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...
Hello everyone
I have been suffering from insomnia last 4 months. It started out of blue one day when I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. I have been sleeping only 2 to 3 hours a night and spend the rest of the night tossing and turning and watching movies on my phone. My back pain which I have had for 2 years got worse as I am not sleeping well. I just don’t know what to do. I tried a couple of sleep pills but they seem do not work. I have started online CBT-I but I have not seen any change. I have an appointment with to do sleep study in Jan 18, 2019, but the doctor said it is unlikely that I will have sleep apnea as I am only 27. I cannot get nap during day and do not feel sleepy at bed time despite sleeping only 2 to 3 hours every day. I feel like living in hell as my back pain got worse and I cannot do anything sitting. Please help! I just want get some restful sleep.
It's highly likely you are sleeping a whole lot more than you think you are, which is very common and known as sleep state misperception, as evidenced by the fact you don't feel sleepy at bedtime.
Your doc will be able to either treat or rule out the possibility of an underlying medical disorder, and there can be many besides apnea.
I'd encourage you to work your CBT sleep training program, as those methods do take some time to work. But you need to use them for them to work. Don't give up, and give yourself some time.
Some people are helped almost immediately but for others CBT can take many months. In any case the effort is well worth it, as it represents a permanent solution.
Go get a full body massage and meditate before you plan on going to bed.
I also found that, in some cases, going to sleep at 2 or 3am but waking up at 9 or 10 am works well too.
If nothing helps, go google magnesium for insomnia.
1. Are you being treated for your back pain? If not, being in pain is a sure cause of sleep problem. If you are taking pain medication(s) for your back pain then it (they) can also cause sleep problems; either keep you awake or make you drowsy.
2. As "soundwave" mentioned, magnesium is a good thing to take for sleep and to help you relax during the day. If you are not taking a magnesium supplement then it is highly likely that you are magnesium deficient sleep issues or not. My personal favorite brand is from Jigsaw Health.
3. Another prescription medication that you may want to ask your doctor about is Lyrica. Although commonly prescribed for diabetic nerve main, it is also FDA approved for spinal injury (back) pain. My new pain doctor just started me on Lyrica two weeks ago and I quickly noticed a decrease in my pain levels. One thing that it can do, which is good in our cases, it can help you sleep. I believe that some doctors are now prescribing "off-label" as a sleep medication. It is also FDA approved to treat anxiety, which is common with people with sleep and pain problems.
There are many other, well-known sleep aids that may help, but are commonly known; no (zero) lights in the bedroom, cool bedroom (60-65 degrees, to mention a couple. If you are not familiar with these types of easy methods please reply and I will link you to an article that covers them all.
Good luck!
Yeah I am seeing doctor for my back pain and I tried a couple of physical therapies but my back is still hurting. My doctor said he is going to try epidural injections. I am going to try it and see if my sleep gets better once I get the injection. In addition, like you and soundwave said I will try the magnesium. Would you please send me links to articles that help sleep? Thank you so much! I feel like I am not alone!
- lavender (several products available)
- avoiding or minimize caffeine (this includes coffee, teas,but herbal ok, chocolate)
- avoid TV at night. It is known that blue light is a stimulant, and this tells your brain that it is day time.
Sleep apnea is more common than you think. I was diagnosed with it about 10 years ago and I am in my mid-50s. Anyone at any age can have this disorder. I need meds to help me fall asleep. I know how mentally and physically draining this can be. I too have lower back trouble, but coping. Pleasant dreams.
If you do an Internet search you will find tons of articles and books that explain the benefits of taking magnesium. The link below is just one FAQ at Jigsaw's site. They use to have more but I may have missed them. The last book that I read about magnesium was written by a cardiologist. Funny, but my last two PCP doctors asked me why I take magnesium. They had no clue which is typical of PCPs and supplements, so do not even bother asking your doctor about magnesium. (I actually took a copy of the previously mentioned book to my ex-PCP to educate him. Then I fired him.)
https://www.jigsawhealth.com/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms/
So I checked the bottle and it said 250mg.
I remember talking to an infectious disease doctor about magnesium and remember him saying that you can take as much as you want. The only side effect is diarrhea. That’s why they use magnesium as a constipation relief medication.
So anyway, I took 4x250mg. Felt much better.
Still wasn’t perefect though. Last night, I added vitamin d3 and calcium.
Slept like a baby from 10pm to 5am. Went back to sleep at 7am and woke up at noon.
What kind of magnesium are you taking? I just wanna make sure I am taking the right one.
Thanks