What else do you have going on?How is your nutrition?Any new meds.?I used to be so sleepy I practically took out other cars on the highway commuting to work.I could never sleep until 7:00 am when it was time to get up.I lived a strange nocturnal life for a long time.Things only began to change for me when I got really serious about organic foods,low sugar,low caffeine,lower doses of anti-depressnt meds.I also go for walks,nothing strenuous but I get outside.Once I established a new routine I can sleep from 1:00am-5:00am it's not much but it's better.Try getting a total physical evaluation and see if that can help?Good luck!

You are not alone. I understand. I couldn't sleep for 3 months until I went to the doctor and got medication. I do not like to take medication but I have no choice right now. I have to get some sleep for awhile and then will try to go off the meds. I am sorry you are going through this..... it is living hell. Most people can not relate because they have never experienced it. There are a lot of people here that can give you information regarding insomnia. Hang in there you can get better. Good Luck!

You've come to the right place to find others who know what you are going through. Insomnia is no fun.

You are definitely not alone. Insomnia is very prevalent. Literally millions of people struggle with it every night. Some struggle for years, even decades.

My first suggestion would be to get a checkup with your doc. You want to either treat or rule out a medical basis, such as apnea, allergies, restless leg syndrome, etc.

The majority of insomnia however is primary, meaning without a true medical root cause. That's why drugs can potentially do more harm than good ... the nonmedical root is still there to cause ongoing problems the drug can't reach. And drugs tend to reinforce the perception that the solution is external and out of your self-control.

The true roots of most primary insomnia are typically some combination of bad sleep habits and excessive worry about the idea of sleep. Stress and anxiety also contribute.

What are you doing to help yourself sleep better?

Mine got really bad when I moved away for college years ago and I ended up dropping out. It got to where I couldn't work a day shift either because I'd go in on no sleep. I understand exactly what your saying, it can affect your life in a dramatic way. It messed me up in relationships as well. Not sure I have the answers but I do understand.

Insomnia is one of those things that you try to fight but you just can't do it alone. I can say exclusively, i understand and sympathize with you.

I am current diagnosed with PTSD,so one of the most obvious effects on my life is the sleeping. Most nights, sleep really late and wake up really early or late and others i can sleep; its a dangerous rollercoaster. It affects you in so many ways. Have you ever tried valerian root? I bought it over a week ago and still have not used it; still a little resistant. It's all natural. I recommend it if you don't mind taking pills.

Don't you ever look in the mirror and then you just look at your face and you're like" damn..."? I know others can probably relate to that. In your case, insomnia seems just like the primary disturbance. Like someone mentioned, is there anything else going on in your life or anything that has happened to cause this insomnia? Think about it.

Have you tried EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)? It worked wonders for me and now I teach it to others. It is very simple and can be taught in a matter of minutes.

I would agree that insomnia is the closest thing to a living hell that I've ever experienced. I can honestly say that insomnia has ruined many things for me. It created a major barrier in school, work, and even my social life and as I became older, it was harder to deal with the fatigue.

I will say this, although insomnia has ruined many things for me, I can't say it has ruined my life because I'm only 29 and I'm determined to manage this problem and achieve goals that I set out for. I don't know your age but I totally believe that insomnia has affected your life up until now but you don't have to believe it will continue to ruin your life.

Keep working on finding the root of the insomnia. For me, anxiety and difficulty breathing through my nose contribute to my insomnia. It's a constant battle for me. I'll go days where I average 4 - 5 hours a night and then I'll hit a horrible stretch of insomnia but I'm working to regulate my sleep more. Hang in there. Life presents challenges for everybody in one shape or another. Whether it's cancer, AIDS, or insomnia, many people have a bag of hammers they have to carry. Health problems are a major life challenge. It is hell for now, but it doesn't have to stay that way.

Insomnia is one of the worst things anyone can encounter. I understand where mine roots from, but certain things just don't go away over night. I have prayed for this insomnia to go away and I want to believe it's true, but my body just feels so tired.

I don't know of this has happened to any of you, but you can go to sleep late and wake up at a decent time but your body and mind is just dragging. It is like a hell on earth. It takes out so much energy and affects you at work, school, home, etc.

I agree with the last response. Health problems may be just one of those hammers we carry, but it is not something that should rule over our lives. whether it stems from anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc, some things will have to be fought.

I was at the Christian Center around my home and today, one of the pastors made a prayer against insomnia and gave a quick testimony about someone who suffered from it for 5 years. That person doesn't have it anymore. Is it any less our faults that as much as we do believe in the power of prayer, does it fall down to our faith?

Not everyone understands what we go through. We don't accept insomnia in our lives. We dont ask for it and neither do we believe any less in the power of God. I refuse to believe that this can go on forever but maybe, just maybe, this is a test for us. Maybe we have to endure this. Maybe it will continue, no matter how hard we hit the nail of insomnia, but is it our faults?

Interesting take on insomnia FindingKatB, hadn't heard that before.

Personally, I believe in the power of prayer. I also believe that God helps those that help themselves. There's no reason the two can't work together.

For insomniacs, I do think it would be a mistake to just leave better sleep up to wishing and hoping. There are definite things beyond prayer you can and should do to help yourself sleep.

By doing so, it will get better.

I agree with you 100%.

BAFW26,

I totally feel your pain. I have suffered from chronic insomnia for 5 years. Most nights getting only 2-3 hours of broken sleep, to only get out of bed feeling much worse than I did when I went to bed. Each day I have had to turn to the Lord, multiple times, and beg for him to please get me through the day. Noone truly understands how the sleep deprivation steals every piece of your life away from you. HOWEVER, after years of tests, doctors and meds I believe I may have an answer and maybe it will be useful to you. I went to a Choiropractor who studies functional medicine. He said it could be my cortisol levels are spiking at night which was preventing me from sleeping. I did a saliva test that revealed this was true, along with a gluten allergy, hypoglycemia and low progesterone levels. This is a test that medical doctors typically do not acknowledge, and I would have been a bit skeptical too if the program he put me on had not worked. I have been taking supplements for adrenal support for 3 months now and I have gone from sleeping 2 -3 hours of broken sleep TO 5 consecutive hours of sleep at least 2 times a week. Hey, it's progress. Basically- I was in the stage before Adrenal Exhaustion. This caused so many other symptoms that have since disappeared. Praise God! I pray for you that this is helpful! HANG IN THERE AND DO NOT GIVE UP---- There is an answer to what is causing your insomnia!