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 everyone. I have chronic insomnia due to multiple reasons. I'm reaching out on this board as a last ditch effort. I'm literally losing my mind and it's just becoming worse. It's turning my days into depressed, dragging hours of nothingness and my nights are pure torment. Basically I lost my job, went through a traumatic incident with my dog (who was euthanized as a consequence), broke my foot, and am dealing with a tumultuous and not very communicative long distance boyfriend (who moves back to me in a month). I am applying to new jobs daily and have a supplemental income of independent sales, so I'm taking active steps. My brain can't shut up when I have to sleep. It talks and talks and talks especially if I'm anxious, which is always. I made a promise to myself to not use Xanax anymore and threw it all away. I normally would take one (2mg) bar before I went to sleep and it usually helped me sleep. Sometimes that wouldn't even work. I have very very high ADD and stress, not making excuses but moreso just finally speaking in general terms about the issues I confront. I take Adderall if I want to actually accomplish anything, like apply to a job and fix up my portfolio. I try to take it as late as 10 am so it wears off by sleep- but sometimes I think this creates insomnia for me. But then other days, I fall into a deep sleep in the early morning or at noon an hour after taking adderall.. so I don't even know if the drug is causing it as much as my own head. I am so scatter brained some days and then others I'm able to quiet all my thoughts. I take a hot bath before bed and melantonin. I have tried meditating but I'm so bad at it. Does anyone believe this works? Does anyone have any cures or anything??? Sometimes I think about getting on this thread at 3 or 4 am and just typing my depression away. I have struggled with depression for 10+ years but insomnia hasn't been consistently an issue. Now that I have shitty life circumstances, by days are even more depressing and glum. I'm 27 and I was working for a world known architecture firm as an architect a few months ago. The industry is awful and I was laid off due to being a junior member and of less importance (I'm still building my experience post grad school). I feel stupid and dumb and like I'll never get another job. I want to move on with my life and feel meaning but Im scared. This all circulates in my head when I go to bed like a normal person and I think that I don't even deserve normal sleep, my body deserves insomnia because I haven't accomplished anything all day. I don't have a job to go to and work at.. so why should i get to sleep like i do. It is perpetual and I hate being alone at night and laying there thinking those things. I don't have a support system to reach out to. My boyfriend is not considerate of my struggle at all. I am just looking for anyone to extend a thought or hope that it will get better. thanks.
In your case I might try cognitive behavioral therapy which I am going to do myself, online.
Wouldn't be one bit surprising if the stress and anxiety you describe are at the root of your insomnia, combined with some pretty questionable sleep habits.
For instance, allowing yourself to fall into a "deep sleep" during the day. That has the effect of robbing sleep from you at night. Most people need about 8 hours, but if you get 2 or 3 of those hours during the day, sure it won't be surprising if you toss and turn in frustration and anger at night.
But rest assured, there are solutions. I'd certainly start with anxiety and stress management methods. If you have a psychiatric disorder, work with your doc to treat that effectively. That will help you sleep better.
There's also many nonmedical ways you can help take the pressure off yourself, including getting some good exercise most every day, that's one of the very best. Tire yourself out during the day, and you tend to sleep better at night, eh? Not complicated.
Minimize or eliminate daytime napping, and that also will ramp up your homeostatic sleep drive, thereby strengthening your ability for a good night's sleep.