# Insomnia **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 30, 2000, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314 "2000-08-30T08:12:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/1 "2000-08-30T08:12:53Z")
No, not the Stephen King book. I’m sitting here in the middle of the night and can’t sleep a wink. I toss, I turn, I do everything except backflips to get to sleep, but no go. What do y’all do to get to sleep when you can’t sleep? ---
**Author:** ![Bluemonchichi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Bluemonchichi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluemonchichi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/2 "2000-08-30T09:07:29Z")
Let’s see some things that sometimes help cure insomnia… drinking a glass of milk, drinking non-caffeinated hot tea, watching mind-numbing tv, mastubating and counting the glowing stars on my ceiling. If none of that works I usually give up and start cleaning until I tire myself out. ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/3 "2000-08-30T10:29:03Z")
If I can’t sleep and if the weather is nice I take my telescope outside and do a little star gazing. If the weather is being difficult, I just find a book and read, or surf the net, and lurk around here. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/4 "2000-08-30T15:00:02Z")
Regular, strenuous exercise will help you sleep soundly at night and keep you delightfully energetic throughout your day. ---
**Author:** ![Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/5 "2000-08-30T21:41:51Z")
But don’t exercise right before you go to bed or you wont get to sleep. Something about getting the blood flowing. ---
**Author:** ![Boots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@Boots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boots)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/6 "2000-08-30T22:12:13Z")
What do I do when I can’t get to sleep? Toss and turn and curse and cry. Eventually, I’m waking up, tossing and turning, cursing and crying because it’s time to get up. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/7 "2000-09-01T20:57:10Z")
When I can’t sleep at night (that is, every night) I usually play repetitive computer games like Bicycle Solitare. Alternatively, I write overweeningly silly messages to the SDMB (but usually I back out before actually sending them). ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/8 "2000-09-01T21:09:29Z")
Snark [hijack] did you get your name from the Thundercats??? [/end hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/9 "2000-09-01T23:41:56Z")
Nope. The original name I wanted to use was “Snipe,” as in the fictional creature Boy Scouts send newbies into the woods to find at night. But somehow I thought that that creature was “Snark” instead of “Snipe.” And the name stuck. Check out Lewis Carroll’s _The Hunting of the Snark_ from which the word “Snark” came. It’s available online–just use any search engine. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/10 "2000-09-01T23:46:15Z")
thanks. I used to speak fluent Thundercats and may have gotten it wrong, too (maybe Snarf???) Do, in fact, recall Snipe hunting… (snicker, snicker)… [end hijack] ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/11 "2000-09-02T00:01:48Z")
I take some valerian. usually helps me. A writer named Pat McManus wrote about a stint of insomnia he had and what his shrink recommended (and that worked). He developed a farm in his head-- spent the first night coming up with what he was raising, what buildings there were, what animals, and what chores. Each subsequent night he would imagine himself going through the routine of feeding the animals, etc, whatever needed doing in that season- sort of personal role playing. He reported that he started to look forward to these bouts of insomnia-- the calves were expected soon, apples ripening, etc. I just started jogging a couple of miles a day (being slightly out of shape) and I’ve been sleeping like a log at night. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/12 "2000-09-02T00:21:45Z")
Have you tried Melatonin? ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/13 "2000-09-02T00:30:35Z")
Thw best thing I’ve found to work to get to sleep is controlled breathing. Get in bed in your normal sleeping position, and start breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. And just think about your breathing, nothing else. After a while you’ll doze off. ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/14 "2000-09-02T01:42:37Z")
Scotticher wrote: > [@](#): > > Have you tried Melatonin? Can you get that over-the-counter, or do you have to get a prescription? Thanks to all for your suggestions. I think I’ll try them all, especially exercising and breathing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/15 "2000-09-02T03:21:16Z")
You don’t need an Rx, just go to a health food store and ask. I recommend that you start with 1 mg, although it is said that up to 7 mg is safe. When I have trouble sleeping, 1 mg works well for me, but I have a friend that needs 4 mg to zonk. I seldom take anything except aspirin (occasionally) so I assume I am more sensitive to these kinds of things. Apparently, melatonin is something that is in your body already, so it is not a “drug”, but a naturally occurring substance in your body that you may not have enough of to effect good sleep. Or so “they” say. A nice thing about melatonin is that if you need to wake up in the night for some reason, you are not “drugged.” One time when I had taken it, a friend called and needed to be taken to the ER. I was able to be completely awake for this, and did not even feel drowsy. Another interesting thing is that when you take it, you have more vivid dreams. Personally, I enjoy this side affect. Good luck, Good sleep! ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/16 "2000-09-02T04:03:57Z")
I sure hope the calves aren’t expecting soon… y’know, my infant wife is pregnant, too. A calf is a non sexually mature cow. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Snark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Snark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/17 "2000-09-02T07:59:20Z")
Hey, **Scotticher** , isn’t melatonin a skin pigment compound? Will I wake up one morning with a deep tan if I take this stuff? \ ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/18 "2000-09-02T08:49:08Z")
I usually have a fan on while I sleep and just concentrate on that noise. Works like a charm once I actually go to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2000, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insomnia/31314/19 "2000-09-02T08:56:46Z")
No, Melatonin is not the tan thing. That is something else that I cannot retrieve from my memory at this point. Give me a break, it is much too late for me to be up. Why am I up then, you very reasonably ask? Cuz’ I didn’t take my melatonin! 😃 Scotti the sleep deprived