I know what you mean about feeling that hit of feel good chemical. But mine doesn't come with learning something and really getting it down. Mine if from eating something or a cigarette or spending money. All good and dangerous things.
It's the rush that makes us keep doing what we're doing to make our pleasure centers happy in our brain. I'm trying to tell it no, but sometimes it yells louder than I do.
Waaaaayyy back in the day, when there was just Nintendo, I would play Tetris to unwind. I'm not sure why it made me relax, but it did. It put me in a trance and I could fall asleep without a hitch.
Sex is pretty good for shutting the brain down, too. But you've got to shut the brain up enough to let the sex do it's job. Kind of a catch 22.
Maybe you should read a biology book before bedtime. I'd go unconsious in like, seconds reading that during college, LOL.
I have found routine to be key for me. If my brain knows what to expect, I seem to do a whole lot better. And of course, the less stimulating, the less likely i will be kept awake. Sometimes I read. lately, I have downloaded a few seasons of my favorite TV show and watch one every night. I maybe make it 10-15 minutes into the show, because I know it well enough to just close my eyes and listen, which gets me asleep pretty quickly.What a difference 24 hours makes. I did it all right last night. Fell asleep, slept really good, dreamed all night (Paul McCartney is such a gentleman to help me back on with my bra! It fell off!) and woke up rested and happy.
Yep, I do melatonin. Love it. I do the sublingual because it seems to work better faster. I also do a couple sprays of Rescue Sleep by Bach flower remedies. It's not melatonin but it's very effective at stopping repetitive thoughts.
I haven't had this with Adderall before and I've been taking it almost 2 months. If anything, it has the opposite reaction. I really don't want to start relying on Rx drugs to take care of the sleep issue since it normally isn't a problem. I hate that I'm taking Adderall to function daily.
I think that lanelise hit the nail. I made the mistake of engaging the brain too late at night. Especially with something that is extremely stimulating/fun to my brain. Even right now, as I'm typing, I'm also playing my bass. It's like I told a girlfriend of mine. My brain hasn't really learned, been stimulated or challenged by something new and different since college back in the early 90s. When I hit a particular riff just right, I can almost feel the hit of whatever pleasure chemical your body produces. It's very momentary but it is a definite 'high' in a way. I'd love to have someone explain the physiology of what is going on. I know my brain is enjoying the hell out of it.
I know I can't have a good conversation, watch TV, or read a good book before I attempt to go to sleep. It engages my brain, so I can't sleep.
I read my catalogs, i.e., Lehman's, Vermont Country Store, gardening, clothing, etc. or a cookbook before bedtime, with one light on, the air turned down, forcing me under the covers, and a glass of milk in my gut.
Usually takes about ummmm, 10 to 20 minutes. Occassionly, it may be 30 minutes.
When you e-mailed the other night, I was up for an extra hour, hoping you would let me know about your playlist. You must have been a slacker and gone to bed early. My brain was in overdrive.
Are you doing that nasty good for you eating still? Have a cookie. Carbs put me out, meds or no.
Yep, 3 friggin a.m. I have laid in the bed wide awake since 10:30. 5 hours. And my brain has not shut off. I took my med at 8 this morning so it is long out of my system.
What is going on is this.
I've recently taken up the bass guitar having never even laid my hands on one. I did that 2 months ago. I am learning songs as fast as my brain and fingers can keep up. The fingers are the slowest part. At some point the fingers get blistered and you're forced to stop. I did not expect to have this much fun learning a new skill. So my brain is on a 24/7 learning/absorption rate and dragging my 44 year old body along for the jam session. I practiced until 10 p.m. (mistake). Then I get in bed and the mp3 player in my head starts cueing parts of songs in and out, over and over, working on the fingering and techniques. Then it moves to another song. and does it again. How do you make it stop!?? MOre important, how do you get to sleep?
I know why I drink at night. It's self-medicating to turn my brain down. From now on, I am forcing myself away from the bass at 9. And into the bed with a magazine, book, conversation (preferably NOT about music). I just hope that my brain doesn't get bored with learning bass. Maybe another good reason to force myself away from it. One day a week, declare a music moratorium (sp?).
Maybe I could go fold laundry. That would bore me to sleep.
I'd ask what medication it was, but it used to happen to me, so I know it must be Adderall (or Dexadrine.)
I do Ambien until my monitor melts.
Then I wonder if I walk in my sleep.
Really though, I read until my Ambien kicks in.
i've been taking it for 10 years or so.
every nite