Stupid ramblings of an insomniac...

[Glock 'em down]

As many of you OGs know, for the last 3 or 4 years, I've worked the zombie shift at my job (college campus police) Monday-Friday, 11pm-7am. I like it. The boss is gone, the office folks are all gone, no classes happening and the traffic is nill. I enjoy the weekends off with my family, but there's a problem.

Mrs. GED and my youngest daughter (she still lives with us) work the typical M-F, 9 to 5'er. They usually hit the sack around 10pm every night.

When I'm home on the weekends with them, I usually turn in around 11 or so, but I can't sleep. My body says yes, but my mind says no.

I've tried melatonin, but it gives me wicked dreams. I've tried Benadryl, but it dries my nose out too bad. And whiskey just causes marital problems, so I'm at my wits end!

 

[okie362]

I know your dilemma all too well. I've been traveling and working internationally for the past 39 years. Sometimes in 3 or 4 different time zones within a week (US Central/US Eastern/London/Germany/India) all within the same week because of this, I have no body clock at all. Day or night doesn't register with my body. I rarely sleep more than a couple hours at a time and I'm up at all hours of the day and night. My wife fortunately is understanding of this and doesn't give me a hard time about it.

What's worse, after all the travel and time away from home, the company laid me off last Friday, replaced by a less expensive person with no experience.

 

[Glock 'em down]

Damn. Suddenly my little problem seems so...little.

Sorry about your job, brah.

 

[Seadog]

As many of you OGs know, for the last 3 or 4 years, I've worked the zombie shift at my job (college campus police) Monday-Friday, 11pm-7am. I like it. The boss is gone, the office folks are all gone, no classes happening and the traffic is nill. I enjoy the weekends off with my family, but there's a problem.

Mrs. GED and my youngest daughter (she still lives with us) work the typical M-F, 9 to 5'er. They usually hit the sack around 10pm every night.

When I'm home on the weekends with them, I usually turn in around 11 or so, but I can't sleep. My body says yes, but my mind says no.

I've tried melatonin, but it gives me wicked dreams. I've tried Benadryl, but it dries my nose out too bad. And whiskey just causes marital problems, so I'm at my wits end!

I am in a similar boat as you. Same thing. 23:00-0700. Been that way since 2010. I’ve cycled between the same things that you’ve said. Alcohol has got me fat. Melatonin didn’t really do much. Benadryl is magic. 2 on an empty stomach or with a shot or two of rum or whiskey does the trick. Sometimes I take NyQuil. That hits faster than Benadryl. I also have the room darked out. I’ve even actually used insulation board and recessed it into the windows and then put curtains over the windows for the little bit of light that will go around the board. Plus’s earplugs. They help tremendously. A good warm shower before bed helps.

I have wicked allergies so Benadryl on top of some nasal spray doesn’t bug me.

 

[Profreedomokie]

I'm retired and I have the same problem. I sleep 3 or 4 hours and wake up. My mind gets racing, and I can't go back to sleep. I'm lucky that I have a long boomerang shaped house with our bedroom on one end and my garage and computer desk on the other. So, I get on the computer or go out in the garage for a few hours and then crash on the couch in my classroom for a few more hours. Same story every night.

 

[El Pablo]

I woke up at 3 am, been watching forged in fire and reading about Ukraine.

 

[yukonjack]

As many of you OGs know, for the last 3 or 4 years, I've worked the zombie shift at my job (college campus police) Monday-Friday, 11pm-7am. I like it. The boss is gone, the office folks are all gone, no classes happening and the traffic is nill. I enjoy the weekends off with my family, but there's a problem.

Mrs. GED and my youngest daughter (she still lives with us) work the typical M-F, 9 to 5'er. They usually hit the sack around 10pm every night.

When I'm home on the weekends with them, I usually turn in around 11 or so, but I can't sleep. My body says yes, but my mind says no.

I've tried melatonin, but it gives me wicked dreams. I've tried Benadryl, but it dries my nose out too bad. And whiskey just causes marital problems, so I'm at my wits end!

Ambien. I’ve been taking it for 18 years. Otherwise I’d be up all night. Tried everything. But trying to go to bed at 11:00 on your two days off is insane. Our bodies don’t work like that. Just go to bed when you get tired. It’ll all work out in the end.

 

[turkeyrun]

What YukonJack sed

I have worked shift for 45 years. Trying to sleep nights on the week end is no different than your Wife staying up all night.

Go to bed when sleepy, get up a little earlier and enjoy your time together.
Go to bed together, hour or 2 get up. When most of reloading done.
Sometimes, she wakes up early. We have 3-4 hours together. I go to bed. She will come in and take a nap. We get up early for me.

Flipping your body clock 180°, just for weekends, is extremely hard in your body.

People complain about being in a rut. Your body likes being a rut, routine, consistency

 

[hipshot]

I’ve had insomnia issues for years, tried everything including Ambien from my Dr. Nothing worked until I tried ZzQuill liquid ( pills didn’t help) it makes you sleep and you wake up feeling good instead of groggy like the other stuff made me feel.

 

[OkieMoe]

Sorry guys but im the opposite. I can literally make my self sleep. My wife hates that 5 minutes after I tell her i'm going to sleep, that im asleep.