Don't blame you one bit Derek, I feel the same way. First time I went to my doc she refused to prescribe pills and suggested sleep hygiene. That's when I began to learn there were many nondrug ways to improve sleep (not just sleep hygiene but cognitive and behavioral methods too) that actually get to the root problem ... which isn't sleep. That's just the symptom.

And that's really the main problem with drugs, isn't it? That they only treat the symptom. Now if you have some sort of legitimate medical or psychiatric issue that is beyond your control, that's different. But the vast majority of us don't. We have what's known as primary insomnia.

That's the question I'd ask your doc Derek. What's my diagnosis, and what's this pill treating? If it's just sleep, then what's causing the sleeplessness and how do we treat that?

Later I had an adverse reaction to a drug that caused insomnia, and my doc did prescribe ambien, but to this day I still have not taken a single pill. Just reading the label warnings were enough to scare the bejeebers out of me! So I used melatonin and valerian root, which was enough to get me through -- that plus every CBT trick in the book I could find.

My take on your situation is if you're getting 6+ hours that's putting you into the range of normal. If you have no underlying med issues, and this is what your doc can confirm, you might find by just by letting go the worry -- and by practicing a good sleep supportive lifestyle -- you might be just fine without drugs.

You talk about "the root of the problem" but i believe my root to my problem is that mostly everynight I think about "if im going to sleep tonight or am I going to be awake" and I believe that right there is what causes the Insomnia. I need to learn not to THINK about that. I need to distract my mind. The last times I feel asleep good was because I was talking to a girl in the phone on my bed and it made me really sleepy to the point I was able to sleep without any pills. So I need to learn how to distract my mind enough to sleep thru that window.

what are some things that really help you? Because I always have a sleep schedule just never manage to sleep at that time and every 15 minutes when I cant sleep I get up to walk around the house. I always drink sleeping teas and melatonin. which works because when im watching T.V i start closing my eyes but once I get to the bed its all gone since I start THINKING again errrr.

I just have primary Insomnia. Im not crazy lol I believe im just nervous or anxious at night.

Also how many hours are you sleeping now? and how bad was it before? it seems like you have it under control.

What you are describing are negative sleep thoughts, and a racing mind. You can learn how to ignore these negative sleep thoughts, and replace them with better more supportive thoughts about sleep and the reality of human performance. This is the basis of cognitive restructuring, one of the core methods in CBT sleep training.

You can also use distraction methods in bed to derail these negative thoughts. One of the simplest is just the age old method of counting sheep. But I find more effective for me is the combination of deep breathing with muscle relaxation.

I have had bad insomnia before. Possibly worse than yours. I once went about a month with maybe 2-3 hours of restless fragmented sleep per night. But amazingly I still functioned OK. Just goes to show our fear of insomnia isn't nearly as bad as the reality.

I generally get between 7 and 8 hours now. Still somewhat fragmented, but so what? That's what I figure. Nobody sleeps like a baby.

I am still prone to insomnia, but I work my plan, which is all the methods and tools I learned with CBT sleep training. They work for me. And whenever I get those negative sleep thoughts I am determined to stop them cold. I do not allow myself to wallow in them, because they are like pouring gas on a fire.

Very true. I been thinking positive thoughts only and every time a negative thought comes into play I just brush it off and start thinking something else. The breathing exercises have been working for me as well since it just relaxes me.

Yeah i went through that before when i was younger (2 - 5 hours of sleep for a year). and still managed to play my soccer games at my best but I could imagine how much more energy I would of had if I would of actually slept like a normal person.

thanks for the advice and always replying. it means a lot that there are people here to support. since not many people can relate to this. they think of it as a w.e problem but in reality most people would not be able to survive this. were stronger than most but we just have to BELIEVE we will get better and think POSITIVE. (:

We WILL get better! :)

Derek7, how's it been at the doctor?

Edgar_2

My Doctor cancelled on me :( So I have to wait to make another Appointment. This is B.S! but other than that. my sleep is getting a littler better. at least im sleeping again even if its for 3 - 4 hours. Im not having sleepless nights. I actually went like 3 days sleeping good but then it came back UGH! I realized the problem is ME. i need to stop thinking about this and tire out the MIND because working out makes me physically tired but not mentally :/ Every night that I have distracted my mind. I fall asleep like a normal person. People who can't sleep should try to talk to someone on the phone. Distract their mind long enough for them to get sleepy and just fall asleep without realizing. Talk to a girl you like or even a friend. it WORKS! lol im hanging in there man and im POSITIVE this will be over soon. I have a mission to complete in life and the only thing that has been holding me back is the Insomnia but Soon this will be over. I can feel it. lol

All right, who knows, maybe by the time yoir doctor finds time for you, you wont be needing him/her.
Then you cancel on your doc! :)

You're absolutely right, everything is in the mind with this condition, the trick is coming to terms with your own mind, which can be hard, but we'll make it.

Last night I couldn't sleep tho. Till 5 am and woke up at 8.00 I can't be asleep for a long time. I believe if I fell asleep at 1. I can fall aslee0 thru the night but idk..its hard for my brain to relax. I literally do everything I can to fall asleep. Maybe I have to read a book or something

Less is more in my experience. Actively doing something like that reading to help me sleep would only result in more thinking about sleep, and I don't want that. Of course, this doesn't mean it won't work for you , I don't mean to discourage.

Waking up too soon drives me crazy, I know how you feel. I can understand difficulties falling asleep, but how does the mind "know" to constantly wake us up while we are unconscious!? It's frustrating.

But hang in there, one night doesn't mean anything.

That is true..just by doing things to help you sleep..means your thinking about sleep even more which leads to not sleeping....why is sleeping so hard when it should be as easy as breathing.. It should be normal