[Purllearyes]

So it’s going to be about 7 years now (18-25) i started to develop this weird sleep disorder… I will summarise :
Every night i fall asleep and stay asleep with no problem.
The issue is, it’s not regenerative sleep, but instead it’s like staying knocked out the whole night, i wake up like crap, worst and less energetic than before going to sleep.

It’s a type of sleep that is literally draining all of my energy and destroying my body instead of regenerating them. I could literally go without sleep and feel better than sleeping. Problem is i always end up falling asleep sooner or later.
As you can imagine, this as deeply affected my social, physical, mental, personal, anatomical conditions, to great degrees of degradation.

The why I’m still sane and alive, is because after a streak of poor sleeps, my body sort of enters an emergency mode where it can get 1 or 2 wonderful deep sleep nights that get me going for 1 more week of torture.

I’m here in the hopes of getting the ultimate knowledge for the ultimate cure.

Here is the gatherings of data from all the years :

Symptoms : Swollen head, receded scalp, hair fragility, thinning hair, extreme shoulder and neck stiffness, headaches, extreme cold, dry skin, derealisation, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, extreme lack of energy and enthusiasm, loss of muscle, anger, bitterness, despair, much more.

Already tested potential solutions :
Different (pillows, heights, mattresses, diets, eating schedules, sports activity, different types of sports, regular/non regular sexual activity, fasting, binging, meditation, calming sleeping sounds/noises, environment, social circles, breathing techniques, sleeping schedules, herbal treatments, aromatic, crystals, sleeping pills, melatonin, cervical x-ray and blood work test normal).
No matter if sleeping for 4, 6, 8, 12, 14 hours the result is the same. It’s being unconscious rather than asleep.

Things that have shown change :
* When going through a powerful depression, sleep became normal again and was able to sleep normally every night, for many hours too because had no willingness to get up.
* When forcing myself to stay awake until sunrise or crashing unvoluntarily, the likelihood of proper sleep increases, but not sustainable or healthy.
* Falling sleep while watching tv or listening to a podcast increases the chances of good sleep. Not highly.

Potential causes :
* A strained muscle/bone when working out back in the day?
* My high and complex and unstoppable brain hyper activity and thoughts?
* Chronic anxiety since childhood, very anxious person.
* Poor posture amounted for years and years?
* Something related to tonsils removal?
* Massive increases and decreases of body weight from 14-18 yo.
* Poor circulation? Chronically freezing cold hands and feet.
* Sleep apnea? Symptoms and situation not alike it’s cases.
* Black magic?
* i don’t know

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[hiker]

Hi Purllearyes, wow, a lot going on. You have certainly given this a lot of thought.

I wonder if a sleep study would at least provide some neurological evidence of what is going on when you are asleep—or as you describe it, at least unconscious. I know you don’t think it’s apnea. But a sleep study would establish that definitively one way or the other.

You mention that you have tried sleep schedules. But as you say, your body goes into “emergency mode” to get real sleep after feeling unrested for several days. It might be worth exploring Martin’s plan for sleep restriction. I think he addresses what you are going through.

I know from experience that depression leads to insomnia, usually early morning awakening. Even if you are unconscious, obviously you are not getting restful sleep. That plus the chronic anxiety since childhood. If it is like what I experienced, it kind of perpetuates itself: an unpleasant memory can pop in your head and you can feel like you are at its mercy.

All those thoughts trying to figure out what is wrong are certainly understandable. But in my own struggle, I found that while it helped to catalog what might be causing insomnia, I could never think my way out of it. So the thoughts for me were kind of a mixed blessing. What I found most helpful was being able to step back from my thoughts and observe them from a bit of a distance. This includes unpleasant memories popping into my head.

And yes, I know that stepping back and observing is hard when you are really blitzed. It can seem like everything you are thinking has to be true because well, it feels that way. Even though it is just the insomnia talking.

Take care, you are not alone in this.

[Martin Reed]

If you feel you’re falling asleep and staying asleep and getting a good amount of sleep but that sleep feels really unrestorative, it might be worth getting an overnight sleep study just to see if sleep apnea might be an explanation.

—

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.

[Purllearyes]

Thank you both for your replies and time. Martin, your podcasts are being a great watch and very inspirational.

I never put much thought into doing a sleep study or reconsidering sleep apnea, so these are amazing pointers, thank you both again!

[Martin Reed]

You’re welcome — and thank you for your kind words!

—

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.

[Author]

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