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Can't shut my brain off to sleep

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
My brain flits around all day long and it will not turn off at night to sleep. I wouldn't say so much racing thoughts but it just is thinking.

The only thing that I have found that helps is Tizanidine (weird I know) but I can't take that more than 2 days in a row without having problems.

The interesting things is that while my brain is going I have mild heart palpitations. Once the brain stops so do the palps. So I'm thinking if I stop the palpitations, maybe the brain would stop?

I'm gonna talk to my doc next Friday but I'm curious if anyone has figure this out.
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
you havent tried the iron pot??

i think the cfs gurus need to research more into sleep dysfunction in cfs/me and ways to treat this as i think its one of the important symptoms worth treating that can also help reduce a few other symptoms such as fatigue , pain improve cognitive issues. how much beter would we feel with 8hrs of restful sleep.

I wonder if the initial infection/s etc that start cfs/me off have somehow broken the mechanisms involved in sleeping??
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
The cast iron teapot is next! Odd about the tizanidine. I'm ok for one night then the bad crap starts.

What I can't figure out is what happened the last month or so that changed things and amped my brain up? I was great with Trazodone and suntheanine. I'll blame Valtrex. Evil stuff.

I remember back when I was a kid that I had problems sleeping. The slightest noise would drive my nuts. I'm wondering if maybe a high blood pressure medication would stop the palpitations and then my brain would quiet?
 
Messages
2,565
Location
US
Is the iron pot a joke?

Mine may not be the same, but I have the non stop thoughts when trying to fall asleep. I think it is one version of "wired but tired" that many of us get sometimes.

I think it's related to my low blood volume and thyroid/adrenals and neurotransmitters. Maybe also cortisol related, or to other hormones (I feel I'm not able to secrete enough melatonin).

I don't know if I get palpitations regularly. I get them when I am anxious.
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
There was a thread on another forum about what you do for sleep. One guy wrote this: "I make chamomile tea in a cast iron teapot, then I bash myself in the skull with it". It still cracks me up!

My brain goes all the time but obviously it's a much bigger issue when I'm trying to sleep. I just had more cortisol checked and it's fine at night so I think for me it's something else. More like ADD. What is odd is that it was a problem maybe once a week if that, but now who knows what set it off.

I get the heart palpitations when I reach for the remote or when I'm just tired. Who knows.
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
I get those symptoms from gluten and caffeine. On a day when I've had too much of either or both I need 1-9 mg melatonin, 25-300 mg 5 htp and .1-.5 mg klonopin.
Doses vary depending on exposure but I need the combo.

I'm wide awake now because I ate gf foods today and had caffeine. The upside is I know why and can treat it. It only took me a couple of years to get this right. lol.

I'm not sure if this combo works for others but natural factors has a single supplement with these ingredients only they use theanine instead if klonopin.

I always use natural calm at bedtime so I don't think thus helps me sleep but it does make me feel more relaxed.

I tried stopping my klonopin and taking Theanine because it's similar to klonopin in that it works on anxiety but I discovered I needed the klonopin for my myoclonus.

G nite. .. x
 
Last edited:
Messages
2,565
Location
US
I don't eat gluten and have caffeine less than once a month. I used to have caffeine more than weekly and I would need to stop by 8pm to sleep at 2am.

The stimulants in decaf teas and chocolate also last that long in me.
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
Different people react to different foods differently. ; )

I "think" dogtorj explains this. He's a vet who'd experimented with his animal patients and found glutamates can cause unwanted reactions. In addition to these, I remember he said once he had a woman he was working with who got seizures from cashews. I haven't read his info in about 4-5 years now so I'm not up to date.

I know several celiacs, known for gluten reactions, who get worse reactions from other foods or chemicals than they get from gluten.

I'm a celiac and have known reactions to gluten (myoclonus, insomnia and damaged villi), dairy (shiners and paget's growth), soy ( phlegm), corn (scalp sores) and high oxalate foods ( kidney stones and pelvic pain). Dyes just make me feel toxic.

I've read that these reactions would resolve via dietary restrictions and treating leaky gut but my reactions have been the same since I first recognized them 8 years ago. I hear this from others too.

I ate some weird meat and smoked a little E cig last night so I'm awake with a stomach ache. I've found digestion interferes with my sleep quite a bit. Typically once Stomach meds or supplements (digestive enzymes) work, I'll fall back to sleep.

Barf ... x
 
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Plum

Senior Member
Messages
512
Location
UK
For me it is adrenaline/cortisol issues often caused by blood sugar imbalance. It has taken me 3 and 1/2 years to balance my blood sugar in a way that benefits my sleep. I also HAVE to go to sleep either watching a nature program or the Simpsons.

Sometimes I'll wake up at 7am and can't get back to sleep so I have a snack and off to sleep I go. Same sometimes happens when still struggling to sleep at midnight.

I have followed every recommendation suggested for balancing blood sugar and my individual way works for me but the other ways didn't!

I've also recently incorporated activated charcoal before bed - it's meant to mop up toxins which could excite yr brain.
 

Hanna

Senior Member
Messages
717
Location
Jerusalem, Israel
Can't shut my brain off to sleep... Had the same goes for me this past week, and it has been followed with tachycardia (up to 120) and going to pee several times during the night (once an hour on average). All this from 10:30 to 4:00, then succeeding somewhat to have some superficial sleep until 6:00 - 6:30. Exhausting!!!
I don't have a solution, as I don't tolerate sleep meds (just valerian passiflora helped to some extent).
Cortisol on salive test was OK in the evening.
But what is happening with the rest toxins, autonomic issues, neurotransmitters,other hormones ? No clue
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I had absolutely no problems for a long time. Maybe once every other week. Then a few weeks ago everything changed. The only difference that I can think of is that I had unsuccessfully tried Valtrex which completely wrecked my sleep and altered my mood.

I have been taking Suntheanine along with trazodone and those don't work on this. The only thing that has worked is Tizandine but I can only take it every few days.

Very odd.
 

Ambrosia_angel

Senior Member
Messages
544
Location
England
I know this won't cure your problems but relaxdaily really helps me sleep. It is very gentle music and can help calm you. Search it on Google. :) good luck
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
Glad it works for you. Doesn't do shit for me. In fact winds me up more.

People with want I've heard call "weapons grade insomnia" need drugs. The Question is what drugs? Many people have the racing thoughts and are searching for an answer.
 

Leopardtail

Senior Member
Messages
1,151
Location
England
Glad it works for you. Doesn't do shit for me. In fact winds me up more.

People with want I've heard call "weapons grade insomnia" need drugs. The Question is what drugs? Many people have the racing thoughts and are searching for an answer.
I had this problem and found it was down to blood volume. I was tired when sat upright but the minute I went to bed, my mind was wired and would not stop. It turned out my blood volume was too low due to urinating too much and the blood rushed to my head and woke it up when I went to bed.
I found taking liquourice extract earlier in the day helped (not before bed).
 

Leopardtail

Senior Member
Messages
1,151
Location
England
Is the iron pot a joke?

Mine may not be the same, but I have the non stop thoughts when trying to fall asleep. I think it is one version of "wired but tired" that many of us get sometimes.

I think it's related to my low blood volume and thyroid/adrenals and neurotransmitters. Maybe also cortisol related, or to other hormones (I feel I'm not able to secrete enough melatonin).

I don't know if I get palpitations regularly. I get them when I am anxious.
You can secrete too little Melatonin even if your Cortisol is low, I needed a short course of Melatonin to help get me to sleep. You might find you having bad and vivid dreams when you first start sleeping again though.

For me blood volume was a big part of it. I was least sleepy when lying down, which was a fairly big clue.
 

Leopardtail

Senior Member
Messages
1,151
Location
England
This has nothing to do with being tired. It has to do with my brain not shutting off.
You can find a spital hormone test @GDX.Net. One test will tell you both your Cortisol level and your Melatonin levels throughout the day, perhaps that might be worth a try?

Also have you thought of having your blood sugar tested? If your Cortisol levels are poor, you could be suffering low blood sugar and producing too much Epinephrine this would also mess up sleep.

What kind of mood you have could also give indications, would indicate something different:
  • snappy / aggressive / agitated
  • 'over excited'
  • 'slightly euphoric'
Hope that helps.