[MollyPet]

Hello everyone!

I decided to join this after a couple of weeks of struggling with sleep challenges. I had my first bout of real insomnia back in March (I’m 28)- before then I had had a few sleepless nights here and there, but this was about 4 nights in a row of 3 or less hours per night, and even had to go to the ER one night due to a bad response to a sleeping aid I took. As a result, I developed REALLY bad sleep anxiety- where I would literally shake when I got into bed at night and my heart rate would be up so high that I just couldn’t relax. I started taking medicinal marijuana and that had markedly improved my sleep; I was able to calm down at night and could sleep through the night with no side effects.

For the past couple of weeks, however, I’ve been having trouble again. It’s not as bad as last time especially because I’ve reduced my anxiety around sleep- but I tend to fall asleep for a few hours and then find myself awake at 2 AM for awhile until drifting off again at around 4. I’ve always been an early riser, but lately because of the sleep disturbance I’ve been sleeping in til 7:30 or 8 because I have had so much difficulty getting out of bed. I usually get about 6 hours total, but it’s really fragmented and leaves me feeling pretty groggy and fatigued the next day.

I joined this forum in hopes of meeting other people who have healed their insomnia. I just know I can get through this and that it doesn’t have to be a long-term thing- but I have to nip it in the bud while I can! So much love for those of you who have struggled with sleep challenges for years- I imagine it must be so hard but we can all get through this. <3

Thank you!

Molly

[Martin Reed]

It’s no surprise that you developed such a strong level of sleep-related anxiety after being admitted to the ER! I am so sorry to hear that happened to you.

To be honest, I am not surprised that the medicinal marijuana stopped “working” — because there’s not really any evidence that it’s an effective treatment for chronic insomnia.

Furthermore, whenever we rely on an external sleep aid (whether it’s marijuana, alcohol, a supplement, or even prescription medication) we can believe that it’s that sleep aid that is somehow generating sleep — when the only thing that is capable of generating sleep is our own internal biological sleep drive. In other words, these things are not long-term solutions.

If you are currently averaging around six hours of sleep at night, I think you would likely find it helpful to allot no more than around six-and-a-half hours for sleep. This will reduce the amount of time you spend awake during the night — and, as you spend more time in bed asleep rather than awake, you will probably feel less worry and anxiety about sleep. This, in turn, will likely lead to further improvements in your sleep.

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.

[Author]

Posts