[sleeplessinky]

Hi, I'm glad to find this group. I'm originally from the Washington, D.C. area and moved to Louisville, KY a few years ago to be near my grandkids. I retired from the Federal Government where I was a Management Analyst. I'm an active senior (or used to be until insomnia wore me down). I used to exercise a lot but now when I need it, I'm not finding the energy to continue.

I'm not new to insomnia but a few months ago my insomnia became severe. I have been sleeping about 3 hours a night…an hour at a time. There have been some nights I can't get to sleep at all. I've tried everything to cure this demon but nothing is working. I did all of the sleep hygiene things….tried all of the OTC sleeping aids, including melatonin, L=tryptothan,valerian etc. Recently I was tested for adrenal fatigue and was disappointed that wasn't the problem because I know it has a cure. A local parmacist who sells all of the natural products has been trying to help me with various products. Nothing is working. I have ambien on hand but that only helps for about 4 hours and I can't get back to sleep. Ambien-CR is no better for me. I also have used Ativan on occasion but am only too aware of the addiction problems and it doesn't work if you use it too often.

Sorry to have rambled on so long.

[Caers]

Hello! Eh, don't worry about rambling. By far, not the longest post we've had 😀 Welcome to the forum!

[Martin Reed]

No apologies are needed (or even accepted) here when it comes to rambling – sometimes it's good to just get things off your chest among people who actually understand what you're going through.

Did your insomnia start when you retired or was it an issue before then? Have you tried visiting a sleep specialist rather than your primary care physician? Have you given Cognitive Behavioral Therapy a try?

Look, you're now a member of Insomnia Land so you're not dealing with your insomnia alone. The burden is shared among our 130+ members. Don't keep things to yourself; share, and you will find support.

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.

[sleeplessinky]

[Thanks for the welcome.

I've actually had insomnia to a lesser degree long before I retired. It's never been as severe as it is now. I thought I had problems when I woke up at 3:00 and it took a couple of hours to get back to sleep. Now, I often can't get to sleep at all. I have an appointment next week at a sleep center which I'm looking forward to. It took a while to get that appointment. No, I'm not familiar with behavior cognitive therapy but tell me about it. I'm ready to try anything.

Thanks for starting this forum. Knowing I'm not alone really helps.

[Martin Reed]

I'm no expert, but I've written about CBT a few times on the blog. Whenever I am doing research for blog posts, it seems to be mentioned and appears to be far more effective than any store-bought products. Here are a few posts in particular that spring to mind:

http://www.insomnialand.com/blog/talking-therapy-is-just-as-effective-as-sleeping-pills-when-treating-insomnia/

http://www.insomnialand.com/blog/can-online-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cure-your-insomnia/

There's some good information on the UK's National Health Service website, too:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Insomnia/Pages/Treatment.aspx

I hope this helps.

—

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.

[sleeplessinky]

Martin, Thanks for this. I read your blogs and the UK article on CBT and find them very interesting. This is something I definitely want to explore.

[Author]

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