(Part 3) Top products from r/insomnia

I've tried a ton of stuff to fix my 'sleep maintenance insomnia'. I can only sleep 5 hours then still tired but wake up. I literally have almost no stress in my life right now (unusual I know) so don't think CBT will help. I've also used at least 5 sleep trackers: Zeo, Beddit, ResMed, FitBit and a couple more.

The fascinating thing about Trazadone is it great increases my deep sleep according to my ResMed tracker (the best and surprisingly cheapest sleep tracker). I'm still short on total sleep and experimenting again with melatonin - specifically REMFresh mentioned by my psychologist.

I've not had nightmares from Trazadone in the last several months, but I also almost never have nightmares so am not currently pre-disposed. I don't watch horror movies though.

Sorry about the anxiety and depression.

Also a friend just recommended this book which is great: https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144316

I've read a dozen books and hundreds of other articles. Reading this is the first time I've learned new and clarifying information in a long time. It is extremely well researched + written by a world class sleep expert. It's also on Audible which is great if you have tired eyes like me.

Hope some of that's helpful. Though not all pointedly answering your question these are the most valuable things I've learned in the last year.

I'd recommend trying to cut out horror movies and continuing with the trazadone. My gf loves horror too. It distracts her from her anxiety and though I don't claim to be an expert it logically self perpetuates some of these issues. I have other behaviors I need to break which perpetuate mine as well.

• No more caffeine, ever. No coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate.
  
• No other stimulants.
  
• No alcohol. It interferes with your sleep cycle. It may make you drowsy at first but it will make you more wakeful later.
  
• No screen time in the hours before bed. All that blue light keeps you awake.
  
• Nothing mentally stimulating before bed. Find a way to ramp down.
  
• Have a bedtime ritual.
  
• Sometimes a warm bath before bed helps. You get your body temp up and then it cools down which helps you sleep.
  
• Get up at the same time every day.
  
• Schedule worry time. Write it down. Put it aside. Don't worry when you're in bed.
  
• Exercise! The harder the better. But not in the hours before bed. Late afternoon is usually better for sleep.
  
• Don't eat before bed, your digestion can keep you awake.
  
• Sleep hygiene: Dark room, quiet room, only use bed for sleep and sex. I make my bed every day so I have a smooth bed to sleep in. White noise or soft ambient music helps some people. Youtube is full of stuff. So is Pandora. A sleep mask and earplugs can help.
  
• Get up at the same time every day. Even weekends. No sleeping in even if you go to bed late.
  
• Go to bed early enough that you don't need an alarm to wake you.
  
• Learn to meditate or do guided relaxation. Youtube is full of videos.
  
• There are OTC sleep meds. Some are combined with a pain killer. Sometimes ibuprofen by itself will help you sleep, but you develop a tolerance within a few days.
  
• Supplements that might help: l-theanine, ashwagandha. Also hops, valerian.
  
• Get lots of sunlight and bright light first thing in the morning to help regulate your circadian cycle.
  
• If you can't sleep get up and read or do something quiet until you're sleepy. Avoid screens because of that blue light.
  
• Install f.lux on your PC. https://justgetflux.com/
  
• I've had luck with self hypnosis tapes. Again youtube is full of them. I found one in the library that helped me enormously.
  
• If you want to put on weight and sleep better have some carbs before bed. A baked or boiled potato works great. http://www.amazon.com/Potatoes-Not-Prozac-Solutions-Sensitivity/dp/141655615X

Perfect, so do you see how the anxiety from your first night caused insomnia in the ensuing ones?

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The Trazedone should work, but if it doesn't you need to get a script for something stronger. Your Dr should agree to it, as long as you promise non-drug behavioral modification.

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https://www.amazon.com/Restful-Insomnia-Benefits-Sleep-Even/dp/1573244678

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Get this book and read the first few chapters, she explains it better than I ever could.

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Given that you do Sleep an extra half hour on the weekends and that you wake up an hour and a half later, I'd say that's your issue. What's probably happening is that because you're getting more sleep on the weekends, your sleep drive is modestly diminished the first couple days of the week, hence you're not sleeping as deeply and more likely to wake up in the middle of the night. The different wake up times likely isn't helping either, as Sleep is surprising sensitive to routine and consistency.

Also, since it sounds like this has been going on for a little while, you've probably developed some Sleep anxiety. It's not that you have a phobia or some kind of major anxiety, just that early-week Sleep has now become a thing you think about and worry about, both of which are arousing and therefore harmful to the quality of your sleep.

If you haven't already, try and experiment for two weeks and see if things improve: Simply keep your workweek schedule for the weekends as well.

If you want to increase your odds of better sleep early in the week even more, stay up an extra half hour or hour later than you normally would on Sunday evening (while it sounds paradoxical, mildly Sleep depriving yourself will increase your sleep drive and therefore the quality of your sleep, which is a worthwhile tradeoff even if it's at the expense of some loss of quantity.

This book is really good for legitimate tips on improving your sleep.

Hope that helps

Your body produces melatonin to help you sleep. It produces it based on what time of the day it thinks it is which is affected by exposure to sunlight. By exposing yourself to light in the evening it prevents your body from producing it too early in the day and then running out of it in the middle of the night.

If your problem is that you can't fall asleep at your usual bedtime then you'd want to do the opposite and expose yourself to sunlight (or artificial light) as soon as you wake up or at least in the earlier part of the day. This could help synchronize your melatonin production to your sleep patterns. Like this guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yze6_qZZrsI

This is the lamp I use but there are many more available out there. https://www.amazon.com/NatureBright-SunTouch-Light-Therapy-package/dp/B000W8Y7FY/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485565701&sr=8-2&keywords=light+therapy

Good luck.

I am still suffering from insomnia, but what has helped me most is magnesium supplements. I've been seeing a naturopathic doctor and she has recommended 200 mg Magnesium by Solaray. You can try other brands but according to reddit, many different brands seem to cause a laxative effect.
I also take L-theanine with the Magnesium about 30 minutes for going to bed. Try to do some research on these supplements; you'll be surprised at how safe and helpful they are.
I've been where you are and I know the pain of having insomnia, I really hope that you give these supplements a shot.

http://www.amazon.com/Solaray-Magnesium-AAC-Supplement-Count/dp/B00020I0PU/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1462913966&sr=8-1&keywords=magnesium+solaray

That's possible, but people all too quickly assume they have some kind of genetic dysfunction, or something else inherently wrong with them.

I myself have epilepsy, and I used to blame my insomnia on that. But once you learn more about metabolic rate, and how it affects about every part of your cell, and how you can properly increase it (it isn't set in stone) you quickly figure out that most health problems can be traced back to it.

This is what these lifestyle changes are to help with.

When I say you should work standing up, this is to increase your metabolic flux, the input and output of energy (in the form of calories) which in turn increases metabolic rate, making all your cells work better and strengthening circadian rhythm.

Your argument of gays, there is good evidence that homosexuality is caused by problems with wrong hormonal signals being given to the foetus, so the brain develops differently. This is the epigenetic approach, but again, this only shows how powerful hormones are, if they can determine what kind of people you are hardwired to be attracted to.

The lifestyle changes I give have little to do with CBT, by the way. They serve to induce certain biological, hormonal and physiological respones.

You should definitely read Mark Starr's book on thyroid and metabolism. It shows that even things like autism are caused by metabolic dysfunction. https://www.amazon.com/Hypothyroidism-Type-Epidemic-Mark-Starr/dp/0975262408

OP, melatonin recommended dose is 0.3 mg, it is possible you are taking too much. Try a lower dose ( https://www.amazon.com/Sundown-Naturals-Melatonin-300-Tablets/dp/B000GG2I9O/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1Q4PAGEA2OU8R&keywords=melatonin+0.3+mg&qid=1566836962&s=gateway&sprefix=melatonin+0.3%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-4 )

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I take 0.3 mg melatonin and 200mg L-Theanine. I am sleeping way better now. Like you, would sleep about 4 hours and wake up in the middle of the night.

OTC supplement found in health stores. IMO the better version of melatonin. https://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-L-Tryptophan-Essential-Supplement/dp/B000GFSVS2?th=1

I know anxiety is correlated so you guys might enjoy this too.
https://www.amazon.com/F-k-Ultimate-Spiritual-Way/dp/1401945996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492740312&sr=8-1&keywords=Fuck+it

http://www.amazon.com/46645-25-Watt-Stained-Glass-Light/dp/B000HMADSU

This is the lightbulb I have been using. Gaudy as hell but it is hidden during the day under a classy mid-century modern lamp shade.

I use Rohto brand eye drops, and a special eye mask that keeps pressure off my eyes, while still blocking light. The eye mask looks like a padded bra on my face, but doesn't matter: sleep.

It's back http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N23AE8/ref=pe_11480_194674490_emwa_email_title_1

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

Suprisingly, writing that seems to have helped a lot. Last night I wrote that, then I skimmed through this book: http://www.amazon.com/Shyness-Social-Anxiety-Workbook-Step/dp/1572245530 which I had read before.

Then I went back to bed around 2, managed to fall asleep fairly quickly, and woke up a little after 7. So I managed to sleep for 5 hours. Definitely an improvement from the previous night. One thing I've heard suggested but never tried is keeping a worry journal. I think I will start doing that.

This might be the sort of thing your doctor meant.

http://www.amazon.com/The-No-Cry-Sleep-Solution-Through/dp/0071381392

Check out this book, it is kind of interesting even if you don't have a baby. Basically the baby gradually learns he or she is safe, even lying in bed, and doesn't get too overwhelmed.

Have you seen this ? It’s crazy but it works!
Clocky, the Original Runaway Alarm Clock on Wheels: Get Out of Bed and Wake Up on Time with Programmable Snooze | Jumps Off Night Stand and Rolls Away (Extra Loud for Heavy Sleepers), Aqua https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TAS9XQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gVaTBbKS4KRCX

I know it is pricey, but I find that a mechanic white noise machine does wonders. A cheaper, digital one might work too, but I find that I am sensitive to the shitty speakers they normally come with and that the mechanical one has much better sound.

Xanax has been the only thing that has ever resolved this issue with me, unfortunately.

My mind would always go to, "Oh God, everyone I know and love is going to die and so am I." And the proceed to spam me with humiliating scenarios from the past, and then freak out over death some more. I was actually convinced I was somniphobic at one point.

Falling asleep to this album also helps: http://www.amazon.com/Takk-Sigur-Ros/dp/B000AJJNPY

I consider myself relatively cured of sleep issues. Not perfect but livable.

1: How long did you have Insomnia and how bad was it?
I had it for a year

2. How much hours sleep did you get a night when you had Insomnia? 0-5

3. What's the longest time you haven't been without any sleep?
1 week

4. How long is your Insomnia cured right now? Since June this year. I considered myself cured because I have never had a single sleepless night since. However, my sleep is not perfect still. I would get a good run of 7-8 hours/night of sleep for two weeks, then a bad patch of 3-5 hours/night of sleep for a few days.

5. Do you sleep like a normal person now? I do when I'm in a good run. In bad patches, I up my game and bring out all the props, lol.

6. Are you still worried you'll get Insomnia again? Yes. Still trying to wean off the horrors that I experienced from catastrophizing for a year, but the worry is getting less and less each day.

7. How did you cure your Insomnia? I tried a lot of things, but the following worked the best:

1. Self-administered treatments of CBTI with some SRT and ACT thrown in.
   
2. light therapy (30 min of lightbox in the morning + avoid bright blue lights in the evening)
   
3. walks early in the evening to suppress anxiety
   
4. eating graham crackers and some water before going to bed has reduced nighttime awakenings
   
5. listening to Sleep With Me (podcast) allows me to distract myself from worrisome thoughts when I'm in bed
   
   8. What were your worst experiences with Insomnia? After a week without sleep everything hurts and it's hard to perform at work. Before I discovered CBTI I was catastrophizing eveyday and I would have suicidal thoughts.
   
   9. Any extra tips you want to give to everybody with Insomnia?
   
   

• Sleep issues are different for everyone, if something that somebody else is raving about does not work for you, it doesn't mean your issues are worse or that the other guy is lying, you just have to keep trying other things until you find something that works for you.
  
  
• It seems CBTI and light therapy will help the vast majority of people regardless of their unique condition. Note, I said help, not directly address the root cause. At some point in my search for a cure, I realized that it was futile to look for a root cause (unless you do have a medical condition that could be diagnosed, but my doctor could not find any with me), and realized that whatever triggered my initial sleeplessness was irrelevant and I was just making it worse by worrying too much about it. With CBTI, I have learned to realize that I cannot force myself to sleep. The best I can do is to be ready for sleep when it comes. When sleep comes and I am not relaxed or am anxious, then I will not be able to go to sleep. So I must do everything I can to be ready to catch sleep when it comes.
  
  
• I realized that my sleep issues started happening when I lost the ability to sleep out of my ideal sleep window. Everybody has a Circadian Rhythm, where the sleep pressure is strongest in the late afternoon and in the evening (the "ideal sleep window"). After I figured this out I stopped trying to sleep outside of this window. Doing so for me would induce insomnia. There is a good article that explains this: https://www.supermemo.com/en/articles/sleep#Curing_DSPS_and_insomnia
  
  
  
• As much as possible, avoid labeling yourself as an insomniac, you have to believe that you are normal (and you most likely are) and you're only suffering sleep issues. Do not underestimate the power of the human mind - if you believe in something it will eventually come true, so be careful what you believe in. Being through so many forums, I met one guy who successfully cured his 20 yr insomnia and the advice he gave was probably the one that inspired me the most: after a bad night or even a row of bad nights, do everything in your power to feel good all the time, and good sleep will eventually follow, even if you have to fake it until you make it. There are only a handful of people in the world who truly cannot sleep, and those are the ones who suffer from Fatal Familial Insomnia. So unless you have that, you will eventually conk out at some point, so just try to be positive until that happens. Put sleep in the right perspective - pay no attention to it and just trust that it will take care of itself - and put your waking life on center stage.
  
  
• I think one of the reasons why people who got cured never get back here is that completely blocking out the thought of insomnia also helps in keeping it from happening again. Forums such as this can act as "triggers" for relapse. I know I'm guilty of coming back here, but only because I'm in a bad patch right now :-). So try to avoid articles about sleep when you can, especially if your sleep is getting better already. Also, avoid blog posts about "the dangers of sleep deprivation" etc. Those are the worst triggers. And the literature is probably nonsense anyway, the writers just try to make the stories as dramatic as possible to attract people.
  
  
• Here are the books that helped me:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_24?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=desperately+seeking+snoozing&sprefix=desperately+seeking+snoo%2Cmobile%2C180&crid=37RG1MR1JC6XM
  A book written by a fellow sufferer and how he used Sleep Restriction Therapy to improve his condition.
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Say-Good-Night-Insomnia-Drug-Free-ebook/dp/B005CW6T8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511820975&sr=8-1&keywords=say+goodnight+to+insomnia
  The official book on CBTI.
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Book-Well-Every-Night/dp/1499250533/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511821229&sr=8-2&keywords=the+sleep+book
  A book that helped me address the sleep anxiety that was confounding my sleep issues.