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Insomnia, or whatever this is.

  • 30-01-2019 5:21pm
    #1
    klm1
    Registered Users Posts: 81 ✭✭


    Appreciate any useful advice anyone can give me.
    Firstly, I'd like to point out that I'm in no way stressed/anxious, I just landed a new job which is my dream job, I'm super happy in my life with everything and have less stress than ever. This situation precedes all of this.

    But, I have an awful time sleeping. Here's my cycle; I get home from work at 6 or 7 depending on how busy it is, eat, tv, read, listen to music/whatever. try to avoid screen time(tv&mobile) for an hour before bed. Get into bed, meditate for 20-25minutes and fall asleep within minutes of stopping, so I don't have the common issue of laying in bed wishing yourself to sleep. I'm so tired by 10.30/11pm that I can fall asleep in minutes. But, 99 nights out of 100, I'll wake up at some time between 2.30 and 4am and I'm immediately wide awake. It doesn't matter what I do at this point, I'm not getting back to sleep. I'm not stressing over things, I'm not anxiety prone, I'm not worrying, I'm just wide awake. I've tried meditating again at this stage, I've tried meditation for sleep, didn't work.

    I was always a bad sleeper, but this current cycle has been ongoing for over a year now and honestly it's starting to affect me now, I feel like I'm a zombie some days, just coasting through as i'm so tired. On the very occasional night, I will sleep til 4.30 or 5 and wake up feeling super refreshed. I notice I'm way more alert and functioning at a much better level on those days. I then try to replicate what I did that night in the hopes it will work again, but it doesn't and my normal cycle resumes.

    I've tried everything, I've taken on meditation. I avoid screen time for an hour before bed. I've changed duvets, mattresses, pillows, installed black-out blinds, changed my routine, tried going to bed later, everything.

    At this stage, I'm considering giving up and going to my doc for sleeping pills, but see that as a last resort.

    Anyone got any ideas?


Comments

  • #2
    Yenwod
    Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Yenwod


    I’d be surprised if your doc will give you sleeping pills - they’re so anti them. I get into cycles like you describe & they’re just horrible.

    First thing doc will give you a lecture about is good sleep hygiene, although sounds like you do a lot of that with no screen time etc. Cut out all caffeine & alcohol to see if that makes a difference. Have your room cool, getting too hot can naturally wake you.

    Have you tried going to bed later? Like if you went to bed st midnight, do you think you’d still wake up st 2? You might need to push your cycle forward?

    Apologies if you’ve tried all these things - bad sleep is hard to fix


  • #3
    klm1
    Registered Users Posts: 81 ✭✭klm1


    I do appreciate your input, at this stage I'd literally try anything. I have tried them all though unfortunately, I don't drink caffeine after midday, only drink a glass of wine once or twice a month and my bedroom is quite chilled already.

    I did try going to bed later last night as option, went at midnight, woke up at 3.15.

    I read a thing recently about really pushing the going to bed time, so I'm going to bed at about 3am tonight, see what time i wake up at. The plan is to pull that time forward by 15mins per night and see how it plays out over the next week or so.


  • #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,656 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Magnesium. Take Magnesium and your sleep will improve big time.
    I only started it this week as I had got into the very same cycle as you. Falling asleep at 11pm and wide awake at 2.30-4am unable to sleep.
    A lot of us are deficient in magnesium.
    "Magnesium increases GABA, which encourages relaxation as well as sleep. Low GABA levels in the body can make it difficult to relax. Magnesium also plays a key role in regulating the body's stress-response system. Magnesium deficiency is associated with heightened stress and anxiety"

    I also take one Night time Kalms about 10pm. In this week alone great deep slumbers! Definitely worth a try.


  • #5
    klm1
    Registered Users Posts: 81 ✭✭klm1


    Thanks sweetmaggie, I will definitely try that. I don't have any stress of anxiety in my life at all at the moment, so I'm not sure it'll be as useful, but I'm willing to try anything at this stage. Also, I eat a lot of spinach which is high in magnesium, but there's still the possibility it will help.
    Appreciate the input!


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