Clarabel wrote: » Yes. Probably not as bad for so long When I couldn't sleep I'd fear not sleeping itself and not sleeping was preventing me from sleeping. You've got to be consistent. Just cause something didn't work tonight. It might take weeks in your case. Check in with your thoughts. The brain is strange what are you thinking about while trying to fall asleep? Is there something there?
You poor thing! I suffer from lack of sleep but it comes and goes in cycles. I’ll be fine for a few months - get my 6/7 hours and then it’s back to one or two for a few weeks. Those periods of sleeplessness are awful - it’s so hard to focus in work. As another poster has said - it’s often the anxiety/fear of not sleeping that makes things worse. If I don’t sleep well two nights in a row I become fearful that other sleepless cycle is coming and that perpetuates the issue. Of you had said stress/worries were the cause I’d say journaling. Have you tried saying to yourself right I’m not going to get any sleep, so I’ll just read all night. I find reading can set me off. Sometimes I put the book down and I feel wide awake again though - so it’s a matter of picking the book up a second time. Interesting you said it could be hereditary - my mother doesn’t sleep well at all, never has. Some nights she will have 3 or 4 hours, some night none. She won’t take sleeping tablets. I tried them once but they didn’t work just made me extra sleepy during the day but I gave up on them. Have you tried them?
sydthebeat wrote: » Did the doctor prescribe pills yet?
Faith wrote: » You say you've tried therapy - was that general therapy or specifically sleep related?
Sierra Necroma wrote: » Try watching asmr youtube videos. There are good ones of barber's cutting ans washing people's hair. It makes me sleepy when I watch them.
FaithlessKnew wrote: » Every expert in sleep says pills are a bad idea. I've no interest in taking them they don't fix anything. I find doctors to be useless and unhelpful on this subject from my experience.
sydthebeat wrote: » Short term use is fine when necessary. Lack of sleep can cause serious medical issues, so don't discount medical advice at your peril. For long term issues other avenues must be explored.
wiggle16 wrote: » OP you say you went to a sleep clinic - what was the outcome of that, or their conclusion?
Faith wrote: » I'll be really interested to hear how you get on with Sleepio, OP. I downloaded it myself a few years back and was back to sleeping normally within the first week, so I never finished it. My sleep issues were very minor, so I'd imagine it's worth sticking it.
FaithlessKnew wrote: » I'll keep you posted Faith. Although I don't know how you made progress in the first week, I watched the videos etc today and until next Sunday all I have to do is fill in a diary on the site as to how I slept and when I woke up. They haven't actually advised me what to do yet! Maybe your period of bad sleep just passed.
wiggle16 wrote: » Weird thing about antihistamines is that for a very, very few people they have the opposite effect to what theyre supposed to do. I took piriton before for a rash and hoped it would also help me sleep... my skin was on fire after ten mins and I was f*cking wired all night, it was like a fever dream. But apparently thats rare. Defo worth asking your GP, but as AiryFairy said do ask before taking them.
Airyfairy12 wrote: » Have you tried sleep hygiene? No caffeine. alcohol or cigarettes' after 4pm, that includes tea & even green & herbal tea. Limit your screen time, the blue screen on phones and computers simulates daylight tricking your brain into thinking its day time. Id suggest putting the blue screen filter on your phone - most phones have this setting. Id also suggest turning the light on your computer screen down to the lowest it will go. The blue light can really mess with your sleep. When your in bed, try mindfulness, its great for focusing your mind and helping to fall asleep naturally. During the day make sure youre getting exercise and atleast one hour of natural day light.
FaithlessKnew wrote: » Well as I said in my original post I exercise more than anyone I know, although today I'm too exhausted to do anything. Normally though it'd be the gym 5 or 6 times a week or jogging every day during lockdown. And of course, it's insomnia 101 to not have caffeine in the afternoon and no screens 2 hours before bed. Alcohol puts me asleep but if I'm hungover it just screws with my sleeping even more so I try and avoid. I could probably give my own seminars on the subject, even though none of it works for me.
Kayderm wrote: » I'm sure you've heard this before but focus on your breathing and slowly breath more gently. Block other thoughts from your mind. Helps me to fall asleep, that and doing weights until I collapse!
stepstofreedom wrote: » wonder if ADHD is a contributing factor
What's a night for you? Are you lying there trying to sleep most of the time or do you get on with different things because you know you wont sleep. Maybe just try make peace with it. If you're always looking at new methods of trying to improve the problem it's probably on your mind all the time at night and the obsessional nature of it is keeping your mind racing. Your persistence to find cures could be an actual big part of the problem. Give yourself a month or two break of trying to fix it and adapt a "I'm a **** sleeper and it's how it is" attitude, giving in to it may put your mind at peace a little.
