Advice Needed

Silver Springs · #1 02-08-2011, 04:16 PM

This isn't a woah is me thread, so don't for a moment think of it as one before I begin. As some of you know, I've been having alot of personal problems (Won't go into them), as well as coping with a full time University Degree. Because of this, I have been forced to survive on as little as two hours of sleep a night and have little time to eat or basically look after myself as my Uni day ends (It begins at 8am each day) around 8 or 9 in the evening, by which time I spend another hour and half getting home only to have more work waiting for me. I was wondering if anybody had any advice on how to cope with such a gruelling schedule. Ie. Over the counter herbal remedies for fatigue and lethargy. And if I'm honest herbal mood lifters ("Uppers", if you will). I need to get my head back into the game as I feel as though I'm working through a fog at the moment and can't quite put together a thought effectively without spending minutes trying to think of the next word. And I have a large dissertation to get started asap and obviously I can't do it when I'm so mentally exhausted.

Any advice would be gratefully accepted at the moment.

I hope that read okay because paragraphs really don't work for me at the moment.

vivfox · #2 02-08-2011, 05:14 PM

Regular exercising makes you more tired and able to sleep better as well as giving you more daytime energy and strength/stamina.

chiliD · #3 02-08-2011, 05:32 PM

Cocaine...mountains of it.

Or....

Works 100x's better than Red Bull, Monster or Rockstar (or any of those carbonated energy drinks)...with ZERO sugar (so your pancreas & kidneys don't get damaged)

None of the "shakes" that those other drinks have as a side effect...after 5 hours, there's no residual "buzz" to keep you awake, can fall asleep normally.

HomerMcvie · #4 02-08-2011, 05:38 PM

There's NO substitute for sleep. Fatigue leads to depression, and poor decision making. Somehow, you've got to find the time to get a decent amount of sleep.

I have trouble sleeping too. And although I hate taking pills, if I haven't slept well for a couple of nights, I'll pop a couple Advil PM's, and that usually does the trick.

Good luck.

Enchanted_Stevi · #5 02-08-2011, 05:39 PM

Thats too bad your schedule is WAY too busy!! Maybe you could try cutting back on classes...so your not at school so late and have a bit more time to get home and go to work...As for the eating...try to eat as good as possible(you are what you eat) and excersise can help make you feel better...even if its just a little stretching or yoga before bed...drinks LOTS of water...and sleep as much as you possibly can!

Also those 5 hour energy drinks can help too =P

Lindsfan · #6 02-08-2011, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Works 100x's better than Red Bull, Monster or Rockstar (or any of those carbonated energy drinks)...with ZERO sugar (so your pancreas & kidneys don't get damaged)

None of the "shakes" that those other drinks have as a side effect...after 5 hours, there's no residual "buzz" to keep you awake, can fall asleep normally.

That's good stuff

It may seem expensive for such a small bottle, but compared to an exspresso ity's a bargain - plus it works and you won't crash! Tastes OK too... I thnk it's best about half an hour after I take it out of the fridge - it's a bit tart when it's too cold, and room temp isn't as good, but sorta cooled is when it's best- IMO. Hang in there...

APerfectLie · #7 02-08-2011, 06:57 PM

I was having the same problems last semester. I was also drinking massive amounts of diet coke. I cut the caffeine and aspartame out of my diet and started taking some vitamins: multivitamin, b-complex, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. I also started drinking lots of water and trying to get adequate sleep. If I have trouble sleeping, I usually take some Benadryl to help me fall asleep. My energy levels dramatically improved. I also take 5-HTP to keep me in a better mood and help me sleep better. That being said, I cannot stand people who sit there and go on and on about how aspartame is poisonous or that you have to take all these supplements to counteract some symptoms. I don't think aspartame is problematic in many people, nor do I think 5-HTP will calm everyone down... all I know is what worked for me.

chiliD · #8 02-08-2011, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

That being said, I cannot stand people who sit there and go on and on about how aspartame is poisonous or that you have to take all these supplements to counteract some symptoms.

Well FU. It is. Personal experience. I was drinking a 12 pack of Diet Coke a day. I started getting Multiple Sclerosis type symptoms. Even went to Neurologists...they said that the SYMPTOMS of MS were present but MRI & Cat Scans of my brain showed no signs of MS. When they asked me how much DC I drank a day, they almost fell out of their chairs. The aspartame was poisoning me. True story, fact. Get over it.

fringed n fab · #9 02-08-2011, 07:54 PM

I don't eat or drink anything with aspartame in it. Saccharin is bad too and is even in toothpaste and Pepto. I try to find things without these in them. In a diabetics case though, I could see them having to resort to other options but for me I stay away from those things.

fringed n fab · #10 02-08-2011, 08:00 PM

I realize we are all from different parts of the world on here and we word things differently, but here in the states, a uni means something totally different.

jannieC · #11 02-08-2011, 08:09 PM

Your schedule can't work long term. Period. No one can function well on 2 hours of sleep nightly and there is no drug, over the counter or otherwise, that will make it doable. If you can't decrease your schedule in some fashion, your body will figure out a way to force you to do so.

HomerMcvie · #12 02-08-2011, 08:11 PM

I drink TAB, because it's the only drink still made with saccharin. Although it's now a saccharin/aspartame blend. I drink two cans when I get up, because it's my coffee! TAB slaps you in the face, with taste!

I drink NO other soda, the rest of the day, though...just those two cans.

Nikolaj · #13 02-08-2011, 08:35 PM

I think maybe your body is telling you that you should take a break. A bachelor's degree in four years is not the be-all and end-all. Give yourself an extra year, it will not matter one bit. So, continue with a course or two, but instead of having all the necessary credits to graduate in 4 years, leave it open-ended.
Unless, you can actually handle it, then go ahead as you have been. Maybe you just needed to vent and don't need to take the route of procrastination. I did.
I could tell you how long it took me to get the BA- so I will. I was 24, barely.
I took one year off entirely (my third year) and years 4 and 5 I took it easier than as a freshman and sophomore. Then, I left again, for half a year, then finally kicked some butt to finish.
It took me six years to do what most people do in 4. (But, I fit in a brief marriage freshman year, a divorce the next year, had fun jobs and the best time, socially, went to tons of concerts, made a lot of contacts, and a lot of 'stuff' was going on. It's a miracle that college didn't take longer for me than it did!)
The delay in graduating didn't matter a bit, in the long run, though my parents were far from thrilled. My oldest nephew graduated from Brown a year ago, and it took him 5.5 years instead of 4. It didn't matter, in his case, either, and he had the support of his parents.
It may matter to you. Listen to yourself, advice is great to ask for and get- but I bet you know the answer, already. I knew in my first year.
My sister is brilliant and stronger than a Teamster. Now, her second son just left Boston University, in his second year, with the door open for him to return, which I think he will.
Life, around the age of 20, for some men, needs to be not compromised (wrong word) by school.
I believe that females generally are stronger than males and can maintain their focus and goals, but some young guys sometimes just need to be undisciplined and they accept it.
Women, in general, and especially at college-age are amazing with their discipline- women are the original multi-taskers. For two weeks a month, coming and going- they have their medical biological reality that men don't have to deal with; yet still go to classes, socialize, work, date and study!
SilverSprings, I think you can do whatever you want- and maybe that's something young men take more to heart sooner than young women do. If you need a break, be good to yourself.
Giving in to that need for freedom may be why some young men aren't as disciplined as most young women seem to require of themselves, if they are 'educationally inclined.'
Women with focus, bless them, want to do the right thing, even if it's difficult. Yet, young women have every much right, or more, to 'pace themselves' just as some young men allow themselves to do.

APerfectLie · #14 02-08-2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Well FU. It is. Personal experience. I was drinking a 12 pack of Diet Coke a day. I started getting Multiple Sclerosis type symptoms. Even went to Neurologists...they said that the SYMPTOMS of MS were present but MRI & Cat Scans of my brain showed no signs of MS. When they asked me how much DC I drank a day, they almost fell out of their chairs. The aspartame was poisoning me. True story, fact. Get over it.

I am not saying you're experience is invalid, nor did I know you stopped consuming aspartame so I was by no means trying to personally attack you. I also had major side effects of aspartame "poisoning" after consuming 6-12 diet cokes a day for seven years. I finally stopped consuming any kind of aspartame a year ago and my symptoms went away completely. That being said tho, I don't feel there is enough evidence to conclude that aspartame is dangerous for everyone. The aspartame was poisoning US, but it doesn't mean that everyone who consumes it will suffer the same side effects. I think some people are much more sensitive to aspartame and I think others, like us, consumed god awful amounts of it. In-fact, most people who have had adverse effects of aspartame usually consume waaaay too much. Water isn't a poison, but even too much of it can kill you. Another reason I refuse to put all the blame on aspartame was because of the massive amount of caffeine I was consuming along with it. I just feel like if someone wants to drink a diet coke, by all means they can, it is not my place to tell them that aspartame is bad for them and they should not drink it. All I know is how it affected me after so many years, but I can't speak for how it affects anybody else.

mezzoforte · #15 02-08-2011, 09:08 PM

Do whatever you have to do to prioritize sleep. 2 hours a night is okay once in a while, but should not be a regular thing. There's no way to keep that up! It will ravage your body, and particularly if you struggle with depression (I don't know you, but have gotten the impression you do?) it will really mess with your emotions.
My first semester at college, I was only getting 5 hours a night, every night. Way more than you're talking about, but it began to really affect me. I was tired, shaky, and anxious all the time, but I was prioritizing my homework, activities, and friends and honestly didn't think I could find time to sleep more. My roommate/bestie was on the same schedule and we finally looked at each other mid-January and realized we couldn't keep it up. Now I still pull the occasional all-nighter, but I manage to get 8 hours most nights, even if it means I don't always get my homework done and dinner is occasionally a protein bar at my desk. I feel so much better! And I work more effectively and have a better attitude. When you get enough sleep, it helps keep you balanced in all aspects of your life.
Energy drinks can help someone get through a busy period like finals, but when you're talking about your permanent schedule, it's like putting a band-aid over a gunshot wound. What can you cut back on? Spend less time on hw? Less time with friends? Maybe scaling back your school schedule is the best option...