implemented – if one is not sure of the cause than a variety of techniques can be used (trial and error) before overcoming the problem.

Off the top of my head one can do the following to overcome sleep problems:

- reduce alcohol, caffeine, nicotine or any stimulant intake ;

- increase exercise but not just before bedtime;

- consume something with tryptophan (natural sleep enhancer), such as milk, turkey or bananas (to name a few);

- try developing a routine of going to bed at the same time every night;

- if you can’t sleep don’t watch TV or think (stress) about the amount of sleep you’re missing, but read instead;

- remember the bedroom is a sanctuary and one should avoid doing anything negative in this environment, such as arguing or working, etc;

- simple relaxation techniques such as counting your breathes or “talking” out loud to help with the life events (stressors) causing the problem.

If none of the above helps than cognitive behaviour therapy may be your answer – but this should be a last resort, as you really don’t want to be forking out that sort of money .

All the best and sweet dreams

[Bluecat]

- increase exercise but not just before bedtime;

Jeez, Nat.

What are you recommending to him,...

[Nat]

- increase exercise but not just before bedtime;

Jeez, Nat.

What are you recommending to him,...

hee...hee I thought most men just lay there anyway

[Bluecat]

hee...hee I thought most men just lay there anyway

Probably the reason he can't sleep,...

[john b good]

- increase exercise but not just before bedtime;

Jeez, Nat.

What are you recommending to him,...

hee...hee I thought most men just lay there anyway

You could be right Nat but I guess that means that a bit of copulation before lights out is part of the problem.

I must say that a bit of nookie just before I close my eyes is better than any sleeping pill......................

[Nat]

I must say that a bit of nookie just before I close my eyes is better than any sleeping pill......................

The rollover technique is world renowned

[ProThaiExpat]

Having fallen asleep standing up while on duty in the Navy many times, I know what it is to be tired.

Physical exercise on a daily basis tires the physical body which causes the body to require sleep, whether you want to or not. Physical exercise also reduces stress.

Reading a boring book is a great sleep inducer.

Negative practice might also help. That is, getting a lot of exercise, ie a minimum of an hour and then try to stay awake as long as you can. The reverse of trying to go to sleep. You want to get to the point that you just can't keep your eyes open.

Light causes the body to awake and dark causes it to shut down and sleep. Thus a dark bedroom, air conditioned to a temperature where you are comfortable, a comfortable mattress and milk before retiring will all help.

While lying there trying to sleep, with your eyes closed, picture a dark hole about the size of a pencil or smaller in the center of both eyes. Now try to reach the bottom of the hole by mentally climging or sliding into the hole. The desired effect is to eliminate all thoughts from the mind except the dark hole and your going into it. The effect is very calming and even if your now very good at doing it at first, you will find that you are much more relaxed after attempting it. Counting sheep is the proverbial method. Anything to take your mind of your thoughts helps.

[p1p]

Having once been in a similar situation myself, due to extreme stress at the time, I was helped out of it by acupuncture. Find a good acupuncturist, and he should be able to turn on the taps and drain the problem away.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Cheers all, I will try some of the above.

I slept for 8 hours last night but only after 3 days without and it wasn't a heavy sleep. It's definatly anxiety related, will have to try meditation or something.

[p1p]

Go for acupuncture first. In general taking medication for this type of problem only stores up problems for later.

[Nat]

It's definatly anxiety related, will have to try meditation or something.

Glad to hear you got some sleep...not much, but at least some.

Anxiety hey? No panic attacks, I hope?

Many people will experience anxiety more than once in their lifetime, just like depression – one should only worry depending on its duration and intensity. You can try p1p's suggestion of acupuncture - my mother swears by it, esp for her migraines. I've never tried it, but can recommend the following commonly used relaxation techniques:

- Counting your breathes. While doing this try and focus on your third eye (I know this may sound like a load of <deleted> to some , but bear with me as it’s been known to work). Try and fill your lungs with as much air as possible and then slowly exhale, at the same time try to feel the tension leaving your body. Continue to repeat this and you’ll eventually feel relaxed and fall asleep.

- Relaxation response. Same as the above breathing technique but add saying the

word “one” when exhaling and focus on this word.

- Visualization. Escape that stressful environment by taking your mind to that “happy place” . Obviously this is unique to each person, but concentrate on positive images and the sensations that accompany them.

- Progressive muscle relaxation. You may have noticed that when you’re anxious and stressed your muscles also tense up. This technique involves tensing all the individual muscle groups, separately, than slowly releasing them.

- Autogenic relaxation. Similar to the above but focus on each part of the body feeling heavy, such as the arm. Then feel the warmth (blood) from the finger tips rising to the rest of the body.

Like I already mentioned these are some of the most commonly used relaxation techniques (quite often by athletes) – hope they’re of some use.

Once again sweet dreams

[Bluecat]

You can try p1p's suggestion of acupuncture - my mother swears by it, esp for her migraines.

Does anybody know a good and reliable acupuncture doctor in bkk?

[possom]

as a sufferer of this on occasions ,i can appreciate how desperate one can become for a good nights sleep!! i find i sleep well while i am away working , and i think not just because of physically demanding work , but also regular meal times , and going to bed at the same time each night . i also find reading a GOOD book while comfortable in bed helps me . i am desperate to stay awake to manage another chapter , but struggle to do so . once home in thailand with an irregular routine ( meals ,exercise bed time etc), i struggle once more to enjoy restful sleep . good luck and i hope you sleep well tonight !!!

[ambassador]

All I can add is the suggestion of lavendar oil on your pillow - it's the adult equivalent of Karvol.

The cause of lack of sleep can often be a blocked nose as a result of an air-con-cold, and this has helped me relax and nod off in the past.

[Nat]

All I can add is the suggestion of lavendar oil on your pillow

Lavender oil has great soothing and relaxant properties – always sprinkle some on my wheat pack

[The Gentleman Scamp]

All I can add is the suggestion of lavendar oil on your pillow - it's the adult equivalent of Karvol.

The cause of lack of sleep can often be a blocked nose as a result of an air-con-cold, and this has helped me relax and nod off in the past.

How about that Poy-Sian menthol stiff that's Vicks inhaler one end and liquid menthol/camphor oil stuff on the other - got some of that, would that do the trick?

By the way, slept so lightly last night it was more of a nocturnal daydream and this morning was in no state for work so keep the suggestions coming.

I was told not to sleep today as I would wake up about midnight and not be tired and therefore then be knackered by the time I had to get up, so I fought the fatigue and I am now over tired and no longer feel mentally sleepy and it's 7:20PM and I don't have a swimming pool in my apt so I'm gonna do some lifting excercises and press-ups to help knacker me out a couple of hours before bedtime.

[john b good]

I slept for 8 hours last night but only after 3 days without and it wasn't a heavy sleep. It's definatly anxiety related, will have to try meditation or something.

Now meditation is not a bad suggestion. I tried it a few years back (a good few years actually) and whilst not so much for getting off to sleep (though it did help)

I used it during the day for a "time out"

It was the same "TM" as promoted by Paul and John's friend in India (Mahesh Mar..... Yogi or something) I found it extremly good value in charging up the batteries.

And you don't need to waste your money on these fashionable "take your money" courses either.

What you need to do is find a word that when you repeat it over and over it sort of runs together.

The catch phrase was "10 minutes going in, 10 minutes in, and 10 minutes coming out.

Probably find something on the web, but don't whatever you do go to one of these scammers who will charge you 500 Baht a session

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I slept for 8 hours last night but only after 3 days without and it wasn't a heavy sleep. It's definatly anxiety related, will have to try meditation or something.

Now meditation is not a bad suggestion. I tried it a few years back (a good few years actually) and whilst not so much for getting off to sleep (though it did help)

I used it during the day for a "time out"

It was the same "TM" as promoted by Paul and John's friend in India (Mahesh Mar..... Yogi or something) I found it extremly good value in charging up the batteries.

And you don't need to waste your money on these fashionable "take your money" courses either.

What you need to do is find a word that when you repeat it over and over it sort of runs together.

The catch phrase was "10 minutes going in, 10 minutes in, and 10 minutes coming out.

Probably find something on the web, but don't whatever you do go to one of these scammers who will charge you 500 Baht a session

I find it very difficult to empty my mind as my brain is processing hundreds of thoughts a minute.

How should I meditate?

I feel silly asking this but is it really just a case of sitting crossed legged, repeating a word or phrase over and over again and.....well I don't know, but if you could be more specific I'll try it and let you know - hope that didn't sound rude, it wasn't meant to.

[p1p]

Meditation is not easy to get into if you are beginning when highly stressed. However, if you want to give it a go, follow these basic instructions.

Firstly get comfortable in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. It does not matter if you sit on a chair, cross legged on the floor or on a cushion, but you should be comfortable.

Place your hands in your lap and try to quieten your mind.

Take a long breath in through your nose - pushing the air deep down into your abdomen. This should be taken slowly and last a few seconds.

Hold the breath for a brief while and then relax, allowing the air to escape through your mouth. Again this should take a few seconds.

Brief pause and start your breath intake again, etc...

You should aim to concentrate solely on your breaths, Iiiiiinnnnn - hold - ooouuuttt - Iiiiiinnnnn - hold - ooouuuttt - etc. If you find extraneous thoughts popping into your conciousness, note them, and let them go, replace with Iiiiiinnnnn - hold - ooouuuttt - etc...

I sincerely recommend acupuncture. If you find the right practicioner it works wonders on the first treatment.

When I first had acupuncure, it was for exactly this problem.

I had not slept for over three months despite my doctor prescribing heavier and heavier sleeping pills, in dangerous doses. One set of needles and I slept like the dead for twenty one hours!

Give it a go.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

On Monday night I did some pressups followed by a hot shower and a bottle of chocolate milk. I then went to bed and remembered hearing somewhere that after a man reaches orgasm, endorphines are relesed in his brain which make him sleepy - hence, the guy turns over after sex.

Anyway, I was alone (Noy's gone back to Samui) so I conjured up a recent beauty I had seen the other day in MBK and had a tug for about ten minutes.

This did help but I was awake again an hour later.

The following morning I went to hospital and asked for a tranquilliser injection which worked after I returned home at about 9am but I only slept for four hours.

Last night I was re-united with an old flame who I'd fallen out with and we went for super and a few Kloster beers at this posh place in Ekamai.

She ended up staying at mine and we had the most mind blowing sex, and it had been a while for me, but it was great and I slept like a baby at about 2am.

Unfortunatly I had to be up at 6am but it's a head start anyway and hopefully I'm on the road to recovery if I can get her to stay again tonight and go to bed a little earlier.

[p_brownstone]

I am truly impressed that no one on the forum has been crass enough to congratulate Scamp on his ability to be depraved in both sleeping and waking modes, and has made no comment on his "impotant" engagement.

There is hope for us all yet.

- OK, maybe just for some of us -

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I'm not what you call depraved, no more than anyone else here.

At best, I don't mince my words and at worst, my choice of language is a little crass - immature even when I'm posting in a good mood.

The bottom line is, there's nothing like a good roll in the hay to leave you feeling blissfully ready for sleep... It was actually mentioned before.

[p_brownstone]

I'm not what you call depraved, no more than anyone else here.

At best, I don't mince my words and at worst, my choice of language is a little crass - immature even when I'm posting in a good mood.

The bottom line is, there's nothing like a good roll in the hay to leave you feeling blissfully ready for sleep...  It was actually mentioned before.

Sorry Scamp old chap - did not intend to offend you at all, just my weak attempt at humour, playing on the mis-type in the title of your original Post "Sleep Depravation" as opposed to "Sleep Deprivation" which you obviously meant to write.

Apparently my play on words was not as obvious as I thought it might be.

Maybe if you sleep on it, it will become clear to you.

Ooops - sorry - I did it again!

[britmaveric]

Full body massage always puts me to sleep- so bloody relaxing- hard not to nod off. Course that might get you into some trouble as reported in your other thread!

[Guest fj2003]

hey sweet honeys

what for ###### are you talking about all

accopuncture medicine hands on job sport blow job what else

and please if you don't know any kind of meditation thenjust count the old sheap story like everymum is telling her kids

ok not sleeping isn't very nice if you have to get up for work

but i use to be on rave-party with many friends in my live whom are are often under drugs and what ever else and i didn't same like them

i could much longer stand then most of them even by doing hard body jobs during daytime o.k. i'm hyperaktive so forget to burn me out it's still just impossible

but all your stress is just in your brain so release where you stress about

it means release your sleeping problem of your brain be in aktivity or better try nbot to sleep as long as possible turn yourself by 180degree

i went 5 days for work and party at every night several times in my live

using drug and using not even cooffein right know it's 1:30 am and i will go for sleep in a bit and i'm sitting here with a ###### german real coffee hot brewn and there is no daubt i will sleep and get up when ever i have to

mai mee panhaa

mai pen rai na khrap

fj2003

so long fuan deeeand fuan waan

[Guest fj2003]

please sorry for some of my straight word which are ############# called

fj2003

[stroll]

How about that Poy-Sian menthol stiff that's Vicks inhaler one end and liquid menthol/camphor oil stuff on the other - got some of that, would that do the trick?

No, Menthol is a herbal upper, good to sniff when you wake up. Valerian, Hops, Passiflora incarnata are common herbal sleeping aids that you should be able to get in Thailand.

But if non-prescriptive tabs don't work, these probably won't either.

Stay away from prescription medication, they are all habitforming=after taking them for two weeks or more, you'll wake up with a worse problem than before.

As a chronic insomniac of more than 20 years standing, I resorted to arranging my life so that I can just go and sleep anytime I feel tired, be it 6 hrs or 20 hrs after I wake up, not always convenient for other people, though.

In your case, it might just be a temporary thing, as you say: anxiety related, it will pass when the anxiety causing issues are resolved, you will know what these are for you, - I hope.

good luck, dr. casum insomniacum stroll

[stroll]

hey sweet honeys

what for ###### are you talking about all

accopuncture medicine hands on job sport blow job what else

and please if you don't know any kind of meditation  thenjust count the old sheap story like everymum is telling her kids

ok not sleeping isn't very nice if you have to get up for work

but i use to be on rave-party with many friends in my live whom are are often under drugs and what ever else and i didn't  same like them

i could much longer stand then most of them even by doing hard body jobs during daytime o.k. i'm hyperaktive so forget to burn me out it's still just impossible

but all your stress is just in your brain so release where you stress about

it means release your sleeping problem of your brain be in aktivity or better try nbot to sleep as long as possible turn yourself by 180degree

i went 5 days for work and party at every night several times in my live

using drug and using not even cooffein right know it's 1:30 am and i will go for sleep in a bit and i'm sitting here with a ###### german real coffee hot brewn and there is no daubt i will sleep and get up when ever i have to

mai mee panhaa

mai pen rai na khrap

fj2003

so long fuan deeeand fuan waan

And who is this ###### ###### German #######, go and ###### #######.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I'm not what you call depraved, no more than anyone else here.

At best, I don't mince my words and at worst, my choice of language is a little crass - immature even when I'm posting in a good mood.

The bottom line is, there's nothing like a good roll in the hay to leave you feeling blissfully ready for sleep...  It was actually mentioned before.

Sorry Scamp old chap - did not intend to offend you at all, just my weak attempt at humour, playing on the mis-type in the title of your original Post "Sleep Depravation" as opposed to "Sleep Deprivation" which you obviously meant to write.

Apparently my play on words was not as obvious as I thought it might be.

Maybe if you sleep on it, it will become clear to you.

Ooops - sorry - I did it again!

I stand corrected said the man in the orthopeidic shoes - blimey, I did sound a bit tetchy, I'm sorry about that.

As for my spelling error, that went straight over my head but now I see where you were coming from, my spelling is almost as bad as the ambassadors!

And for the record - I'm sleeping properly again so I'm going to go out tonight and stay up late and drink lots of tasty Kloster.