Sleepless Nights...

[crazycara]

I honestly don't know how much more I can take. I'm so close to tears... Tears of fustration.

I have so much trouble sleeping, it's ridiculous and the doctors aren't helping ... I don't understand what more I need to do to get help from them. Do I need to have a week of no sleep? Do I need to be drastic and go ape shit at them? Does my life literally need to be destroyed so I can finally get some help?

Too many sleepless nights, and when I do finally sleep it's light and restless. I can't continue like this, I have a life, university, I want a job, I want to be able to wake up and go what a brilliant sleep.

But no, I'm plagued with intense dreams and restless nights.

I don't mind the dreams, in fact I find them rather interesting and they aren't nightmares just strong dreams, I remember nearly every dream... Surely they says I'm not sleeping...

I've tried everything, routines, early, late nights, staying awake as long as I can, naps, being busy, hot showers, hot drinks, no lights, a nightlight, no tv, TV, music, no music, candle light... There is nothing left to try!

I'm at my wits end! Just can't do this anymore.

[Gambit62]

Sounds like the one thing you haven't tried is not worrying about it

I know that sounds like a smart-arse comment but sometimes fretting about getting enough sleep stops us getting sleep. My father also used to talk about being too tired to sleep and sometimes that is true. If it is then it means that you might have to keep going at any method for a while before you really get to the benefits and a secure sleeping pattern.

Have you tried meditation? - belly based meditations can be really relaxing and are often ones where people fall asleep without intending to - that's because there's an element of going back to a safe place. Meditation is also good because it helps to train the brain to turn off rather than being continually in hyperdrive. Some yoga will almost certainly have the same effect.

Not sure pills will help because I'm not sure that they necessarily promote the right sort of sleep - there are actually lots of different types of sleep and they all help the brain do different things!

Does uni - or the local community have a meditation group or a yoga class that you could join?

Meditation isn't really about sitting with your legs crossed and going om!

[crazycara in reply to Gambit62]

truth be told, I haven't tried meditation mainly because I feel you have to be taught how to do this, and I have no idea, there is a yoga class but I'm not sure when it is.. I might try and get my friend to join me so I'm not alone. I try not to fret, I mainly don't it's just times like this when I haven't sleep all night is when I get frustrated! I'm going to speak to the doctor anyway, see what they can suggest too. I just hate being like this - it's been like this for years now =[ x

[Gambit62 in reply to crazycara]

Hope things sort themselves out.

[crazycara in reply to Gambit62]

thank you, so do I, just had a look at my yoga classes aren't until Wednesday and Friday, but then I might try Pilates haha x

[Gambit62 in reply to crazycara]

Another thing you could try is a body clock - light that does a false sunset and a false sunrise - there are a number on the market - range of prices - often combined with radio function or noises. Sometimes the way you wake up is as important as the way you go to sleep

[crazycara in reply to Gambit62]

I was considering this, as there was a sunrise clock in Aldi but I went there to buy it and it was no where to be seen =[ I'll have a look on the internet I think x

[Photogeek in reply to Gambit62]

Cara if you have a problem sleeping for a long long time . It's a Chronic sleep issue and I don't think it's going to be easily cured overnight.

I totally agree with Gambit and Bob that worrying about sleep is making you more stressed. I know you have a lot on with study but I think

You need to manage your Depression and try anything that helps

You to relax. Meditation or Yoga and then if you stop worrying your

Seep might improve. Maybe you don't need a lot of sleep. The late

Margaret Thatcher only slept four hours a night.lol

I find Lavender Oil sprinkled on my pillow ( just a drop) really helps

Me to relax as I am not a good sleeper either.

Hugs

Hannah

[Hidden]

Hello BOB here

Not sure if you have a CPN at the moment, if not ask the GP if He will refer you so that you can be shown how to learn relaxation techniques

, I

There are three types not including Yoga, they are

The Maxwell Technique

The Alexander Technique

Mindfulness (I have no knowledge of this one )

Explain to you GP about your sleep problems, He/She may be able to assist until you get the referral. If you now have a CPN they could show you how to do it

Over the years I have been using these techniques and can slow my heart down slightly when relaxing. These systems do work.

All the best

BOB

[crazycara in reply to Hidden]

Hiya Bob, these sound interesting, but I'm not so sure what a CPN actually is? haha x

[Hidden in reply to crazycara]

Hello cara

Please do not ask me what ANC is I only write it Fingers must be drunk. possibly means CPN

All the best

BOB

[Hidden in reply to crazycara]

Hello Cara

A CPN is a Community Psyciatric nurse, excuse spelling

BOB

[jules2105]

Hi

I suffer with sleep problem too and understand how frustrating it can be. I kept a sleep diary and then made an appt to see a friendly gp. when i'm suffering it is usually due to stress. I was referred to the sleep clinic at our local hospital who wired me upto a machine which I had to keep on overnight. This showed that my sleep patterns are normal when I get off to sleep, it's just that I am more aware of waking between sleep cycles than other people which is why I remember my dreams. I also snore really badly and she said this is due to my very large tonsils, I've been told to loose some weight and then if I still snore to be referred to a ent specialist to have my tonsils removed. With regards to getting to sleep I find hypnosis cds work and also did a course called sleepio on the internet which taught be some techniques and to be less stressed about sleep.

I bought the sunrise alarm clock fron aldi it does help to get me up in the mornings.

Good luck with your gp, mine has also given me sleeping tablets to take twice a week to get me through my current distress.

Jules x

[gardengnome]

I agree with gambit that worrying about sleep is the biggest thing stopping you sleeping.

The sleep scientists say that most people do wake briefly several times during a night as part of the sleep cycle, but go back under fairly quickly, so forget about having woken up

Meds tend to just be used for short term sleep disturbance, in the long term in has to be a case of developing the fine art of not caring about sleep, crazy as that sounds.

For myself routine is important, it is on days like holidays when routine goes that I wake up too early, I kind of think this is because at the back of my mind I know I have so much to get done in so short a time.. I don't do meditation as such , but I do find the repetition of a simple word like ''one''' or ''oomm'' on each breath does bore me into sleep.

I'm not sure if you have come across some of the ideas behind ''mindfullness'' but one of the elements is simply allowing annoying thoughts such as worries about sleep to flow past, to observe them in a neutral matter of fact way and not engage with them, till they pass.

Meantime you might need to adjust your lifestyle to cope with college work, doing what you can when you have the most concentration etc. adjusting your diet if less sleep has upset your stomach, dealing with headaches from lack of sleep can be a tricky one as long term painkillers can cause problems of their own, even causing headaches themselves, bit of a chicken and egg situation really.

What ever you try keep it simple and consistent, chopping and changing what you do every few days may just to confusing your body all the more. Be patient with yourself.