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Recovering from a serious extended sleep debt -

Posted , 2 users are following.

charliebrim
charliebrim

I'd really appreciate some help or advice from someone in the know please...

I experienced a traumatic two months with roadworks right outside my bedroom a year or so ago where I got 2-3 hours sleep every working night. Eventually this triggered anxiety, depression, and an extreme lack of cognative ability during the day while at work. I went on sleeping pills to help get through this period, and some nighst they allowed me to get 3-4 hours sleep during this 2 months of road works.

I'm now in a very quiet location, but am still struggling to sleep off the massive debt. I always used to be a deep sleeper, getting 8-10 hours sleep a night.

Now I'd get 3-6 hours sleep on average. I don't remember the last time I slept over 6 hours (I always wake up without fail anywhere between 3-6 hours then can't get back to sleep). I never feel refresh and the sleepy, eyes stinging feelings seems to have been normalised in my day to day life. I've also lost the ability to nap during the day.

Any advice would be much appreicated.

Thanks

Charlie

I moved away from the road works

 

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • NECKBONE
    NECKBONE charliebrim

    Posted

    Charlie, sorry to hear of your trouble sleeping but glad you are in a more peaceful location now.  I too was getting 2-3 hours a night and do pretty well nowadays to get 5-6.  I was always around 7 to 7 1/2 hours per night before my insomnia began. The first thing I would say is get used to the idea that you might not make it back to that 8-10 hours you used to know.  The good news is that we don't need anything close to that in order to function well, but it is necessary to get a little more quality sleep than you are getting now to feel rested.  That said, here is what I would do:

    1. exercise daily (even just 20 minutes of elevated heart rate will do the trick)

    2. work on any lingering anxiety you might have going on (perhaps see a therapist)

    3. ditch the sleeping pills if you are still taking any.  they are a road to nowhere

    4.  spend way less time in bed.  If you are only getting 5 hours, only spend that amount of time in bed every night.  Once you are sleeping soundly for most of those 5 hours, extend your time in bed 15 minutes and repeat that process. This will gradually reset your circadian rhythm so that you associate night/bed as time for sleeping.

    Do not dwell too much on the concept of sleep debt.  There is nothing out there other than amateur blogs that suggest you need to catch up on every hour of sleep you've missed since your insomnia began.  Just get back on a schedule and string together a few good nights of sleep and you'll be good as new. 

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