[Malek256]

Originally Posted by kjkriston

Well, I know im not old enough to be in this thread but I am really struggling. I have no problem falling asleep but after 3-4 hours i wake up, for 20 min to 2 hours, all my sleep after that is in bursts of bad dreams. Its killing me. I am trying to get my doc to give me a short script of ambien to break the pattern. Anyone have any immediate ways to help? I've tried sleep aids but the nightmares were worse.

This happened to a friend of mine...oddly enough, he eventually figured out it happened only when he slept on his left side...you never know...odds are against it but might be worth checking out to see if you have a position you go into mid-way through the night and it's related. Seems your mental state resumes based upon physical cues.

[kjkriston]

I truly appreciate that insight but the fact is, I change position so often during these disturbing time s that nyquil is my only way out. Left side, right side, stomach, back. It never really matters. I have no problem falling asleep. When I wake up it seems I am unusually awake. Soemtimes I am reallly really tired. Then I have no problem falling back asleep but i ten dto have bad dreams after that. I have not figured out exactly what originally wakes me up. It seems to not be nightmares. I just sort of wake up. Its the dreams that follow that keep me aake for the rest of the night. I have had some significantly terrible experiecences that effect my dreams. But this phenomeneon has only recently started affecting me. I am a 2 time Iraq vet. I have always had those dreams but these are different. They involve my wife an dsometimes my son. So different than what I originally got used to. I just want to break the cycle to see if that helps. i was hoping there was an OTC that I could get real soon to see if it worked.

[kjkriston]

I picked up some melatonin...can some one please give me a good dosage. It says 1 ....3 gram tablet is enough....sound right to you?

[Malek256]

Originally Posted by kjkriston

I picked up some melatonin...can some one please give me a good dosage. It says 1 ....3 gram tablet is enough....sound right to you?

Melatonin helps "set your clock" but doesn't seem to affect the quality or duration of your sleep from a number of studies I've read, although in some studies it does show improvement (esp. for elderly people) -- see the link at the end.

And did you say this is a 3 gram tablet? In case studies I've seen, the dose is up to 1000 times less (i.e. 3mg) but I'm afraid I don't know...

Here is a link for you...http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...an/ai_95676501

[kjkriston]

sorry...i meant 3 mg

[ryano]

I responded better to 1.5 mg (3mg broke in half) better.

3mg seemed to be too much and did not do much for falling asleep.

This just might be me.

Expect some grogginess in the mornining. But once your up its easy to shake.

If you can get your hands on some GABA or pgh I would try that as well.

[jmh80]

Melatonin seems to help me stay asleep longer. I also do wake up groggy, but that is gone after I shower.

[SJA]

Originally Posted by Malek256

are you by chance a big caffeine or coffee imbiber?

And a big "thumbs up" to 5-HTP -- use for 1 week out of 4 it really helps.

I don't usually drink coffee....but I do put away almost 2 gallons of water most days.

I'm going in for the sleep study....but they'd better get a piss bottle ready....otherwise they are going to get tired of pulling all of that **** off of me so that I can piss. Maybe I'll jsut let it go and give them something to do when I leave

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by deebs

Snoring is one of the symptoms of sleep apnea, which is a beast. It places you at a higher risk for high blood pressure, CVD, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome... Some research (Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study) suggests that if you are middle aged and overweight, chances are 50/50 that you have sleep apnea... Others say as many as 1 in 5 adults...

Good news is that CPAP, when worn effectively (every night for the vast majority of the night), basically reverses the condition and causes the increased chronic disease risk to dissipate.

You say you were getting sleepy during the day too?

Check this link out: http://www.fitnessonline.com/tools/sleep/

This is a scale that rates excess daytime sleepiness, and asks you to rate on a scale of 0-3 how likely you are to doze while doing common daily activities. Anything over 10 is considered significant. If memory serves me correctly, CPAP cost in moderate sleep apnea with the presence of daytime sleepiness (score >10) is typically reimbursed by insurance. Dont know if this is still the case or not...

Good luck with the weight loss!

good info brudda

[Blesum]

I just have my current girlfriend talk to me about her day. I'm usually out like a light within minutes. I'm not kidding, it's very bizzare, and sadly comical.

I think it stems from years of always trying to get her to stop talking so I can go to sleep when I'm in bed.

-Blesum

[ryano]

I came out with "mild sleep deprivation".

[GREENFEATHER]

Well, at least you don't have to go on the hose like me!! The other thing I've noticed is if I take ZMA , I sleep better. This isn't just me thinking it either. My CPAP machine has a card that I can download and see what's going on when I sleep, it says so so it must be. I urge anyone that has to go on CPAP therapy to try to get an auto machine. They adjust for events and you don't have to sleep in an F-ING WINDTUNNELALL NIGHT!! There are some people on one of my sleep apnea forums that had to have a special machine made because the standard machines stop at 20 cm/ h2o, his pressure is 25!! That's kinda like doing bong hits on an F-15 exhaust, lol!
ROB

[ryano]

Im going to have a study done as soon as I can.

If I dont have a problem then at least I will Have peace of mind.

Thanks for the information Greenfeather.

[BrumMac]

hi guys,

I work a very irregular shift pattern, going from earlies to lates to nights.

I'm thinking of trying either GABA or melatonin.

Does anyone have any viws on which is the better of these?

[Malek256]

Originally Posted by BrumMac

hi guys,

I work a very irregular shift pattern, going from earlies to lates to nights.

I'm thinking of trying either GABA or melatonin.

Does anyone have any viws on which is the better of these?

5-HTP and GABA are a better route. Melatonin helps to "set your clock" which isn't so great if you keep switching it around as there's lag time...whereas 5-HTP and GABA help with the quality of the sleep you do get.

[Rictor33]

I dont sleep well at all, and when I have company I usually do not sleep at all. I get really hot and sweaty and disgusting when I sleep, I need a fan on me @ all times. When I get bombed I sleep for about 3 hours... Sometimes I can sleep for like 15 hours straight on weekends, and other times i'd be lucky to get 4 hours of sleep...

[BigCasino]

Originally Posted by Rictor33

...I dont sleep well at all, and when I have company I usually do not sleep at all. I get really hot and sweaty and disgusting when I sleep, I need a fan on me @ all times...

You and me both bro!

I need the fan for two reasons:

A) Like you said it is hot and uncomfortable

B) I cannot sleep without the background noise the fan makes. I need a low-level constant sound like the fan. Anything dynamic, like a television (with different voices / sounds) prevents me from falling asleep, also without the fan it is simply "too quiet" and I can't sleep then either. Unfortunately my girlfriend has the opposite requirements... she can't stand the fan and needs the TV on to fall asleep. Well, the good thing is that she always falls asleep before I do, so once she is asleep it is good bye TV, hello fan . Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night and notices, proceeding to complain. A nice firm open palm slap to her behind usually sends he back to sleep


On a side note, I am envious of you guys that can get 4-5 hours and wake up feeling refreshed. I usually get 6-7 (not by choice, alarm wakes me up) and wake up feeling like a slug. All I can think about the first hour I am awake is doing whatever I have to do that day and then coming home to go to sleep. After a couple hours this feeling passes, but the point is I only ever wake up feeling reallly refreshed if I get about 9 hours.


p.s. Ageless u r a badass