Two things you said really made an impression on me:
1. [b]“…when you’re in bed with a pillow over your face, and you can think of nothing worse than putting your two feet on the floor, that’s exactly what you have to do, if you’ve slept your eight hours.”[/b]
2. [b]“…if I slept over nine hours, I felt more depressed.”[/b]
This couldn’t be more true for me. I suffer from depression (I guess most doctors call it mild, but when it’s yours, it ain’t mild), and most mornings I hit the snooze button several times until finally I drag myself out of bed and go to work, but sometimes I fail. I just can’t do it and I end up calling in sick or wasting another vacation day. Then I lay there and fall back asleep, waking up at noon and feeling more miserable than ever and disgusted at having let myself down again.
I think I’ll print out that #1 item and stick it to my alarm clock. It’s very inspirational and absolutely true.

sleep ahhh blessed sleep. That safe place we depressives love to go,….uh…the ONLY place we love to go and pretend the world doesn’t exist. I hadn’t thought of the rhythm of sleep affecting my mood, but perhaps I need to keep yet another journal with sleep moods in it. I know the pms thing really does a number on me…and only during the full moon – seriously! But thanks for bringing this to mind even though Lord knows there’s already enough in there. There might be room for one more thing…thanks.

I’m sooooooooooooooo thankful that I found your blog!!! I can relate to just about everything you’ve written except the part of being successful. I just lost another job last Tues after being there for a record year (would have been next month). I have battled with Depression all my life and have been on meds again for almost a year again this time…last night I couldn’t sleep but i made myself lay there anyhow until I fell asleep about 6am this morning. I feel like crap and am sooooooooo sick of all this depressive stuff. Nothing works for me but thanks for sharing.

Therese, Speaking of sleep, have you ever slept on a magnetic pad or mattress,with magnetic,far-infrared comfortor and pillow? I have, and my sleep is deep,stage 4-5,less hours than normal and still refreshed and energized. No match for anything out there and all without drugs.

I should have known. I’ve been able to sleep ten, twelve, fourteen hours easy since I was 18. I’m 40 now. The depression was only diagnosed about six years ago. I have spent a lot of time sleeping six hours a night during the work week, then feeling like (and sometimes actually doing it) sleeping through the entire weekend. Making my sleep diet consistent should have been a no-brainer after all this time.
The comment made by Wizard… I could not have described my pattern more perfectly than what you did. It sounds like it’s time for me to start a sleep journal.
Thank you Therese for being so transparent. I keep telling myself there is a way out of this cycle, but after 22 years it is hard to continue convincing myself of that. Then I see your writing. I see someone out there who shares my dilemma and has seen light at the end of the tunnel.
Hope. That is what I needed. That is your gift to me. Thank you! Thank you!

Most of my life I have slept only 6 hours per night. I have been having problems with my memory and saw a program on PBS that said a lack of sleep over a period of time can cause memory loss. I have been going to a neurologist for the past year and had a lot of test recently. I have not received any reports yet from him. I was wondering if any one has had such problems with memory. I was told that it was not Alzheimer which I was glad to hear.

I am sooooo glad I’m not a manic depressive who can’t sleep!!!! I can sleep anytime, anywhere, any position, any temperature…..any time! I love to sleep and have no trouble doing so……I feel for you insomiacs who can’t……I am not depressed and my mood is almost, always the same……..ct

So that’s my problem! I was diagnosed in 1996 with bi-polar disorder and have been battling for the last 10 years. Meds work and then don’t work and right now I’m on this kick where I wake up at least 4 times during the night. I try to go to bed at the same time- 9pm – and wake at the same time -6 am-, but something is getting lost in the translation! Oh well it is nice to know that someone knows what I’m going through! Thanks for your blog!

Thiamin is a culprit for memory loss I had the same problem about 4 years ago and I was thiamin depleted so all B12 B2 B4 are a great start and great for energy the natural occuring energy will not give you the jitters as coffee or cola will in about 20 days I felt I could give the minutes of the G8 summit by my memory alone just kidding about the G8 summit but true I could remember alot better than before I started Thiamin treatment/reuptake and guess what? my sleep was better too so try it what do you have to lose as it will not harm you if taken as directions tell you I believe in helping myself before pricey trips to the doc. hope this helps
Janice

I can tell when I am not getting enough sleep or cannot get the quality sleep I need. What is worse, others can tell. I am not grumpy or things like that; I am just not as sharp as “normal”. I have also noticed that if I do not get enough quality sleep, I will get a migraine.
I invested in a comfortable bed and bedding, make sure the temperature is comfortable in the room, and I try to not eat meals after 7 pm. I will add the vitamins and see if that can help when I travel.

I have always had problems with sleep also. No matter what time I lay my head on my pillow, I wake up at least 3-4 four times a night. Althought I may go back to sleep within 20-30 minutes, I am absolutely worn out when I wake in the am!!! If you calulate the amount of missed zzzz’s due to insomnia, it amounts to approxiamtely 1-2 hrs of sleep each night. I sympathize with others who share the same sleep disorder. Most mornings when my feet hit the floor I feel as if I didnt get any rest at all.

Few years back before I was diaognised with Diabetes II I was sleeping well but last few months has been bad. Some nights I donot sleep at all. Reading your articles have tought me something which I am going to try. THANK YOU.

I started losing sleep when I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I have a husband who snores so loud that I can’t even hear. I have tried just about every drug out
there and nothing has worked. My doctor put me on seroqyl, (not sure of the spelling last week ) it may work we will see. The first two nights I took it, it took awhile to kick in put I did sleep through the night. Any more suggestions? Thanks!

Thanks for your blog & articles on quality sleep.My experience is: I used to have dinner to-gether with my husband at 9.30 pm due to his working time,and go to sleep at 11.30 after having our family prayers to-gether.I’m now 68,and up to now this habit doesn’t bother me, but how it will affect my body in the next?I need your advise !Thanks again !

My sleep pattern is not normal and I awake every four hours and feel real tired. Thanks I will try your method.

I have had sleep problems for years. I was prescribed Ambien, and have tried Lunesta, however they both left me hung over in the morning. I felt as though I still needed to sleep until noon. Well, than wasn’t an option. So I’ve experimented with some herbal sleep aids. I get “SLEEP Blend SP-17″ at a place called the Vitimin Shop. GNC probabley carries it too. It is a homeopathic blend of Valerian, Hops, Skullcap, Passion Flower, Dandelion, Chamomile, Marshmello, and Hawthorne Berry. Alot of herbs, I know, but it even worked better than 3 mg. of Meletonin, which I’ve also tried. I can awake without feeling dragged out even on mornings when I have to be to work at 6 am. So if go to bed at the same time each and up the same time each morning doesn’t do the trick for you, give this a try.

I HAVE REALLY HARD TIME GETTING TO SLEEP I LAY AWAKE FOR HOURS AT NIGHT IT’S NOT UNTIL 3 OR 4 AM WHEN I DO GET TO SLEEP

Hi there—Sandra, with the snoring spouse—for goodness’ sake get him to a MD and have him set up for a sleep study!!! Snorrers more-often-than-not suffer sleep apnea (Google that, there’s plenty to learn about it) and if that’s the case it is treatable. If it is part of his picture, if can be life-threatening over the long term. I am a RN and I have it and got it dealt with and the quality of life made is indescribeable. Anyone with wierd wake-up patterns in middle of night on a regular basis can benefit from a sleep study. Some people have VERY active limbs in their sleep and that will be recognized and can be worked with. Itt may be helped as easily as that. Best of luck!!!

I fall asleep immediately… I am so appreciating having a bed and a roof over my head, I am happy about it.. don’t drink caffine after 3 pm and sometimes I have a bowl of oatmeal in the evening if I am hungry. It sticks to me during the night. I think that maybe just being hungry might be the problem. Giving thanks to the Lord for all that I have been blessed with. I am not rich and I have the basics in life… giving thanks is my sleep remedy.

I am now 46 years old and I still enjoy 8 to 10 hours sleep.
A lot of women my age say that as a person gets older, the number of sleep that we get also decreases..Well, not me! The older I get the more I just want to sleep…That is why, if I can’t sleep straight..I feel sick.

Get plenty of exercise in the evening before bedtime and you will rest.

between hot flashes and back pain at night when its time to sleep i really see more than 3 hours at all in a night.
i am nothing but a pill pusher till the MD finds out what will work for me for my back pain, have been through all pain management appt. i can go to,nothing works………… i am a mess………. need sleep
kathy

Kathy, I too have back pain and the hot flashes. Have you tired a chiropractor for your back? They can do wonders. I have degenerative disk disease as well as a herniated disk at C 5 & 6. I neurologist told me I would have to have surgery for the herniated disk. The surgery would have to be performed by going through my throat to do it. I said no way. I decided to go to a chiropractor. He has helped me a lot. He relieves the pressure on my spine and does massage and heat therapy. And it really is not at all that expensive. I feel so much better when I leave his office. I don’t have the pain like I did, it is only mild now. I still have not had the surgery and that was 10 yrs ago I was told I would have to have it. Try it, It may help you like it did me. As for the hot flashes, if you ever find out what will help, let me know. Soy relieves it some. Black Cohosh helps a lot but I can’t take that because it lowers my heart rate and I refuse to take precribed hormones because some of them cause cancer. Hope all this halps you girl.

Kathy, I too understand all to well what you are going thru. Iam 46yro female who is lucky to get 2-3 hrs sleep during whole night. And those hours are broken up into 20-30min intervals. I have right shoulder pain that causes my whole upper back to contract. Also I have been having severe muscle cramps in both legs and feet. Pain is so severe that it takes at least half hour to go back to sleep. I am currently using muscle relaxers and pain med prescribe my doctor, but it provides little help. Iam so stressed out about not sleeping. Sleeping is now a added stress. I get upset when it is near time for bed, knowing what my night will probabley be like. Any help from anyone would be greatley appreciated. God Bless!!

Hi Kathy,
For Hot Flashes-& night sweats I used a herbal medication called “Dong Quin”or (angelica) take ONE a day. I bought the pills at Copps Foods. If you skip -your period might start -it is that effective!! I took it till my periods were over. I never had a hot flash or night sweat or irregular periods once while using Dong Quin. It sure made a difference in my life /
Also for leg cramps I take a 50 mg tablet of pottasium Once a day in the morning . If I over exert by climbing steps or walking up hill & get cramps even after taking the one Pottassium pill in the morning . I take another pill once the cramps start-Amazingly in a few moments my body relaxes & I can go back to sleep . Good Luck!Diane

I can really relate to the back pain and being unable to sleep. I myself just was informed that i have a bulge in my back disk so that is what cause the pain some of the medecine works some don’t. On days when the meds are not working those are the days my sleep is non-existent and i may sleep 3 or 4 hrs if that many. However, i have considered going for accupuncture.I also thought about a more Eastern approach in dealing with this pain. I hope that helps. Shheri.

I know that if a woman drugs alcohol prior to going to bed that will definitely impact sleep patterns. Also stress.

I have knew many cases such as this one. Is there any possible solutions regarding problems of those people who can’t sleep well?

I have here some tips on how to sleep well..why not try to take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime. Hot bath will raise your body temperature, but it is the drop in body temperature that may leave you feeling sleepy.