[Rose76]

It's past 5 a.m. and I've not had a wink of sleep. This happens about twice a week. I believe half the problems I've had in life come from not sleeping like a normal person.

Are there any fellow poor sleepers out there who can commiserate with me? Are there any irregular sleepers who think it's a benefit to be capable of going long periods without sleep?

Any tips on what to do when you can't sleep?

Maybe us sleepless folk could use a thread to check in on . . . and recheck in on as the hours while away. Maybe we could pool our experience and learn something.

I'm on my tablet and my s/o is crabbing about the light from the screen bothering him. (I'm in bed.)

So what are you other night owls up to?

[bipolar angel]

Lately, I have trouble falling asleep, up till like 12-1am, then wake up about 5am, get up w/daughter for school. After she's off, sometimes sooo fatigued lay down 7-9, then get ready for work. This is despite taking antidepressants, mood stabilizer, anxiety med if need ed, and melatonin. In my case, t and psch md all feel its normal given recent events causing my depression/anxiety as in even someone without bipolar wuld be stressed out about situation. I try to decompress before bed, go on these forums check out stuff, reply/post. Then I do breathing/relaxation exercise. Can even get drowsy while watching tv/start falling asleep on couch.soon as I go up/get ready for bed, all worries come back, ugh. My problem is even when awake at night, have no energy to get up and accomplish anything. I do notice I need to stop eating chocolate-which I luv/crave more when depressed-stop eating it at night. More heart racing, contributes to keeping me up....

[Rose76]

It must be extra tough with a child to take care of. Sounds like your following all the usual advice.

[bipolar angel]

Like you, I do think that lack of sleep is just making anxiety/depression worse. And it contributes ti other life issues like less energy to do things, more irritable, less patience...then more frustration when yoo wonder y you didn't get more done when you were awake and not sleeping.ugh...hang in there rose, maybe someone will post something new to try to sleep...I have been offered sleeping oill by psych md but don't want gi there if don't have to

[Ripose]

I have for years only been sleeping about 3 hours a day, it keeps me in a constantly run down state and is very mentally tiring. Recently my pcp gave me trazodone as a sleep agent, it works a little (4 hours sleep in a row) but the side effects the next day are bad. I feel groggy and stoned (in a bad way).

I have been thinking about going the opposite route and getting rid of all sleep aids and using provigil to keep me alert and awake all day. The hope is that this will allow my body to tire naturally by the end of the day and give me a good nights rest.

I noticed tylenol makes me sleepy but I only sleep for an hour after taking them and you are limited how may you can use without causing liver damage.

[Rose76]

I think that provigil can be very useful. I was on Ritalin in the morning, which is a bit like the provigil. It can be very helpful for someone who had to wake up early to function at a job. Wish I had known about it back when I was working. Now I am retired, so I can sleep in, if I need to, but that means I never get on a stable daily routine, which makes planning stuff hard to do.

[Ripose]

I know what you mean by "routine" mine varies tremendously because I don't work and I never go out. Right now I am sleeping 1 1/2 hours in the morning and 2 hours at supper time (which my wife hates).
I get far less done at night because I can't do any noisy activities. I guess I have not had anything like a normal routine in about 13 years.

Hmm, you'd think I would have figured out how to work around this by now.

[Mikeyboy]

I feel like another period of insomnia may be oncoming. I really love sleep, don't take it away from me!

[Perna]

I'm up at 4:00 this morning, again. This happens to me 2-3 times a month. Hard getting older sometimes. Sleeping comfortably and rolling over, sighing, and drifting pleasantly back to sleep as a 20-something never to happen ever again. Hard to take sometimes.

[jenfer]

Ive had insomnia before when I have had psychotic episodes but now I don't. I lost my job on Sept 5th and have a lot of anxiety/worries. I at best get 2 restless hours of sleep per night for last week 1/2. Im taking more prescribed trazadone than Im suppose to and still doesn't work. Im alone all the time,no one to talk to, and have no family or friends around. Just told I cant drive end of july due to seizures..and I have recently moved to a little town outside the city. I feel like a hermit. I moved from illlinois recently in April to be closer to my sister here in Mo. to help support her with breast cancer/chemo etc. But she is very introverted and doesn't allow much of my assistance or anyone else or that matter, we have never been close. I have a very dysfunctional family-really have any at all. No support. I have recently as of last week found a support group free in my town. I started and intend to continue, at least I have people to talk to.

[avlady]

Sleep apnea? I have it and since i sleep with the machine now i get enough sleep and more!!

[mountain human]

I was prescribed Remeron many years ago after a panic attack (antidepressant which causes sedation in very low dosage). I slept like a rock but was in a fog during the day which didn't lift so I stopped taking it, I've had insomnia now for 8 years. Part of it is anxiety, part is getting to a certain age I think as many middle age peers also have insomnia issues.

I have tried every supplement and herbal remedy. OTC like Benadryl, melatonin, amino acids, valerian root, etc. I currently take Ambien 10 mg. and Trazadone 100 mg. This helps me fall asleep but after a few hours I wake multiple times the rest of the night. Makes me miss the Remeron days! My sister takes Xanax with a little wine. Surely nothing worse than not sleeping well...

[Rose76]

Perna, I know what you mean. I used to be a 9 hour a night sleeper. We had no idea that only the young can enjoy that. No one ever told me that, with age, comes this weird wakefulness that keeps you from ever going under as deeply as you used to. What we take for granted when we are young is a lot.

jenfer, lack of contact with others makes it hard to unwind at night, in my experience. Good for you getting involved with the support group.

[Mikeyboy]

Woke up at 8am yesterday. It's 3 am now. Wide awake. Trying to sleep, but racing thoughts.

[Hellion]

Almost 4 in the morning, but sleep means dreams and my dreams suck so yeah...but then not sure I call it getting by with very little sleep walls aren't supposed to move unless you're tripping on psychedelics and I have been noticing that the past few days due to not getting much sleep and when I do getting no rest from it...my usual bed time lately is like 4 in the morning or later still get up fairly early most mornings to due to being unable to sleep in.

[Rose76]

Originally Posted by mountain human

I was prescribed Remeron many years ago

I've taken Remeron, but found that it consistently caused me to have very vivid dreams. They weren't nightmares, but they were oddly vivid, and I'ld wake up feeling like I had been very busy during the night. I didn't like it. Do you find anything different in how you dream?

[mountain human]

Rose, I quit the Remeron 15 years ago or so, don't even remember the dreams, just the daytime fog. No psych meds since. I am in recovery so I try not to use any mood altering chemicals. Currently on a cocktail of Ambien, Trazadone, Benadryl, melatonin, and valerian root...it kinda works overall. Interacting with people (in person, especially in groups) helps my sleep too. Bring on the Propofol!!!

[bipolar angel]

Up again...last night went to bed lik e 12:45/up at5am, thn had morning nap again. But my naps are like 2-3hrs of restless dozing, waking up every 30minutes, ugh...

[Rose76]

I didn't sleep last night until 6 a.m. I hope I conk off earlier tonight.

[minigypsy]

Hello Rose, Would be lovely to form a relationship with other people who cant sleep. Myself I go through periods, like now, where I can't fall asleep until sun comes up. Don't know why, have cut out caffeine entirely from my life and do lots of other things to promote "sleep hygeine". It just doesn't seem to matter. Of course falling asleep at dawn, my alarm is going off soon after. It's a nightmare. What is wrong with my brain that it won't shut down??!!

Originally Posted by Rose76

It's past 5 a.m. and I've not had a wink of sleep. This happens about twice a week. I believe half the problems I've had in life come from not sleeping like a normal person.

Are there any fellow poor sleepers out there who can commiserate with me? Are there any irregular sleepers who think it's a benefit to be capable of going long periods without sleep?

Any tips on what to do when you can't sleep?

Maybe us sleepless folk could use a thread to check in on . . . and recheck in on as the hours while away. Maybe we could pool our experience and learn something.

I'm on my tablet and my s/o is crabbing about the light from the screen bothering him. (I'm in bed.)

So what are you other night owls up to?

[Rose76]

I can really relate to this description of the brain "not shutting down" at night. All the standard suggestions that experts offer aren't really that helpful.

I wonder if anyone has any insight into why we can't seem to turn off our thinking at bedtime. (?)

[Zykra]

I often pull all nighters,one or times a week simply because I just can't get to sleep or id something is bothering me.In the summer holidays since there was no school,I somehow got into the habit of going to sleep at around 6am and waking up around 9/10am.Now that I'm back at school I go to sleep around 3-5am and then wake up at 8am.That's when I do sleep.Oh and what I'm up to haha XD staying up :/

[bipolar angel]

Originally Posted by Rose76

I can really relate to this description of the brain "not shutting down" at night. All the standard suggestions that experts offer aren't really that helpful.

I wonder if anyone has any insight into why we can't seem to turn off our thinking at bedtime. (?)

Don't know!! I can be watching tv, realizing I have dozed off, feel sleept, go ip to bed...BAM now I'm wide awake, thinking about everything, nothing, can't sleep...that's all after raking my elavil, neuronin, melatonin and if really wired, xanax...I should be snoring...

[Rose76]

Well . . . I'm sure not alone with this problem.

I've never tried melatonin. Alcohol used to help, but not any more.

I foresee a long night tonight.

[bipolar angel]

I actually dozed from 11-12pm last night. Got ready for bed and slept 12-5without waking up, that eas awesome...still very fatigued but was better