Sleep patterns for women with ADD

[pinkie]

I saw this in the guys' thread and thought the question needed to be asked here too. So ladies, what's your sleep pattern like?

[Kimalimah]

It takes me forever to fall asleep, thousands of thoughts chasing each other through my head. I'm a tosser and turner and wake up umpteen times in the night. Mornings, once awake, I have to get up. The thoughts start right up and I can rarely fall back to sleep.

[fasttalkingmom]

I fall asleep quickly......and sllep like a rock most nights......

if you add PMS or being out of work !!!! I either can't fall asleep or I do but wake up in the middle of the night not able to fall back to sleep.......No matter what kind of sleep I get I can get up when I have to and make it through the day not feeling to tired......But don't ask me about my mood..

waking up about 4 hours into my sleep isn't new, I did it as a kid also.......

[Debs]

I also fall asleep quickly - after I get myself comfortable that is. I have some weird sleep things, I don't like my skin to touch other skin.... my legs can't touch each other, I need to tuck the blanket or a shirt under my armpits because I don't like them to touch (although it doesn't bother me during the day). But then I fall right to sleep, but I sometimes wake up at around 3am for a while, it tends to go like that for a while and then I will sleep well for a while.

[StayWithMeHere]

During the first half of my monthly cycle, I sleep just fine. During the second half, if I don't use my "GoLite" in the morning, (light for winter depression, etc) I can't sleep at night. Then I stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning, waiting to be completely exhausted so I can fall asleep. Even if I remember to use the lite, I will still sometimes wake up at 5 AM and stay awake for an hour or so.

[Ginger404]

My brain starts to fire at about 3:00pm and it only gets better from there. It is 10:15pm right now and I feel GREAT!! This would be fine if the entire world were just like me, but sadly it's not...

It feels like I have (at least) three TV sets blaring in my head all channel surfing at the same time when I do try to force my self to sleep. It actually feels (sounds??) like there is noise in the room, I have gotten up before to check if the radio or something was left on in the other room.

Strangely enough, sometimes ear plugs seem to help. (Placebo, ear plugs, who knew...) It also helps to some degree to distract my self from TRYING to sleep. I do this by playing a card game on my PDA with the back light on, then I know it's time to turn it off when my eyes start to water.

Once I'm out, I I'm out. I think I could sleep all day. I actually use to, before my husband and kid came along. (How I miss that!!)

That's my "bedtime story".

[lalamama]

Well I'll save myself some typing a ditto Ginger's post- LOL That's me!

I take adderall 10mg at 8AM, 12, and 4. The first 3 months I had no problems getting settled at night (I did before starting on it). Well, now I am in the same pattern- very rarely can I get in bed before midnight- and I have to get up at 6:30 AM with the kids! I am at my best in the late afternoon- early evening. Then I like to have my "no kid" time and if I go to bed, that's less time alone! (I have three of my own and watch 3 more, my house is a mad one!)

I have been telling my Psych this for three months, so finally he told me to not take the last dose and see what happens. Well, um nothing happens- I am the same whether I take it at 4, not at all, or even at 8PM! Then he said he was going to give me clonidine or trazodone, but I think he wants to take me off the adderall and replace it with one of those! I don't need to me MORE tired in the daytime- I just need to get to sleep. He told me if benadryl works, just to do that- but then I get the benadryl "hangover"! Ahhhh!

We'll see what he says next month!

Kelly (new here- hi!)

[Nucking_Futs]

I work graveyard but had previously worked the 1st shift for 10 years then after back injury put me back on 1st shift unexpectedly. Well, lets just say the only time my body wants to sleep is when it really oughta be paying attention like driving, working, etc. lol I'm a mess I tell ya a big ole mess.

Cherity (old here- HI!)

[anait]

I'm a night owl, and I like to be an early riser, too. Hm, there's a problem there...

I used to have a terrible time getting to sleep as a child. I would toss for hours in the semi-darkness. It was horrible. I've 'grown out of' that somewhat, but I think it's more from falling into bed simply from exhaustion. If I'm not completely worn out, I do spend at least an hour and a half looking for that last bit of stimulation before I can turn off the world.

On average, I probably get about 5-6 hrs of sleep/night.

[fasttalkingmom]

Originally Posted by Debs

I also fall asleep quickly - after I get myself comfortable that is. I have some weird sleep things, I don't like my skin to touch other skin.... my legs can't touch each other, I need to tuck the blanket or a shirt under my armpits because I don't like them to touch (although it doesn't bother me during the day). But then I fall right to sleep, but I sometimes wake up at around 3am for a while, it tends to go like that for a while and then I will sleep well for a while.

I've been here at the forum a time and still I hear things I do that I thought only weirdo me did....

I do that tucking thing also ! Because of my weirdo sleeping stuff my husband and do not share blankets we each have our own. Poor man would wake up tired from the night time blanket battle that I no clue of...

[Levyii]

Im a night person and usually stay up late and only get three hours of sleep or so. i always had trouble falling asleep and would wake up every couple of hours. now i take seroquel 25mg at night and sleep great

[fasttalkingmom]

Originally Posted by Levyii

Im a night person and usually stay up late and only get three hours of sleep or so. i always had trouble falling asleep and would wake up every couple of hours. now i take seroquel 25mg at night and sleep great

next time we're both up late we can meet at Denny's for coffee.....

[Levyii]

i know a LOT of people who go to denny's really late at night....some weirdos go too!!

[fasttalkingmom]

Originally Posted by Levyii

i know a LOT of people who go to denny's really late at night....some weirdos go too!!

Ya I know that's were I met my husband.....

I was waitressing at the one near me, he was a customer.......that sounds wrong.....

[Levyii]

DUDE! im watching King of the Hill and the episode is about ADD!!!! how cool!!!