Here it is 1am and I am wide awake!:mad: Yup, I just spent over an hour laying in my bed trying to sleep but all I could do was think! Think about all kinds of stupid things, things I really dont need to think about because its stuff I already know or stuff that will never happen!:rolleyes:

This is an ADD thing right?:confused:

Are you on meds?

I use to have trouble getting to sleep and waking up. Recently that changed to just getting up, and I can just basicaly lie down and go to sleep. Now that I am on meds, I'm having a bit of trouble again going to sleep....

Is your mind racing through thoughts? Or is it more about worrying? Making lists?

Here it is 1am and I am wide awake!:mad: Yup, I just spent over an hour laying in my bed trying to sleep but all I could do was think! Think about all kinds of stupid things, things I really dont need to think about because its stuff I already know or stuff that will never happen!:rolleyes:

This is an ADD thing right?:confused:It's the ADD thing for some -- especially on meds.

I'm classic ADD (probably inattentive) and sleep like a baby, like the dead, take Adderall sometimes late and drink coffee throughout the day, and sleep...zzzZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZZzzzz z z z z z z

For you is this normal or just tonight?

Experiment: Try to stay awake. A recent study (I'll have to get back to you on the source) showed that by struggling to sleep, the brain can neurologically "freak out" and make it/you more awake. So by trying to stay awake (focus on that) you trick your brain into shutting down and fall a sleep more quickly. Haven't tried it because I don't need it. Can't hurt.

Let us know,

SL :)

Yes, I just started Ritalin, I didn't even think of it, mostly because I've been taking Wellbutrin and it hasn't kept me awake at all. And like SolarLife I usually don't have trouble with stuff like that keeping me awake, even if I drink coffee late. But it very well could be the Ritalin.

The thought were just all over the place, not worrying or making lists.

As SB_UK said somewhere: thought is the great stimulator: ritalin spin's the neuro wheels. Since you just started, the insomnia may diminish with time.

How late in the day do you take Ritalin?

My sister takes a sleep aid Rx because of Adderall insomnia.

If you're a writer, try capturing the mental fecundity, catch a ray, catch here a ray there. Never know what fossil will result. Some are quite beautiful.

Speaking of sleep, my turn.

Night,

SL :faint:

I don't think it is ADD because when that happens I don't know if it is easy for other people to do this but I can relax my mind let it think and ponder what it wants not I want it to do. Then without knowing it I am struggling to wake up to the Freaking alarm and not very happy about but I slept :)

Now for more helpful.

When I took Ritalin I had trouble sleeping and I have found that with most stimulating medication. I have now turned to natural alternative and am happy sleeping sound again. It sounds like your are trying alot of different pills, by all means keep searching for the drug that gives you all benifits no side affects. Don't take it because it seems to work with minamle (I have just spent awhile trying to spell that word I know I am wrong) side affects, go for none. Or one or two very insignificant ones. There is alot on the market. Ask around in the med forums for adivce. Sleeping is very important, also see and expert, ask you GP.

I hope this has being helpful.:D
'
Andrew

I'm getting sleepy just thinking about her not being able to sleep! LOL :D

I have trouble sleeping, but alwasy have even before ritlain.

I have a script for imovane (Lunesta) Which i hate taking but sometimes its necessary.

never was a good sleeper--- i usually wake up a few times each night with full awareness, and most times, it's a bit hard to fall back to sleep-- simply because I have so many thoughts (usually not the stressful variety, though). I think I had some of my best nights of sleep when I was on Ritilin, though... so I guess the meds work in deifferent ways for different people.

Here it is 1am and I am wide awake!:mad: Yup, I just spent over an hour laying in my bed trying to sleep but all I could do was think! Think about all kinds of stupid things, things I really dont need to think about because its stuff I already know or stuff that will never happen!:rolleyes:

This is an ADD thing right?:confused:
So funny that Ritalin gives you a side effect that just comes with ADD for me. :rolleyes: For some people it goes away with stimulants, hope it will work that way for me. Just goes to show how different we all are...

On and off I have had trouble sleeping. As a matter of fact I don't think I have had a good nights sleep since I had children. Anyway, there are a number of different things you can do to help you fall asleep. Take a nice warm shower or bath before you go to bed, some say drink warm milk, my husband and my son both drink Sleepy Time Tea to help relax before going to bed,

If thoughts keep running around in your head even if they are random and not necessarily negative or worrisome, you can turn on the light and write them down in a notebook and I guess this is supposed to clear your mind.

When I have taken the time to actually try some of these methods they usually work.

My nerologist explains it to me like this - my brain lacks the off switch:)

Not many people like this but when my mind wont shut off, I watch tv to go to sleep, because it helps me to focus on one thing rather that 50.

I'm going to a sleep lab tonight, for the second time, because they can't quite figure out what the problem is.

I think there are sleep problems related to ADD even without medication. Hopefully, you're adjusting to the ritalin and the insomnia will go away.
Not sleeping (especially when you've got little ones) really sucks.

Have you ever tried any homeopathic remedies? Coffea and nux vomica really help some people.

I don't really watch TV, I more listen to it. It helps me sleep! Especially if I pick something that has mellow voices talking and not excessively loud commercials.

I like falling asleep to the history channel, or the discovery science channel, anything that has monotone voices and not loud commercials.

One of the things my mother taught me that helps me fall asleep is to imagine that you have a pencil sticking out of the end of your nose and there is a piece of paper at the end of the paper, and you must write your name over and over. For some reason this causes me to fall into dream mode a lot easier. Something about using my imagination picturing that pencil at the end of my nose writing on the paper kicks me into sleep mode faster.

Oddly, I have found that to be a useful tool for helping me fall asleep.

...

Interesting article at http://add.about.com/od/forfamilymembers/a/hypermind.htm about the hyperactive mind--as missfit says, the brain lacking the 'off' switch. Some of us have always been this way. I've read some posts saying that the first time they slept normally was when they started on stimulant meds.

Andrea, your insomnia is new, right? Possibly linked to meds, as opposed to having been around since you were a kid...

I posted this over in the parenting forum, but it seems appropriate here, too. Try Melatonin. I take it myself for insomnia, and it works wonders. No hangover in the morning, and it's a natural hormone that exists in everyone's body. It's cheap, non-addictive, has few side effects, and it's available at any drug store over-the-counter. I take about 2mg, and within an hour, I'm asleep.

I was an insomniac with an erratic sleep schedule before the meds. The Adderall hasn't made it any better. But, I realize the importance of regular sleep for my mental health, so I'm trying to fix it. As you can tell from the time of my post (i'm in VA), I failed on that front tonight. My mind started racing on a few things, and then I got hyperfocused on something and lost track of time. It's now 4:21 here, I just took my Melatonin, and I'm off to bed. :)

Here's an article that I found on Melatonin and drug-induced insomnia.

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/75/89832.htm

Interesting article at http://add.about.com/od/forfamilymembers/a/hypermind.htm about the hyperactive mind--as missfit says, the brain lacking the 'off' switch. Some of us have always been this way. I've read some posts saying that the first time they slept normally was when they started on stimulant meds.

Andrea, your insomnia is new, right? Possibly linked to meds, as opposed to having been around since you were a kid...
No, this is not really new for me, I think that is why I just hadn't considered at first that it might be the meds. It hasn't happened in a while and it's not something that happens to me all the time, I don't know, I'd say it happens on an average of about twice a month or so. But I was up again last night also, so I am still thinking it's the meds this time. I guess we'll see what happens tonight and the next few nights. When this has happened to me before I don't think it's happened for more than one or two nights at a time.

Interesting article at http://add.about.com/od/forfamilymembers/a/hypermind.htm about the hyperactive mind--as missfit says, the brain lacking the 'off' switch. Some of us have always been this way. I've read some posts saying that the first time they slept normally was when they started on stimulant meds.

Andrea, your insomnia is new, right? Possibly linked to meds, as opposed to having been around since you were a kid...
Lunesta (imovane) allows me to sleep only 5 hours.. should put me out for at least 8.. I hate taking it though because i tend to make food in my sleep and there was once i'm pretty sure i even left my house.- i know sleep walking is not true for everyone with these sleep aids, but unfortunatley, it is with me.

Here it is 1am and I am wide awake!:mad: Yup, I just spent over an hour laying in my bed trying to sleep but all I could do was think! Think about all kinds of stupid things, things I really dont need to think about because its stuff I already know or stuff that will never happen!:rolleyes:

This is an ADD thing right?:confused:
I have always had the same problem (quite severe), and the meds have made no difference - at least at night.

Yes, I run into this problem about every other night. To me the trick is to concentrate really HARD on any loud/humming consistent sound in the house. Like a fan, heater, etc. This seems to wear down my brain from trying so hard to focus on something and before I know it I'm dozing off. This seems to work about 100 percent of the time for me.

It's pretty typical for those with ADD to have sleep-onset insomnia. Most people seem to take about 5-15 minutes to fall asleep, whereas I take a couple of hours. Anything more than that and I know I have a problem.

Melatonin used to work very well for me, but for some reason, it doesn't work as well for me anymore. Sometimes people recommend 5-HTP for insomnia, though it never did work well for me (perhaps the first time, but that was it). Supposedly, the amount of melatonin that you take is not an element, except that higher doses may give you a hangover in the morning. When I took melatonin, it worked very well, making me want to fall asleep 30 minutes from administration.

There are prescription solutions as well. I tried ambien, but wasn't very impressed with it. Plus, the effects of ambien are much like benzos (though ambien isn't chemically a benzo, it does work on one type of GABA receptor), so when you stop taking it, you're likely to get rebound insomnia for a couple of days.

Some antidepressants work very well (which are chemically antihistamines), but the effects are adapted to very quickly unless one has depression. Mirtzapine, amitriptyline, doxepin, and even trazodone are good for these purposes...

Stimulant medication works very well though. Once you get in a cycle of sleeping properly, you shouldn't need sleeping pills. Sometimes your epinephrine levels are high from insomnia though, if it has been dragging on, and you'll need something to bring you back down.

Oh... and your ADD will get worse if you don't sleep for a night, so your mind will be racing worse the next night. That's because lack of sleep (especially if you are sleeping well continuously and don't sleep well one night) decreases PFC function. At least, that's my experience in the matter.

Yup, I think it is an ADHD thing. All my life I have had problems falling asleep cause I just can't quit thinking of stuff and that would keep me awake. My son, who is also ADHD, has the same problem that I do. I was very frustrated as a parent because he would still be awake an hour and a half after I put him to bed. I told him my little secret and it seems to keep him out of trouble. I lay awake with my eyes closed and not moving and tell myself a story. The trick is that you have to start at the beginning every night when you tell it to yourself and you make it up as you go. Sounds weird but works like a charm.

I've always had a hard time falling asleep, but when I started to use Ritalin, it got even worse. 4-5 hours of tossing and turning before I fell asleep were no exception.
I've tried a lot of things to make falling asleep easier. Warm milk, hot showers, a walk around the block before going to bed, goodnight tea, Valerian capsules and Melatonin.

So far the Melatonin works best, but I'm on 5mg tablets now, which is a prescription drug here in the netherlands. But even with these índustrial strength' Melatonin tablets, I often have trouble falling asleep. Cold, fresh air in the bedroom has positive effects on my sleep. But as I have a girlfriend who gets cold quite easily, that isn't always an option.
I did find that if I can't get to sleep in 30 minutes or so, it works better for me to get out of bed and do something else for 20-30 minutes and then try again.

I hope this helps...