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I know there is a relatively recent "sleep issue" thread which I have read, but I have a particular problem and I didn't see anyone else having the same issue.

I work a rotating shift (overnights, evenings, days) and I am now at the 2 year mark with this work schedule. I also spend 15-18 hrs per week triathlon training (half IM and full IM). I have had sleep issues all my life (a lot of time it would just take me several hours to fall asleep - this dates back to when I was a kid) but nothing that was affecting my life. Then I got this job. For the first year, I was ok. I could still sleep at night and most of the time I could sleep during the day when I worked nights. Sporadically I would have problems like I have always had, but after a night or 2 of not sleeping well, I would be tired enough and sleep again. After a year, I stopped being able to sleep during the day. At this point, I moved to a new apartment that was darker and quieter, bought one of those white noise machines, and went to the doctor to get Ambien. For a while, taking 1/3 of an Ambien pill would work when I needed help, but I wasn't taking it consistently, and would take melatonin on nights (or days) when I didn't take the Ambien.

Now, after 2 years, I find that I cannot sleep at night either. Ambien no longer helps (after taking it nightly for 6 weeks straight I think it has lost its effectiveness) so I've stopped taking it to try to wean off of it. So even though I am exhausted when I go to bed, I can't sleep. I can take deep breaths, relax my body muscle by muscle into total relaxation and feel myself like 1 second away from falling asleep, and then my brain goes "OH MY GOD I'M ALMOST ASLEEP" and that's it - I come back from that state.

Has anybody had experience with this? I think it must be a mental issue I am having. I am wondering if going to see my doctor again would be a good idea, or maybe seeing a therapist? I am getting desperate...

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IM Coeur D'Alene 2011
IM Wisconsin 2011
http://alexaharding.blogspot.com
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Re: New sleep thread [JustJumpIt17] [ In reply to ]
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Shift work disorder? That's supposedly this real deal where people with no set schedules get all out of whack (like you describe) & eventually wind up not functioning well either awake or asleep.

I think our natural circadian rhythms are just built in somehow & even though I tend to be a night owl I can still train myself (eventually) to sleep fairly soon upon command. Note: that doesn't mean I sleep well.

Sounds like pure misery - sorry I can't help more. But I would ask about Shift Work Disorder & see what can be done. The only suggestion I would have is to have a set routine that you do before attempting to go to sleep - some series of actions that create the habit...be it shower, teeth, music/white noise, bed...that might help. My body is trained to a routine - take shower, lotion, brush teeth, dogs inside, lay down, set alarms & the late news - if I can do that in the same pattern I usually wind up fading out fairly quickly. If I go to sleep before the news (or after) I turn on music or noise fairly quietly & go through a relaxation pattern. But my problem hasn't ever really been going to sleep - it's staying asleep.

Good luck...let us know if there are any good tips.

AW
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Re: New sleep thread [JustJumpIt17] [ In reply to ]
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That sounds like hell!

It does sound like you may have answered your own question in your second to last paragraph. It sounds like slowly over time you've gotten more and more worked up about not being able to sleep, which has lead to you having more and more trouble sleeping.

Reminds me of the nights leading up to a race where normally I won't worry much whether or not I can sleep but before a race it seems all so important to get a good nights sleep...so of course by worrying about it so much it makes it incredibly difficult. Although before a race there's always mental checklists that I find myself doing that makes sleep hard. Are you worrying about anything else?

Is there any way that you can convince yourself that it doesn't matter if you sleep or not? Maybe try to go to bed without even thinking about sleep. Is there something relaxing that you can think about instead?

Wish I could be more help.
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Re: New sleep thread [JustJumpIt17] [ In reply to ]
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I recently started using this podcast to help get me to sleep - http://itunes.apple.com/...rmations/id436614472

I not generally into affirmations or that type of "flakey" stuff but I find this really helps me turn off my mind and get to sleep. I normally take forever to get to sleep and wake up multiple times throughout the night but the four nights I've used this I've slept like a log.

There are quite a few podcasts out there to help you get to sleep. I downloaded a bunch when I was having issues in the fall, for some reason I didn't actually listen to this one until this week.

Hopefully you find a solution.
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Re: New sleep thread [JustJumpIt17] [ In reply to ]
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How do your shifts rotate? Is it regular?
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Re: New sleep thread [Jodi] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the responses! I tried the affirmation podcast and it ALMOST worked but I think my anxiety level towards sleep is just too high. I saw my doctor today and he is sending me to a sleep specialist.. I guess I just have a problem with being on sleep medication every night for the rest of my life. My doctor says that he has patients that do exactly that, but personally I feel like it's a short term solution to a long term problem. I don't want to be medicated for my entire life!!

As for my shifts, I work 2 weeks of C shift (11 pm - 7:15 am), 1 week of B shift (3 pm - 11:15 pm), and then 2 weeks of A shift (7 am - 3:15 pm). And then I just keep repeating that 5 week cycle. It's M-F so on the weekends, I am up during the day and asleep at night regardless of what shift I was on during the week.

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IM Coeur D'Alene 2011
IM Wisconsin 2011
http://alexaharding.blogspot.com
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Re: New sleep thread [JustJumpIt17] [ In reply to ]
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I also found this website that has some tips that I am going to try.

http://www.sleepingtricks.com/

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IM Coeur D'Alene 2011
IM Wisconsin 2011
http://alexaharding.blogspot.com
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Re: New sleep thread [JustJumpIt17] [ In reply to ]
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This problem never happens to me as i always fall asleep in about ten minutes.
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Re: New sleep thread [Azura89] [ In reply to ]
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Be aware of how lucky you are!!! Even on a good sleep night for me, it takes over an hour to fall asleep.. and I haven't had one of those in at least a year (without the help of sleep meds).

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IM Coeur D'Alene 2011
IM Wisconsin 2011
http://alexaharding.blogspot.com
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