Insomnia

[je'taime]

So, I have suffered from insomnia on and off over the past 3 years. I am currently only having a couple of bad nights a fortnight, which is wonderful for me, but obviously not ideal. I will actually spend the whole night, with not a wink of sleep! I have tried everything, sleeping tablets made the situation worse, I felt terrible. Still awake all night, just felt like my head wasn't attached to my body! Have tried everything herbal, psychologists and am currently on an antidepressant, which has been the best thing so far.

Wondering if anyone else has or has ever suffered from Insomnia? And if so, how did you best 'deal' with the situation, at this stage I am over finding a cure, just trying to manage life as best as I can without it getting too bad. I am going to try hypnosis, hopefully find the trigger point! :blink:

[Melinda]

Have you tried wearing yourself out physically and or mentally to the point you just need to sleep....
i know insomnia can be a real pain.....
best of luck with it...

[je'taime]

Yes, I have. I am pretty much always worn out physically and mentally :( even if I have had no sleep the night before, I still suffer the following night, no matter how tired. Thanks Melinda :)

[Melinda]

have you consultated someone about meditation......

[SocialGirl]

Shame J - hope you eventually find a solution/cure:(

[Mad Old Cow]

Jet, i never sleep more then 2 hours without waking up & sometimes can have 3 hours sleep & then just hop out of bed & forget about sleep but i remember when i was about 24 my Dr suggested a very small glass of Port wine & it really helped to put me off to sleep but as i had a young baby i still didn't sleep all night .
If the A/D are working for now maybe stay with them a little longer & see if it improves more.
Some people just don't need a lot of sleep, I have often gone a full night with no sleep & it doesn't faze me too much even though i whinge about it i really don't get too bothered .
Sometimes i think going to bed with the thought of will you or wont you get good sleep can be a problem, Do you go to bed & try to get very relaxed & comfy ? & if negative thoughts enter your head try to straight away take those thoughts away with a nice thought of palm trees on a deserted Island or a similar peaceful thought :) Good luck

[Binx]

J - a part of my depression causes insomnia. I basically start a sleep cycle from 7.30pm onwards. I try not to eat after 7.30pm; I grab the last glass of drink at 8pm; toilet before sleep; cigarette; then into bed and begin a fairly rigourous sleep ritual. I play two games on my BFs phone; then read exactly 5 pages; then completely cover myself, roll onto my tummy and play a very simple easy game for 3 questions (max) and usually at this stage I'm so tired I'm ready to go out. Then I wake at 6am no matter what the day is and what time I went to bed.
I had to do this because I was making mistakes at my last job with other people's money.


If you can bath without feeling energised then maybe jump in a little overwarm bath with lavender essential oils for 5 minutes to raise your core body temperature; which is what your body will do naturally before bed. You might also need to practise some yoga style breathing exercises to lower your pulse.

[je'taime]

Thanks for the advice girls.

My problem is actually getting to sleep - once I am asleep I normally dont wake, it's just getting there that is the problem. It is very self destructive. I have no clocks in the room or I will time watch and count down the hours until I have to get up. Sometimes I will feel myself drifting off to sleep and then snap myself out of it. On my bad nights after a few hours of laying there I will normally have an anxiety attack. Somedays I will just rnadomly think "Im not going to sleep tonight" and thats it - i dont sleep!

[Mad Old Cow]

Try the small glass of port wine 20 minutes before bed Jet, i drank a small glass a night for a few years but even if you just do it for a week or 2 to see if it works & it won't hurt to drink a small glass while on the A/D the Dr told me

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These days i dont normally have a problem going to sleep unless i have a lot on my mind, my problem is staying asleep

[redrobyn]

I'm the same Di pain for me ATM though.

[Mad Old Cow]

Red, i know you don't drink at all but honestly, if you could just stomach a tiny glass if port before bed it will help you, just tell yourself it is medicine ;)

[Melinda]

Thanks for the advice girls.

My problem is actually getting to sleep - once I am asleep I normally dont wake, it's just getting there that is the problem. It is very self destructive. I have no clocks in the room or I will time watch and count down the hours until I have to get up. Sometimes I will feel myself drifting off to sleep and then snap myself out of it. On my bad nights after a few hours of laying there I will normally have an anxiety attack. Somedays I will just rnadomly think "Im not going to sleep tonight" and thats it - i dont sleep!

Jet i used to count the hours down also till i had to get up, i dont feel so silly now hearing that someone else does it.

[SocialGirl]

I've also found a tot of whiskey or brandy in warm milk works quite effectively.. so if you didnt like the taste of alchohol you could disguise it with the milk.... dunno how port would taste though :dk:

[Mad Old Cow]

Port tastes pretty dam good SGirl LMAO but i wouldn't put milk with it

[Alexa]

Don't start the sleeping tablet cycle either - I did when my ex and I split and it was a nightmare to come off the bloody things.

Have you been to a sleep clinic?