Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I've always had sleeping problems and recently I've been waking up early at about 6am or sometimes earlier and I can't sleep after that eventhough I'm tired. I know I'm not getting enough sleep which means I feel tired all the time and I feel exhausted to do anything. In the past, I've spent some nights not sleeping at all. Do you think I should tell my doctor? And get sleeping pills?

How much sleep do you actually get?

The body can get by on 5-6 hours a night but not if it is highly disrupted. It is also important to recognize whether you have difficulty getting to sleep, or staying asleep? Do you find your anxiety levels are higher? Or does your brain think think think?
Make sure your doctor knows the the real symptoms.

For a few nights it is not a real issue... But if it is consistent then you need to ask the doctor for an aid, ideally lowest dose, and discuss with a therapist about the reasons.

Speaking from recent experience - chronic insomnia and fatigue will become a downward spiral if you don't get a handle on it. There is safe medication which is not addictive or dangerous - but it does leave you feeling tired during the day.

IMO no. I sleep for about four  hours a day. I meditate,  I relax.  I sleep when I can.  When I dream, I wake up. No one wants my dreams!

Don't take pills.

I always take sleeping tablets when I travel internationally to sleep on planes, and adjust quickly to the time zone changes at the other end.

I would stay very far away from them if I were you. Don't even think about it.

I find that when I travel a lot that I start getting tolerant to them. What used to work doesn't work anymore and I need more of them to sleep. This was only every month or two. Its pretty easy to see where that would end up if you took them more often - you'd be back where you started not sleeping properly, with the added bonus of being addicted to sleeping tables as well. And you'd not be able to sleep at all without them.

I know someone that happened to, and it wasn't good. It was decades ago, but the doctor at the time said these tablets weren't addictive, which of course they were.

I've had problems sleeping for years, probably because of stress and depression due to gender issues. If you have that then I think it would be better to sort it out first and hopefully the sleep will improve. I've never taken sleeping tablets at home and I never will, even though I usually have plenty of them available.

Apart from that I can only suggest seeing a doctor, and if he offers you sleeping tablets then get a second opinion.

I totally agree with AnonyMs.

Pills are very addictive. Do spend some time learning how to meditate. 30min good mediation is easily four hours sleep.
It is well worth studying.

Completely agree with everyone above!

Don't take sleeping pills unless you really really need them. Read "nervous breakdown". Or 1-2hr sleep a night (max) for 1-2 months. And then the pill also steals your day.

There are neuroleptic pills which can help calm an over active brain if you find staying asleep problematic. Or there are organic plant aids like "relax all" which contains phenubut or "orange blossom" tea which can help you relax and drift off. GABA is another extract which may help. Or not.

Meditation is amazing - especially when you can slow your brain down. And definitely worth learning the techniques.

I am on trazodone and while it don't put me asleep, it keeps me asleep.  I always had problems staying asleep, waking up every 2 hours... falling asleep, I'm usually asleep before head hits pillow :)

What do you eat or drink before you go to bed?  Do you have any caffeine after 3 in the afternoon?  Sometimes bad habits can cause it. I cut out caffeine past a certain time and even though I do fall asleep with the tv going, I do have it set on its timer to cut off in a little bit so it doesn't wake me later during the night.

How much do you exercise? I always sleep better on workout days, or when I've spent a few hours doing yardwork, etc.