Dealing with Severe Insomnia

[catalina_francisco]

Have been where you are sheath, a few times. I am not a fan of sleeping pills or any medication along those lines as not only cn they become a problem in themselves, they do not solve the initial cause of the problem, just attempt to smother it for the time you take them. I have found the most common causes are stress and/or depression related. Is not an easy solution to find if this is your situation, but with work and experimenting it is not always impossible.

Some of the things I have found useful are definately not staying in bed past 15-20 minutes if sleep is not happening. Maybe get up and read, do some work, nothing overly stimulating, then try again. Also apart from defining the point of stress and dealing with it, the next best thing has been using visualisations, especially those associated with colours appropriate for the situation. Also if you like the feeling of another beside you, a body pillow can be good to cuddle up to. Also found one of the worst things I could do was to exercise close to bedtime..left me totally awake and restless. Hope some of this helps as it becomes very debilitating and controlling over time.

Catalina

 

[sheath]

You just need a double shot of vitamin me, that's all

Now, THAT would be quite helpful.

S.

 

[sheath]

This time of year is crunch time for me, so I HAVE to stay up all night just about every night this week. Sheath, so you won't be alone if you can't catch some zzzzz's.

I know you will take this in the right spirit when I say...It's good to know somebody else is greeting the sunrise! When it seems like the whole world is sleeping when I'm not, I know where to send a PM.

S.

 

[sheath]

Have been where you are sheath, a few times. I am not a fan of sleeping pills or any medication along those lines as not only cn they become a problem in themselves, they do not solve the initial cause of the problem, just attempt to smother it for the time you take them. I have found the most common causes are stress and/or depression related. Is not an easy solution to find if this is your situation, but with work and experimenting it is not always impossible.

Some of the things I have found useful are definately not staying in bed past 15-20 minutes if sleep is not happening. Maybe get up and read, do some work, nothing overly stimulating, then try again. Also apart from defining the point of stress and dealing with it, the next best thing has been using visualisations, especially those associated with colours appropriate for the situation. Also if you like the feeling of another beside you, a body pillow can be good to cuddle up to. Also found one of the worst things I could do was to exercise close to bedtime..left me totally awake and restless. Hope some of this helps as it becomes very debilitating and controlling over time.

Catalina

Thanks for those suggestions.

I have come to realize that it's probably ALL stress-related...considering that I'm even acting differently, according to a few friends. However, one of the things that was causing me a lot of concern was resolved this morning in a very good way, so I already feel much calmer than I have in the last week.

Still...I AM going back to the doctor to get some answers, if there are any physical reasons to be had for this.

Thanks for all the help.

S.

 

[Cakegirl]

Hi Sheath,

I under-sleep usually. I get about 4 hours a night(day), and then once every two weeks or so, when there's no work to do and I can switch my brain off, I have a massive sleep of like 15 hours or so.

The benefits: I get a lot done! When I'm not sleeping, I am working (I work from home) or reading about something interesting, or exercising, or doing the laundry (my flatmate is always surprised when she gets up in the morning to find her laundry all washed, dried and folded, or a breakfast cooked for her)...

What helps me to sleep WELL if not LONGER is exercise. I have a group of sports that I love, and when I do them, I get the endorphin high right afterwards, but as long as I train with all the intensity I can muster, somewhere between 2 and 4 hours later, I'm a goner.

I'm not talking about going for a nice walk with the kids. I mean lifting heavy weights with my legs and then doing a 6km run, or doing a wrestling class followed back-to-back by a kickboxing class.

Then, of course, a nice hot shower or bath, and some luxurious moisturiser and soft flanelette pyjamas.

Just one other thought, some of your descriptions of buzzing while you're awake, and being too mentally awake (like composing songs without realising it) sound a little like the mania cycle of bipolar disorder. Is it possible that you are bipolar, or perhaps hypomanic? If so, sleeping tablets definitely will not help you, but a combination of other medicines will.

Cakegirl

 

[blondie74]

Thanks, shmily.

I'm going to try going to sleep tonight at one and see if I can sleep through until six. If I can't, well...I'll be back here.

S.

Any luck with the sleep thing?

One other thing that I thought of in addition to my comment the other day about the "fake sugar" thing, have you tried anything like the relaxation fountains? It worked well for me a few years ago when I was studying for my broker's license and couldn't seem to get stocks and bonds off my mind.

 

[sheath]

Cakegirl....thanks so much for the suggestions! Exercise is something I have been doing more of lately...I figure, not only might it help me sleep, but it will help relieve stress as well. I'm not sure I'm up to YOUR caliber of exercise, but at this rate, I could get there one day.

No...I'm not bipolar. I have dealt with situational depression in the past, but there have been no indications of anything other than that going on in my life. I believe the 'manic' feeling of those thoughts is the simple fact that I'm feeling a lot of pressure from a lot of sides...a lot of problems swirling about me, which makes my mind go ninety miles an hour, trying to work through them all.

blondie: Not last night, but it turned out I was up for some legitimate reasons, not just because I couldn't go to sleep. Tonight is a new night, so we'll see.

Relaxation fountains...I'm assuming you mean the rock garden kind of fountains that can sit on a desktop or table?

Thanks again, all.

S.

 

[blondie74]

Relaxation fountains...I'm assuming you mean the rock garden kind of fountains that can sit on a desktop or table?

S.

Yeah, those are the ones!

 

[sheath]

Yeah, those are the ones!

You just gave me a very good reason to go shopping.

S.

 

[ecstacey]

Howdy, all.

Several weeks ago, I did a search on sleep and insomnia, and I came up with many threads that had many suggestions. I tried virtually all of them, within reason, of course...

And my problem still persists.

Sleeping perhaps one hour, two hours at a time...six hours straight is my record in the last month, and that was only after two days of no sleep at all. When I do sleep, I sleep hard...but then I am up for hours on end.

I began keeping a sleep journal, which tells me that my average is three hours in a twenty-four hour period. I sleep better during the early evening hours (four, five PM) than I do at any other time. I sleep soundly, without nightmares, for the most part, though I have begun having those.

I'm doing all the things I should do...limiting caffeine intake, an occasional drink before bed, same bedtime every night, comforting routine, trying to de-stress...though THAT is not really possible. I'm under one hell of a lot of strain lately, both personally and professionally.

My doctor's suggestion was sleeping pills. He ruled out sleep apnea, because it isn't a matter of having difficulty sleeping...it is a problem with going to sleep, period. The sleeping pills didn't work, for one...and they made me feel really bad...groggy, dizzy and generally horrible.

I HAVE found things that work...I sleep much better when someone is sleeping beside me, and I sleep better when I have white noise, or when I'm listening to someone else breathe. Probably because it makes me feel so safe. Which might harken back to the intense stress thing.

Has anyone dealt with SEVERE insomnia? I don't mean just a few weeks of not being able to sleep. I mean, chronic insomnia, as my doctor termed it. What did you do? How did you cope? This is getting absolutely ridiculous.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

S.

this might sound highly unorthodox but have you ever tried masterbating? the amount of energy built up and then the release should help you go out like a light bulb.

 

[badboybrody]

I have the same problem. Unfortunetly I have to solve mine with scrips. How ever things that worked in the past were chamomile tea, and Lavender bath splash. The tea is self-explanitory, but with the bath splash I would just wet my finger tips with some and rub on my mustache. If you don't have a mustache your upper lip will work fine. The scent of lavendar is supposed to be soothing. I suppose you could use any type of lavendar scent, but the splash worked best for me. You may want to check the Yahoo group called "medicinalandaromatic" They may have other tips for you. There is a brand of herbal tea called Traditional Medicine that is very good for all sorts of ailments. The have a tea called Sleep Easy that works wonders. They should be in the Natural food section in your grocery store. Good luck, I know how you feel.

 

[tom19]

i have the same sort of sleeping problem.

i managed to talk my dr into giving me valium.
i take probably 3 - 4 tablets before i go to bed and it knocks me out for a good 8+ hours.

 

[sheath]

Amazingly, I slept last night...from one in the morning until six-thirty or so, and I hardly moved. I feel SO refreshed and alive this morning!

Yesterday, I spent a lot of time thinking about things going on in my life that are causing stress for me...resolved what I could and just decided to accept those things I couldn't resolve...and my mind feels calmer. Which is probably why I was able to sleep. I had no idea stress could cause THAT much of a disruption in my life, since I have normally handled stressors very well. Not this time, apparently.

I have also been much more careful about what I eat, trying to avoid processed foods (which isn't all that hard, surprisingly)...and I've been doing LOTS of relaxing things the last few days, like simply reading a book or taking a long bubble bath or a long walk. I also had a good cry the other night, which I think helped me quite a bit as well. Crying like that is normally an indicator of BAD things, but in this case, I think it was overdue.

So...I'm feeling calmer, I actually SLEPT, so we'll see what happens from here on out. One day at a time.

Thanks, y'all. This board is a HUGE wellspring of advice, compassion and care. I appreciate each of you.

S.

 

[SweetErika]

I'm not a big fan of the "there's a pill for all of you problems" approach that is so pervasive in our society, but...
When I was under an extreme amount of stress, my counselor refered me to a psychiatrist. He put me on anti depressant and anti-anxiety meds. I wouldn't do the anti-depressant again (too many side effects), but the anti-anxiety (buspirone) really helped me sleep and not feel so much stress during the day. I didn't notice any side effects except it made me tired when I took it, but not drowsy the next day.
When my stress load decreased, I went off the meds, but I don't think I would have slept or made it through that time without it. Make sure you tell your doctor about the stress, do some research on anti-anxiety drugs, and go in armed. You might also want to consider counselling if you haven't already.

Good luck!

 

[Cakegirl]

You just gave me a very good reason to go shopping.

You needed an excuse?!?!

 

[sheath]

I'm not a big fan of the "there's a pill for all of you problems" approach that is so pervasive in our society, but...
When I was under an extreme amount of stress, my counselor refered me to a psychiatrist. He put me on anti depressant and anti-anxiety meds. I wouldn't do the anti-depressant again (too many side effects), but the anti-anxiety (buspirone) really helped me sleep and not feel so much stress during the day. I didn't notice any side effects except it made me tired when I took it, but not drowsy the next day.
When my stress load decreased, I went off the meds, but I don't think I would have slept or made it through that time without it. Make sure you tell your doctor about the stress, do some research on anti-anxiety drugs, and go in armed. You might also want to consider counselling if you haven't already.

Good luck!

Thanks for relating that experience. I have also been on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds in the past, to help combat a severe case of situational depression. Once the situation passed, so did the depression...but I stayed on the anti-anxiety meds for some time afterward, since the panic attacks and nightmares didn't go away as quickly. Like you mentioned in your case, I have to agree...the anti-anxiety meds worked very well at the time.

If my sleep habits don't change into something more managable, and if my stress level simply doesn't go down despite all my efforts, then I'm definitely going to bring up anxiety problems with my doctor.

Thank you, SweetErika.

Oh, by the way, have I said 'Welcome to Lit' yet? If I haven't, well...welcome.

S.

 

[sheath]

You needed an excuse?!?!

LOL

I know, I know...I'm weird.

S.

 

[blondie74]

Sheath-

I'm glad to hear that you finally got some sleep! Hopefully the trend will continue!!

 

[SweetErika]

Oh, by the way, have I said 'Welcome to Lit' yet? If I haven't, well...welcome.

S. [/B]

Thank you for the welcome... you're one heck of a strong, insightful, smart cookie!

 

[firefighter02]

Looks around the room.....OK who the hell gave me Sheath's insomnia??

Actually..first time I have actually cracked a smile today was the suggestion of masturbating. *snicker*

Sulks out of the room...


37 hours...and counting......

 

[sheath]

Looks around the room.....OK who the hell gave me Sheath's insomnia??

Actually..first time I have actually cracked a smile today was the suggestion of masturbating. *snicker*

Well, insomnia doesn't hinder your ability to be a smartass.





I hope you sleep soon...

S.

 

[spedjeep]

Well, insomnia doesn't hinder your ability to be a smartass.

It does make that ass drag though. bloodshot-eyes

 

[firefighter02]

It does make that ass drag though. bloodshot-eyes

Ok..quit talking about my ass....its getting hot...

 

[sheath]

It does make that ass drag though. bloodshot-eyes

Hmmm.

So, how do you know?

S.

 

[sheath]

Ok..quit talking about my ass....its getting hot...

Dragging ass, smartass...I guess there are quite a few opinions of your ass.

S.