Crazy theory involving pineal gland
Posted , 4 users are following.
I've been a "night owl" most of my life, but about 2 years ago I began having real problems falling asleep at night. Around the same time, I began experience odd symptoms - the constant smell of something like burning plastic, loss of peripheral vision, seeing spots. A CT scan of my brain showed nothing untoward occurring, and the symptoms subsequently resolved.
I ordinarily can't fall asleep until 2 or 3am, and often forgo sleeping because I'm afraid I won't wake in time to make it to work at 6am. I try to get to bed early (around 8pm), because I know it will take hours to fall asleep. This leads to periods of hypersomnia where my life just basically gets put on hold while my body recovers from the physical exhaustion. During these periods, I usually experience very vivid (and often lucid) dreams.
Of course, I've seen my PC and MH professionals about it. I've tried a number of things to solve the problem. I've removed all digital screens from my bedroom, I've tried mindfullness and guided meditation programs, establishing routines, psychotherapy, sleeping pills and melatonin, even alcohol. The sleeping pills work, but I often don't take them because it gets too late. And, similarly to the alcohol, I don't want to become dependent on a substance. I've also cut down on caffiene consumption. I avoid coffee/tea unless I don't have any plans the next morning.
The latest thing I've tried is reading. It's been marginally successful, but has lead me to my current ludicrous theory. So, I wanted to put this out there to see if anyone could tell me whether or not the idea has any merit.
I happened upon an article on the pineal gland while stuck in a rabbit hole on another website, which got me interested in how some kind of disorder with my pineal gland could potentially be causing, or at least contributing to my sleep problems. I am wondering if, due to the pineal gland's role in producing melatonin and regulating the circadian ryhthm, as well as it's possible role in creating DMT (which could effect dreams during R.E.M. sleep), there could be something wrong with mine? Perhaps a benign tumor or cyst or something? I realize this is probably not something most doctors would look for, and I don't know if it would show up on a CT scan vs. MRI or x-ray. I'm just trying to find the problem so I work work on the solution.
I welcome any input anyone might have on this issue. Cheers!
0 likes, 4 replies
RobertT aequitas1916
Posted
The common theory about the pineal gland was that it calcified and stopped working as we get older. I think the current belief is that it may calcify but it still keeps working. At one time it was thought to connect the brain to the spirit (it being the only organ which doesn't have a left and right in the brain).
Jet lag apart, taking melatonin is only thought to help older people get to sleep, so I don't know if that means that perhaps they got it right first time round – the pineal stops working with age.
My guess is that you've started to hit anxiety keeping to the 9 to 5 routine most working people are subjected to. I suspect your only solution is to get a job with more flexible working hours, see if CBT helps, or, unfortunately, see how many sleeping pills your doc is willing to prescribe you. If s/he's against prescribing them, I'm afraid you will have to start considering claiming some sort of incapacity support if it is available in the country you live in or covered by your health insurance.
Whatever you do, if you’re not depressed, don’t let your doc push you antidepressants.
lily65668 RobertT
Posted
Hi Robert,
I was interested to hear your views about ageing of the pineal body, as well as its connection with spiritual experiences.
I started to lose the ability to lucid dream after the menopause, and the loss has speeded up in old age, though I still very occasionally have a full-on, transcendent lucid dream. Alongside this, the frequency of related sleep paralysis episodes has decreased, as has the intensity of the concomitant hallucinations. I'd never thought of a pineal connection, but this would make perfect sense.
You also make an interesting point about the perceived spiritual connotations of the pineal gland which, as I'm sure you know, is often related in Eastern philosophies to the head chakra or even the "third eye". Some proponents of out-of-body experiences (OOBEs) also believe the "silken thread" attaching the "astral" to the physical body arises in this area (though some favour the heart chakra). I'd like to state here and now that I don't believe in the objective reality of OOBEs, even though I had many as a young woman, as part of my REM sleep disorder. I believe them to be just another hallucination. But I did sometimes notice that if I consciously tried to get too far "out" I would get a sharp pain between and slightly above my eyes! And ditto during the year or so when I was attempting TM.
The connection is also interesting because REM sleep disorders are generally thought to originate from a minor glitch in the temporal lobes, which also seem to be linked to mystical experiences. These days, it's believed that some historical visionaries - notably Joan of Arc - may have suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy. I would stress, however, that REM sleep disorders by no means indicate temporal lobe epilepsy, which neither I nor any members of my father's family ever had, even though we all clearly had the same REM sleep disorder.
Thank you to both of you for giving me something else to research in my lifelong interest in sleep disorders!
lily65668 aequitas1916
Posted
I was really interested to read this, aequitas. As a former neuro nurse, I'd advise you to insist on an MRI scan. Your sleep pattern, together with vivid and/or lucid dreams, suggests a harmless REM sleep disorder to me. However, the persistent olfactory hallucinations, together with loss of peripheral vision (however short-lived) could suggest that something is going on in the pituitary gland, which is located not far from the pineal body. CT scans are not always very good at picking up on early brain lesions. The MRI is the gold standard in this area.
The good news is that even if a tumour was found in the pituitary gland, these are almost always benign, or of such low-level malignancy, and so slow-growing, that removal is enough to clear the condition. Surgery is done via the nose these days, with patients generally leaving the hospital after only about a week. In the case of complete removal, the patient will have to take pituitary hormone replacements for the rest of his/her life, but outcomes are very good.
However, I have to say that my main interest in your story is because I have a REM sleep disorder, which terrified me in the early days but has increasingly fascinated me as I've moved on through life. I too used to have lucid dreams (a known component of my REM sleep disorder) but they've sadly faded with age. I have, however, largely retained the ability to change dream content if it gets too scarey, even without that full, heart-piercing realisation that I'm dreaming. Stephen LaBerge, writing with Lynn Levitan, refers to this as pre-lucid dreaming.
But I digress - as usual!
I don't think you need to worry too much about your sleep problems since, as you say, you've had them all your life. I would, however, reiterate that you should try to insist on an MRI, just to eliminate the possibility of a pituitary tumour.
Margolette aequitas1916
Posted
Dear I had pineal gland issues. MRI OF THE SKULL WITH AND WITHOUT GADOLINIUM, MRI OF THE PITUITARY GLAND ZONE WITH AND WITHOUT GADOLINIUM, PLUS A COMPLEMENTARY MRI TECHNIC THAT I FORGOT IT'S NAME. OT MEANS 4 MRI AND MORE THAN 2 HOURS INSIDE THE MACHINE. NOT CHEAP MRI. HIGH RESOLUTION ONES. If it is important for you do it and take out the anxiety on you. I HAD A 8MM tumor. But believe it or not it solved by itself after 4 years. In my case it happened because I had 0,5/mg risperidone oral solution WHILE I was breastfeeding. It did to me terrible things. I'm beginning my recovery since 2011. I stopped all medications, I just had headache pills to kill my headaches. Mine recovered by itself. But my pituitary gland tumor it's still there