Insomnia Support Group

I've had insomina for 30 years. I'm 42 and it began when I was 12.
For the past 30 years, I've slept no more than 1.5 to 2 hours a night at the most. Often, there are several days in a row where my eyes never close. How do we do it? Well I can only speak for myself, but I came to accept that this is how my body is. I tried all kinds of treatments and remedies and drugs and never found relief. So I realized I had two choices - give up or go on. I choose to live my life despite the lack of sleep. I make myself do all the same things a person who sleeps well would do (minus what I cant do due to my physical disability).

I have a 15 year old daughter who has been suffering from insomina since she was 12 - the same age as me. The doctors have not been able to help her either. she often goes to school on 1 or 2 hours sleep. I feel horrible for her, but try to explain to her that she just has to keep going forward and not focus on sleep so much.

I am exactly like you the day after a night of insomnia when I've gotten less than four hours of sleep. I feel like I could just curl up in a ball and cry for hours. And no one understands either!

The way I get through my day is to just move forward with my normal life. Go through the motions at work, try not to attempt anything that requires a lot of brainpower. I also eat a lot to keep my strength up.

And I try to focus on something I read on this site -- with insomnia, there's always another chance tomorrow to sleep better.

try a scene ery change to sleep it is most do to stress (insomnia) and pick a place that seems safe and try to fall asleep to the tv
its helps

i too have bad insomnia,couple nites a week,related to meds or hormones,it depends.it is so hard just to carry on.we just have to put one foot in front of the other and catch a quick nap or break when we can. peace toyou.

i am a teacher too and just took a medical leave from work because of my insomnia and anxiety. i lost a baby in january and am now pregnant again. whenever i've had this before i was able to take an ambien. i am going on ten days no sleep and it is literally killing me. this has never happended before. the doctor put me on lexapro 20 mg which has helped with my anxiety in the past. he is trying to figure out if there is anything else he can give me to combat the insomnia which would not hurt the baby. the lexapro is already a slight (less than 1%) risk, so i am worried that i will be going like this for nine months. i have a little boy too. plus, my anxiety gets worse without sleep. i feel your pain.

i know how you feel, im a student and its hard for me not to cry, but what i do is find something that makes me happy, whether its some kind of food, or a letter or some song, just find something that always makes you happy. thats i cope

Let yourself cry. It feels liberating after. It actually has positive physiological and psychological effects. I HAD insomnia for two years and during these times I cry every other day. Crying releases the tension and relieves stress. BTW, I haven't have had sleeping problems for one and a half year now. The treatment that rescued me was an antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication (Remeron). After that, during the recovery up to now, I practiced pro-sleep daytime habits like:
1. Waking up early at a fixed time so that you're body would associate light (daytime) with work and energy and darkness (nighttime) with relaxation and sleep.
2. Going to bed at the same time (although my psychiatrist told me that it's unnecessary and that waking up at the same time is more important)
3. When I don't have business outside of the house (school/work), I do cardio/aerobic exercises for 30 minutes.
4. Transcendental meditation
5. I enroled in a yoga class and I have been practicing sun salutations everyday (as recommended by my instructor) for 7 months already.
6. I continue to take Remeron when I feel depressed and worried.
7. I took the test in www.insomnia-test.com and it has been mailing me some new and helpful ideas. It also offers some product for insomnia though I haven't tried it.
8. There was a research on the benefits of writing. I recently started writing whenever I feel like doing so about the negative events and worries and this improved my mood, put my situation in perspective and challenged my irrational and distorted thoughts. Do not intend to write for public viewing like in a blog.

Hope this helps. Sorry for the long post.

9. I limit the length of time lying on the bed to 8 hours whether or not I was able to sleep well and this makes me miss my bed and sleeping.
10 Breathing technique. Before going to bed, I breathe very deeply and very slowly at least five times. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. I focus on my breathing while doing this. I focus on the way I inhale and exhale. When I feel sleepy, I lie on the bed and continue the technique. I then sleep automatically.
11. Avoiding mentally and physically stimulating activities 30 mins before bedtime.
12. I rise from my bed when I can't sleep after 30 minutes then I execute #10.

I feel just like you do. Before my Lymes made me have to stop working (Kindergarten Assistant)I would have to go to the bathroom sometimes and let it out a little bit. It was something I just had to do. I still go through bouts of it but do not know why.
I am pretty sure it is alot of things combined. Little sleep, hormones messed up, chronic pain. I wish I coulb give you an answer but know you are not alone.

Take a good look at my face...... and if my smile seems out of place....... then it's easy to trace..... the tracks of my tears......... I cried for years and years......so yes...... it happens....... and no you are not alone.......