[mlight]

I found out that my insomnia is caused by high state of alert or hyperarousal, its a mechanism related to survival instincts.

My insomnia started when my neighbours where making heavy noises at night (slamming doors, running, etc)

They moved and the noises are pretty much done, but the damage is still there. Someone here have a similar experience? It seems i cant let it go, im always alert.

[stillawake]

I can relate to that. My sleep was disrupted by my son as a baby and at various times through his childhood and has never returned. This was 24 years ago. Now when I don't sleep I feel like there is a switch inside that will not turn off, and the only thing that works is the sleeping pills, but there are some nights even they don't kick in. I have been reading up on the higher body temperature and secretion of adrenaline and cortisol which feature in hyperarousal, trying to really understand the physiology. I am a reflexologist, we supposedly work on the glands of the body that regulate the stress hormones, but I personally don't find this works, so it is not that simple, so maybe I am not fully understanding the process yet. Or maybe reflexology is not as good as it is made out to be. I haven't come to a conclusion yet. If I could get a good run of sleep it may help the thought processes!

[Martin Reed]

I've mentioned hyperarousal a couple of times on the blog. You may find these posts of interest:

http://www.insomnialand.com/blog/is-your-insomnia-down-to-hyperarousal-and-relentless-wakefulness/

http://www.insomnialand.com/blog/hyperarousal-may-cause-insomnia-neurofeedback-may-cure-insomnia/

http://www.insomnialand.com/blog/why-your-fear-of-the-dark-is-the-cause-of-your-insomnia/

Do you think your hyperarousal is down to panic attacks or anxiety, or do you just feel constantly alert?

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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.

[mlight]

i think its constant alert. Its really hard to turn off that alertness

[AdoreInVegas]

I describe it this way: picture standing across the street looking at a house with many rooms with windows. At night, you can see lights in each room turning off, except for one tiny room in the uppermost corner and floor of the house. All the rooms are dark except for this ONE room. If you look closely, there is someone in that room filing papers….just constantly filing papers. There is no reason for the paper filing, and there is no reason why it has to go on without ceasing. So this paper filing dude does not stop! Sometimes, he gets so frantic with the filing you can see papers flying everywhere with no actual filing being done – just frantic shuffling and throwing of the papers for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

That is my head every single night. Constant, never ending, filing for NO apparent reason. 28 years I've had to deal with this filing dude. He won't go away or go to sleep.

[xdunlapx]

I haven't been tested for hyperarousal but I have a feeling that is what I have. I have to take a muscle relaxer to calm my mind down so I can get to sleep. Regular sleeping pills do nothing for me other than keeping me asleep after I do fall asleep.. I am interested in reading more about hyperarousal. I have to have the tv off for several hours (most of the time) in order for me to even be remotely tired, then I still have to take a muscle relaxer to fall asleep. It's frustrating since I don't want to have to take medications in order for something as natural as sleeping… But since I take so many other medications I have gotten used to it. I didn't have insomnia until I went off of Risperdal and went onto Seroquel (for my bipolar/schizophrenia symptoms) and then went back on risperdal. Risperdal used to knock me out, and definitely Seroquel knocked me out. I think since I was so used to Seroquel (very heavy sedative effects) and went back on a less sedative pill I lost the ability to fall asleep on my own.

[brayan]

I, too, think I'm naturally a person that's always alert, its hard for me to turn the switch off on this when I'm trying to sleep, I listen for every little noise I can hear so I can be aware of what's happening around me, I don't know, I've always done this for as long as I can remember, I wouldn't know if its hyperarousal, but I'm am always on full alert mode no matter how tired I am physically and mentally, but I don't, I suspect I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, and also took a little online assessment test that also said I have it , maybe its more of me compulsively paying attention to details in sound, like I can tell who's in the kitchen by the way they open the fridge, I can tell who comes into my house by the way they close the door, its just this constant need I have to pay attention to these things but I mean this isn't the only thing that keeps me awake, its just something I notice I do when I'm not able to sleep, I've also tried seroquel, it really didn't work on me, I have this unusually high tolerance for pills, it really just felt like taking a lot of sleeping pills, and sleeping pills no longer work on me, they just make me feel sick now, more lately I've been taking in deep breaths and exhaling and counting these as I'm laying down to help relax me, it works sometimes I guess haha

[Author]

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