[Car103]

Hi. This is my first post. I was in a horrific accident 6/15. Prior to that I had taken Trazodone to help me fall asleep. After the accident, I continued with the Trazodone but found I would abruptly wake at 5am. My doctor switched me to Remeron which didn’t work. Went back to the Trazodone but soon saw that did nothing. My sleep wasn’t restful.

Most recently I started a pattern of waking after 1-2hrs and being awake and then repeating. I never get 6-7 hrs in a row. At this point I started researching insomnia to see in what non-pharmaceutical way I could have my sleep restored.

Years ago I had tried every pharmaceutical with no success which is how I landed on the Trazadone. Not going back in that direction.

I think my problem is anxiety/fear based. Perhaps in my subconscious I am reliving my accident and I awaken startled? Finally in the morning when I wake that last time, I have to reorient and remind myself that I am home in my own bed and not waking up in the hospital.

I’m using CBD gummies for calm. And am looking and reading for the next step and direction. I appreciate all of the information and sharing here.

[Martin Reed]

I’m sorry to hear about your accident and your ongoing struggle with sleep. Have you discussed cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) with your doctor as an alternative (or addition) to sleep medication?

What time do you currently go to bed at night, when do you get out of bed to start your day, and roughly how many hours of sleep would you say you get on a typical night? When you wake during the night, do you find it hard to fall back to sleep?

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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 Clarity 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.

[Car103]

Thank you for responding. I suppose through a google search I stumbled into the Insomnia Coach website and listened to a few podcasts which introduced me to CBT-I. I had never heard of it before. My psychiatrists of the last 2yrs never mentioned it. They only mentioned drugs. I find this both aggravating and astonishing.

I do read in bed at around 10:30pm and am asleep by about 11pm. I awake at 3am (thereabouts) and can’t fall back asleep. After a bit on most nights I will get up, use the bathroom, get a drink and then try again. I can sleep from 4am-6am or sometimes it is just 5am. From that point until I have to get up at 7:45am, I sleep for 20, 30, or 40 mins stretches – pretty much watching the clock.

While I can get 6hrs of sleep – it is interrupted and not restful. As I am learning about insomnia, I know that napping isn’t recommended. I am on disabilty and have the time, so I often do nap. I did hear someone on one of your podcasts talk about building sleep drive. Something related to being busy enough in your day to create that drive for sleep. This is something I am lacking.

I researched locally for a CBT-I therapist who takes my insurance. I found someone who unfortunately just stopped taking new patients. I did reach out to see if he is referring to another practitioner.

I don’t know at this point is how I feel in the soup of insomnia. Anxiety and Depression have crept in. I suppose reading CBT-1 success comments in the forum is a next step.

I appreciate that you have this forum and make personal responses.

[Martin Reed]

Thanks for the additional information.

Since you currently seem to average around six hours of sleep, I think you would find it very helpful to allot a bit less time for sleep. This should lead to less time awake during the night, more consolidated sleep, and better sleep quality.

If you are currently in bed and switching the lights off at around 11:00 PM, and you get out of bed at 7:45 AM, you are allotting almost nine hours for sleep.

Since your current average sleep duration is around six hours, you can see that — by allotting around nine hours for sleep — you are almost guaranteeing yourself around three hours of wakefulness during the night.

I think you would find it helpful to allot an amount of time for sleep that more closely matches your current sleep “capability”. Starting with a sleep window of around six-and-a-half hours might be more appropriate and a good starting point.

I hope this helps!

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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 Clarity 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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