Sue, bravo! You're 'da bomb'! Love it. Wish I could get up in front of an audience and be as funny as you. Keep up the good work and keep sharing it with us.

As far as sleep goes... I've heard that old people need less sleep (I know I sleep much less these days) so maybe it really won't be a problem after a while. You might have to resort to stimulants of some sort (coffee, vitamins, pics of naked men :-) toward evening though if you keep falling asleep before show time.

Jodi-

Sue -- I can see the audience loved you, but I couldn't hear you well.

How did all this come about? Here I thought you were a LCSW -- not that THAT wouldn't provide a boatload of material!

(May I suggest you limit your gestures while performing? The material is funny by itself. You don't have to 'sell' it.)

Very funny, loved it! The audience did too, I can see.

Sue, time-release melatonin is said to help people who have trouble staying asleep. Otherwise, I can tell you from personal experience that your internal clock will adjust eventually. When I started working evenings it took a long time for me to get used to it. Then when I quit two years later it took a long time to get used to that.

Looks like you're having fun!

Very good stuff, Sue. And I thought that your 'gestures' and body language were exactly spot on for your performance. Great timing, too. (It's a stand-up comedy routine....not a lecture.) SELL it, woman!

I thought you were great! Wouldn't change a thing!

I have trouble sleeping sometimes too.. so can't offer any advice on that.

Ambien
It got me through a rough patch. About 3 months I took it.
I could wake up whenever I needed to with no drowsiness.
No addiction...I just stopped when I thought I didn't need anymore.

I am anxious to watch your routine, but it will have to wait until I get home. Drats.

This is hilarious!! You are great !!!

I think you probably know what your sleep problem is.... You're not consistant.

The body will usually set itself to a new clock, but if you're still going to bed at your old time most nights, you're going to be off. Your bedtime needs to be consistant.

Can you change your bedtime to like one everynight and sleep until 9:00 everyday? If you're just doing comedy a couple times a week, you may just have to live with less sleep those days. Or, may try going to bed early those nights or taking naps to catch up... although I find naps sometimes mess up your sleep even more.

Love your sense of humor!

That was a good laugh! Sue, I am impressed! Congrats!

Sometimes I will take a single Tylenol (gelcap if you can find them). That helps me

I am really appreciating your suggestions. I'll look for time-released Melatonin and I also like the idea of going to bed at 1 and waking up at 9. For some reason when you say it, it sounds do-able! Marie, I know what you mean about tylenol helping me sleep. I try not to take it every night, though, because it's hard on my system.

Thanks so much everyone. Glad you like my comedy, too!

Sue, I really laughed at your old people face... You are so funny! I am proud of you.

Moni

I had trouble hearing what you were saying over the audience noise...maybe I'll try again tomorrow when I'm more awake. What I heard, though, was funny.

I have heard the sublingual melatonin works more effectively. My doc had me using them and I took them about four hours before it was time to go to sleep.
Have you tried using ear plugs and a sleep mask?

Sue! I don't know about the sleep problem but the comedy was hilarious! I laughed out loud several times during your gig. Good job and good for you for pursuing your dreams!

Carol, I use the sublingual melatonin, but I can't imagine taking one four hours before bed. Doesn't it make you sleepy before then? I use the 3 mg. size, and take it when I get into bed. Then I read for about 15 or 20 minutes. The time-release melatonin is specifically for people who have trouble staying asleep.

very funny. LOL... sleep ideas? sorry...

We sleep with a box fan on and turn it away so it's not blowing on us. The white noise makes sleep much easier. I think training yourself as others have suggested is a good idea. I would not take anything as a sleep aid, especially not ambien. I don't trust melatonin, but that's just me--I don't trust much of anything medication wise. Maybe a glass of red wine? that always makes me sleepy.

Your comedy routine is funny, I wouldn't change the gestures. I thought they fit the routine perfectly.

Melatonin is a natural hormone made by everyone, but as we age we make less of it. When I went to the Yale reunion several years ago I met an 87-year-old gentleman who told me its benefits go beyond helping with sleep. He took it every night. I read up on it, and found that Dr. Andrew Weil recommended it. I am not someone who takes anything casually. I have a deep distrust of most pharmaceuticals.

I recently read that we should avoid exposure to computer monitors and TV for a period of time before bed, but it wasn't an article on sleep--it was about breast cancer. The reason for avoiding light is that it tended to reduce the production of melatonin, and that, in turn, increased the risk of breast cancer.

I don't need melatonin every night, and when I do it doesn't always work for me. My trick of last resort is a little alcohol. Red wine is ideal, but I hate to open a bottle that's just going to sit there for weeks. So a shot of vodka works just as well. The 87-year-old said he has one of those every night, too. ;-)

I love your comedy and your gestures. I had trouble hearing some of it but you really are funny you crazy old botch!

Alisande, I was having extreme insomnia......nothing was working. I would turn out the lights at 11 PM when I was sleepy and would stay awake until 4. The doc thought if I took them early it would help. I ended up taking 10 mg a night.
Happily I am sleeping a lot better now without anything. I stopped some medicine which was working just of opposite of the way it was supposed to work.
And, no it didn't make me very sleepy at all.

If you choose to try melatonin, please check with your doctor first as there are many health precautions and some drug interactions.

Wow a celebrity amongst us!

Loved and enjoyed watching.

You go girl!

LOL! I just got up because I couldn't sleep and came here. Loved your comedy! My cousin and I used to laugh at our grandmothers flapping arms. She called me a while ago and we were laughing about how now we have "Nanny Arms"
Thanks for the laugh. As for sleeping through a night, I feel your pain. Since I started back to work I'm having the same problem. I think it's just going to take some time for my body to adjust to my new routine. I'll have a small glass of wine and see it that helps :)

You are funny. You go girl.

You crack me up!

As far as sleeping, Nature Made has a capsule called Sleep that has melatonin, chamomile and some other things that are helpful. Works well for a couple of folks I know.

For me, a teeny bit of a melatonin tablet is enough. The full 3mg gives me wild dreams.

As Carla said, best to check with your doctor before taking anything.

Also, don't know if it's a factor, but too much sugar or alcohol right before bed messes with blood sugar levels, waking us up in the middle of the night, so I'd avoid that.

You are too funny! Sorry can't help with the sleep problem.

Move over, George Burns. There's another comic in town.

Alright! This has been a GREAT thread! Thank you one and all!! Last night I forced myself to stay up until midnight and that's what I'm going to do every night. Great idea! I ordered time-released melatonin on the internet so hopefully that will get here soon. Tonight I hit Minneapolis and St. Paul, going to two or three different open mics! Let it begin!

fantastic! altho,I too had a bit of trouble understanding some of your show,I loved what I did hear!

I too,have the nanny arms..lol..my grands love grammas "soft" cuddle-arms...lol....at one time,with a "snap" of the arm,I could use these beauties when hanging my laundry on the clothesline, to take out the hummingbirds at less than 50 paces!!

This site has guideline for safely using Melatonin:

http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/circadian-rhythm-disorders/circadian-rhythm-sleep-disorders/10-how-to-use-melatonin-correctly.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: How and when to use Melatonin

Interesting site....thanks.
Fortunately I have been able to be off all sleep medication since stopping an antidepressant. I was having a paradoxical reaction.