# Insomnia bites **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671 "2008-11-02T03:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/1 "2008-11-02T03:17:30Z")
It’s 03:13 and I should be asleep, but I woke 45 minutes ago and can’t get back to sleep yet. The cause is probably the crappy wine I had with my supper - Stormhoek. I ought to prepare myself a nice hot drink, but I’m out of hot chocolate and tea and coffee both have too much caffeine. So half an hour’s surfing and reading should do it. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/2 "2008-11-02T03:26:15Z")
I’ve been trying to sleep since 02:00 and have finally given up on the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/3 "2008-11-02T03:49:18Z")
Yes it does. I’ve had terrible sleep patterns for, ohhhh about 6 months now. Can’t imagine why… ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/4 "2008-11-02T04:07:26Z")
I’ve been waiting for just such a thread to ask about this: [Nightwave Sleep Assistant](http://www.nightwave.co.uk/) Has anyone tried this? If not, does it sound like something that would work? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/5 "2008-11-02T04:09:50Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > I’ve been waiting for just such a thread to ask about this: > > [Nightwave Sleep Assistant](http://www.nightwave.co.uk/) > > Has anyone tried this? If not, does it sound like something that would work? No. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/6 "2008-11-02T04:59:16Z")
I’ve been an insomniac for as long as I can remember, and it does suck. I usually can’t sleep more than about 3 hours without waking up, and when I wake up, it is usually for 20 minutes or so. When it’s really bad, I’ll pull all-nighters, maybe managing a 30-60 min nap at 6 or 7am before going about my day. I would love to feel well-rested one day; it must be great! ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/7 "2008-11-02T05:48:41Z")
I have puberty-onset insomnia. I may or may not be the only one. There are pills which do work, and, contrary to some, DO allow natural sleep. The OTC’s are diphenylhydramine (sp) - are an old antihistamine (now you know - some of the old antihistamines COULD knock you on your ass). Most of the current hypnotics are benzodiazapines (sp) - not nice things, but some do work. WATCH THE SIDE-EFFECTS - one I was on (Triazalom) lists brain damage (permament) and DEATH. I don’t use that one anymore. See a doc if it bothers you. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/8 "2008-11-02T07:06:06Z")
Well, it’s been at least 17 years, that I remember, so I’m certainly well on my way. I am familiar with the pharmaceutical choices out there, though I admit to having only tried diphenhydramine. It doesn’t work, and makes me feel like shit for the rest of the next day. My FIL is willing to prescribe a trial dose of prescription sleep aids (though we’ve never talked about which one/s would suit me the best) but I haven’t taken him up on his offer. Maybe one day, but right now I get by, and I don’t want to get into a habit of using sleep pills. I have brought it up with doctors before, but never enough to follow through with sleep studies/meds. Probably it will come up with my family doctor, now that I’ve found one, but I’m not in a rush. And now, I will attempt to go to sleep. Wish me luck 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia-bites/470671/9 "2008-11-02T08:58:26Z")
Well, I believe it was the wine that caused it and indeed 45 mins of surfing provided the shift in mental state which let me go to sleep.