Insomnia- OT

I have been awake (maybe 1-2 hours of sleep total) for about 40 hours. I went on a business trip to Denver and since I got back I cannot sleep. And I had a very hard time sleeping while in Denver. I feel exhausted but as soon as I lay down it's like a bolt of energy hits me. I kind of feel like I'm going crazy. My brain is just spinning and spinning. Do any of you have remedies for this?

I've never had a hard time sleeping. I've tried benedryl, cough syrup, a glass of wine, reading, laying in the sun, (this almost always makes me tired) and chamomile tea. But NOTHING Is working. I leave on Monday for my first trip to Vegas and God knows I won't be able to sleep there so I need to sleep from about now until Monday afternoon if possible.

ANY IDEAS?

I had problems sleeping before I was DX with UC.

But since then, and I don't know the exact reason, because I received treatment in the hospital for a week and then a few different drugs for a few months, and now only Colazal, but if I take 1 benadryl 2 hours before bed that usually does the trick.  If I had a particularly stressful day I will take 1 small dose of Melatonin (my GI doesn't seem to like me taking that but didn't forbid me to use it).  That works every time.

Make sure you develop a peaceful bedtime routine for the few hours before bedtime.  Sometimes I take a shower or bath as part of this routine.  Try to get exercise early in the day.  Then try reading as it gets later. 

For me I believe part of my trouble was that my heartrate seemed to be too high for my body to sleep.  I assume before I was diagnosed, my colon was essentially hemorraging and somehow activating my body/brain.  But I also think you can get a fast pulse from dehydration, and the colon absorbs water for the body.  So also try to make sure you drink enough water throughout the day.

Just my tips, I hope they help

PS - don't take my word for it as I'm unsure, but you're on Asacol aren't you supposed to take Folic Acid?

(Everyone please chime in on this one - I'm not sure)

If this continues for more than two weeks, a doctor can (and probably would) give you a sleeping aid to essentially reset your body's clock.

With that said, I develop mild insomnia every summer.  As the days are long and the nights short, I sleep very little in the summer.  At first it affects my day-to-day life but I adjust and live without much sleep.  The opposite occurs in the Fall and Winter-- long nights and short days, I'm sleepy all the time.  I'm told it is part of seasonal affective depressive disorder-- though I don't think I have that. 

Consequently, I live close to Denver and find it one of the hardest places to sleep because of the very low relative humidity.  Not many people have to sleep with a humidifier in the summer as well as the colder heating months.  I've weened myself off the humidifier by drinking a lot of water.  As for the insomnia-- I exercise a lot.  That usually does it for me.

Mildewval said...
I have been awake (maybe 1-2 hours of sleep total) for about 40 hours. I went on a business trip to Denver and since I got back I cannot sleep. And I had a very hard time sleeping while in Denver. I feel exhausted but as soon as I lay down it's like a bolt of energy hits me. I kind of feel like I'm going crazy. My brain is just spinning and spinning. Do any of you have remedies for this?

I've never had a hard time sleeping. I've tried benedryl, cough syrup, a glass of wine, reading, laying in the sun, (this almost always makes me tired) and chamomile tea. But NOTHING Is working. I leave on Monday for my first trip to Vegas and God knows I won't be able to sleep there so I need to sleep from about now until Monday afternoon if possible.

ANY IDEAS?

Thanks for the ideas. I managed to sleep for abou 4 hours last night. I guess that is better than nothing. I'm really more of a 8-10 hours kind of sleeper. Anyway, I'm heading to the herb/vitamin store and am going to pick up some valerian and then to get some Sominex.

On the up side it is gray and rainy here in Seattle so maybe that will help as well.