Sleep deprived

This is not directly related to daycare, but it is....I can't sleep! For months now I've been dealing with sleep issues and I'm tired. Each time it gets better, I hit another phase of not being able to fall asleep at night. The later I fall asleep...the earlier I wake up!
Do you know hard it is to put on a happy face for these little munchkins, when I just want more sleep!
I'm not really looking for advice...I've tried plenty of things, and am even taking meds...which were supposed to be temporary and I'm trying to reduce...just venting really!

I can so relate gcj -- I am on meds for hypothyroidism, and get very sleepy.... :(

I'm an insomniac and I get so very tired sometimes that I think I'm going to just drop. Over the past few years I have scheduled a week off in the spring, one in the summer, and one in the fall, then one at Christmas, which I just started last year. In this way I know that I'll have a week off every 3 months to recharge and refresh and come back stronger. I just have to budget well. None of my daycare families have ever complained about my vacations because they just schedule their vacations at the same time as mine.

Do you know the cause of your insomnia momof4? I can't complain too much about schedule either. I follow the school year. Closed for the summer, Christmas and March Break. Again, budgeting is essential, but so is prioritizing these early years of my kids' lives....

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Originally Posted by gcj

Do you know the cause of your insomnia momof4? I can't complain too much about schedule either. I follow the school year. Closed for the summer, Christmas and March Break. Again, budgeting is essential, but so is prioritizing these early years of my kids' lives....

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Oh, being closed all summer would be heavenly! I know quite a few providers in my city who have changed to teachers only daycares and I think they are brilliant. I've always been an insomniac, a night person who can't fall asleep. I have no idea why but at least I do have some weeks where I sleep 7 hours or so straight through and it makes me very happy. Do you have something similar like that? Sometimes I fall asleep right away at about 11 then wake at 2am and can't go back to sleep until about an hour before my alarm goes off. It makes me insane!

I don't know what my problem is. When each of my kids hit 6 months I had a phase that lasted a few months. And this fall it started again. I'd been diagnosed with celiac just before and it was a long recovery...I think it's related to that, then the cycle just began....or ended and I can't get back on track. I definitely over-think it and make it worse, though. And my husbands snoring has become an issue.....but last night was great! And what a difference....

I slept almost 7 hours straight last night, isn't that funny? I feel so much better when that happens. For me, I think it's a matter of getting enough exercise during the day and especially in the evening to make me sleep. Also, I'm a tea drinker so I'm trying to drink green tea every evening instead of caffinated tea. I'm kind of like you gcj with cycles hitting me and I can't figure out the reasons, but it is so hard on your health when you can't sleep.

check your green tea, too. It's not naturally caffeine free. So, unless you have decaffeinated, it's got caffeine!

Hey gcj, how you doing????? I just had a week of vacation and apparently I'm too rested to sleep. One more day until the little monkeys come back to my house so I can take it easy but insomnia is my cross to bear tonight I guess.

I have been having trouble sleeping too but for me it is stress related. I am going through some major family and financial stress right now and I can't seem to get my mind to stop long enough to sleep. Hubby gets annoyed because I sit downstairs watching TV till all hours but he has no clue why I am so stressed and I really don't think he would understand. Just cause he doesn't seem to be affected by everything that is going on. I am on the verge of tears all the time and I have to pretend not to be and it's really hard. Sorry to hijack your thread.

Oh ladies - sleep schedule is so very important for our health and sanity too boot!

I use to have sleep issues after a back injury and the pain screwed up my cycle - I ended up going to a sleep clinic to get back on track and just wanted to share that "Television / Computer" is the WORST thing for an insomniac to engage in anywhere close to bedtime - while people often fall asleep to the speed of the TV images to the brain for processing mess up the brains ability to reach that REM sleep that is actually needed to STAY asleep - so you end up surface sleeping, waking easy and feeling tired. I stop watching TV or engaging in computer work at least an hour before I want to be 'asleep' instead read a book, listen to soothing music and do a crossword puzzle or something else where the images are more 'calming' and can help to empty and clear your mind for bed time.

Another thing that was suggested was writing your 'worries' down in a journal and closing it up with a locked style journal with the mental imagery that the 'worries will stay THERE' for the evening and that you are not to think about them until morning and than in a separate book keep a 'gratitude journal' of all the things that day that were AWESOME - that is the last thing you do before going to bed and keep your focus on those positive things for a sleep filled sleep :)

I know it seems all 'flaky' but the brain is a marvelous thing and if we focus on the positive and awesome of life the worries seem much less and slowly tend to take care of themselves.

Sending sleeping vibes your way - if it is really becoming an issue for you go see your Dr for advice ... there is counseling and other sleep services aside for 'medication' to help reset your sleep cycle!

I know it seems all 'flaky' but the brain is a marvelous thing and if we focus on the positive and awesome of life the worries seem much less and slowly tend to take care of themselves.

Not flaky at all... I can see by some of your other posts regarding "abundance" mentality, etc. that you and I have some very similar ideologies. Manifestation is such a powerful force....
And I love the locked journal idea. I always journal if I am having issues sleeping, and more often than not, it helps me to doze off.

I went through the same thing. Never been a great sleeper but when my kid turned 6 months, I just stopped all together. Then after a few months I was fine, and then a while later it happened again. I had just weened myself off the meds and then my child decided it was her turn to never sleep . . . . ever. She's much better now but we've all been up for days now, coughing until we puke. Back to the doctor today for all or us.

I'm so sorry this is happening. Chin up!!!

I can totally relate jodaycare! My hubby seems oblivious to everyday things that seem to stress me out (mainly financial stress) and the constant feeling of having to be 'on' all the time. Work 12 hours a day, then still have to take care of my own children and their needs/wants in the evenings, plus everything that comes with a house (bill payments, cleaning, repairs etc.) Always worrying that if one child leaves daycare will i be able to fill the spot in time to get our bills paid...

I think it is just a man thing. I am also dealing with what I believe is perimenopause, I have not had a period since Dec 27 and hubby took chemotherapy drugs 16 year ago and was deemed sterile so we haven't not used birth control since so I am 99% positive that I am not pregnant yet I am terrified to find out for sure. I have absolutely no symptoms of pregnancy other than no period. This happened last year at this time too and I went 47 days between periods then has 2 in Dec, 19 days apart. I was up all night Sunday night worrying about life and yesterday I just dozed off and on all day but thankfully I got 4 solid hours last night. However I have a headache (again) today and am just feeling miserable.

my brain just thinks of nothing...it doesn't stop, but there's nothing in particular. I once heard the term for this...I forget now. It can be as dumb as a random sentence that I can't stop repeating. (I swear I'm normal! Typing that I realize how odd it is :ohmy:)
Thanks for asking momof4. I've been on and off. I have a couple good nights, then off again. Nothing consistent. Glad you had a vacation, but sorry your body decided to go on a sleep strike after.
the only that stresses me out is not being able to sleep....but I guess that's huge! I'm setting myself up. I've heard so many times about not watching TV, maybe it's time I cut it out after a certain hour. But some nights after getting up and watching a bit it does put me to sleep :confused:

gcj you are normal but obviously you are under stress. It can really make you crazy and exhausted and frustrated. I have so many nights when I just want a switch to flick to turn my brain off! Tv sucks in the middle of the night I've discovered over the years so now I just turn on my bedroom light and read. I just don't know what to do the next day when I'm trying to feel normal at work but my eyes feel like they are full of sand. A long walk and lots of exercise in the evening seems to help me and I try not to eat anything after 7pm so that there isn't anything bothering my stomach. Just a few tips. Feel free to share yours please!