In need of reassurance about insomnia

Hi Angie thank you for replying. I am making myself extremely anxious day and night with this fear of not sleeping. I have been hear before and not sure how I got myself out of it then. It's Soo depressing because ino im doing it too myself but my mind won't shut up. It's the fear of ill health and even death that scares me. Didn't sleep a wink last night and have a 6 year old and work to go too , it's exhausting. How long did you have the sleep problem for? Xx

Had it on and off for years. Depending on my mind set determines how I sleep! Yes you are keeping yourself awake and I have times of doing exactly the same. I get to the point of thinking that  I will never sleep again!! which I know is stupid but can’t shake myself out of it. I am older than you and have just given up work but  during my bad sleeping I was like s zombie most of the day at work. Was an infant teacher so imperative that I was always completely on the ball!!  Going through quite a good patch at the moment but know it will at sometime raise it’s ugly head again! I didn’t give in to prescription sleeping pills  but found taking over the counter one a night Nytol did help ( not the herbal ones they are useless)  They will not hurt you and may help get you over this bad patch. I’m not taking them at the moment but I know they are there for reassurance. Don’t start panicking if they don’t work I had many nights where they didn’t work. I’m also paranoid about health my husband thinks I’m crazy to overthink so much but I can’t help it!!! 

You will sleep eventually so try and stop worrying. Take care 

You did well then going about your every day as a teacher with no sleep. I think the stress and dwelling on it does more to the mind and body than the actual lack of sleep. Did you find all you did was focus on how much sleep you did or didn't get? And life was passing by like you was in a haze? I need to keep saying to myself I've survived it before I'll survive it again. The fear is worse than the reality of it all ino this now but when my head hits the pillow it goes into omg I'm not going to sleep I'll be poorly I'll die I won't cope tomorrow . Thanks for replying it does help talking to someone who's gone through similar things plus we both have the health anxiety xx

Sorry for rambling but did you have that sensation where you could feel yourself dozing off then boom your mind starts thinking about sleep and it's like you stop yourself from dozing off. I thought I'd overcome all this I'd sleot pretty good for 3 years after my last problem then boom it's back xx

All of those things above mirror my sleep problems. Although I’m sleeping better at the moment it’s always there in the back of my mind that it’s going to start up again. I don’t know if you have ever been on a really long haul flight  and have serious jet lag well that’s how I used to feel all the time. I didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything in case I didn’t sleep. My partner got sick of me saying I bet I won’t sleep tonight,it was all I could think of! I would sometimes think I was going to drop off and it was as if someone was saying you’re not sleeping and would jolt me back. You will sleep again you are just going through a bad patch mostly caused by the anxiety. It’s no good me saying don’t worry because we are worriers. You won’t die and you won’t be poorly even though you will feel like hell during the day. I used to look at other people and think I bet they sleep ok. Out of interest I find when I go through this that no way could I sleep during the day even if I hadn’t slept all night! At the moment are you having any sleep at night or in the day?  I can relate so much to your situation have been there,done that and got the tee shirt x

At the moment it seems I'm sleeping every other night between 6 n 7 hrs then no sleep at all the night after, in the past I have probably gone 2 or 3 nyts without any sleep then when I do sleep it doesn't feel deep or refreshing, you are right it's like being jet lagged all the tym. I bet when u was working somtyms you think I'm not going to make it thru the day but we always do. What is the longest time your sleep problem has gone on for? I think mine was at the worse 10 months of barely any just dribs and drabs ere and there. Not sleeping on a day too anxious , I hate it Soo much. Need to sleep now but feel Abit panicked about it all xx

Hi Tracey,

My longest was about 18 months at it’s worse and then like you say dribs  and drabs. Yes I often thought I’m not going to get through the day or I’m bound to collapse in a minute! But I always got through the day and never collapsed. People used to say have a sleep in the day haaa as if ! Far too het about not sleeping that night!! Unless you have a sleeping problem people have no idea what it’s like. I didn’t sleep well last night now I’m worried I’m not going to sleep tonight. What are we like!! I feel better about it now I know it won’t harm me but it doesn’t take away  how awful you feel in the day. You say you have a 6 yr old daughter. I have a 6 yr old granddaughter and love her to bits but they can be hard work and are constantly chattering, bless! Even if you were to get say 4 hrs sleep every other night you would be fine albeit a bit shattered. At my worst I didn’t sleep for nights on end not one wink and it did me no harm. If I could just get out of this stupid mind set that I’m not going to sleep it would be fine. Don’t worry you are fine x

I av a 6 year old son who a cheeky lil monkey but adore him. We sound very similar regarding our sleep patterns, at the mo it's really getting me down and all I can fink about and it's putting me off food with the anxiety. I get like a dizzy type of feeling like my head isn't there but not qiete dizzy not sure if I'm making sense lol. What age did ur sleep problems start? I had it a tiney bit ad a kid then in my mid 20's and now in my mid 30's. What r the physical things u get besides the head fog? My eyes water alot and always look like a zombie when going thru this not sleeping xx

As I said in my earlier comment, I also seem to be a poor sleeper. I tried everything possible to change my insomniac disorder but nothing worked out. Then I read / followed these two books & blogs (mentioned above). They helped me in improving my sleep. I would suggest u highly to have a look at both. You will feel better. Also you can watch on YOUTUBE a video by Christine Korol - "What is insomnia and how to cure it with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia". All this would help you surely.

Sorry Tracey thought you had a daughter. I also have 8 yr old Grandson love him to bits too. Mine started a bit as a child. My Mum was in hospital a lot and also think that’s where the anxiety and health phobias started. I would never say I sleep well but do go through longish periods where I sleep better and just have an occasional really bad night.Im now in my sixties and have had this for years especially if I have lots on my mind. My son was in a bad relationship when I was in my forties and remember it being  very bad at that time.I know the dizzy feelings you mean like your heads in a different place and it’s all to do with anxiety . My neices partner is a Dr and I phoned him in a panic about these dizzy feelings and palpitations and he reassured me it is just anxiety and tension. 

You have all your life ahead of you and honestly you will be fine everything you describe to me not sleeping, loss of appetite, feeling dizzy is anxiety based and will ease when you stop being so anxious. I also wish I could stop overthinking everything. I don’t answer a lot on this forum but feel your situation is so like mine and hopefully my experiences can reassure you a little x

I appreciate your replies it does help to know you have had these sleep problems too. Just want them to stop consuming me day and night. Got the Drs in 10 minutes to talk about my anxiety as I say I have always had anxiety but at the mo it's very high , keep feeling sick etc and mcg of it is fuelled by the fear of not sleeping although ino there are other areas in my life that need readdressing too. I really do appreciate your feedback and to you did ever so well working raising children etc with all the lack of sleep you have had over the years xxx

Let me know how you get on. X

Major panic mode he has made me feel worse, please help me 😥😥 x

What’s happened? 

Told him my concerns I sed can I die thru lack of sleep he sed it's impoosible so instead of just leaving it there I sed so no1 has ever died thru lack of sleep then he was on about insomniac a extreme cases where ppl go in anorexic mode etc but I've looked and I fink he's on about a very rare disease called insomnia fatal, I dunno but I feel worse my God xx

Hi how bad was ur insomnia in terms of how long u had it for? How long u would go without sleep? I would like to know more about the books too please x

Hey Tracey

Stop worrying! What you are thinking about us this fatal insomnia thing and 100% you will not have this. A couple years ago I asked my nieces husband (Dr) about this and it is sooo  rare and you wouldn’t sleep in dribs an drabs you would NEVER sleep. You do NOT have this! Your just going through a bad anxiety patch at the moment and you’ve orovsbly got stuff on your mind that needs addressing. I found when I was going through  stressful times divorce, loss of grandchild, etc etc!! my anxiety levels were sky high. You will get through this but I know exactly how you feel at the moment xx

My insomnia was very bad. I couldnt sleep for a night. Then other night again slept late. Had to get up early. I had one philosophy which was to stay fully away from sedatives. So first thing first, you need to make your self mentally strong. I still suffer from insomnia. I would recommend these reads to you to get a firm grip on what actually insomnia is. I would highly suggest you to watch the youtube video I asked you to. It would help. Can I know if right now you take sedatives? How many hours do you sleep usually now? How long have u gone without sleeping (and not taking sedatives)?

He never actually said fatal insomnia he just sed insomnia but I've googled it and that is what I fink he means. At the mo this sleep thing is taking over my whole thoughts it's bloody horrible! I need to try and not dwell on what Dr has sed and it's good to know your family member has said this too gives me some reassurance. Sorry to hear all you have been through with loss of grandchild etc, bug hugs xxx

Tried to reply but said needs to be looked at by a moderator. The Dr didn't actually say fatal insomnia but I'm sure this is what he means! I'm just Soo fed up fear is all I feel , I don't know how to get these thoughts out my head it's literally taking over my life and all my family and partner are sick of it. Least I can chat to you xx