Insomnia

[Bub]

Interesting article, http://www.times.com/2007/04/03/health/03tech.html ,
if you are curious, suggests that lowering the dialysate temperature  from 37 to 35 degrees can dramatically improve sleep patterns in dialysis patients.
I want to suggest this at my center for me but I am not really sure how to approach or even who to approach. I have had terrible insomnia ever since I started dialysis. Ambien leaves me sleep walking and Lunesta has the same effect on me as tic tacs --- none.

[BigSky]

Only had a problem in the beginning of dialysis with this.  It quit once I quit taking a nap during the day. 

I know a number of people at my unit complain about this issue but as they also tend to be the ones sleeping while on dialysis.

As to temp. 

Research does show lower dialysate temp helps keep bp from falling as much.

Not sure it really warms me up though, before dialysis my body temp is typically 93.5-94.5 degrees and that is around what it is when I leave.  Dialysate temp is set on my machine at 36.

[G-Ma]

I have a lower dialysis temp and don't nap, don't sleep...yes I also tried several kinds of "tic tacs"...never thought of putting it that way.  Ambien gives me 2 hours so I'm happy with that.

[KICKSTART]

Wow how strange its a question ive been wondering about ! For years ive had a terrible sleep pattern while on CAPD , ive taken Temazepam which did help  ( i got up to 4 hrs as opposed to the usual sleep /wake/sleep/wake) But now .. ive been on the cycler for a few weeks and im sleeping like a baby ..up to 8 to 10 hrs  i did wonder why ! So there must be something in that temp thing because the cyclers also have a temp setting.

[Bub]

Nurse lowered to 36 degrees, just one down.  Perhaps a placebo effect but I actually did go to sleep earlier and subjectively feel I slept better. Now I will try to get them to drop to 35 degrees which was used in the study.  Once I get the sleep problem sorted just have two problems left to deal with----extreme fatigue and itching!