Chronic insomnia.

Posted , 5 users are following.

I have been diagnosed as a chronic insomniac.Tried everything herbal, medical from acupuncture to hypnotherapy.Also suffer from an essential tremor.Doctors have their hands tied with me.Nothing more they can deliver.Any advice please ?.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Donskidiva,

    In treating my own insomnia, I found that getting a handle on the underlying anxiety causing the sleeplessness was the key. Medicines can only go so far, the only permanent solution is to make sure you are calm and relaxed at bedtime.

    Of course, now that it is chronic, the sleeplessness itself becomes a cause of anxiety. So the key is to learn how not to obsess over poor sleep. My trick to achieve this was to build up a narrative in my head that this really wasn't a big deal:

    Definitely don't dwell on the problem, especially late at night. I got into the mindframe of "I'm not getting into bed to sleep, I'm just going to lie down, relax, and enjoy being comfortable." For me, that removed some of the anxiety over concerns I might not sleep well at night. 

    Then, I found ways to still manage to keep up my energy during the day. A reasonable amount of caffeine in the morning was helpful. Also, small portions of snacks throughout the day - bits of fruit and nuts were the best, i.e. sugars that are absorbed into your bloodstream slowly, and protein. Stay away from candy and fatty foods, and also try to keep meals smaller. Making the digestive system have to work hard makes you tired.

    Getting up and moving around rather than sitting at my desk constantly also helped. In the colder seasons, I would go and stand out on the loading dock. Nothing like winter cold to shock you into awareness!

    Once I was able to start working productively despite sleeping poorly, I was able to reinforce the concept that "this isn't a big deal." 

    Also make you follow good sleep hygeine. These are things like a noise-free room, comfortable bed, not doing anything stimulating right before bed (exercise, loud music, TV, video games), etc. Regular exercise helps to use up spare energy that may keep you awake at night, so that should help as well.

    Hopefully my tricks can help you also, or at least help you find those that do. I've where you are before, so I know how it feels. But you can recover from this, with patience and discipline.

    • Posted

      Thank you so much for advice.I have had 2 CBT courses and have trained my brain to say phrases over and over so that my train of thought does not sway.The other problem is the medication for my tremor makes me tired.So vicious circle really.But very helpful tips on the diet.Thank you very much.
  • Posted

    Also, I have a bit of advice on the medication front too.

    Definitely stay away from sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Those won't fix the problem, and could make it worse long-term. But some meds can help, and have little to no risk. For example, some of the herbal stuff, like Melotonin or Valerian can take the edge off, they are only a little helpful.

    Also, maybe look at meeting with a pyschiatrist about trying an anti-depressent. They can help prevent obsessive thinking, which will make it easier to not dwell on your poor sleep, thus helping you sleep better. Those from the SSRI class are tolerated well by most people. And there are loads of different types, so if you have an issue with one, you can switch to another (for example, Paxil made me nauseous, but Lexapro was fine). They also have mild to no long-term side effects and are pretty easy to come off of when you are done.

    • Posted

      Thank you.I've tried Valerian hops and Melatonin, also phsycology.Gone down every road really.But as you said I'm maybe obsessing over lack of sleep at this point.So will deffo address this point.Thanks for getting back to me.Knowing you are not alone gives a bit of comfort and I'm glad you have resolved your problem.
    • Posted

      My pleasure. You are certainly not alone, and there is a path to recovery. 

      Also, whatever you do try, make sure to stick with it for a good amount of time. I remember at first I would try something for a few days, not see an effect, and then write it off. You have to be persistent, and make something into a regular habit before you can evaluate it - so not five days, but five weeks.

      Good luck!

    • Posted

      Have you ever tried magnesium? Or 5htp? Neither work for me but they do for some people.
  • Posted

    The only advice I have is to read my post.

    It is titled...My solution for insomnia for myself maybe?

    That is not the exact title..but something like that.

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