PS -- I even went to the neurologist and he said the migraines were rebound headaches and I KNOW a rebound headache vs. not one and these are not them.  That was he suggested then moved on.  I didn't know what else to ask.  And I cant go any further into second opinions, he's my ninth neurologist (some I fired, some changed insurances, etc) and is one of the best in the area.  No other ones take my insurance.  He's even a registered Sleep technologist, and he said to sit in a warm bath for 20 minutes 3 hours before I go to sleep, which should help me sleep.  Has anyone heard of this?

Melissa.

Thank you Jasmine...I will try anything right now.  The part that I have the worst time with is waking up with the migraines.  Do you know if nightmares and migraines are related?  They affect my eyes the most..almost like my eyes are going 600 mph all 2 hours I sleep so when I wake up they are "overworked" or whatever.  That what it seems like at least.  But I'll try the meditation tonight.  Any suggestions for staying asleep?  I sleep every 2 hours or so, then up an hour, then fall back to sleep, etc.  And i have to nap in the day or the night is ruined.  I did that 2 days ago for the last time I hope.  I haven't slept a full night (other than random one here and there) in years.

Melissa.

Because it's been years with the sleep issues, I've tried many things...everything.  I find that , like you, I need an outiside light on--so the hall light stays on all the time.   I have to have that on.  I've tried lights on/off, even once all dark with only a flashlight (I hate the dark), which sometimes both worked, sometimes not, I couldn't get anything consistent or reliable to help me sleep.  I would never sleep with the window open because I am on the first floor of the building.

Re: eating, it varies, I eat a variety of stuff, and it is hard to give an exact answer where it correlates with sleep.  i am on 14 medications, and sometimes if I need one at an earlier time, and my stomach is full, I fall asleep fast wherever I am closest to, but still for only 2 hours.  So sometimes I eat before I sleep, sometimes I dont have much food in my stomach.  The meds are scheduled and I go by that usually, but sometimes I need the as needed ones (which make me tired) through the day, which kind of messes everything up.  So it's kind of hard to answer your question, other than I eat a variety of foods, hardly any junk, chips, soda, chocolate (although I need a fix once in awhile :)  ) and only have mainly whole foods, or foods intended for meals.  Also milk, water, and sugar free juice diluted.  Once in awhile a diet coke.  I like decaff herbal teas also.  Don't like coffee. 

Melissa.

Okay.  What is going on with you?  The nightmares are the body trying to tell you about something you aren't facing in your conscious hours.  The migraines are probably a result of your mind trying to escape what you fear as well.  You have been pretty stoic about the fact  that you are having surgery  in a couple of weeks.  You were also almost trying to reassure all of us that you would be fine when you had your mammo scare.  Perhaps your subconcious is trying  to beat your concious into admitting that you are scared.  You have every right to be scared. List en, I am no Sigmund Freud, but it seems pretty obvious to me.  Also, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to take medication that mak es you sleepy and then climb into a hot bath.  Talk to your  G. P. about the nightmares. You need solid sleep.  I will talk to you later.  Good luck.  Love, Bobbie

Hi Bobbie, I talked to my neurologist about the nightmare and migraines and he didnt have an answer other than to try and be warm going to sleep and to stop taking tylenol.  I'm no doctor but clearly there has got to be another answer.  I tried the warm thing in the bath tub, so I am going to bed at 7 PM.  I havet taken tylenol in 2 days, which hasn't made a difference (though I wouldn't expect it to).  Also I dont take the meds that make me tired before the bath--I usually need them in the AM.early PM, and they dont out me to sleep so i'm all set there.  I'm gonna try what Jasmine suggested but am debating whether to wait a night because I'm doing the bath experiment tonight.  Thing is though, I need low music to fall asleep.  I also get anxious about falling asleep, even though I want to sleep.  I always have though.  Solid sleep definitely is needed, but when I have the surgery I doubt I will get a full night.  So the next 2 weeks or so I'd like to get some so I am trying anything.  And yes, the upcoming surgery is is really  getting to me.  I just want each day over with so I can get to the surgery date and over with.   I'm having a hard time  getting through the days most of the time.  Thanks for all the advice and insight.  Love,Melissa.

just a note ---  I just woke up from 2 1/2 hours of sleep .  No  headache,  no migraine.  The way I fell asleep?  I slept on my stomach.  Once I hit the bed and was on my stomach I fell asleep.  I had been tyring to sleep on my back to get used to it for after surgery and I wasn't sleeping.  So, I think I might have figured soemthing out.

Melissa. 

Amen on the sleep.  Try not to think too much . You are only going to make yourself worse off by over thinking this.  i will talk to you later.  Love, bobbie

Yes, you body is cold and unable to fall into R.E.M. sleep.  Try when you go to sleep use the palm of your hand to cover up the naval, use a pillow over the hand and then use a regular blanket.

We all know the head loses allot of heat especially during the night.  The stomach also known as the furnace is  cold so you must first warm it up with your palm over the naval then keep it warm throughout the night with a pillow and a regular blanket.  Once the stomach create enough heat then the body will send the excess heat to the extremities ie head, hands, and feet.  Lack of blood circulation is the is the cause of insomia and headache.

Hi Jasmine,

I've tried every time frame to fall asleep in.  The later I go to bed the less sleep I get because in the AM if I dont get up fast enough I am groggy/out of it all day.  I dont know why, but for some reason I have to be an early bird or I have a terrible day.  sometimes I get up for a couple hours then fall back asleep, but nothing goes beyond 2- 1/2 hours at a time.  No matter what time of day, naps,no naps, all-nighters, --whatever it is.  I just can't stay asleep for a long period of time....kind of like I am on guard something will happen and my body has to be ready at all times.  That's all I can think of.

Melissa.

What if I am sleeping on my stomach...and it is already warm, and i am comfortable warm--I still dont fall asleep all the time like that.  But when I do fall asleep, it is usually ends up being 2-2 1/2 hours.  I ened to lengthen that time somehow.

Melissa.

I could only get a little under 2 hours of sleep for now.  Fell asleep fine, no headache, no nightmares, admittedly I took tylenol to help me fall asleep because I didn't want to chance laying around forever.  Still working on more than 2 hours.  I seem to wake up after every dream I've noticed too.

Melissa.

The body is cold and unable to fall into R.E.M. sleep.  If you warm up the stomach and the rest of the body will warm up.  Once the body reach the optimal temperature then you will fall into R.E.M. sleep.  Read up my blog on control temperature chaos.

Are there other meds you can take instead to avoid the nightmares etc?  If they didn't cause nightmares I would ask my doctor about them.

Melissa.

I too have nightmares.  Here is what I've learned from the pros.  No, you cannot prevent them.  Nightmares stem from what your subconscious is thinking.  When we sleep, it wakes up and starts talking.  Anything traumatic in the subconscious can come out in the form of nightmares.  If you keep having nightmares in one night, get up out of bed, flip through a catalogue or do something boring for about a half hour and then go back to bed.  I am living proof that doing this can actually stop the repeated  nightmares the same night.  If you have never had a Sleep Study done, perhaps asking your doctor to have you tested for sleep disorders would be an idea.  Typically, nightmares are dealing with what our conscious minds cannot face.  But talk to your doctor about a Sleep Study.

I have had 2 sleep studies done at 2 different times, and didn't show anything.

Melissa.