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I hate trying to go to sleep

Pats

Pats

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I guess that's why I usually put off going to bed as long as I can. I know that once I lay down, my mind not only wanders with thousands of thoughts running through it and unable to focus on any one thing. I also have that exploding head syndrome - which, only recently learned that not everyone experiences it. (I thought it was a normal thing). But I itch here and itch there, or feel something brush against me and have to respond to it. And about a dozen times a night, as I'm finally starting to drift off I get the loud noises in my head that startles me, loud and sudden enough to make me jump, waking me back up. The noises vary - sound of someone sneaking up behind me and clanging a set of cymbals, or a rumble, or something dropping, but it always sounds loud. So I know that once I lay down and close my eyes all this is going to start and go on for hours every night. I know I've experienced it all my life (which is why I thought everyone did it), but it has gotten worse. And I have found myself dreading having to go to bed. Sorry, I'm venting.
 
You might consider trying Melatonin. It may mitigate whatever problems exist in your sleep cycle.

I know it has in my own case.
 
Thanks - I have melatonin and have used it. It does shorten the misery time. I still get jarred awake with the loud noises. I've read things they use to help the noise thing and I'm already on those things for other reasons. It just makes me not want to go to bed - like maybe I could skip the 'going to sleep' part.
 
Judge said:
You might consider trying Melatonin. It may mitigate whatever problems exist in your sleep cycle.

I know it has in my own case.
Click to expand...

In combination with *other medication*, magnesium supplements and a sugar crash and *something that people got upset over when it was mentioned here*, I may get a decent amount of sleep. The issue is my body gets used to all of those quickly, especially melatonin.
 
I have to use noise to cancel out other noise. For me it's just a playlist of documentaries but from what I have read people respond differently to different frequencies. There are many videos on youtube of different frequencies used. Maybe one of those could possibly be of help?
 
Graphin said:
In combination with *other medication*, magnesium supplements and a sugar crash and *something that people got upset over when it was mentioned here*, I may get a decent amount of sleep. The issue is my body gets used to all of those quickly, especially melatonin.
Click to expand...

No medication is apt to work precisely the same on all human metabolisms. Where you are ultimately left with two options:

1) Increase the dosage
2) Look for an alternative

I've used Melatonin now for over a year, sticking to just 3mg. tablets. It regulates my sleep pattern, giving me more consistent REM sleep. Though it was never intended as a substitute for a classic sedative drug.

I also use ambient sound to sleep by. Preferably rainfall played as an MP3 file in a loop built into my clock radio.
 
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Sorry Pats. That can be pretty bad. I really sympathise. Warm bath perhaps? I don't know if you can hang in the bathroom. If we relax muscles then you feel a little better. I put cold ice packs near my head sometimes. It can get really hot in my state. That helps me sleep. Everything has to be just right, the temp, the texture of the sheets, the wall color, to deal with the barrage of useless thoughts. Maybe that's why we are noted for daydreaming a lot because we lasso those thoughts into entertainment.
 
I take melatonin, a low dose antidepressant (Doxepin), and CBD oil about an hour before going to bed. I also take another antidepressant (Escitalopram) when I wake in the morning. If I still can not fall asleep I will sometimes have a shot of rum or tequila. Insomnia is what led to my ASD diagnosis.

I also sleep with a weighted chilling blanket and play sounds of rainfall or ocean surf on a Google mini device. With all of this, I average about 5 hrs sleep at night.
 
Rasputin said:
I take melatonin, a low dose antidepressant (Doxepin), and CBD oil about an hour before going to bed. I also take another antidepressant (Escitalopram) when I wake in the morning. If I still can not fall asleep I will sometimes have a shot of rum or tequila. Insomnia is what led to my ASD diagnosis.

I also sleep with a weighted chilling blanket and play sounds of rainfall or ocean surf on a Google mini device. With all of this, I average about 5 hrs sleep at night.
Click to expand...

5 hours is a good night for me.
 
Ambient music or the soothing sound of Emmett Miller's guided meditations.
I'm asleep soon as I close my eyes.
 
3:31 am , l am wide awake. I thought it wasn't connected to autism. But maybe it is.☹
Aspi with Attitude did a YouTube video on this. I need to do one on frivolous ways to past time when your eyes lids refuse and defy normal requests to shut down for the night. Of course this gives me visions of that guy in Clockwork Orange and his eyes lids are being held open as he is assulted with beautiful music.
 
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Aspychata said:
3:31 am , l am wide awake. I thought it wasn't connected to autism. But maybe it is.☹
Click to expand...
I wonder also if staying awake at night could be connected with ASD.
I sleep half the day and stay up all night. It's like my sleep wake cycle is reversed. :confused:
 
Pats said:
exploding head syndrome
Click to expand...

I wasnt entirely awake when I read this part. Well, I'm awake now.

But anyway, yeah, I tend to be similar, and yes I experience.... that.... as well. Though I never had a name for it before. Now that I do have a name for it, I shall repeat it to people as often as possible. "Yeah, just couldnt sleep last night... laid down for 20 minutes and then my head just exploded".

Anyway, I used to have alot of trouble with sleep, in alot of the same ways that you list here. My solution was basically to stop giving a crap. I lay down, and if I sleep well, I sleep well. If I dont, I dont. Whatever. Instead of "gonna lie down, better get some sleep" I think of it as "gonna get into that warm soft bed for awhile, just gonna enjoy that part and think about whatever". That actually ended up helping *alot*. Just a bit of a change in attitude, I guess.

Though, also important to make sure you arent ingesting anything that might be interfering. Like caffeiene, which stays in your system longer than most people think it does. I had THAT problem for a long time. I now only have my caffeine drink within a certain time after getting up each day, so it doesnt linger.


I do use a noise machine (iPad making a waterfall sound, real loud) as well.
 
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