[Aardwolf]

Good god I hate this.
I've tried every pill on the planet it seems and I still cant get a regular sleep pattern !
this is more of a vent, but if anyone has ideas, please reply
I dont undertstand why i cant get a single good nights sleep. Either I wake up after 2 hours like a bear with a sore head, or 12 hours, still like a bear with a sore head. And each time i feel just as drained I cant help but think that this may be linked with other psycological problems as well ? Whats the likelyhood of that ?

[hawthoerne]

i know just how you feel... *hugs*

[amante]

there is a very good chance that the insomnia is linked to something else going on. i was dx with PTSD, Depression and Anxiety and the Insomnia raised it's ugly head as a result of all that. Are you anxious, do you have alot on your mind,. stress? It sucks to not sleep.... period.

[Aardwolf]

nice to know someone has an idea of how hellish it can be..

[Aardwolf]

Originally Posted by amante

there is a very good chance that the insomnia is linked to something else going on. i was dx with PTSD, Depression and Anxiety and the Insomnia raised it's ugly head as a result of all that. Are you anxious, do you have alot on your mind,. stress? It sucks to not sleep.... period.

Yes, it really does suck. And yeah, i often do ! Do you know me outside the forums or something ?

[amante]

No, lol.. I don't know you but I know that insomnia can be linked to other stuff going on. how is the sleep going? any better this week. what's the stress factor?

[Aardwolf]

Aye fair enough. And not too good, bit better, but i'm still completely exhausted during the day. And stress is mostly the same to be honest. still too high for my liking.

[mule]

i dont think ive ever gotten a good night sleep. i cant fall asleep and when i do i cant stay asleep.

[pondbc]

Have you ever been to a sleep clinic? You stay overnight and they monitor you. There might be something going on like sleep apnea. Your sleep is not restorative, and you are not waking up rested.
It is a dreadful feeling and I hope you can get some help with it and feel better.

[Aardwolf]

Oh.. no, i wasnt aware they even existed ! Thankyou for the suggestion though, i'll have a poke around, see if i can find something like that over here !
Been a bit better the past 2 days, but thats because I havnt been living at home and literally drinking myself to sleep. I'm aware that its counter-productive, but it worked. Hmm. I'll see how tonight goes as i intend on staying sober..

[paddym22]

Dont want to patronise you but I used to treat my insomnia with alcohol and it didnt work in the long run and left me with a dicky liver to boot. Most likely you need to look at your day and how you operate and also your liquid and nutrition intake. Do you drink a lot of coffee or high energy drinks like red bull or so? I would definitely cut these out straight away. Is there anything you can do about your stress, can you see a therapist and discuss what is ony our mind? You could also contact the organisation "Mind" they have offices all over the UK and are a great resource and help in situations like this. There is nothing worse thean getting no sleep, trust me I know, I get on average 3 hours a night and have done so for the last 10 years now but it is due to ill health so I know the cause and I accept it and I must ad it I rather like being awake when everyone is asleep now as I can do my own thing without being interrupted and you can always come to PC for company if it gets too much for you.

Good Luck

[Stranger2]

I suffer from lack of sleep also.. My pdoc put me on some meds to help.. They make me fall asleep but I don't stay there.. So I get up and play around on the computer for an hour or two..Then I take another pill and go back to sleep for a couple of hours... I also take a nap during the day..My therapist told me to get up and do something for an hour or so ... She said if you try to force sleep all you will do is toss and turn.. I don't know if I can mention the med on here or not..

[Rhapsody]

Question from yet another Night Owl -

Has any one taken any steps to try and get your body back on a regular sleep schedule (awake during day - sleep at night) - if yes, what have you tried?

I ask as I am sick & tired of being up while most of the world (and my family) sleeps and then sleeping my entire day light away. *sigh*

[WendyAussie]

Hi guys, I'm new here. I have Bipolar II, panic and anxiety disorders and I am also an 11 years sober alcoholic. Either in addition to, or as part of, those conditions I have terrible insomnia too and I swear, I am on enough meds to stun a horse. For me, I CAN look back in my life and see at least one precusor to long term Insomnia. I come from an horrific, terrifying alcoholic home. My Dad was the drunk and then after he died horribly at 51, Mum married another alcoholic, my Stepfather. Especially with Dad, who was a daily blackout drinker, there was violence, screaming, crashing and bashinh nearly every night. And of course it all happened about my bedtime - almost every single day since the day I was born. So I don't think it takes Siggy to get the link to my lifelong sleeping problems.

I am an alcoholic myself - began blackout drinking at 14 and was a blackout drinker until 32 when i got sober in AA. So I think the alcohol abuse has caused me a lot of damage and makes sleep worse - my psychiatrist thinks so - and that is even though I have been 11 years sober next month. And of course I used booze to get me to sleep in the years I was drinking.

I have recently had a couple of terrible experiences, which have happened before, when I wake from a deep sleep straight into the most massive panic attack possible - including auditory halleaucinations, not being able to move even a finger because if I did the "man" or "people" in the house would come and kill me. Of course it's just me and the cat.

I have really good sleep hygiene and if you haven't looked at that, maybe try to tighten up in that area - and that includes caffeine like someone said, but also the regular time you take your meds, your pre-bed and then bed routine. I press the sleep button on the radio and listen until I either fall asleep of if I haven't gone to sleep by the time it goes off, I press it and and do the same thing during the night.

But like someone else, if all else fails and I'm going batty lying in my bed, I get up and fidget on the computer, or, lay on the couch in the loungeroom and out the TV on a murmur and sometimes it soothes me to sleep, but if it doesn't, at least I can get some gentle rest.

I DO have sleep apnea and it it is a serious thing. I use a CPAP machine and a mask. It's a pain, but I have to do it. Get a referral from your GP to a sleep clinic - going there is no biggy at all.

Wendy

[mssumom]

I really know what you are going through and have dealt with it for years. I've tried every med and combo of meds that exsist but for me it means taking 10 pills at bedtime and now they are trying to get me on a very new FDA approved medicine that is nasty tasting, only lasts for 2 -2 1/2 hours then if you are not already awake the "pillow alarm clock" they send you with your shipment wakes you up and you take another nasty dose that you have pre-mixed before taking the first one. I can't be on any of the others that were mostly working to this one that doesn't seem to be working at all.........Insomnia sucks and I know exactly how you feel and I hope things are better for you and the others are right about seeing a therapist it does help to get out what is bothering you. I see my psychiatrist once a week and my psychologist at least every other week.
Good Luck

Originally Posted by WendyAussie

Hi guys, I'm new here. I have Bipolar II, panic and anxiety disorders and I am also an 11 years sober alcoholic. Either in addition to, or as part of, those conditions I have terrible insomnia too and I swear, I am on enough meds to stun a horse. For me, I CAN look back in my life and see at least one precusor to long term Insomnia. I come from an horrific, terrifying alcoholic home. My Dad was the drunk and then after he died horribly at 51, Mum married another alcoholic, my Stepfather. Especially with Dad, who was a daily blackout drinker, there was violence, screaming, crashing and bashinh nearly every night. And of course it all happened about my bedtime - almost every single day since the day I was born. So I don't think it takes Siggy to get the link to my lifelong sleeping problems.

I am an alcoholic myself - began blackout drinking at 14 and was a blackout drinker until 32 when i got sober in AA. So I think the alcohol abuse has caused me a lot of damage and makes sleep worse - my psychiatrist thinks so - and that is even though I have been 11 years sober next month. And of course I used booze to get me to sleep in the years I was drinking.

I have recently had a couple of terrible experiences, which have happened before, when I wake from a deep sleep straight into the most massive panic attack possible - including auditory halleaucinations, not being able to move even a finger because if I did the "man" or "people" in the house would come and kill me. Of course it's just me and the cat.

I have really good sleep hygiene and if you haven't looked at that, maybe try to tighten up in that area - and that includes caffeine like someone said, but also the regular time you take your meds, your pre-bed and then bed routine. I press the sleep button on the radio and listen until I either fall asleep of if I haven't gone to sleep by the time it goes off, I press it and and do the same thing during the night.

But like someone else, if all else fails and I'm going batty lying in my bed, I get up and fidget on the computer, or, lay on the couch in the loungeroom and out the TV on a murmur and sometimes it soothes me to sleep, but if it doesn't, at least I can get some gentle rest.

I DO have sleep apnea and it it is a serious thing. I use a CPAP machine and a mask. It's a pain, but I have to do it. Get a referral from your GP to a sleep clinic - going there is no biggy at all.

Wendy