Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Conversation >

Insomnia: someone out there has a cure

Tryphena Absent

00:15 / 12.08.02

God slone knows what's triggered it but my insomnia has come home to roost once again and so I petition you all - what makes it go away? I flatly refuse to take sleeping pills because I'm sure it's some freaky condition that can't be cured through drugs and is entirely self inflicted. There's a way to make it go naturally, I just need some help finding that way, please.

00:26 / 12.08.02

I'm pretty sure most threads in the Spectacle would work.

00:31 / 12.08.02

I gave up asking for advice about this a while ago. Haven't found anything that really works for me. My advice? Learn to live with it. Embrace the new, knackered you.

Tryphena Absent

00:37 / 12.08.02

It's just I get these lovely spells where sleep happens immediately and then... it goes. It's so fucking depressing I can't even express it. When all you want to do is sleep and it's this ambition to strive for all of a sudden.

00:41 / 12.08.02

yeah. Only way I've ever been able to deal with it is to just ride it like a withered camel.
yeah, you may feel rediculous... but hey! You're surrounded by sand and sun and... well... you might as well wear your TOTALLY cool sunglasses.

01:21 / 12.08.02

It's just I get these lovely spells where sleep happens immediately and then... it goes.

That's how it works with these things, you never get the same results. I can only suggest to get into a very uncomfortable and tiring body position, different each night, and hold it till you reach exhaustion, and go even beyond, you'll learn what kind of toxically exhaustive states you can reach. If you get to the magick forum read a bit about sigils and you'll know something to do while in those states.

Oh, and then go to bed.

01:43 / 12.08.02

I don't know if you'd consider Valerian extract natural, but I'm told it works.

02:39 / 12.08.02

Smoking a lot of weed will help you sleep, but then you'll be sleepy all the next day...

Try this mediative technique.

1. Get into bed
2. Concentrate on your toes and imagine them getting warm. Imagine them glowing with warmth. Imagine them completely relaxed, place your mind into your toes.
3. When your toes get warm, imagine the rest of your feet getting warm. Feel your warm toes warming your feet, feel the warm blood moving slowly up your body.
4. After your feet, go to you ankle, then lower leg, knee, thigh, remembering to concentrate on each part as you bring the warmth up.
5. By the time you get to your waste you should be asleep.
6. If this doesn't work try something else. Get up and have a warm, not caffinated, drink etc...

06:12 / 12.08.02

I had terrible insomnia a few years back - spent around three months barely sleeping. It went away the night Labour trounced the Tories (1997 I suppose) - while everyone else was celebrating, I had to crawl home and zonk out.

Two good ways of getting off to sleep:

- Play music. Something soft, really quietly, only just audible. I've never heard the end of a cd or tape I've played for this purpose.

- Masturbate. Always works for me, although I'd recommend it for just about any problem.

06:52 / 12.08.02

I take a homeopathic remedy that really seems to work - it sorted out a really chronic spell earlier this year. I hadn't slept properly for about two months before I found it, and I'd worked my way though a mountain of valerian and herbal teas by then.

I took it for about two weeks and it was wonderful. I was faling asleep immediately. I only had to take it for a short while, and I keep it on hand for any sign of insomnia starting again, in which case I take it for a few days.

It's made by Nelson's and called Noctura or something similar. Are you in the UK? You can get it at most healthfood shops. And Boots own brand has exactly the same stuff in and seems to work.

05:44 / 01.07.06

I feel like a cat in a jar in a box buried five feet under and all I want to do is stretch. I'd rather roll in fucking glass than feel this way. Sleep...please?

Happy Dave Has Left

06:44 / 01.07.06

Shrug, these Metafilter threads on sleep and insomnia might help some, have a look.

Solitaire Rose as Tom Servo

13:42 / 01.07.06

The best way to fight insomnia I have found is to create ritual around going to bed:

Always go to bed at the same time, if possible, do the same things before going to bed, don't eat four hours before going to bed, etc...

Also, if it lasts more than a few nights, go to a doctor. Once in a while is no big deal, on-going could be a symptom of something gone wrong with your system in some way.

14:39 / 01.07.06

Valerium and Homeopathy is very nice, but not if you have hardcore insomnia like me. I must admit that I am an occasional pillpopper/funnycigarettesmoker, especially when I know I have to be fit in the morning. But basically you have to play tricks on your own pattern. The best is: Don't stay in bed and toss and turn. Don't "try" to sleep. Get up. Be creative. Accuse your partner of infidelity or something, knit a sweater, burn cigarette holes in the carpet, watch a creepy movie and have a go at the fridge. Stay away from the bed at all cost till you are deadly tired.

15:11 / 01.07.06

Valerian didn't seem to do much for me except stink up my kitchen cabinet. To be more accurate, it works intermittently.

I have found diphenhydramine works like a charm.

I also have a very low tolerance for alcohol, so a good glass of syrah (sans diphenhydramine) is sure to relax me enough to do typical before-bedtime things, which then return me to the orbit of pre-sleep routine. A good thing.

17:36 / 01.07.06

I recommend getting up at 8, if not before.

Open all your windows.

Stretch your smiling muscles while you prepare breakfast.

Walk to the nearest market and carry all your shopping for one or two weeks home. (I recommend a rucksack)

Do your laundry.

Feed the cat. Chase the cat. Catch the cat. Apply disinfectant and plasters to arm/chest/neck/face.

Practise your favorite music instrument/hobby for 40 minutes.

Rearrange all the furniture in your bedroom, or the living room before lunch.

Have a salad for lunch, and fruit and nuts.

In the afternoon hoover your whole house/flat, and clean the bathroom.

Go to the beach with some children (or childish adults), a football, a frisbee, and maybe a dog, and run and swim and chase and sunbathe and play ball and frisbee and eat icecream for at least 4 hours.

Walk to the video shop and rent something.

Come home, eat something light, and go straight back out - meet some friends somewhere outdoors for coffee or some beer, or go for a long walk.

Come home and do your accounts, or sort your bills, or arrange your albums alphabetically.

Make a proper big dinner, with lots of tasty things, with music on quite loud. (feel free to dance, or do star jumps)

Eat in front of the tv with one or two glasses of wine.

Go to bed if you feel tired, otherwise, read a book.

Personally I would avoid "taking" something. And I wouldn't particularly avoid coffee or anything. And do it quick, while the weather's good...

19:08 / 01.07.06

Potentially the wrong thread... But I'm wondering if someone has a cure for the opposite of insomnia, whatever the technical term for that is. I sleep far too much. Maybe it's depression, I'm not sure.

20:43 / 01.07.06

nickp, it is important to get enough exercise, good quality protein/food and oddly enough vit C.

lso drinking spicy teas like ginger will pep your ass up with out negative side effects.

For insomnia I highly recommend hops tea. Some folks like beer for this reason as well.