# Someone please help me sleep :(



## IndianRopeTrick (Jul 25, 2013)

I am not getting enough sleep for some strange reason. There is no stress and my tummy seems near okay, except that I get a lot of gas in the morning. Please suggest something, even a boring movie will do.  I wonder how many IBSers sleep is affected due to IBS.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

How regular are your sleep patterns? Do you go to bed early enough to get 7-8 hours before your gut wakes up? Do you limit naps to one 20-minute nap during the day? Do you turn off the overhead lights and electronics an hour before bedtime? (read something boring with a lamp is OK or other quiet activity). Do you take a warm bath or shower at the start of the one hour wind down time?

Is your bedroom comfortable, dark, and cool enough for sleep? Do you avoid using the bed for reading, watching TV, doing work, etc. Do you get exercise and sunlight during the day? (FWIW a twenty minute walk in the sunshine during the day can help with that dark mood thing, too).

Have you tried melatonin at bedtime? Chalmomile tea? Do you only have caffiene in the morning? Or stop at 4 pm? (some people have to stop a noon others at 4 to get a good night's sleep)


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## Maegwin (Nov 11, 2012)

I make sure I go to bed early enough for 7 to 8 hours of sleep but my gut wakes me up a lot too. Usually it's towards morning, 3-4 hours before I want to wake up. Sometimes all I can do is take a pain med and go back to sleep once it kicks in.


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## IndianRopeTrick (Jul 25, 2013)

Kathleen M. said:


> How regular are your sleep patterns? Do you go to bed early enough to get 7-8 hours before your gut wakes up? Do you limit naps to one 20-minute nap during the day? Do you turn off the overhead lights and electronics an hour before bedtime? (read something boring with a lamp is OK or other quiet activity). Do you take a warm bath or shower at the start of the one hour wind down time?
> 
> Is your bedroom comfortable, dark, and cool enough for sleep? Do you avoid using the bed for reading, watching TV, doing work, etc. Do you get exercise and sunlight during the day? (FWIW a twenty minute walk in the sunshine during the day can help with that dark mood thing, too).
> 
> Have you tried melatonin at bedtime? Chalmomile tea? Do you only have caffiene in the morning? Or stop at 4 pm? (some people have to stop a noon others at 4 to get a good night's sleep)


Thanks for all your questions Kathy. They all make sense to me.

Sleep patterns - Irregular. Mostly, I sleep at 11/12 PM, usually after doing some work or entertainment on my computer.(Bad I guess)

7-8 hours - Often I do. But, will my body rest for that much time ? 60% of the times.

Daytime naps - None, need to have low amount of tea to keep churning code, at less than best speed though. 

Switch off electrics hour before bed - No, never. Not even once.

Shower before bed - No. It feels odd, especially when I have not really sweat much.

Bedroom - comfortable. could have someone to cuddle up with though 

Avoid using bed for tv, work etc - yes.

Exercise - not as often and as much as i like. 2-3 times a week. few minutes per day - 30 to 75

Melatonin - A drug ? Will see the side effects. Such things scare me. Wonder if I will lose my natural ability to sleep (whatever is left of it)

Chalmomile tea - never tried

Caffeine in morning - often, 3-4 times a week. Got to code like nuts. Hate the 1 cup of caffeine, but I have no choice. Either lose my job eventually (???) or have caffeine.

Sometimes, I have hot chocolate too. I rarely have caffeine after 4pm

Thanks once again. Back to some work now in a couple of minutes, before I get some sleep  Earlier, it was okay when I would sleep late, but my gut would usually remain "quiet" until the right time.


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## IndianRopeTrick (Jul 25, 2013)

Maegwin said:


> I make sure I go to bed early enough for 7 to 8 hours of sleep but my gut wakes me up a lot too. Usually it's towards morning, 3-4 hours before I want to wake up. Sometimes all I can do is take a pain med and go back to sleep once it kicks in.


Diarrhea ? Which pain med ? Thanks.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Melatonin is a dietary supplement. It is what your brain produces to say "sleep now". It is a chemical already in your body every day of your life.

The light from computers and such are known to disrupt sleep so finding something analog to do for at least a bit of time before bed can help. The shower is just to warm your body up a little bit as that drop in body temperature is a normal "go to sleep now" signal so can be a low tech, side effect free way to help yourself go to sleep more easily.

I often shower before bed because I have allergies and the less pollen that I've accumulated during the day I take to bed with me the better.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

i know it can be hard to do but it really does help to switch off all electronics an hour before going to bed, like Kathleen said. made a big difference for me! although i do watch tv--lol. i just make sure it's a low key program or movie--no violence or suspense--that way it makes me drowsy and kind of lulls me to sleep.

i have found that sleeping on my left side helps relieve colon discomfort and pain especially if it's due to bloating. sometimes when i do this i even put a somewhat flat pillow under my bloated belly --it sort of supports it and makes it feel better. helps me relax and sleep easier.

good luck--hopefully you can try some of Kathleen's suggestions and your sleep will improve.


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## IndianRopeTrick (Jul 25, 2013)

Kathleen M. said:


> Melatonin is a dietary supplement. It is what your brain produces to say "sleep now". It is a chemical already in your body every day of your life.


Are there any melatonin supplements with negligible side effects that can really help me sleep better once in a while ?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I think they all have the same side effects. There isn't a particular brand that would be more side effect free than any other brand.

Many people find they help. A lot of people use them when traveling to get to sleep at the right time in the new time zone.

I use them occasionally. Usually the main problem is people take them too late in the night (so if a pill at 10 pm didn't work they take one at 2 am and then may still be in sleep mode at wake up time).

http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/melatonin

Like anything it can have nocebo effects (the opposite of placebo) where people get symptoms even from things that can't cause side effects because the know they took something. So if you tend to get really anxious about side effects and certain you will get them, your anxiety may cause them or you may condition yourself to get sick whenver you take any pill, even one unlikely to cause problems. If you are going to worry yourself into feeling worse by taking something, then don't take anything, just do the behavioral things.


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## lifeisahorrorstory (Oct 24, 2013)

I struggle with horrible insomnia from peeing all the time.I take 2 passionflower capsules two hours b4 bed and I do cardio which helps me fall asleep fast but I can't stay asleep from peeing, I get migraines all the time and I have dark circles like a zombie.

I know most melatonin supplements are too high and can make insomnia worse . It gives me a migraine. I've read 1/2 mg in liquid form can help without awful side effects but it's hard to find where I live.


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## NoRainNoRainbow83 (Nov 19, 2013)

I'm up pretty late every night, especially nights my cramps are bad. On normal nights that I just can't seem to sleep, reading some good books is always nice or drawing, or writing too. The time goes by fast and once I cleared out my busy head and I can usually curl up and sleep pretty good


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