Sleeplessness!

I don't think it's a natural progression, but if your anxiety is out of control it will affect your sleep. ou can't live like that though, you need to sleep! Can you see a doctor and have them prescribe you something? You might be able to go on someting short term just until your sleep pattern gets regular again. I have a few sleepness nights here and there, but it's usually when I am really anxious about something in particular and something is bothering me. If I don't sleep well for 2 days in a row I'm a wreck. Have you aleady tried natural things like Sleepy Time Tea and melotonine? How about a couple of Benedryl? Warm milk? IDK. I hope you can get sleep soon my friend.

Good Afternoon,


May I suggest you see your physician and talk about medications that may help both your anxiety and get you some rest.



I use Trazodone at bedtime for sleep as I was unable to sleep and would be up until 2-3 AM when I had to get up at 5 AM for work. I would end up tossing and turning and crying half the night. The Trazadone was prescribed by my P-Doc at a low dose and the side effect of drowsiness works for me. I had tried many other things under my MD's care that did not work.



I know where your coming from and what you going through.



Take care,



Kitt

Hi,


I would definitely talk to a doctor and try to find the right med to help you sleep. Do you take anything for your ADHD? If you do, could the medication be interfering with your sleeping? Also check out the following causes. Is there anything that may be causing your insomnia like caffeine, smoking, alcohol, bad sleep environment? How about your daily activities? I know that if I do too much exercise during the day, my body cannot rest in the evening. Loud music is also something you may want to avoid.





Food, drink and medications
What you eat and drink during the day can affect your sleep at night. Too much caffeine, smoking, and alcohol before bed all contribute to poor sleep. Additionally, some prescription medications can interfere with sleep. Ironically, if not managed carefully or stopped abruptly, sleep medications can cause rebound insomnia.



Your sleep environment
Your room may be too bright. Or excess noise during the night may be waking you frequently. A quiet dark environment is best for sleep.



Your daily habits
Too much stimulating activity before bed, be it vigorous exercise or watching violent stories and images on the nightly news, can make it hard to sleep. TV is best avoided altogether.



Your mental and physical condition
Life stress, like a new job, family conflict, or financial worries can keep you up at night. Or you may have a disease where sleeplessness is a common symptom. Chronic pain may also be keeping you awake.

You might find it very difficult to wind down at the end of the day. How can you stop thinking about tomorrow’s big deadline, or worrying about an ill parent who is steadily getting worse? Relaxation and stress management techniques can help quiet your mind and improve your sleep. They do require some practice and time, but the benefits are better sleep and better health without the side effects of sleep medications.



Source

http://www.helpguide.org/life/insomnia_treatment.htm

I have Kolonopin and Trazodone. Kolonopin numbs my "normal" thinking, and SSRI's have so many personality numbing side effects I'd rather have the anxiety. So I only take them when I've been up for over 24hrs. I do take Melatonin, I find it is quite effective when mixed with Nyquil. I have been to see several people about this issue. I feel like Woody Allen talking to his psychiatrist in Annie Hall when I do.

What I am trying to do is get to the root of my sleeplessness. I find sometimes I can write things down and get feedback... it makes more sense to me. Especially hearing it from others. What I really wrote that post for was not necessarily a solution, but to hear how other people with this same problem are coping with it. I'd love to hear your stories.

I've had a compilation of problems recently... ie Girlfriend got pregnant, lost my job, thus I had to move in with relatives because I couldn't make rent, racked up a lot of credit getting my car fixed and for industry tests I want to take... and after two months of befriending my relatives cat, it had kidney failure and had to be put down today! It's strange/sad/calming watching the cat put it's head down on the table as they inject the euthanasia shot. But when it rains... I know, everything will be alright. It's only temporary anxiety for the above problems.... But I know... I'll still be up all hours of the night when these things pass.

"Day after day it reappears."

I understand! I wake up at the same time each hour. However, when it turns 3am, I cannot get back to sleep. When I studied abroad I was able to wake up and walk the streets of Rome without fear. I always found myself wandering farther and farther from home when I'd walk. At the time... I had no bills. I had no worries... but yet, it was a struggle for my mind to stop "racing" over things that I knew would fix themselves.

Yea,I just want to get a full nights rest too.I think our brain is constantly thinking all the time.I never use to be this way.What anxiety does............dreadful..

I am seeking help... I always am... I just find it funny. I am part Russian!!

It's weird right now. I cannot describe it in a precise way. It's like a "welling" or "screaming" coming from the inside. It always happens when I wake up to look at the clock. Then I proceed to pace around my room and even go out and walk the streets. But I can't do that right now with all this darn snow.... Any input is helpful... I really don't know what to do.

If my sleeplessness if from anxiety, and Im taking meds for that, how come i still cant sleep through the night? Then i get more anxious from not sleeping...crazy cycle

I agree... the only thing is that I get so nervous about time that I actually have four clocks in my room. It's a funny thing, not being able to relax. It's a crazy thing when you don't sleep... you miss one night you are out for two days on being able to do anything constructive. I lost my job due to layoffs and had to move in with my parents. My father is very intense. His office is in the basement next to the room I am staying in. There is no door on my room. I've always been sleepless but I've always have gotten an adequate amount of sleep... four hours does me good. However, being here I cannot relax. I just can't. This guy is always walking threw my room... judging then getting mad and confronting me. He doesn't know, I'm not really sleeping. I'm always "listening" all night. I've debated getting a hotel room some nights. I use to have my days full of analytical and physical activities. A lot of people are wondering "what is going on"... but how do you explain not sleeping? You can tell them... then they try to give you a solution. Which is something like... "go to bed at eight tonight". Right... eight... I'd have to be tranquilized to do that. Kitt and 2sad2care are spot on. Tossing and turning... vivid dreams while you are half awake.

I have had this reoccurring dream (when I do get to sleep) where I am pulled over by a police officer. He gets me out of the car and gives me all kinds of road side tests that I fail... he then gives me a breathalizer and I blow a 0.00 and he looks at me and tells me "What is this about? I can't take you to jail now". I have to tell him "I haven't been drinking. I just haven't slept in about three days."

Russ,
I hope that you were able to get a little sleep last night.
It seems like you have quite a lot of big life changes going on with the job loss & pregnancy & moving. That's enough to keep most people awake. Maybe talking to a therapist could help? I know that a young guy doesn't want to do that, but you are dealing with so much. I know these things probably didn't start your sleeping problems, but they can't be helping at all.
I am thinking of you and wishing you the best!
Stacey

I recently was taking some Ambien after a string of mini-crises. It did help me to get back on a sleeping schedule, at least. And getting some good sleep does help your health quite a bit.

It is very bad not to get your rest. Hope you will get that figured out.

And I hate to be a scold, but the amount of alcohol in your life is concerning. I used to drink shall we say "moderately" (a 12-pack or two and lotsa hard liquor in a week) and you just don't realize what it's doing to you until you stop doing it.

People don't walk in and tell the doctor that they abuse alcohol. Someone I know is always complaining about migraines and wondering if they could be from food allergies. But she refuses to give up the booze. Like she never heard booze can cause headaches. Oh, sorry, migraines aren't just headaches.

Seriously, eliminate the alcohol as a way of narrowing down what might be wrong and you might surprise yourself.