[ahliarae]

Hello Everyone,

I decided to seek out support and help for my chronic insomnia. I’ve struggled off and on most of my life- the worst being 6 months long with less than 4 hours of sleep each night. I’m currently on month three of a new round of insomnia. Today I put in my two weeks notice to work, since I’m not safe to drive anymore due to sleep deprivation and have been making mistakes like leaving all my groceries in the shopping cart at the grocery store and driving away. I work in HR, so making mindless mistakes isn’t really an option.

Insomnia is scary, isolating and one of the biggest parts of my life. I’m hopeful to learn new skills for sleeping and even just coping with the not-sleeping.

Thank you!

[delv-x]

You’ve come to the right place. Chronic insomnia is no picnic! It is isolating, scary, worry some and depressing. The good news is it can usually be tamed using CBT-I techniques. This site has a lot of useful information and should help you get back on track. You aren’t alone.

 

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum and I am sorry to hear about your struggles with sleep. If it’s not too late I strongly encourage you not to quit your job. I have not worked with one person who quit their job because of insomnia who reflected back on the decision and thought it was a good idea. Most people regret doing this and — in my experience — quitting your job only makes insomnia worse.

That’s because, without a job and the distraction (and structure) it provides, you can end up spending the entire day thinking about sleep, researching sleep, and perhaps even implementing compensatory behaviors that make insomnia worse (such as being inactive, napping during the day, going to bed earlier, and staying in bed later).

The more we adapt our lives to accommodate our insomnia, the stronger we make our insomnia. In other words, the more we give, the more it takes (and the more it demands).

I recorded a short video about this here: Rearranging your life around sleep only feeds your insomnia and makes the problem worse

It would be very unusual for someone with chronic insomnia to fall asleep at the wheel because people with insomnia do not tend to experience excessive daytime sleepiness. People with insomnia are usually described as being “tired but wired”. If you are excessively sleepy during the day (in other words, you sometimes fall asleep without warning) then this suggests you may have a different sleep disorder — such as sleep apnea — or another health condition.

I hope this helps.

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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 Clarity 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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