Bipolar Disorder Support Group

Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.

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Can't sleep for long

dinahmorris
dinahmorris

Since I don't know-about the last week or 2 or maybe more-I have been waking up earlier and earlier. Today it was 4am after sleep at midnight - ish. I lie for about 2 hours but have to get up then as I am bored with not checking emails news etc. I am reluctant to take zopiclone as I feel I am on too many meds already...Maybe its christmas and holidays coming but hey Im 62 not 12. I am feeling hypomanic in that the joy of life keeps overwhelming me, but I am not talking to strangers and wanting to buy them coffees. So its under control-just that 4 hrs sleep isnt healthy. I wonder what other people do to keep themselves asleep. Part of problem is having to get up for a ***** and by the time I get back into bed I am sparking on all cylindars! Help! love to all with this syndrome.

dobiedots
dobiedots
My pdoc put me on many different meds for sleep, They're not working well so I do deep breathing exercises at night and also stretching exercises during the day. Warm milk and Sleepytime tea. Now I sleep for 5 hours which is a big improvement. No one seems to know what causes insomnia. I've also given up coffee, tea and chocolate. No caffeine at all, including no soda.
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
If I go through not sleeping well for a while I usually need a med tweak... This happened to me this fall
I don't use any caffeine after about 1 pm
I also end up breaking my evening meds up throughout the night ...If I take them all at once they won't keep me asleep so I take a little at a time ....xo
dinahmorris
dinahmorris
Thank you both for wise advice.Maybe the effect of having meds later could be a longer sleep?I usually take them about 8 but if I go for 11 could help. Im going to try a little hot milk and cocoa as the caffeine is very low and I dont usually notice a problem with sleep and tea. Coffee a bit more problematic after about 1pm. xxx
MarleneJ
MarleneJ
I use 150 mg of Trazadone. It doesn't put me out, but it keeps me out. I've talked to a few people lately who are having problems with insomnia. I wonder if it is at all triggered by the lack of light? At least in the Northern Hemisphere!
arfie
arfie
I have been getting allot more rest since I stopped worrying about getting 8 contiguous hours of sleep. These days I sleep when I am tired and wake when I am no longer tired. When I still needed to statistify it, I think I averaged about 2 hours per nap and spent the hours in between agonizing over how abnormal I am. Ditto for the occasions I would fall into a freakishly long sleep.

These days I refuse to ply statistics to the equation. The generality of how rested I feel is far more important to me than the numbers it took to accomplish that well-rested or need-to-rest feel. Rest comes much easier for me when I don't worry The Standardized Norms. I feel what I feel. What data charts you choose to put me on is your choice.
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