[sleepy]

Hi, my name is Danielle and I'm from Ohio. I found your great group by accident…trying to google yet again “insomnia” information and your site came up. My physician tells me I need to relax more and my insomnia will go away. I own a small business, married to a cop and my youngest just left for college…how am I supposed to relax?

I look forward to talking with you!

[MarinaFournier]

Your doctor doesn't get the picture very well, I see.

I don't know if your schedule permits, but you might try a yoga class, if this appeals to you at all. It's said to be very helpful, partly due to the stretching, and much due to the breathing exercises. I admit, it hasn't appealed to me, but my problem wasn't physical or mental relaxation, for the most part: *I* needed to turn my active brain off, and nothing would get me to sleep, all things being otherwise fine, without it. Last night, it was not being able to get my internal thermostat controlled AND an earworm I couldn't shut out of my brain, no matter what other song or tune I ran through. Grrr.

What is your body or mind telling you it needs in order to sleep, if anything like that is happening? Is there something in particular annoying you? I can see that a cop for a husband, a newly escaped student, and one's own business is enough to keep you in annoyances aplenty, so is there anything other than those three intruding itself in when you need to sleep? My own brain has a very nasty habit, when I have to get up earlier than usual, to pop up waytoomanytimes when I'm trying to drift of, to tell me You have to get up earlier tomorrow! over and over. I'd strangle it if I thought it would do any good!

Some recent suggestions have been things such as going over the day to enumerate those things for which you are grateful, reading or doing something relaxing (game, a TV program, a musical exercise (unless you're a pro!)) that has a satisfying ending to it, changing your temperature via a shower or bath (get cool in summer, warm in winter)…if there is something specific that keeps bugging you, I'd get advice from a peer or an advisor you trust (or find one, if possible) to see if there's anything available to change the situation. Since I don't know you, this is just what's off the top of my head.

[PatO]

If you decide to try Yoga, you might also try a type of guided imagery therapy called “Yoga Nidra”. This entails listening to an audio that will help you visualize parts of your body and help you relax. I tried it myself while at the same time doing Yoga nearly everyday. My success was limited, but everyone is different.

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to Insomnia Land, Danielle. As you can see, we are all here to support each other. How long have you been suffering from insomnia?

Do keep us updated with your progress and remember we're all here for you. I look forward to reading more of your posts and getting to know you better.

—

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.

[1949Molly]

'sleepy' wrote on '23:

Hi, my name is Danielle and I'm from Ohio. I found your great group by accident…trying to google yet again “insomnia” information and your site came up. My physician tells me I need to relax more and my insomnia will go away. I own a small business, married to a cop and my youngest just left for college…how am I supposed to relax?

I look forward to talking with you!

Just relax and your insomnia will go away??? That's the problem – HOW ON EARTH DO anxious, tense and in my case scared people relax? I took a long bus ride today (as one of my MANY attempts to relax) but the big problem is that I can't leave my brain at home. I took all of my anxieties (including loosing some of my hours at my job) with me and frankly the bus ride did little to help at all.I still can't understand why medical science hasn't found better answers. When I hear someone say “I'll feel better after a good nights sleep” I almost start to cry! How long has it been since I got a good nights sleep? When I was a kid. Looking at a sleeping child fills me with such longing to be able to simply SLEEP.

[MarinaFournier]

'1949Molly' wrote on '13:

Just relax and your insomnia will go away??? That's the problem – HOW ON EARTH DO anxious, tense and in my case scared people relax?

Were it me in your situation, I'd get me to my counselor/therapist/whathaveyou, to start. I'd try to find things that made me happy, and try to enjoy them–but that requires time one may not have. I find watching moving water–bodies thereof, or rain–very soothing. I release tension I didn't know I had in a garden center or nursery, but as always, YMMV.

Quote:

I still can't understand why medical science hasn't found better answers.

Anything having to do with brain function is tricky, and often highly individual. We seem to think it's a bad idea to examine brain tissue or conduct some neurological testing while the patient is still alive. Can't imagine why ;-} Between treating treatment-resistant insomnia, major depressive disorders, and other severe neurological disorders along those lines, medical science is a trial&error process. Sometimes it does boil down to If you react this way to this drug, the dx is A. If you don't react that way, either they know it's B, or they keep trying other drugs until there is some response.

Quote:

When I hear someone say “I'll feel better after a good nights sleep” I almost start to cry! How long has it been since I got a good nights sleep? When I was a kid. Looking at a sleeping child fills me with such longing to be able to simply SLEEP.

I do remember crying because I needed sleep so much! We have a friend who says that sleeping is one of her core competencies. My husband only has problems sleeping when pain or breathing (nasal congestion) interferes. I hate them both.

One symptom of a mania or hypomania is the lessened need or desire for sleep. I used to laugh when I was asked if I was feeling like that, because my insomnia didn't care about my mood state at all: any time I couldn't sleep was annoying and depressing, not signs of an unusually elevated mood!

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