Insane insomnia

Post Reply New Topic

Lately over the last few month's I've been having insane insomnia. Over the last week it's been really bad. I got 2 hours of sleep, and I don't feel tired at all. Just the opposite I'm bursting with energy. I drank caffeine every morning so that shouldn't effect my sleep at night. The major reason why I can't sleep is I can't stop thinking. All I do is think, about everything. School, friends, life, the end of the world, cars, the past, my past, drugs, music, art, sex, and so much else. I've tried turning my mind "off" but it doesn't work.

That sounds frustrating. I have absolutely terrible insomnia which cycles with sleep paralysis, and I've had it for as long as I can remember. It usually starts with not being able to put down whatever my latest project is and then not being able to turn my brain off. The insomnia causes me to get stuck in a hypnogogic state when I do start to go to sleep instead of entering a real sleep. Then the fear from the sleep paralysis episodes leads to more insomnia. I react very badly to several prescription sleep aids, and have no desire to try any more.

Have you tried melatonin and/or any herbal teas? I've found that melatonin helps me a lot. I take herbal tablets or drops of valerian, passionflower, or chamomile from the health food store instead of teas (otherwise I'm up in the night needing to go to the bathroom) but I find I have to rotate them or they loose their effectiveness. Valerian is the strongest of the three but it shouldn't be taken over an extended period of time (or by anyone who is pregnant, or has consumed alcohol recently, or plans to operate heavy machinery). It also has a rather unpleasant odor and taste, however when I'm really wound up, it's about the only thing that will work. I've found that incense can be soothing too, but that might have more to do with my own sensory needs. I've had friends who can't stand incense much less sleep in a room where some has been burned. I hope this is helpful if you haven't tried any of it yet.

The weirdest thing is I seem to function better on very little sleep. Like I feel less drowsy when I sleep very little. I wake up just fine after 2-3 hours of sleep but if I have 8+ Hours it takes me about an hour to wake up. I refuse to take medication, I've tried taking melotoinin but it doesn't work because I've used it so much. My body has built up an insane tolerance to it where it takes me 5-6 3mg pills to work. it's 2:30 in the morning yet I'm still wide awake. Nothing seems to help, yet I'm still able to do everything just fine. I don't even feel many side effects of the near total lack of sleep. It's perfectly normal for me to go without sleep and than stay up until 4am the next day/night. It comes and goes in cycles, and the best few weeks have been really bad. I'm pretty sure I'm bipolar because I feel like I've taken speed.

I guess I don't need to tell you that insomnia like that can be dangerous - for your mental health, and you are more likely to have accidents and make mistakes.

Step one is to go to the doc and get some good sleeping pills, but that isn't the end of it - it's something to restore your sanity temporarily so you can work on what you need to, make the changes you need to to get to sleep. Get off the pills as soon as you can. They are highly addictive.

Step two is to identify and make a list of everything in your day that might be stimulating for you. This can be things like caffiene, white sugar; it can be stimulating, violent television; it can be contact with people and things that make you upset or otherwise emotional. If you are a sensitive person like me the smallest triangle ding of emotional stimulation will be like a reverberating gong in your mind.

Step three: Brainstorm how you are going to eliminate or reduce these stressful things in your life e.g. change your morning coffee to chamomile tea.

Step four: add positive changes. This might be a glass of warm milk before bed, if that helps. Your room should be clean and organised, your sheets fresh and warm. Get earmuffs or blindfold if you need to cut out sound and light. In the evenings, have several hours of quiet time before bed. A warm bath. your favourite book (not a stephen king novel obviously) your favourite classical music, mood lighting, meditation. Debrief to a good friend or write in your journal things that are bothering you, then put those thoughts away for the night.