[Dan10780]

I have a question for the insomniacs who have battled this for many years…I have just started not being able to sleep within the last month. On the days when you had a hard night how do you get through the day? Unless you are retired most of us work how do you get through it? How do you keep from going crazy on next to or zero sleep? I try to go on with my day and not think about it but of course it’s challenging. I would love to hear some feedback.

[Jim Evans]

I stay away from caffeine, take frequent breaks to walk around (usually up and down the stairwell), and stay hydrated. The reason to stay away from caffeine, is that it is borrowed energy that you pay back usually in the afternoon. I also find 20 minutes of meditation during the day can help restore some of my brain function. I also consume some extra healthy carbs. These are just my strategies. if you are getting next to zero sleep, it’s time to take effective action to fix the issue. I wish you the best of luck.

[Dan10780]

I thought I replied to you but doesn’t look like it went through. I apologize if that’s the case. It’s hard to stay away from caffeine but I have a rule not to drink it past noon. I try to take walks on my breaks and in the morning as well. I feel that it’s helped as well. Do you have any videos of meditations you use? I haven’t tried that but willing to try almost anything at this point. I’ve had some zero sleep nights but not every night thankfully. Last night was around 5 or 6. I try. Not to track as I don’t want it to stress me out more if I have a bad night. Cause as we know stress is not good if you are trying to improve your sleep. Thanks for the reply and best of luck to you too!

[Jim Evans]

Hi Dan. I learned meditation by trial and error, watching a bunch of youtube videos. I’ve tried a variety of techniques and landed on transcendental meditation. My method won’t work for everyone. For meditation newbies I would recommend guided meditation using a phone App such as Headspace or Calm. I used Calm for a number of years and really liked it. Regarding caffeine, I remember a terse confrontation I had with my sleep doctor, who asked, “why are you asking for sleeping pills when you are still drinking caffeine” (and doing a bunch of other bad habits). After getting off this drug for 30 – 60 days, I noticed I was more alert and had more energy, and slept a little better (it didn’t fix everything, but helped). I hope this helps. I wish you the best.

[Dan10780]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the response I appreciate it! I will check out the apps soon. Thanks for the tip. I have never done meditation but as I’m sure you are aware we will do almost anything to fix our sleep lol The coffee thing surely makes sense it’s just sometimes when you didn’t have the best of sleep it helps. I got it down to a cup of coffee maybe 2 before noon but I can surely try. Maybe just sleeping pills it’s just a crutch. There are foods you can eat that will give you energy boosts. Thanks again! Keep doing what you’re doing! Happy to hear people are beating this thing.

[Dan10780]

I enrolled in Martin’s online course today from what I read on here it helps. I’ll give it a try

[hiker]

Hi Dan, I think Jim has covered this well. I think mindfulness meditation helped the most—not necessarily to sleep better, though I think that was a fringe benefit sometimes—but mostly on how to cope. Knowing that you just have to get through this moment. Yes, there will be tough moments in the future, but not every moment, and you learn to deal with them when they occur in the present moment only.

I also learned not to live in my thoughts or take them too seriously. Especially when you are exhausted and you’re not thinking straight. E.g., I learned there is a profound difference between:

1. “I can’t deal with this, if this keeps up, who knows, maybe I will just kill myself;”

and

2. “I’m having the thought that I can’t deal with this; I’m having the thought that if this keeps up, who knows, maybe I will just kill myself.”

Thoughts just pop up into your head, and they can get more convoluted when you’re really hammered from insomnia. Regardless how strong they seem, you don’t have to buy into them.

One caveat is that if you find you are in a black hole for days at a time, all the time, it is good to consult with a mental health professional to determine whether it’s just an understandable bummed out feeling or actual clinical depression, aka major depression. There is no shame in taking an antidepressant; insomnia is an understandable example of situational depression. The antidepressant might provide some short-term relief from insomnia, but it will help clinical depression over the long term.

And Martin addresses sleep anxiety, really a key component in all this.

[Dan10780]

Hello!

Thank you, I will definitely look into it. I’m a very happy person and never thought anything of that sort. One day I just couldn’t sleep like I did. I have been to the doctor and they told me as you age you lose your natural I believe it’s Maltonin. She told me 35 and up. Also the fact that I was transitioned to work from home and my bed times as I was all over the place and didn’t have a set time or even a ball park. Hopefully we all get to where we want to be soon!

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