[Edgar]

Hello to everyone,

I am 30 yrs old, male, and have all my life had somewhat poor sleep, in a way that I would take a long time to fall asleep. This kind of insomnia I’ve learned to deal with, to relax and ignore it and so on, so my bad nights were relatively rare.

Fast forward to about 2.5 yrs ago. Instead of having a problem initially falling asleep, I now wake up too early in the morning or somewhere in the middle of the night, wide awake, and I can’t go back to sleep.

I am exhausted every day, all day. I follow the suggested routine, never nap, which is why I almost never have a problem falling asleep anymore, but these problems STAYING asleep are impossible to tackle.

After fighting this new kimd of insomnia for the first year or so, I finally gave uo and started useing small amounts of Valium (2.5 mg) to fall back asleep and it worked for a while. Now it lost its efficiency and I don’t want to increase the dosages, so I’m at a loss.

Which pill to take for early morning awakenings? Why am I not tired when I wake uo like that? Why do I wake up at all, the conditions in my room are perfect for sleep.

It is worth mentioning that I suffer from MS and epilepsy, so maybe it’s something there that is disruping my sleep.

If I go to a sleep specialist, what can they tell me, except whether or not I have sleep apnea? Can they tell if my body is producing enough melatonin to last me the whole night?

 

Thanks for reading, Edgar

[goose]

Hi, I the opposite problem, in that I have trouble falling asleep.  But I read your post and just want to say I understand how you feel, esp. when you say “why do I wake up at all”.  Its so frustrating, especially when you get advice like “keep your bedroom cool, get blackout curtains, etc”.  If only it were all that easy.  I’m not sure how sleep specialists handle early waking, but I know it happens to a lot of people.   I hope you find a solution.  Hang in there.

[Edgar]

Thanks, goose,

It’s always good to hear you’re not alone.

I had falling asleep problems, too, like I mentioned in the post, but sleep restriction sorted it out, I pretty much fall unconscious the minute I lie down in the night, cause I never ever nap.

That’s not normal eitger, though, since there should normally be an interval of some 20-30 min before one falls asleep. Immediately passing out signals chronic exhaustion, but I wouldn’t complain if only I managed to maintain that sleep.

 

Ugh, anyway…  as someone once put it – “a rubbish way to live”.

Thanks again, and I hope your problems cleara out in time as well.

 

[Martin Reed]

A sleep specialist will be able to tell you if CBT-I would be an appropriate treatment option. CBT-I is recommended as the first-line treatment for insomnia by organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the American College of Physicians, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. However, because you are living with epilepsy you will want to get the OK from a doctor since some of the techniques (such as sleep restriction) are sometimes contraindicated for individuals at risk of seizure.

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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.

[Edgar]

Thanks. I’ve always wanted to go to a sleep specialist, they’re just so rare in my country.

As for CBT-I, I will ask my neuro at the next appointment what she thinks I should do.

[Martin Reed]

Sounds like a good plan! Do keep in touch 🙂

—

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.

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