[Syub40]

Hi il do my best to explain my sleep problems. First of all I have suffered bad health anxiety for 10 years and have been on antidepressants for about 8 years which I’ve been of them about a month now but I have never been the best sleeper since my health anxiety but most nights I can normally get about 5 hours sleep which is great for me and I feel great all day but every now and again especially if I knew I had to be up for something important I would get hardly no sleep at all and would be very tired all of next day. But lately it’s been getting worse I’m writing this now after having a different experience last night as I have not been to sleep yet and its 7am. What happened was that 3 nights ago I had alot of alcohol and the next I had a really bad hangover to the point my body felt so weird I was scared to sleep no matter how hard I tried and since then the day after I got about 3 hours on and of waking up about 5 times and now tonight no sleep. I’m just soo scared I’m trying to sleep but when I get to the point of dozing of its like I get these little shocks in my head and body and its as if my brain is telling my body your not going to sleep but this something new for me tonight’s experience its like I’m scared to try and goto sleep I’m sorry if my this doesn’t sound half as bad as anyone else’s experiences but I’m crying in tears here and I’m really scared and really want to address this as soon as I can I was even stupid enough to one of my old antidepressants I had left to see if it would help as they used to make me feel very groggy and tired all the time and slept through the day with them but at least it was sleep. Really sorry to post this again but really wanted to talk to someone and its hard to find someone about these things. I’m hoping this is just a little phase thanks everyone and I’ve read alot of your stories and you all sound like brave and amazing people

• This topic was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Syub40.

[Deb]

H Syub – sorry you’re having a difficult time. Since your insomnia just started a few days ago, the best course of action is to not worry about it. Then I’m sure that things will get back to normal soon. But if you worry and obsess about it, trying all different things to solve this issue, it will only make it worse and will develop into chronic insomnia, which is much, much more difficult to cure. Chronic insomnia is caused by anxiety about our sleep. So just accept that you had one too many drinks a few nights ago and stop worrying about the last few nights. It will go away on its own then. It may take a few nights to get back to normal but you will if you stop worrying about it. I promise you.

[Syub40]

Thank you for your support deb it really means a lot I just hate these feelings when I’m just about to fall into a deep sleep I get these horrible zap jump feelings and my heart races it’s like I’m trying to hard I mean for years I’ve been the same my dad uncles and brothers are all the same as me where aslong as we can get 4+ hours sleep a night and we are fresh as a daisy which I’m fine with as I’m used to it it’s great but what I’ve been feeling lately is awful and I’ve seen people’s comments on here that are going through a lot worse and it’s so hard to explain without sounding selfish I know my trigger to this was my health anxiety and its been going great and I stopped my medication after 8 years over a month because believe it or not I stopped taking them because I was sleeping to much even sleeping through the night and even couple of times through the day and I’m starting my new job as a taxi driver in a few weeks but this is a new experience. Thank you so much for replying it means a lot I’m just really scared but people talking to me makes me feel abit better. Sorry for the long comment lol

[Deb]

No problem! It’s normal to feel scared because insomnia is a very scary thing, especially long term chronic insomnia, which is miserable. I’ve had it since October and have suffered with it many months, so I know how bad it can be. I’m finally much better now, but it took a lot of hard work. You can avoid this suffering and hard work if you can begin to relax about your few nights of insomnia and just think of them as “no big deal.” But if you dwell on them, the pattern of anxiety about sleep will become more and more deeply entrenched within your brain and will require a lot of hard work to change it.

You said your insomnia was triggered by a health crisis. It’s very common for chronic insomnia to start with some kind of trigger. I had surgery which triggered mine. But then the insomnia hangs on even when original crisis is over. This is always because we start worrying and obsessing about the insomnia. So my advice to you is to please try to relax. Like I said earlier, it may take a few days for things to get back to normal. So that means you may have anxious and fearful thoughts during the night (and day) which are no fun. The thing is to remind yourself that they are only “thoughts” and “feelings” and that they can’t hurt you. Then try to “let them go” and just accept whatever happens during the night, <i>especially</i> accepting not being able to sleep that particular night. One or two nights of sleeplessness is nothing in the larger scheme of things (especially for those of us who have had chronic insomnia and have lost count of our many sleepless nights.) If you do this, you will gradually begin to get more relaxed about sleeping and as a result, you will naturally start to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer.

[Deb]

P.S. Don’t focus on the physical sensations either, like your racing heart and being jolted just when you’re falling asleep. Again, they can’t harm you, they are just sensations. You may want to check out “mindfulness” as a way to gently separate yourself from all these negative thoughts, feelings and sensations and calm yourself. Just google the term and you will find lots of information on it.

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum, Syub40! Deb has given you a lot of good advice and support here (thanks for that, Deb!).

What I will add is that nothing you’ve described here is unusual. Some of us are naturally predisposed to experience sleep disruption — as you pointed out, you feel as though you’ve never been the best sleeper and sometimes knowing you have something important coming up the next day will disrupt your sleep.

So, what can happen is we can already be predisposed to sleep disruption, then an event happens that disrupts our sleep (known as the precipitating factor). For you, this could be a big event coming up or drinking a lot of alcohol and having a hangover — and this is completely normal!

Normally sleep will recover by itself unless we engage in what’s known as perpetuating factors. These factors involve thinking and worrying about sleep and trying to compensate for lost sleep (perhaps by spending too much time in bed, going to bed earlier than normal, staying in bed later than normal, canceling plans with friends, rearranging our lives to accommodate lost sleep, napping during the day, etc).

When we engage in these perpetuating factors, we make it very hard for our sleep to recover. So, I think the best thing you can do is recognize that you are perhaps a bit more predisposed to sleep disruption and that your sleep was temporarily disrupted due to alcohol consumption. Recognize that this is completely normal, try to avoid compensatory behaviors, and your sleep will likely get back on track sooner rather than later.

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 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.

[Syub40]

Thanks a lot you guys yous are very understanding Ill certainly do my best to take your advise like I said I’ve had 10 years of health anxiety so as you can imagine my over active and over thinking mind can be all over the place I’m definitely goi g to take your advice and I hope everyone on here can get sorted I’ve read some horrific experiences on here and no one deserves these horrible things happening to them. Thanks a lot deb and Martin yous make alit of sense and your all a great bunch on here

[Syub40]

Feeling abit better today I managed to get about 3 hours sleep took about 3 to happen but hey some sleep is better then none right

[Deb]

Yes, 3 is better than nothing. You’re moving in the right direction.

[Syub40]

I’ve decided I’m going to quit drinking to help with my anxiety

[Syub40]

Getting sick of this really didn’t want to go back to my antidepressants but looks like I’m going to have to as I think it’s my health anxiety what’s causing my sleep problems it just won’t happen some nights my overactive mind is just panicking knowing I need sleep but mind says no thus is so horrible what in the hell do people do to deserve this

[Syub40]

Should I just get up and try again tonight or should I try and catch up on some sleep which is what I want to do

[Deb]

Syub – I’m sorry that you feel so miserable. Most all of us on the forum have experienced what you’re going through, so you’re not alone. But I’m afraid that your anxiety and now panic about your sleep is only going to make things worse. Also, putting the blame on other things like your health anxiety or alcohol, or trying things like antidepressants to help you sleep won’t help matters. Your insomnia is not caused by your health anxiety or alcohol, although this may have been the trigger. Insomnia is caused by anxiety about sleep and then is perpetuated by this as well.

If you’re going to take your antidepressants, take them to help calm yourself down, but not to help you sleep. When we do things to “try to sleep” like taking sleeping pills, doing mediation, etc. we end up keeping ourselves awake.

This book might help you. It’s The Sleep Book, by Dr. Guy Meadows. He talks about how the “struggle” to sleep results in us staying awake. The thing is to stop struggling and calm your mind. Then naturally you will fall asleep. He gives tools on how to do this.

[Rion123]

How are you now? I experienced those little shocks that tells your body not to sleep, we can talk, do you have an email or facebook?

[Syub40]

I’m not doing too I’m shattered even now yesterday I only got an hours sleep earlier in the afternoon and an the night before and il lying here now think I’ve only had half hour I’m phoning my doc in the morning I can’t this it’s horrible and scary I’ve had bad nights sleep in the past but not like this I honestly feel like crying my eyes out I’m a 33 year old man with a nice parter and a beautiful 2 year old  daughter and my life feels crap I hate this

[Author]

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