[d7252115]

Hello – I have a weird sleep issues and wanted to see if anyone else here experienced something similar or hand nay recommendation to help.

I can only fall asleep between 10pm – 1130pm at night. If I miss this window for any reason (out late with friends, late home from a trip, late winding down for bed) I am completely unable to sleep that night.

I’m convinced it isn’t psychological – I’ve dealt with anxiety and the fear of not falling asleep a lot in the past. This feels totally different and uncontrollable. If it’s after 1130 and I’m still awake, I can feel my mind shutting off and my body trying to fall asleep. But it feels like my body switches into overdrive and I can almost feel adrenaline through my body for the rest of the night, preventing sleep while my mind is still trying to fall asleep. It’s a very strange struggle and I do not actually sleep the rest of the night.

For what it’s worth, I also cannot nap during the day. Literally the only time my body can fall asleep is between 10pm – 1130pm and if I miss that window I’m screwed until the next night.

It is very frustrating. I’ve tried a variety of over the counter sleep aids, supplements, even medication but it just makes it painful. I can feel my body trying to shut down and sleep but also not allowing me to fall asleep, like it’s at war with itself. I’m left feeling almost paralyzed if I take a sleep aid.

I’ve seen a multiple GPs and a sleep specialist and they had no recommendations aside from good sleep hygiene (which I practice as closely as I can). I wake up/fall sleep (or try to) at the same time each night.

I am very frustrated and this is really impacting my life.

[Edgar]

Jesus, this is almost exactly like something I would write. My sleep window isn’t quite so limited like yours to one and a half hours, but the rest of my situation is identical to yours. I can only fall asleep at night,and only if I go to bed at proper time. Only I can handle going at midnight or even 1 a.m. But later than that, no.

And like I’ve complained multiple times here – I can’t nap either. No way, no how. Not even when I miss the entire night, I have to wait it out and try again the next night. It is infuriating.

I like how you described that you feel like your body is only able to fall asleep at that certain time. I feel the same way, my body can only sleep during the night, I swear it’s like some hormones or something are released then and only then. During the day I just don’t feel it, I am tired but not sleepy.

How long have you been like this?

[Martin Reed]

This sounds psychological to me, and could very well be a symptom of conditioned arousal. In other words, you have learned that if you don’t fall asleep between 10:00 PM and 11:30 PM you will find it hard to sleep because this has happened so many times.

Let me ask you this, have you ever had a difficult night of sleep when you fell asleep between 10:00 PM and 11:30 PM, or is your night always 100% perfect when you’re able to fall asleep between those times?

Let me also ask you this — if you forced yourself to stay awake for five days straight (I am not suggesting this!), do you think you’d be able to fall asleep outside of that 10:00 PM to 11:30 PM sleep window? I imagine you would be able to because you would be extremely sleepy.

It sounds as though arousal is the perpetuating factor behind your insomnia — and the best treatment option for chronic insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

Nothing in your post makes me think that you wouldn’t be a good candidate for CBT-I.

I hope this helps, and good luck!

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