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Hi,
thankful this forum exists.
Struggling with severe insomnia since 3 month now…its like living in hell. Its exactly like you guys described it: nobody understands, no doctors really have time, tried to reach out to California Center of Sleeping Disorder – they don’t even call me back. And it costs me so much energy to even call there.
Last night I only had 2-3 hours, although I felt like I was awake all the time. Took meds like the night before – felt nothing, no sleep at all. I think I drifted to sleep for 2 hours, but never manage to get deep, restful sleep. Bought a sleep tracker now to get some data about actual sleep.
Im worried all day long, still searching for the reason in all that. Why me? Why now? What is wrong with me? Problem is here in California its even hard to get a proper examination. So far everything looks right, thyroid, blood data. But what if there is something serious like cancer causing it? I still can’t believe that is is just my mind. And if so, its so hard to find someone who could help and does have time and knowledge.
Feeling very desperate but as a mother trying to keep normal life up. So hard.
I’m sorry to hear about your three months of sleep issues and that you haven’t received much in the way of support or advice from the medical community. That is frustrating, disappointing, and something that needs to change.
I wouldn’t encourage you to use a sleep tracker. That’s because they can be inaccurate and increase sleep-related worry and anxiety, and therefore make sleep more difficult.
It is highly unlikely that cancer is causing your sleep issues (but if you are concerned that you might have cancer you should discuss these concerns with a doctor). The vast majority of insomnia cases are caused by the mind — and this makes sense when you consider that the mind is what controls all our bodily functions (including sleep).
There are three primary mechanisms involves in sleep. First, there is sleep pressure (also known as sleep drive). This builds during the day and increases our desire to sleep so that, at night, we are prepared for sleep. Next, we have the sleep/wake cycle — this is the internal body clock that recognizes that mornings are times to be alert and evenings are times to be relaxed and ready for sleep.
Unforunately, the third mechanism (the arousal system) can override both sleep pressure and our natural sleep/wake cycle. The arousal system is an evolutionary survival system that helps us suspend sleep in times of danger. So, if a caveman heard a saber-toothed tiger rustling around, the arousal system would be activated to prevent him from falling asleep and potentially getting eaten!
Of course, we don’t have to deal with these kinds of threats anymore — but the arousal system still holds huge influence over our sleep. When we worry about sleep, the arousal system is activated. When we actively ‘try’ to sleep, the arousal system is activated. When we feel stress or anxiety, the arousal system is activated.
So, the key to improving your sleep is to reduce the power of your arousal system and to strengthen the power of sleep pressure and your sleep/wake cycle. CBT for insomnia is designed to do just this, and that is why it’s so effective. If you can’t find CBT-I locally, there are programs online (such as mine) — however, since some of the techniques can be challenging, it’s important to choose a program that comes with plenty of personal support, guidance, and feedback from a sleep coach or other professional.
The good news is that the sooner you take steps to resolve your sleep issues, the easier it will be to resolve your sleep issues.
I hope this helps.
—If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.
The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.
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