Insomnia Support Group
Insomnia is a symptom, rather than a disease, and is characterized by inadequate quantity or quality of sleep. People with insomnia complain of difficulty falling or staying asleep, which results in significant impairment of daytime functioning. Insomnia is categorized as transient (shorter than one week), short-term (one to three weeks) or chronic (longer than three...
Hi....I am new to this site and decided to join after reading some of the posts on this forum. It is such a relief to find other people who know what it's like going through this. I had my first bout with insomnia when i was a kid...I just coudn't fall asleep one night and was terrified...since then, sleep had become an on again, off again issue. I was in my 20's when I was diagnosed with anxiety attacks and was put on Xanax. Of course my anxiety attacks usually happened at night, just before sleeping...plus my mind would be racing at the dread of getting that adrenaline rush that would keep me awake. Eventually, I got better and got off of Xanax and didn't have a anxiety attack for almost 20 years. I am now in my 40's and just had a recent bout with anxiety and insomnia again. My doctor had put me on Lexapro, and that, combined with some counseling, got me back on track again. I have gotten off of Lexapro, as I was feeling much better and realizing that when one is truly exhausted, it can overcome insomnia. (I have a job where I am on my feet and have long hours and travel, so sometimes that jetlag can really do one in). However, for about a week, now, I have been experiencing "middle" insomnia. I would sleep for a couple of hours and then wake up around 2 or 3 am and cannot get back to sleep. I usually drink some wine with dinner to relax myself, and it always gets me to sleep, however, i know that it is not the answer and is probably contributing to the problem. My schedule for work has changed so I don't travel as frequently anymore, but still on my feet and some days, have long,varied hours. I just don't have to work everyday, so i no longer really feel "so exhausted that I just want to go to bed", anymore.
I always get scared when my sleep is messed up...probably stemming from that terrifying childhood moment. Hopefully, i will get through this insomnia bout without having to go through a full blown anxiety crisis, again. Thanks for listening!!!
I always get scared when my sleep is messed up...probably stemming from that terrifying childhood moment. Hopefully, i will get through this insomnia bout without having to go through a full blown anxiety crisis, again. Thanks for listening!!!
You are so right about the alcohol. Although it can make you initially drowsy, as the alcohol wears off you typically experience a stimulating rebound, which can and does disrupt sleep. Most people can usually have a glass or two at dinner without a problem, but drinking too much too close to bedtime can definitely be an issue.
The middle of the night wake-ups are not unusual. Many of us experience them. Generations ago, before electric lights, when people spent a much longer time in bed, these middle of the night wake-ups were common and considered normal.
One way to help yourself sleep more solidly through the night is to reduce the amount of time you allow in bed. This has the effect of increasing your sleep drive and producing more robust sleep. You may not need to do anything drastic. If you're allowing 8 hours in bed, you might try 7 or 7.5 and see what happens.
Consistency is important though, especially with your wake-up time.
Also glad to hear you recognize anxiety as part of the root cause for your insomnia. Anxiety affects so many of us with sleep problems. It's always best to try to treat these root causes, rather than sleep itself, which is only the symptom.
Keep us posted on how you're doing.
Last night, I didn't have any wine at all and found myself pretty anxious before bed. I decided to try some relaxation tea with chamomile and valerian and some Neurosleep water. Though it took some time, i was finally able to relax enough to get to sleep. I have to say that the tea with valerian really helps to calm the anxious feelings to help you get into a more relaxed state when you are worried about sleeping. Though it wasn't the best sleep, at least i got to sleep, and longer than the usual 4 hours i was going through before...at least the sun was up when i got up!!
Thanks for letting me share my experience...I hope that it will help others who have the same issues, or at least give them some ideas!
It sounds like the time you spent on your feet during work helped to give you some decent exercise. This is important since exercise can be key in helping one get sleepy around bedtime (as long as it is not too close to bed time). I find that sometimes if I do not exercise I have a lot of 'extra' energy around bedtime which makes it more difficult to sleep at my usual bed time. Try to get some exercise if you feel like you have not physically exterted yourself during a day. It only takes 20-30 minutes and is great for your overall health.
Frequent business trips with air travel and jetlag can be rough for sleep. Honestly, sometimes you just have to accept the fact that you may not get as many hours of sleep as you'd like. I recently traveled and was finding myself tired and not used to the schedule but I found that getting just a few hours of sleep was much better than nothing. Besides, you can recover when you return back home.
I think a lot of insomniacs deal with anxiety so I am glad you have been trying to address that issue. Anxiety has been a problem I have been dealing with recently since I have been dealing with changes in my life. I try my best to set aside some time during the day to have a 'worry time'. That way, I get it out of my system and can focus on more pleasant thoughts.
Hope this helps and welcome!