[DMA]

As the title already indicates, I am EXTREMELY SLEEP DEPRIVED. Often I go for days without sleep, followed by some days with 2 – max. 4 hours. This has been going on for four years. I have tried EVERYTHING, from traditional medical, progressive medical to alternative. Still not getting better. I am out of work for two years now due to this. My mental health is also severely affected by it and I just don’t know what to do anymore. There were times I wished I just wanted to sleep eternally…
My old self is gone. Ny body chronically aching and exhausted, my mind and cognitive ability drastically impaired due to the chronic lack of sleep. I have got permanent eye bags now, whereas before none at all; so exhausted is my body that the fat under the eyes just bulged forward. I feel very self-conscious about it, as people I meet are indirectly or directly pointing it out. So glad I have to stay inside due to the Coronavirus, which is actually sad.

Hope to overcome this horrible, nasty, insidious illness/ disorder, once and for all! I used to be such a heavy sleeper and a happy-go-lucky person. The past 4 years I have been a shadow of my former self.

Is there ANYONE who can understand me? Anyone who could help me, please?

[Deb]

Yes we all understand you and have been there.

Chronic insomnia is a mental condition so natural remedies and prescriptions are not the permanent answer. There are two therapies that work. Both work by retraining the brain to stop associating going to bed with anxiety, which is what chronic insomnia is all about – anxiety related to sleeping. One therapy is called CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) which Martin, the creator of this website, teaches. He’s got lots of great resources here. The other is called ACT and the best resource for this is “The Sleep Book” by Dr. Guy Meadows which is very readable and easy to understand. Its focus is on learning to give up the struggle to sleep (i.e., trying all different things like pills, natural remedies, soothing music, special curtains, etc.) and then to relax, so that sleep comes naturally. It teaches you how to do this and how to let go of the struggle. I’ve tried both therapies but prefer ACT, which is gentler and felt more intuitive to me. But it’s also trickier, because you have to learn how to change your thinking about insomnia and then quiet down your mind. CBT-I focuses more on specific behavioral techniques. If you want to try CBT-I Martin is a great coach to work with.

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum, DMA. You definitely are NOT alone! You mentioned that you have tried everything — have you tried cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)?

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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 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.

[Chen Liang]

Uh sound like me. How are you doing nowadays?

[Author]

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