Anybody ever had sleep problems that they have overcome?

[jamimb]

I could really use some encouragement. I have always slept well even during times of great stress and sorrow but for no reason whatsoever about a month ago I could not fall asleep and stayed up all night long Not good for me!!!! I need 8 or 9 hrs to function!

Since then I rarely get to sleep before 12 or 1 and thats usually with an ambien (which takes over an hr to put me to sleep and when I do get to sleep its only like for 5 hrs or so) or a unisom and a whole lot of tears!!!

I want to go back to when I went to sleep around 9 or ten and slept for 8 or 9 hrs without any sleepaids! I really hate taking the pills to go to sleep and on the rare ocassion that I can get to sleep without them it feels like such a triumph.

I know it sounds silly but it is really affecting my life and I am finding myself getting really depressed! It just feels like there is no hope! I don't know how to break this dumb cycle and thought maybe hearing your stories would encourage me.

By the way I have tried everything, a bath before bed, meditation, setting up a bedtime routine, counting backwards and other things I have read! I start to stress about bedtime right after dinner knowing I am gonna be up crying while the rest of the house sleeps.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Have you cut out caffeine? And that means chocolate too.

Are you experiencing anxiety? Anxiety is one of the things that will cause sleep disturbances and then it becomes a vicious cycle.

 

[JessicaR]

Have they ruled out a medical reason? When sleepless nights first started with me, shortly after I was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder. I have a hyper thyroid disorder. Also as I get older my hormones are whacked out and that is a huge contributor to my not sleeping well.

Just wanted to offer some . Maybe some bloodwork to see if anything comes up. Do mention it to both your GYN and your regular doctor.

 

[Christine]

A few years ago, I did have this problem. Went to the doctor for it. Got Ambien (stayed up all night on it). I would have trouble falling asleep and, when I did manage to fall asleep, I would wake up around 2AM and then never go back to sleep. I was like the walking dead. This lasted several months. I tried everything. Nothing worked. It finally went away. Sorry, I was no help.

 

[jamimb]

Have you cut out caffeine? And that means chocolate too.

Are you experiencing anxiety? Anxiety is one of the things that will cause sleep disturbances and then it becomes a vicious cycle.

Yes, I have cut out all caffeine which has been hard because I am not sleeping well so I therefore need it in the morning. and yes, I am experiencing anxiety at night because I am thinking I will not be able to get to sleep. I dread bedtime!!!!

 

[jamimb]

A few years ago, I did have this problem. Went to the doctor for it. Got Ambien (stayed up all night on it). I would have trouble falling asleep and, when I did manage to fall asleep, I would wake up around 2AM and then never go back to sleep. I was like the walking dead. This lasted several months. I tried everything. Nothing worked. It finally went away. Sorry, I was no help.

No, thanks alot you were a help! It gives me a little hope that maybe mine will go away as well. I just feel so hopeless like the situation is never gonna end but instead just get worse.

 

[Christine]

No, thanks alot you were a help! It gives me a little hope that maybe mine will go away as well. I just feel so hopeless like the situation is never gonna end but instead just get worse.

I felt the same way. One of the issues that goes with this is that you start to develop anxiety over not sleeping and then your mind starts ruminating at night. Not good.

Is there any chance you have an open-minded doctor who might give you 10 tablets of Xanax or Ativan to try at bedtime?

 

[jamimb]

I felt the same way. One of the issues that goes with this is that you start to develop anxiety over not sleeping and then your mind starts ruminating at night. Not good.

Is there any chance you have an open-minded doctor who might give you 10 tablets of Xanax or Ativan to try at bedtime?

I doubt my Dr would do that. I really want to fix this without meds. It bothers me when I just take the Unisom.

 

[lillygator]

I wish I could...I have such trouble sleeping. Yes, I am a worrier so as soon as my head hits the people I start thinking. I don't do caffine, so that isn't an issue...

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, I have cut out all caffeine which has been hard because I am not sleeping well so I therefore need it in the morning. and yes, I am experiencing anxiety at night because I am thinking I will not be able to get to sleep. I dread bedtime!!!!

If you don't want to use meds, perhaps you can see a counselor that deals with anxiety.

A good counselor will walk you through steps to help you deal with the anxiety. You have to change your thinking patterns.

 

[jfoofj]

I have had sleep issues, but they mostly stem from me working night shift 3 nights a week and not being able to sleep during the day or having that "jet lag" night when I switch back to sleeping at night. I have tried every over the counter sleep aid there is, and Ambien too. The OTC ones give me a hangover, and the Ambien, well, it makes me do crazy stuff.... like eating a jar of pickles w/ no memory of doing it... having conversations w/ DH that I have no memory of. It kind of scared me, so I don't take it.

I would fall asleep, then wake up 4 hours later, totally awake. It was awful. I tried a lot of different things... relaxation cd's, deep breathing techniques, reading... none really worked any better than the others.... sorry to say. After a while the problem went away on its own, though it does still happen occasionally. I wish I had an easy solution for you, and me too!

 

[Pomlover2586]

The fact that you're stressing out about this after dinner- as opposed to once your in bed and just not being able to sleep, indicates your having anxiety over this situation.

In addition to sleep therapy- ambien etc, I would recommend therapy for the anxiety- trust me it works wonders!

 

[jamimb]

The fact that you're stressing out about this after dinner- as opposed to once your in bed and just not being able to sleep, indicates your having anxiety over this situation.

In addition to sleep therapy- ambien etc, I would recommend therapy for the anxiety- trust me it works wonders![/QU


This is what my DH keeps telling me. He really wants me to see a therapist but I just keep thinking it will do no good and cost us alot of money. So you think it might help???

 

[Christine]

The fact that you're stressing out about this after dinner- as opposed to once your in bed and just not being able to sleep, indicates your having anxiety over this situation.

In addition to sleep therapy- ambien etc, I would recommend therapy for the anxiety- trust me it works wonders![/QU



This is what my DH keeps telling me. He really wants me to see a therapist but I just keep thinking it will do no good and cost us alot of money. So you think it might help???

I'm fairly uptight about therapy. But, you know, going to talk to someone about things, even if there's not great revelations, is somehow a stress relief in itself. It might not happen at the first visit, but it happens eventually with a good therapist.

Sometimes, though, it's really not even about anxiety and I swear it can be hormonal or just some sort of change in your life that you aren't even aware of. Then you get into a weird pattern and it's hard to break. Then the anxiety sets in about sleeping. Vicious cycle. That's where meds like Xanax or Ativan come in (that I recommended above) for the short term. They take away that "oh my god I'm going to lay awake all night again" anxiety that sets in and exacerbates the problem.

One thing I forgot to mention is that my coworker was having issues with middle of the night waking and he took melatonin for a short time and said it really did work for him. He ony had to take it about 3 nights and he went back to normal.