[Kylie]

Day 1 of my journey begins here. I have had sleep issues since a doctor prescribed me sleeping tablets for what I thought was s a sleep issue but was actually stress. I then had rebound insomnia coming off them. Since then I have been on different meds and they last a few days up to a few weeks before my body rejects them. I am now on Day 3 of very little sleep after this last lot stopped working so….. tonight as I sit here awake at 1.30am, I start my journey.

I waited tonight until I was really tired. Not hard as I had only had 4.5 hr sleep followed by 3 hr sleep in the past 2 nights. Both days following I went and do things I enjoy. I haven’t feared wakefulness. What I fear is the sleep deprivation the next day. It is horrible but luckily I’m not at work right now due to recovery. I am trying to stay positive during the day, no naps and then in the evenings do breath work when I become anxious.
Ehat I find frustrating is that I go to sleep for an hour or 1.5 hr and then I wake up and then that’s it. I cannot understand why my body decides to do this?? I am having a few other things checked with a naturopath and my doctor to make sure there are no other underlying causes.
I can that get back to sleep later in the morning. Sometimes getting another 2 hours.

Can someone help with how to do this when sleep maintenance is the problem??

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum, Kylie. I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you’ve been experiencing.

It sounds as though medication isn’t proving to be an effective long-term solution for you — and that makes sense, since they don’t really get to the “fuel supply” of insomnia, which is (perhaps ironically) all the effort we put into getting rid of it!

The more we try to fight or avoid insomnia, the more oxygen we give it — it’s a bit like how playground bullies thrive on the attention and the reaction they get.

It sure can feel really confusing when you wake at night and find that more sleep just won’t happen, right? And yet, there’s no mystery to it. If that happens, one (or more) of the following are probably the reason:

1. You aren’t sleepy enough for more sleep.
2. You are putting pressure on yourself to sleep.
3. You are putting effort into making sleep happen.
4. You are trying to fight or avoid the difficult thoughts and feelings that might be showing up.

Do any of those sound relevant to your own experience?

—

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.

[Kylie]

Hi Martin
Wow thanks for replying. I have found the sleep meds to be ineffective, except for the original Zopiclone. I am now on mirtazapine which I am trying to taper but even after only 5 weeks on it, I am having reactions so it will be very slow. So I am going to have plenty of opportunities to practise the strategies you talk about as I taper down as I have noticed I got rebound insomnia after my first cut but the sleep reinstated after 4 days.

This is where I am stuck and where I become afraid. I’m not sure I have the mental capacity to do 6 weeks of 2 hr of sleep like some people on here say they get. That would literally be a form of torture for me. I am also single and so when I come off the medication, knowing there will undoubtedly be rebound insomnia it makes me very scared. So I guess identify most with number 4 and that’s where I am struggling.

Thanks so much for replying.

[Martin Reed]

Being afraid of the possibility of getting two hours of sleep for six weeks is totally understandable! That might happen and it might not happen — nobody can predict the future (as far as I know)!

Does your experience tell you that you can directly and permanently make a certain amount or type of sleep happen through effort? If not, where does trying get you?

What you can always control are your actions — and it’s your actions that will determine your level of struggle and how much power and influence sleep (and the thoughts and feelings that can come with insomnia) will have over your life.

Identifying that trying to fight or avoid difficult thoughts and feelings is something that’s creating a struggle suggests that an alternative approach there might be worth exploring. What might that look like, do you think?

—

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.

[KezR]

Hey Kylie

Can I ask about your experience with Mirtazapine? How much did you take & how long was it effective for? Like you I am finding that medication becomes ineffective quickly.
I’m on week 2 of 15mg & it’s already lost its effect.
I got no sleep through the night last night but fell asleep about 7:30 – 8am for a couple of hours.

[Author]

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