I do entirely understand you. The room temperature plays very important role when it comes to insomnia. I rad it somewhere that the temperature should not be more than 19 C./ 69-70 F. It is a proven fact that when we fall asleep our body's temperature drops...and we are shaking a little. So, if it is too hot, the body is warm...it does not cool down. Therefore you can't fall asleep. May be for other people the temperature does not matter that much because we all wired differently biologically. The only solution for you- install additional conditioner or change the AC system, or if you have basement....sleep in the basement. Prioritizes your needs...you need sleep. Good luck and stay cool!

Slayer,

Box fan would be my suggestion. They are fairly cheap and also work well for white noise. Perhaps a water bladder filled with cold water before bed?

Is there a possibility that you suffer from some kind of anxiety or depression disorder? Both conditions can have a negative impact on sleep.

"I really feel like giving up. Feel like quitting my job and basically everything like working out. I get everything done that people who sleep well get done, have better grades than those who sleep well, and have accomplished some great things(especially this year) but nothing has came easy. My insomnia has made me miserable in the process of accomplishing this. It's gotten to the point where I'm thinking I'd rather just end my life or just sit on the couch eating pizza and drinking soda all day. I don't get how you all make it through on little to no or poor sleep. Some people just seem to get over it but I can't! How can I ignore my daily headaches, nearly falling asleep driving, not being alert during school, work, working out and just life in general! I've improved tremendously mentally but man I need some god damn results meaning sleep to improve farther not only mentally but in accomplishing other goals I have. "
I agree and entirely related myself with every word. I am relatively like you with only difference that I am a mother of two kids and I did not have a chance to succeed professionally. However, since I have my insomnia I did twice more than other mothers around me who live happy life and sleep well. I learned English, worked, got Accounting Degree with 3.795 GPA, had another child at the age of 39 (sleeping 4 hours a night all my pregnancy). Despite I live with emotionally abusive husband I still functioning...even exercising in a GYM 4-5 times a week for a year. Sometimes I do feel I am gonna dye soon and I am mentally giving up to this tough and unbearable situation. I feel mad, angry, frustrated and hopeless. I do not know how my body still handling all I have to deal with. But...then there are better days. We all have to find ways to fight the insomnia. We have now choice.

Hey! Hang in there!!! When I'm having a really bad day- there are plenty of moments where I feel happy or I laugh at something that was funny. Try to focus on the things that made you happy- remember the good times. It's very hard to do while in the midst of this horror. Stay strong!! We are all experiencing some similar nightmares.

I have a very inexpensive window unit that I run only at night. The cost to run it is very inexpensive. I got mine at the end of the season @ Home Depot when the sales were going on. Costco & Walmart will also have them. I keep it on 68. If you are working maybe you can toss your Mom a few bucks for the increase. Wishing you a great nights sleep! Deny

I do suspect I have anxiety and depression but I KNOW it's not why I can't sleep at all at home. In fact, I'd dare say that my anxiety and depression was more so a result of the years of insomnia. I don't think or feel the way I used to before insomnia started happening. I've noticed my anxiety and depression levels fluctuate dramatically depending on how I've slept recently. When I have a few nights of horrible sleep in a row I have some pretty scary thoughts. Lately in the morning while driving to work I've had thoughts about the desire to kill someone. No one in particular but just someone mostly because I'm sick of how I feel.

The thing is I was camping from Thursday through Saturday and slept really good in the naturally worse sleeping conditions in camping vs a home. In fact I had numerous bizarre dreams that I have no idea what they meant. When I got back Sunday night I slept quite a bit worse than camping but I actually got some sleep unlike monday. I was nervous because I had a First Aid, CPR, and AED class and test so I woke up at 4:15 A.M. and wasn't able to fall back asleep. But I passed the test and got my certificate and on Monday night I was happy and not anxious or depressed because I'd just been camping and got my certification.

My day got completely ruined this morning a apon getting absolutely no sleep last night. I felt myself literally sweating all night watching the clock tick later and later and closer to my dreaded alarm for work. It was horrible. I hope I can do some of these suggestions you guys gave me.

Slayer,

Congrats on your certification! No doubt it took more effort given your insomnia.

Are you receiving any treatment for anxiety/depression? Not trying to diagnose you but untreated anxiety/depression often has a detrimental impact on sleep. Your anxiety seemingly kept you from going back to sleep @ 4:15am.

Another thought...I don't know you....but in reading your posts, your anger comes thru in nearly every post......also you seem to be fairly hard on yourself (in terms of reaching goals). I wonder if learning to surrender would be of some benefit to you. Something to consider.

My encouragement is that you get treatment for the anxiety/depression (if you have and are not getting treatment) whether it involve medication and/or counseling. I bet your sleep will improve as these underlying conditions improve. Incidentally, there are some studies that show Yoga as a good therapy consideration for anxiety and depression. I was amazed at how calm I felt when I tried for the first time.

Lastly...at the risk of sounding like a broken record, try to be consistent in good sleep hygiene. Clock watching invariably produces anxiety when trying to sleep.

I feel for you slayer. I know you have been trying to overcome for a long time now. Hang in there!

Ohh been there before I had the AC units at my old apt. It is utterly awful trying to sleep in a mucky heat.

Try getting a couple fans going first, obviously. You can also take a cold shower (sounds awful but once you get used to the water it is really pleasant).

Look for a place that sells dry ice and open a container of the stuff in front of a fan in a small bedroom,,, you know it is summer in Chicago when places that sell dry ice are sold out in days.

Finally - if possible in the budget - turn that AC unit waaay down 20 mins before you enter the bedroom. When you enter 20 mins later - back up to 78. That should chill the room enough to be peaceful while you fall asleep.

That's all I got in ways of advice - good luck man.

Insomnia causes anxiety and depretion and visa versa. This is why the fist step in treating insomnia is a pharamacutical remedy. Read a book " SAY GOODNIGHT TO INSOMNIA", it explense everything. And yes I am too noticed some anger showing off through your posts. If you are angry you won't sleep.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Last night I slept good and was consistent with what has been going on for the last several months(since summer started). I usually have 2 good sleep nights per month. The other 28 days are usually a mixture of a few medium, lots of pretty bad and quite a lot of abysmal nights. Oddly after having a good sleeping day I actually feel more tired than normal usually. On the 2 random days my body finally just allows me to sleep I feel like if uninterrupted, I could sleep all day. I woke up hearing my alarm today and couldn't believe it was 6:30. I got about 8 to 8 1/2 hours but know if I didn't have work today that I probably could have slept A LOT longer.

As for the anger, Seay and Biatta you are right that I have my anger moments. Unless I am giving advice to others, I rarely post untill things are REALLY bad. I usually stay positive despite sleeping bad but then I usually have a snapping point day where I am usually so tired that I snap(this is when I usually post on here). I just don't know how to feel anything but angry when I feel that tired. It's like I don't have control over my body.

Perhaps my success in handling a chronic back condition that I have called scoliosis was also a curse for my anger. Basically long story short, I was in a hell of a lot of pain starting around middle school through high school. No one could figure out what was wrong with with me. Untill one day a chiropractor noticed my back looked off(he didn't identify the condition as scoliosis but started telling me to try various stretches and exercises). From then on my pain was probably excrutiating and anyone else would probably be on disabilities but I chose to fight. I used anger to fight the pain. I do this pretty much every day. A bad pain day for you is probably a great day for me.

From then on, I became very hard on myself which is exactly what you are talking about seay. To be honest I think I am someone who has high functioning autism. I try to make myself on the level with everyone else. Basically I have to work harder than everyone to get the same results because my natural base intelligence and learning on the spot without preparation is below average. So for goals I set that involve mental processes, I obsess and spend hours apon hours trying to achieve the goal. All my goals involving fitness I have to accomplish with my back as an obstacle. So yes I probably do obsess and beat myself up about completing hard goals I set myself.

Sadly I am not getting treating for anxiety of depression at the moment. My parents don't have very good insurance and I have a hoax of doctor appointments of coming up. So all I can do right now is work on it by myself. I have lots of stuff not just for anxiety/ depression but mentally. I have a whole long list of things I'm not happy about with myself even though I really do feel decently satisfied with some of the things I've accomplished this year. I have lots of work still to do but I'm happier with myself this year than last year. Most of my needed improvements involve conquering my social anxiety(not prescribed but suspected). I've always had a tough time making friends and haven't been in a relationship for a long time. I hate talking in class,etc. I just lack confidence in most social settings. This is a long post already so I don't want to go into details but now that I think about it, my back condition seemed to cause depression and anxiety. I was really into basketball and it took something away. I could have made the H.S team, possibly college, and maybe even pro.

Hey, Slayer..I am very much impressed by your strong will and enthusiasm. I always think that people should be judged not by their achievements, but by the progress they made and by the obsticals they overcome. As to the anger....it is justified in your case. I am a women, but when I do not sleep....I am so much angry that I am willing to crush the walls. You need to take care of your back....you know that. And it is nothing unusual to have social Anxiety....I developed it too. More than that, many people who look confident do have anxiety too.

Slayer,

Great vulnerability on your part. You seem to be a self-aware person and that is always a good place to be for enacting change.

There are many generic forms of anti-depressants that are not expensive. Some of them may be as low as $10/month. Since you have some doctors visits coming up, perhaps you could discuss this with them?

There is no shame in getting help from medication. Some people cannot obtain relief from (or afford) natural ways (i.e. counseling, meditation, supplements, etc).

I tried many natural forms to relieve my depression: regular mild exercise (Yoga/walking), intense exercise (running 3-5 miles + weight lifting) several times/week, paleo diet w/no sugar; supplements (fish oil, vitamin d3, vitamin b, multi-vitamin, L-glutamine), counseling & bright light therapy. Nothing has brought more relief to me and improved my sleep as much as finding the right antidepressant.

Alright....enough pushing the medication. I just hope you get well.

Best thing ever is to go buy yourself a portable AC unit and move to a smaller room. Blast that portable AC unit cuz it won't cost much to cool a small room and the amount you get charged is well worth it.

I bought a portable unit for $400 at Home Depot. I set that baby to 65.

Hey Slayer. Next summer don't mess around. I can't sleep if the room temp is above 69-70 degrees, and I don't think the body can. Get A/C. More important than many other frills.