[3perfectgirls]

Hello,
It’s been about a month since I have been unable to sleep. I suffer from chronic dizziness related to the neck issues and have been for the past 35 years. It was somewhat under control but about 3 months ago the symptoms came back really strong and with it came anxiety. I was still sleeping at night on and off but about a month ago I woke up about 4am and wasn’t able to fall back asleep. From that night I have had sleep anxiety and have been struggling every night to sleep. My usual routine for years was falling asleep on the couch to the tv and I could be on the couch till 2 or 3 and then would go to bed and get another couple of hours. Sometimes it was hard to go back to sleep but I would count and would always fall back asleep even if it took a while. Now I am falling asleep on the couch but waking up sometimes only 30 minutes later and unable to go back to sleep. Then I just hang on the couch till 10:30 or 11 and then try to go back to sleep. In the back of my mind I just have this feeling I am not falling asleep and I end up tossing and turning and counting but sleep just doesn’t come. I am averaging 4 to 5 hours of broken sleep and that’s with taking something like melatonin or a low dose Klonopin. Even with those meds I am just not staying asleep. My physical dizziness symptoms are a lot worse because of lack of sleep and anxiety seems to be at the highest I have ever experienced it. Also starting to feel down and hopeless. I know people have had success with this program and I understand just trying to stay awake during the night but because of my physical symptoms being worse if I don’t sleep I am just unable to function the next day without any sleep. Does anyone else have a similar story and what worked for you? Thank you, Helen

[Courtypox]

3perectgirls I can relate in a way to your situation. Had a relapse in anxiety from a medication withdrawal. Ended up with nocturnal anxiety/panic. Where I believe my current insomnia is rooted. Even though I’m no longer having the nocturnal panic attacks. Given some Lorazepam to help sleep initially. (Not using anymore because I don’t want to be on long term because of fear of possible withdrawal issues. Traumatized from the original withdrawal.) Finding the nights I can’t sleep now that I have a tough time the next day functioning due to anxiety creeping in with no sleep. Hard to implement Martin’s advice of “continuing to live your normal life.” Would love to also hear if anyone experienced similar things, and overcame this.

[Martin Reed]

Hello @3perfectgirls and welcome to the forum.

You are waking during the night and finding that you aren’t falling back to sleep. As a result, your problem-solving brain has been firing up as it does its job of looking out for you. And, when it has important things to say, a feeling of anxiety often shows up, too.

As you’ve noticed the presence of anxiety, you have also been finding it hard to fall asleep at the start of the night.

There’s nothing unusual or unique in what you’ve shared. It sounds like your experience is telling you that the more you (understandably) try to make sleep happen and the more you try to fight or avoid certain thoughts and feelings, the more difficult all those things become.

As you and @Courtypox shared, it can be hard to live your normal life after nights of no sleep — and with the presence of other health issues that might not even be possible. If it’s not, perhaps there might still be one or two things that keep you moving closer to a normal life versus complete withdrawal.

How have things been going since you posted?

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