What we'll do for sleep

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ViewsAskew
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Location: Los Angeles

What we'll do for sleep

Post by ViewsAskew »

Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

sardsy75
Posts: 862
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:56 am
Location: Queensland, Australia

Post by sardsy75 »

Now THAT is a well informed and well written article!

It highlights the problem of merely staying awake due to lack of sleep that the majority of our members, and those who visit us, go through each day.

80% of the medications i'm on have a bright fluro sticker on them warning me that drowsiness could occur, so I should avoid operating machinery and driving at all costs ... yeah right ... in a perfect world maybe. Someone's gotta drop the kids off at school, then pick them up; drive to and from the grocery store; you know life in general ... and we do it ... more often than not, drugged to the hilt on stuff that is supposed to make us sleep.

Even more frustrating is when these particular drugs are prescribed for use DURING THE DAY. Now theres a conundrum! Do you drive or don't you? Do you follow the doc's orders and take the drugs just so you might be able to get to sleep in about 10 hours time, when you're supposed to, or take them later, and hope they kick in when you really do wanna sleep?

A study was done down under back in 2004. I was interviewed by ABC Radio and one of the big Sydney Newspapers about RLS and life with no sleep. The study results were released at the same time my interviews were done. I'll do a bit of digging and see if I can find where I stashed it (it might be on my old computer).

Anyhoo ... as I said ... brilliant article ... nice to read one that wasn't poking fun at us for once!
Nadia

My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!

SquirmingSusan
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Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:08 am
Location: Minnesota
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

Thanks for posting that, Ann. I think I'll print that out for my mother who thinks that insomnia is a character defect and not a medical problem. Interesting that she says that insomnia is the biggest cause of suicide. I wonder if she has statistics on that... It sure does make sense, though. I might have to look up her book.
Susan

waterloo2
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Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 5:51 pm

Post by waterloo2 »

Hi all

Very interesting makes you wonder?

gill

:roll:

jan3213
Posts: 1706
Joined: Wed May 26, 2004 8:46 pm
Location: Illinois

Post by jan3213 »

I have to echo Nadia's comment--Excellent article!! However, even though many of the medications we take issue warnings that they cause drowziness, some of those same medications can cause insomnia in some people.

I am not suicidal, but I can understand the comment that "if I died, at least I'd get some rest." I do know that there are times I have almost looked forward to a medical procedure because I knew that I would be given general anesthesia, or at least enough of something, to make me sleep all day.

Sad, isn't it? Early this morning (1 am) I got up out of bed because I was moaning and couldn't stand to stay in that bed one more second. I came downstairs and stayed--awake--until 4 am. I then went back to bed and the alarm clock went off at 6 am, when I got up, took a shower, and went to work at 7:30, and didn't get home until 5:30. That's the way my life is, now.

And, I am not alone.

Thanks for posting that article, Ann.

Jan
No one is alone who had friends.

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