Insomnia...99.9% of college students experience it. - Nubblies.net Forums

lefty · 12-20-2003, 04:04 AM

I think I pretty much have insomnia. I don’t think I’m the only college student that suffers from it either. I crawl into that bed 6 feet off the ground at 1:00 in the morning, after a long day of classes, studying, volleyball practice, socializing, and working, and all I want to do is sleep. But no. It takes me anywhere from one to two and a half hours to fall asleep every night. I *try* to minimize caffeine and not take naps during the evening (after 4:00 PM) hours, but nothing seems to work.

The college environment just isn’t conducive to getting any sleep. So many things contribute to this...
Loud and/or drunk people.
They run down the halls, running into the walls, at 4:00 AM....once you’ve just finally gotten to sleep. It doesn’t matter to them what night of the week it is, or what time of the semester it is (cough cough finals cough cough).
Annoying roommates.
I lucked out in this situation. My roommate is great. She goes to bed a little earlier than I do, but I keep down the noise, and minimize the lighting in the room. When she wakes up (considerably earlier than I do), she gets ready quietly, keeps the t.v. volume low, and closes and locks the door quietly upon leaving. I do know this one person, however, whose roommate is a real bitch. She probably, from what I have heard, insists on falling asleep to twangy country music at a level of 120 dB (the dB level produced by a jet engine). And then, when she wakes up at 0500 hours, she most likely cranks it up a little more while she gets ready. When she leaves, she’ll slam the door. Somehow, something must be your fault, and she’s gonna prove that by slamming that door as hard as she possibly can.
Sucky beds and sub-par window treatments.
So the mattress is like a small valley, and with the ceiling 1.5 feet above me, I feel as if I am in a coffin. The window treatments, also known as curtains, are more or less see-through. Every ray of beautiful sunlight shows through those damn things pretty early in the morning. It’s nearly blinding.
Late/Early stuff.
My club volleyball team practices from 9-11 PM. I love playing, but it’s impossible to get the adrenaline to stop running for at least two hours after physical activity. Kinda sucks, but you put up with it if it’s what you want to be doing. Some classes start at 7:50 AM. Not so cool. I just got a new job at a coffee place on the BSU campus. Not too excited about the shift twice a week that starts at 6:15 AM. Although, money is money....money is money....

I’m sure you all can think of so many other things that prevent you from sleeping. Why don’t you go ahead and post them below?

What to do?

Next to Adderall and birth control, sleeping pills are the easiest prescriptions to get a hold of, especially from a free college health clinic. I walk into the BSU health clinic with a sore throat and an inability to sleep at night, and I walk out with a prescription for Ambien, one of the stronger prescription sleeping pills available. It should be known, however, that no more than 7 to 10 doses are prescribed to a single patient. You can become addicted or dependent, and not be able to sleep without them. These prescriptions are also a little pricey. My prescription for 10 doses of Ambien equaled $48.30. [NOW I know how the clinic can afford to stay upon without charging its patients.] Most insurance will cover this.

Pretty much, there’s nothing else to do except stay up late and watch Boy Meets World. I mean....post on Nubblies.

ninjaface · 12-20-2003, 05:15 AM

One of my roommates is a major asshole for many reasons. He likes to fall asleep with the tv on. And if he goes to bed late, as in 2 or 3 AM, he likes to turn on the tv. And whenever I ask if he could turn off the tv he replies with a "what the fuck" and turns off the tv. If he happened to get murdered extremely hard, I can't say that I would mind. I don't want to take birth control pills or ambien, so I'm stuck with telling him to turn off the tv and being treated like I was the one being a dick.

Pliedes · 12-20-2003, 05:28 AM

Good topic, I think this is something we can all relate to.

In high school, I was like any other kid, commonly staying up until about 1 am, and waking up at 6.

Nowadays, I don't just "stay up late", I actually can't sleep. Even if I go to bed early, I'll seriously lay in bed for four hours and when I do get to sleep, it's not the comforting, deep sleep I want.

How bad has it gotten? These past few weeks, my roomate has usually gone to bed at about 6 a.m. I, on the other hand, like to go for a uber-late/really early morning stoll, and usually get back and into bed at about 7:30 a.m. In many respects, I hate it, and it's ridiculous; but I wouldn't trade those winter walks for anything. I strongly recommend going for a stroll in the worst weather, at the worst time of day when there is no one around. I've had some of my happiest moments, and best inspirations because of it, adn I wouldn't trade those winter morns for anything.

Back on topic though, I almost need medicine to get to sleep sometimes. Cheap antihistimines do ok, and so does Nyquil or it's pill equal. But if anyone has any suggestions on some strong but cheap drugs to knock me out, please, by all means tell me.

buckeye · 12-20-2003, 06:16 AM

yeah i pulled 4 hours of sleep over 48hrs due to the fact i was completing a lab project.

But yes college i agree that the college enviroment does give little or no room for sleep. For example my roomate turned nocturnal, yep he would stay up till about 11 am after his classes were done, and then sleep till about 6 or 7pm at night. I would be goign to bed around 5-6am on a regular basis, and he would just be starting his homework, or starting another movie, it was crazy.

Pliedes · 12-20-2003, 06:22 AM

You know what's crazy, school's not even in session, and here we are posting at 3 in the morning...

Pliedes · 12-20-2003, 08:48 AM

Insomnia is a bitch, and I'm going to fight it.

Earlier this morning, I decided that "Hey, I'm just not going to sleep."

I wanna say fuck it mom, I don't wanna go to bed, I'll take a shower in the morning.

Here's my plan. I'm simply going to cut normal sleep time in half (or thirds, we'll see) but do so by skipping intervals. For instance, I'm not going to bed at all tonight, and I'll treat tomorrow like a normal day. So when I lay my head down on a pillow at 2 am tomorrow, I'll actually fucking go to sleep. And it'll be a damn good sleep, because I say so. Then we'll see how the next day goes, if it goes well, I'll just stay up through the next night (cutting bedtime in half) or if I feel like I will actually sleep, I'll sleep night three, but then skip the next time (staying up every third night).

Damn, this seems like a really good idea right now... but hell, maybe that's because I need some sleep

Orgazmo · 12-20-2003, 01:57 PM

I'm the exact opposite of most of you. I normally go to sleep around 1...and fall right asleep. Of course, Karl, my roomate Karl, is normally already in bed at this time...so him being a distraction isn't really an influence a'tall. The only time that I've had troubles getting to sleep whilst in college are this past week. For some reason, people chose finals week to be complete jackasses from 11 - midnight in the halls. Needless to say, they've been killed.

BrassMonkees · 12-20-2003, 04:26 PM

Going to a small, christian school, I don't usually get the drunks yelling in the halls or any of that kind of stuff(although it has happened 1 or 2 times). I instead however have 6 people living in a 4 person suite. Sure, living in a suite is great, but when you have 2 extra people it can get a little annoying. For instance, two of the suitemates don't get along very well. We've had arguments that lasted until 3 or 4 in the morning. It just so happens that those arguments are always the night before i have my 7:50. So it can suck quite a bit.

Then there is one who plays video games and watches movies till about 2 or 3 every night because he is on academic probation and only takes 12 hours...none of which are before 11.

My final story is one that involves an ambulance. Wrestling is all fun and games until someone breaks their neck. Running full speed at my roomate, Chris attempts to tackle Jason(my roomate). Jason quickly puts chris into a headlock and falls backwards against the wall. Chris then proceeds to smash his head against the cement wall. 20 minutes later EMTs come up the elevator, stretcher in hand. This is a great time...except when it happens at 2 in the morning on a school night

ahh the joys of IWU...

tonguegina · 12-20-2003, 05:50 PM

I also have extremely hard trouble falling asleep at night. You know the best way to solve it? A nap. For some reason, I can easily fall asleep at 2 in the afternoon and sleep for an hour or two and be ready to go. It's well worth it. I'd look into it if I were you.

Combat Chuck · 12-21-2003, 04:58 AM

I usually go to sleep on a regular basis at 2-3:30 in the morning. Even when I have an 8 o clock class. Why? Well, it just so happened that right after Fall Break, I got into the habit of staying up late and talking to a very good friend, either face to face, or online. And before you know it, it's late. Or at least, that's what happened for a couple of days.

And that began a pattern. Now, usually it's not just talking. I'm usually getting homework done or something like that at the same time, but it's just fun and it's a very peaceful time of the night to relax. Then I crawl into bed and fall right asleep.

Sometimes it doesn't do wonders for my day ahead, but now I can't seem to find the need to go to bed early.

Unless I've had the last couple of days that I've had, and then I just stay up for no reason at all whatsoever, and then pay the consequences when I have to do major work for the next day, and that day after that, and the day after that, and the you get the picture.

And Pli.....I agree. Morn walks do a body good.

lefty · 12-22-2003, 03:09 AM

I'm thinking that I'll need to try these morning walks. I've tried taking walks at night, but that's a little scary sometimes for a girl walking alone on a college campus....

Pliedes: Wal-Mart brand benedryl is excellent for sleeping problems, supposedly. This is what my family doctor tells me at least.

[ December 22, 2003, 12:10 AM: Message edited by: lefty ]

StDx · 12-22-2003, 05:06 AM

Pliedes, have you tried mini-thins, yellowjackets, or 357's?
You can get em at some gas stations, and most truckstops or drugstores... it's what truckers use to go to sleep. Pop a handfull of those and you'll sleep like a baby.

Pliedes · 12-22-2003, 06:41 AM

Lefty, thanks.

Stdx, nice try.

Isn't there anyone out there who knows a bit about over the counter medicine or something?

Fruitacious B · 12-22-2003, 06:58 AM

What's wrong Pliedes, can't sleep? It's only what...almost 4 a.m.?

12-22-2003, 02:16 PM

The key is a few drinks before bed, not enough to get roaring drunk, but enough to let their depressant qualities affect you... this is clutch, if you dont believe me, give it a try.

12-20-2003, 04:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
BrassMonkees Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: winona lake Posts: 840 Internets: 10	Going to a small, christian school, I don't usually get the drunks yelling in the halls or any of that kind of stuff(although it has happened 1 or 2 times). I instead however have 6 people living in a 4 person suite. Sure, living in a suite is great, but when you have 2 extra people it can get a little annoying. For instance, two of the suitemates don't get along very well. We've had arguments that lasted until 3 or 4 in the morning. It just so happens that those arguments are always the night before i have my 7:50. So it can suck quite a bit. Then there is one who plays video games and watches movies till about 2 or 3 every night because he is on academic probation and only takes 12 hours...none of which are before 11. My final story is one that involves an ambulance. Wrestling is all fun and games until someone breaks their neck. Running full speed at my roomate, Chris attempts to tackle Jason(my roomate). Jason quickly puts chris into a headlock and falls backwards against the wall. Chris then proceeds to smash his head against the cement wall. 20 minutes later EMTs come up the elevator, stretcher in hand. This is a great time...except when it happens at 2 in the morning on a school night ahh the joys of IWU...
	neither here nor there...

12-22-2003, 06:58 AM	#14 (permalink)
Fruitacious B Bokononist Join Date: May 2003 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,595 Internets: 11801	What's wrong Pliedes, can't sleep? It's only what...almost 4 a.m.?
	"Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand." \|vonnegut

12-22-2003, 02:16 PM	#15 (permalink)
DJ FC Guest Posts: n/a	The key is a few drinks before bed, not enough to get roaring drunk, but enough to let their depressant qualities affect you... this is clutch, if you dont believe me, give it a try.
DJ FC Guest Posts: n/a

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12-20-2003, 04:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
lefty Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 9 Internets: 10	I think I pretty much have insomnia. I don’t think I’m the only college student that suffers from it either. I crawl into that bed 6 feet off the ground at 1:00 in the morning, after a long day of classes, studying, volleyball practice, socializing, and working, and all I want to do is sleep. But no. It takes me anywhere from one to two and a half hours to fall asleep every night. I try to minimize caffeine and not take naps during the evening (after 4:00 PM) hours, but nothing seems to work. The college environment just isn’t conducive to getting any sleep. So many things contribute to this... Loud and/or drunk people. They run down the halls, running into the walls, at 4:00 AM....once you’ve just finally gotten to sleep. It doesn’t matter to them what night of the week it is, or what time of the semester it is (cough cough finals cough cough). Annoying roommates. I lucked out in this situation. My roommate is great. She goes to bed a little earlier than I do, but I keep down the noise, and minimize the lighting in the room. When she wakes up (considerably earlier than I do), she gets ready quietly, keeps the t.v. volume low, and closes and locks the door quietly upon leaving. I do know this one person, however, whose roommate is a real bitch. She probably, from what I have heard, insists on falling asleep to twangy country music at a level of 120 dB (the dB level produced by a jet engine). And then, when she wakes up at 0500 hours, she most likely cranks it up a little more while she gets ready. When she leaves, she’ll slam the door. Somehow, something must be your fault, and she’s gonna prove that by slamming that door as hard as she possibly can. Sucky beds and sub-par window treatments. So the mattress is like a small valley, and with the ceiling 1.5 feet above me, I feel as if I am in a coffin. The window treatments, also known as curtains, are more or less see-through. Every ray of beautiful sunlight shows through those damn things pretty early in the morning. It’s nearly blinding. Late/Early stuff. My club volleyball team practices from 9-11 PM. I love playing, but it’s impossible to get the adrenaline to stop running for at least two hours after physical activity. Kinda sucks, but you put up with it if it’s what you want to be doing. Some classes start at 7:50 AM. Not so cool. I just got a new job at a coffee place on the BSU campus. Not too excited about the shift twice a week that starts at 6:15 AM. Although, money is money....money is money.... I’m sure you all can think of so many other things that prevent you from sleeping. Why don’t you go ahead and post them below? What to do? Next to Adderall and birth control, sleeping pills are the easiest prescriptions to get a hold of, especially from a free college health clinic. I walk into the BSU health clinic with a sore throat and an inability to sleep at night, and I walk out with a prescription for Ambien, one of the stronger prescription sleeping pills available. It should be known, however, that no more than 7 to 10 doses are prescribed to a single patient. You can become addicted or dependent, and not be able to sleep without them. These prescriptions are also a little pricey. My prescription for 10 doses of Ambien equaled $48.30. [NOW I know how the clinic can afford to stay upon without charging its patients.] Most insurance will cover this. Pretty much, there’s nothing else to do except stay up late and watch Boy Meets World. I mean....post on Nubblies.

12-20-2003, 05:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
ninjaface Level 20 Holothetan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Space Posts: 5,245 Internets: 210144	One of my roommates is a major asshole for many reasons. He likes to fall asleep with the tv on. And if he goes to bed late, as in 2 or 3 AM, he likes to turn on the tv. And whenever I ask if he could turn off the tv he replies with a "what the fuck" and turns off the tv. If he happened to get murdered extremely hard, I can't say that I would mind. I don't want to take birth control pills or ambien, so I'm stuck with telling him to turn off the tv and being treated like I was the one being a dick.

12-20-2003, 05:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
Pliedes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 4,594 Internets: 1608	Good topic, I think this is something we can all relate to. In high school, I was like any other kid, commonly staying up until about 1 am, and waking up at 6. Nowadays, I don't just "stay up late", I actually can't sleep. Even if I go to bed early, I'll seriously lay in bed for four hours and when I do get to sleep, it's not the comforting, deep sleep I want. How bad has it gotten? These past few weeks, my roomate has usually gone to bed at about 6 a.m. I, on the other hand, like to go for a uber-late/really early morning stoll, and usually get back and into bed at about 7:30 a.m. In many respects, I hate it, and it's ridiculous; but I wouldn't trade those winter walks for anything. I strongly recommend going for a stroll in the worst weather, at the worst time of day when there is no one around. I've had some of my happiest moments, and best inspirations because of it, adn I wouldn't trade those winter morns for anything. Back on topic though, I almost need medicine to get to sleep sometimes. Cheap antihistimines do ok, and so does Nyquil or it's pill equal. But if anyone has any suggestions on some strong but cheap drugs to knock me out, please, by all means tell me.

12-20-2003, 06:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
buckeye Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,100 Internets: 10	yeah i pulled 4 hours of sleep over 48hrs due to the fact i was completing a lab project. But yes college i agree that the college enviroment does give little or no room for sleep. For example my roomate turned nocturnal, yep he would stay up till about 11 am after his classes were done, and then sleep till about 6 or 7pm at night. I would be goign to bed around 5-6am on a regular basis, and he would just be starting his homework, or starting another movie, it was crazy.

12-20-2003, 06:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
Pliedes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 4,594 Internets: 1608	You know what's crazy, school's not even in session, and here we are posting at 3 in the morning...

12-20-2003, 08:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
Pliedes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 4,594 Internets: 1608	Insomnia is a bitch, and I'm going to fight it. Earlier this morning, I decided that "Hey, I'm just not going to sleep." I wanna say fuck it mom, I don't wanna go to bed, I'll take a shower in the morning. Here's my plan. I'm simply going to cut normal sleep time in half (or thirds, we'll see) but do so by skipping intervals. For instance, I'm not going to bed at all tonight, and I'll treat tomorrow like a normal day. So when I lay my head down on a pillow at 2 am tomorrow, I'll actually fucking go to sleep. And it'll be a damn good sleep, because I say so. Then we'll see how the next day goes, if it goes well, I'll just stay up through the next night (cutting bedtime in half) or if I feel like I will actually sleep, I'll sleep night three, but then skip the next time (staying up every third night). Damn, this seems like a really good idea right now... but hell, maybe that's because I need some sleep

12-20-2003, 01:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
Orgazmo COME ON YOU YANKS Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 15,733 Internets: 311447	I'm the exact opposite of most of you. I normally go to sleep around 1...and fall right asleep. Of course, Karl, my roomate Karl, is normally already in bed at this time...so him being a distraction isn't really an influence a'tall. The only time that I've had troubles getting to sleep whilst in college are this past week. For some reason, people chose finals week to be complete jackasses from 11 - midnight in the halls. Needless to say, they've been killed.

12-20-2003, 05:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
tonguegina I like dirt. Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,861 Internets: 2790	I also have extremely hard trouble falling asleep at night. You know the best way to solve it? A nap. For some reason, I can easily fall asleep at 2 in the afternoon and sleep for an hour or two and be ready to go. It's well worth it. I'd look into it if I were you.

12-21-2003, 04:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	I usually go to sleep on a regular basis at 2-3:30 in the morning. Even when I have an 8 o clock class. Why? Well, it just so happened that right after Fall Break, I got into the habit of staying up late and talking to a very good friend, either face to face, or online. And before you know it, it's late. Or at least, that's what happened for a couple of days. And that began a pattern. Now, usually it's not just talking. I'm usually getting homework done or something like that at the same time, but it's just fun and it's a very peaceful time of the night to relax. Then I crawl into bed and fall right asleep. Sometimes it doesn't do wonders for my day ahead, but now I can't seem to find the need to go to bed early. Unless I've had the last couple of days that I've had, and then I just stay up for no reason at all whatsoever, and then pay the consequences when I have to do major work for the next day, and that day after that, and the day after that, and the you get the picture. And Pli.....I agree. Morn walks do a body good.

12-22-2003, 03:09 AM	#11 (permalink)
lefty Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 9 Internets: 10	I'm thinking that I'll need to try these morning walks. I've tried taking walks at night, but that's a little scary sometimes for a girl walking alone on a college campus.... Pliedes: Wal-Mart brand benedryl is excellent for sleeping problems, supposedly. This is what my family doctor tells me at least. [ December 22, 2003, 12:10 AM: Message edited by: lefty ]

12-22-2003, 05:06 AM	#12 (permalink)
StDx Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: right behind you Posts: 931 Internets: 306	Pliedes, have you tried mini-thins, yellowjackets, or 357's? You can get em at some gas stations, and most truckstops or drugstores... it's what truckers use to go to sleep. Pop a handfull of those and you'll sleep like a baby.

12-22-2003, 06:41 AM	#13 (permalink)
Pliedes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 4,594 Internets: 1608	Lefty, thanks. Stdx, nice try. Isn't there anyone out there who knows a bit about over the counter medicine or something?