nervousbat Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) @nervousbat You say you typically wake up about 4am, but what time do you go to bed? IMO, you're not a failure if you sleep till 10am, especially since you work from home. Edited March 9, 2017 by CrazyRedhead 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 @nervousbat, my first suggestion would be to try and go to bed at the same approximate time every night, instead of having such a difference in bedtimes. I know that just about everyone with insomnia hates the term "sleep hygiene", but going to bed at roughly the same time every night is one of the basics.....I have chronic insomnia and that was one of the first things they told me. Couldn't hurt to try it, anyhow... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Sheep Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 2-6 hours is not sufficient sleep for most people, not to mention the draining effects of anxiety. It seems to me you could just be extremely fatigued; I definitely get that sedated kind of effect when I've had even just a few nights of bad sleep pile up. Getting your sleep habits in order is a good start, but if you haven't been to the doctor specifically for insomnia before, now would seem like the time. This lack of sleep will have massive ripple effects in your life and act as a symptom multiplier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 9 hours ago, Lone Sheep said: 2-6 hours is not sufficient sleep for most people, not to mention the draining effects of anxiety. It seems to me you could just be extremely fatigued; I definitely get that sedated kind of effect when I've had even just a few nights of bad sleep pile up. Getting your sleep habits in order is a good start, but if you haven't been to the doctor specifically for insomnia before, now would seem like the time. This lack of sleep will have massive ripple effects in your life and act as a symptom multiplier. (bold) I agree. I also agree to see a DR about the insomnia if you haven't already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 12 minutes ago, nervousbat said: Yeah, I definitely agree. I've spoken to her about trouble breathing at night, and I got a prescription of nasal spray which seems to help, I don't get headaches in the morn thing or a dry mouth, so that is good. But I will inform her about this problem with staying asleep as well and keep tabs on my sleep difficulty because it is very bad the week or two before my period, so I want to see how bad it is when I'm not being kept awake by hormonal changes and then show her. Last time I saw her I did say I was having insomnia, but she corrected me with "you're having sleep difficulty" only because she didn't want me to diagnose myself with something in case it turned out I didn't have it although I thought insomnia was the word for trouble sleeping lol, so it kind of annoys me. But she has been very helpful with other important things so far. I have a slight worry that I've given myself insomnia from using this nasal spray, it's apparently the most benign non-addictive nasal spray they have, but I worry that there are steroids or chemicals in it that are effecting my brain somehow and keeping me awake or giving me bad dreams. I don't really know. I went to the doctor way more as a teenager before I went on anti-depressants for anxiety because I was such a hypochondriac, but also had some digestive problems and really painful periods. So I went to the doctor several times about these abdominal pains and the worries I was having, and two times I went there they gave me meds for a UTI, and another time they diagnosed me with Diverticulitis, and I'm pretty sure I didn't have any of those things because I wasn't having any severe problems before and felt way worse as soon as I started taking the pills. Instead of walking out being told I was fine and getting sorted out that all I had was some digestive problems and bad periods, I was made way sicker by the pills for the incorrect diagnoses than when I walked in. So that's why I worry about this. But I'm pretty sure things were better before I started using this nasal spray. It's just hard to tell on days like this when I haven't gotten any sleep. My mind is rambling, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you are going through this. (bold 1) I'm glad you will be speaking with DR. I'm sorry if I missed this, but have you been tested for sleep apnea? Maybe ask for a sleep study ... I see a neurologist for sleep problems and the testing for them. *What is the nasal spray called? (bold 2) I thought it was also. (Bold 3) Were you ever diagnosed with IBS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, nervousbat said: Sleep studies, do you mean when your sleep is recorded and then you watch it after? Those are so cool! I want to do that. When you have a sleep study, you usually go there and plan to stay the night (there are day time ones too but for this I'm referring to the night ones). They put electrodes on and while you sleep they monitor/record your sleep patterns. I've never asked to watch them afterwards, but I guess it depends on the DR if it is ok to read them or not afterwards. I've never asked to do this. I can understand the headaches from not getting enough air in. Maybe even if you don't have sleep apnea, I would ask your DR if you could still try a sleep apnea mask to wear at night to see if it makes a difference with the headaches. ETA: Also, avamys nose spray is the same thing as flonase. I take flonase at times to reduce any swelling of the nasal passages (although I don't always have luck with it). So I can understand how it works and helps you. Edited March 13, 2017 by melissaw72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Sheep Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) 14 hours ago, nervousbat said: Yeah, I do feel very much like I'm caught in a cycle in relation to this sleep problem. I try to go to bed at the right time but may spend too much time on the computer or get distracted by something else, sometimes I get trapped in a thought cycle and will be stuck trying to resolve it, if that makes any sense. Then I either wake up very early like at 4, drift in and out of the edge of wakefulness unable to go back to sleep, and either pass out exhausted at 8 or 9 and wake up feeling guilty at 11 am, or force myself out of bed at 9 am sleep deprived. I need to discipline myself, learn how to wind down before bed. I will talk more about it with my doctor definitely. Thank you! I know what you mean about getting stuck in a thought cycle. Used to have that problem too before my OCD went into remission. Something I've found that helps me with managing my day, especially winding it down on time, is setting alarms. Usually I'm on the computer, so I'll set one alarm on there to remind me of various tasks and meal times (so I'm constantly changing it), and another for when I need to get off so I can get ready for bed. You can also use your phone for this. If you already use your phone for a morning alarm, as I do, maybe pick a different alarm tone so it doesn't have that jarring effect of being told you need to wake up for the day, when in fact you're trying to do the opposite. Also thought I'd mention that you can do a sleep study at home. When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a couple years ago, it was done through a home study. You bring home a small device, with some electrodes, nasal cannulas, and a pulse oxymeter to put on yourself while you sleep. I found it tough to sleep with all that gear on, but managed four hours. Not sure I would've been able to fall asleep at all in a strange place with all that stuff on me. Edited March 13, 2017 by Lone Sheep 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Sheep Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Glad I could help. The realm of sleep is pretty interesting. It's still not all that well understood, and offers tantalizing glimpses into the brain's power to shape our reality -- power most of us really hardly have much inkling of, let alone control. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red dog Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Sorry you're struggling so much. I have struggled with sleep for so long. I am still working on it. Hang in there. Currently worried that I may not be able to wake up to my daughter and how unsafe it will be. I think you may be struggling with sleep inertia which is a RBD (R.E.M. Behavior disorder). They are having success treating it with bupropion SR 100mg. Also, you may have delayed sleep phase circadian rhythm. I'd talk with a sleep psychiatrist. Good luck! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousbat Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 (edited) --- Edited May 9, 2017 by nervousbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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