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...
I have been only able tp sleep 3 to 4 hrs at night but thats by 2 am. Then I am so tired after dinner, I end up feelings so doppy. Sometimes I will get ahr nap after dinner but not every day. Called doc an he upped my thorazin. Then my mregular md add melatonin.nothing works. I drink herbal tea at night. I am so tired I am manic from my bipolar. Ugh. Help. I am a walking zombi!
My take is that an after-dinner nap is not a good idea for anyone, as that will reduce your prior wakefulness and sleep drive to the point where it will be difficult to fall asleep before 2 a.m.
Napping is somewhat controversial with sleep experts. Some sleep specialists say no napping at all for insomniacs. Others say napping is OK if done in the early afternoon at the latest, at least 5-6 hours prior to bedtime, and kept to maybe 15-20 minutes at most.
For me personally, a short early afternoon nap of 10-15 minutes is noticeably refreshing and doesn't really affect my ability to get a good night's sleep. But I'm not dealing with the bipolar, OCD, and various pharmaceuticals you are.
That's why I think you might be well advised to see a sleep specialist. Good luck.
I agree with hypnos07, naps are controversial but due to our body's natural circadian rhythm, we often get sleepy in the early to mid-afternoon and a nap can be heaven sent - so long as its not more than 20 minutes.
The best thing I can say is that while there are multiple strategies you can use to aid in seeping (like herbal tea, limiting caffeine intake, exercising during the day, consistent wake-up time) the most important one is to realize you were MADE to sleep... that's why you do it every day! Don't let a couple of sleepless nights get in the way of realizing that you deserve a good night's sleep and will get it! Don't give insomnia more power than it has. Good luck!