Still cannot sleep properly. Feel terrible.
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi guys I am still having problems with sleeping, been 10 nights in a row that I have had these problems and I feel terrible. Last night I went to bed at midnight but didn't fall asleep until about 5am. This was despite taking anti-histamine pills before bedtime which are supposed to help you sleep. It didn't work for me so I must be an alien!.... I only average about 3 hours sleep per day now, the best night sleep I had was on Thursday night when I got about 5 hours. When I lay down my heart starts to race and I get worried about getting to sleep. I dread going to bed even though I am really tired. I really don't know what to do as I don't want sleeping tablets as they are addictive. I have tried to see a doctor today for something to calm me down before bed but the surgery was too busy. I just want to feel normal again, I used to sleep so good!....anyone got any suggestions? I seem to be running out of ideas.
Gareth.
0 likes, 3 replies
NECKBONE Gareth51625
Posted
Hello, sorry to hear about your troubles. Can you go into a little bit of detail on how your insomnia started? Have you been struggling with anxiety? Why are you so wired before bed?
Also, don't worry too much about antihistamines not working for you. Pills of any kind are pretty ineffective against many forms of insomnia, unless it is a very mild case. I would not get too fixated on the idea that you can take a pill to help you sleep better. I have taken them all and they only make the problem worse. I do think it's a good idea to see a doctor and perhaps take a medication specifically for anxiety or depression if you are struggling with either one, as these things can bring on bouts of insomnia. Just keep in mind that most of the commonly prescribed meds for both conditions take 20 days or more to have any effect. You can also try some relaxation exercises throughout the day and right before bed time. Deep breathing, yoga, and meditations are good ones. Try not to neglect taking some time to relax during the day. If you are pumped up most of the day, it is unrealistic to think that you will be able to do anything to relax right before you want to go to bed.
I'll also give some of the common advice you will see on this forum. These are the things that have helped me the most in my fight with insomnia.
1. If you have anxiety or depression, get some help for the condition. These things are firmly intertwined with insomnia and make it very difficult to get better sleep once you have fallen into poor sleeping habits. Think about seeing a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
2. Spend way less time in the bed. If you are getting less than 5 hours a night, cap your total time in bed to 5 hours. Only go to bed if you are sleepy and get out of the bed after 20 minutes or so if you cannot sleep (including if you wake up in the middle of the night). Laying there and having your mind race 1,000 miles per hour will only reinforce the poor sleep habits you've fallen into. Gradually increase your time in bed once you have started to sleep for most of those 5 hours.
3. Stop stressing over not sleeping. Yes, I know this is easier said than done. But just realize that you aren't going to die from only getting 3-4 hours of sleep. You may not feel the best you ever have the next day but you can still go out and have a great day with the right attitude. Once you no longer fear not being able to sleep, you will have less anxiety around bed time (to your comment about dreading going to bed), and will stand a better chance of sleeping well.
4. Do not do anything in bed other than sleep and.... You definitely don't want to watch tv or other forms of entertainment. What you are trying to do here is reboot that sleep response when you are in the bed. Right now, your mind might be saying "it's okay for me to struggle against sleeping when I'm in the bed", and what you want it to say is "okay we are in the bed now, time to sleep!"
5. Get some exercise every day if you aren't already. It doesn't have to be intense, just get your heart rate up for 20-30 minutes. It helps.
Gareth51625 NECKBONE
Posted
Hi thanks for the reply & advice. I have had problems with anxiety for a while, sometimes it just happens for no reason. I'm just a nervous person, always have been. I never really had much problem getting to sleep though. The insomnia started early last week, it took me a while to get to sleep on Tuesday night (19th Sept) and then the following night I started to worry about the same thing happening, that night was even worse with only having 3 hours sleep and pretty much since then I have been scared to go to bed in case I don't sleep, once I lay there I start to get hot & my heart starts to beat fast - it's like my mind doesn't want to switch off, I just can't seem to relax, I lay there with my eyes closed for a long time but nothing happens. I have started panicking thinking I have that sporadic fatal insomnia, but surely I would have other symptoms like memory?
?Do you think I have got extremely anxious about getting to sleep and this is my problem? because I can sleep, it's just taking me hours to finally drift off.
?Gareth.
NECKBONE Gareth51625
Posted
Yes, that is likely the problem. See 3. above. Also don't go to bed unless you are sleepy enough to go to sleep. If it hasn't been going on that long, you will be fine. I would go and talk to a professional about the anxiety. If left untreated, it could affect your sleep for a longer period of time than you are dealing with right now.