I feel like I've been awake for two weeks

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SolveEtCoagula

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On both sides of the family, insomnia of varying intensities has been passed down for generations among other things; so I'm pretty used to getting less than enough sleep and being nocturnal. Normally I'll be awake all night til around 7 or 8 am and then crash til around 2 or so. 

Nearly 6 or so months back I started working a regular day job refinishing cabinets and painting homes (interior/exterior). I gotta be up every morning by 5am and out the door by 6. Usually I work from 7-3:30/4.

At first I figured I just wasnt sleeping because my body needed to reset and adjust itself for mornings but it's been months now and each week I get seemingly less and less sleep. I had been nocturnal since as long as I can remember so maybe I still am adjusting, who knows? 

Work had been pretty slow and i was doing maybe 30hrs weekly consistently until 2 weeks ago. Things picked up real fast and now we are up to our friggin eyeballs in cabinets and grouchy old people who lack the patience to appreciate the time we put into their nasty ass cabinets and walls. I'm putting in 45, nearly 50 hrs this week. Last week was 42. I'm only making 10 dollars an hour at an apprentice wage atm so I'm not rolling in cash like at all. Before I started this job I did A few years of food service. It's just a tad frustrating to think that I'm working 3 times as hard as I was beforehand and making less money too. Nearly 3 dollars an hour less which adds up.

For the most part tho I love my current job as it's way more satisfying/gratifying than any of my previous entry level jobs, I certainly get more respect from my folks n what have you. I enjoy what I do but I just cant get it off my mind. I lay down with maybe 4 or 5 hours to get some sleep and I just lay there half awake, deep in thought; practically daydreaming about work. I figured that would go away after a few weeks too, but it hasn't.

So for the past 2 weeks I've been running on caffeine, THC and Nicotine and been buzzing pretty hard most of the day even at work just to stay awake. Everytime I "wake up" I feel just a little more tired than I did when I laid down a few hours before. All I can do is lay still as can be and get lost in thought, re-running through the successes and failures of the day/week/month and thinking hard about what I'll be doing tomorrow; almost rehearsing tomorrow in my head rather than dreaming or sleeping. Some nights I might pass out but that's not usually until I've got maybe an hour to sleep on left.

Like I've said, I've had my share of sleepless nights for plenty of different reasons over the years but never have I been kept awake for so long by thoughts of work.

Anybody else ever have this issue?
Anybody got any ideas about sleep? Like, any idea at all really is appreciated.
 
TheRealCallie said:
Have you tried melatonin?  Also, no screens before bed or even in bed at all.  Try reading a book before bed.
Eating right before bed is also not a good idea.

I'm familiar with melatonin. It doesnt seem to help me get to sleep (maybe stay asleep) and when I wake up after using it I'm drowsy all day. 

The screen stuff I get tho it's easier said than done. 

People still read books?
 
Man that really sucks. There is a ton of information out there about how to sleep better. But, a lot of it is regurgitated BS. Drugs help but you usually can't get the deep sleep your body and mind needs. I will preface anything I say by stating I've rarely had sleeping problems. So, any advice I give is only from what I've read from past curiosity during mild sleep problems and my limited experience with them.

But, I do believe that NOT taking any stimulants helps. Caffine and sugar is bad as well as other stimulating drugs. Your body wants and needs to sleep. It's your mind that says F U. I want to keep working. Your mind controls everything. A big issue is thinking about crap when trying to sleep. That is a big no-no. Do not try to solve any problems. Also only get into bed when you are ready to sleep. You have to train yourself that the bed is only for sleep not for lounging around in when bored. If you aren't sleeping get out of the bed.

Now, you are kind of Fd because you need the stimulants to function during the day. It's a trap. At some point you'll need and hopefully get a break. At that point, maybe you can taper off the stimulants.

As far as the mind thing. Some say count sheep or whatever. That never worked for me. I start using higher math functions on the sheep. Soon they multiply out of control and I'm wide awake. **** the sheep!!!! Ha! Ha! 

Instead I try to relax as much as possible. I think F work, F this, F that, F it all. Nothing matters. It really doesn't. Then I take deep slow breaths in, hold them, and then slowly let them out. I then begin to think about the air entering and exiting my body. I imagine all the frustrations and the day's bad crap leaving while healthy fresh clean air enters. At times I image being in a few very tranquil special places I've been to in the past. I think about the cool wind blowing while hearing the birds chirping softly in the background. I can hear the pine needles making the sounds that they do. There are no people a round to bother me. 

Maybe you can imagine being in a nature setting that contains a small stream. The water is trickling over the rocks making a very relaxing sound. Think about being amongst the flow of the water. Maybe you can even purchase a sound machine that contains a bubbling brook sound if you are having a difficult time imagining the situation. Shift your focus to that sound. Think about the pattern of the sound.

It feels and seems so nice being in my special place. I'm usually asleep within 5 minutes of my head hitting the pillow. You have to train yourself that sleeping is a pleasurable reward that you deserve. I earn and deserve the right to sleep. I look forward to it. It's not something you just do while you wait to actually get honeysuckle accomplished the next day. In the larger picture of things the next day doesn't mean a **** thing. So, don't worry about it.​

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SolveEtCoagula said:
TheRealCallie said:
Have you tried melatonin?  Also, no screens before bed or even in bed at all.  Try reading a book before bed.
Eating right before bed is also not a good idea.

I'm familiar with melatonin. It doesnt seem to help me get to sleep (maybe stay asleep) and when I wake up after using it I'm drowsy all day. 

The screen stuff I get tho it's easier said than done. 

People still read books?

My advice generally is not easy. lol  Give it a try though.  About an hour before you want to go to sleep, put the screens down and pick up a book.  And yes, people still read books. :p

Also, have you tried CBD oil for getting to sleep? I know several people that find it helpful in getting to sleep.
 
"Also, have you tried CBD oil for getting to sleep?  I know several people that find it helpful in getting to sleep."

___

I find that THC/CBD/etc. Keeps me up regardless of strain, percentage or method of ingestion. Even smoking heavy 30%thc indicas just kinda keeps me up but feelin lazy.

Where the hell am I supposed to get books? Library is hella closed cuz kovaids.
 

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