[sleepy lies]

Hi,

I'm Annelies from Belgium. (It's a tiny country in the middle of Europe, Belgian waffels anyone?)

I've been struggling with insomnia for quite a few years (around 12 years). Now I'm up to the point where I can't remember what it's like to get up and be rested.

I always get up tired. Either I just can't catch sleep or I wake up several times a night.

I've taken several kinds of drugs which then enable me to sleep. But since I worry about addiction, I don't take too much or when I feel things get better I quit taking them.

And then of course, the insomnia is lurking around the corner.

I'm used to always being tired, but I'm jealous of other people who seem to radiate energy. Mostly wondering what it feels like actually.

It most be wonderful to have an active life and not be tired all the time.

I'm also fed up with other people's advice. Like a hot shower or some kind of chinese herbal tea will help me sleep.

They just don't get it. So I've stopped mentioning it and just tell them I had a bad night.

My husband just tells me to get to bed earlier. He's a sweetheart but he sleeps before his head hits the pillow. He just doesn't understand. Quite frustrating.

I'm glad to finally get in touch with people who do get it.

Maybe I won't find a solution but I'm sure I will find some comfort and support here.

Thanks in advance!

[Caers]

'sleepy wrote on '19:

Hi,

I'm Annelies from Belgium. (It's a tiny country in the middle of Europe, Belgian waffels anyone?)

I've been struggling with insomnia for quite a few years (around 12 years). Now I'm up to the point where I can't remember what it's like to get up and be rested.

I always get up tired. Either I just can't catch sleep or I wake up several times a night.

I've taken several kinds of drugs which then enable me to sleep. But since I worry about addiction, I don't take too much or when I feel things get better I quit taking them.

And then of course, the insomnia is lurking around the corner.

I'm used to always being tired, but I'm jealous of other people who seem to radiate energy. Mostly wondering what it feels like actually.

It most be wonderful to have an active life and not be tired all the time.

I'm also fed up with other people's advice. Like a hot shower or some kind of chinese herbal tea will help me sleep.

They just don't get it. So I've stopped mentioning it and just tell them I had a bad night.

My husband just tells me to get to bed earlier. He's a sweetheart but he sleeps before his head hits the pillow. He just doesn't understand. Quite frustrating.

I'm glad to finally get in touch with people who do get it.

Maybe I won't find a solution but I'm sure I will find some comfort and support here.

Thanks in advance!

Hellooooo and Welcome! I'm Caers. I've suffered with chronic insomnia for most of my life (34 years).

I find the “advice” people give is the most irritating part. Like I haven't tried EVERYTHING yet, right? Like your very well known herbal remedy was completely unheard of by me until THIS VERY MOMENT. It's… a sore spot with me. I'm in the waking constantly all night category, for the most part, and most sleeping meds either keep me awake for days or leave me exhausted for days, so I can't take them. I don't know about comfort, but I can offer understanding. 🙂

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to Insomnia Land, Annelies! I think you're our first member form Belgium.

Your story is very similar to that of other members here, so I'm sure you'll find a lot of empathy and support here. We know what you're going through and we know that a warm bath before bed doesn't cure insomnia!

Enjoy your stay. I look forward to getting to know you better.

—

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.

[Mike Hooker]

Hi, Annelies,

I know exactly what you're going through; I understand it all too well. Just last night my insomnia came roaring back. I slept a little less than two hours, so today I've felt as though I've been in a fog. I hate it. But insomnia has its way with me when I least expect it. The only good thing about today was that I didn't have to work. So I was able to take it easy and not have to expend much energy.

Welcome! I'm glad you're here.

[Dozydame]

Welcome Annelies.

I'm sorry to say I also know exactly what you're going through. In fact I just reread my first post to this forum and discovered I'd said much the same thing as you have.

My insomnia started 40 years ago and unfortunately I'm still struggling with it! I've certainly changed a lot of things along the way to try and accommodate the insomnia, so I know it does have a big impact on your life.

Like you I've mostly stopped telling people about it for all the same reasons, so it is a relief to be able to communicate with other people who do understand. About the only thing I can offer in the way of comfort is that my body has adjusted over the years, so I find I can still function even if I've hardly slept. I'm not saying I'm not tired, but I can still manage to get through the day reasonably well.

When I first joined this forum, I was not sleeping at all except every third night (briefly) when I took drugs. That was the worst I've ever been and I was feeling really desperate by that stage and really wasn't coping. Since then I've returned to a slighty improved pattern and feel much better. In fact, I'm coming around to the idea that maybe how you feel, depends a lot on what you're telling yourself. It's amazing how good 2 hours sleep looks (and feels) compared to none at all.

I did use a product called Sleep Tracks, which I feel helped me to break the cycle I was on. Martin has asked me to review it and I intend to do that soon.

I'm sure you'll get lots of support from everyone here Annelies and if I can help in any way please feel free to ask.

I look forward to hearing more from you soon.

[sleepy lies]

Hey everybody,

thanks for your warm welcome and understanding. It's such a relief not having to explain.

And I'm sure you will be hearing more from me soon!

[MarinaFournier]

Hi, Annelies, I'm Marina from Campbell CA (right next to San Jose CA in Silicon Valley).

I'd rather have Belgian truffles than waffles. Are you a Walloon or are you Flemish? Would you happen to be a fan of Loreena McKinnett? I seem to recall an Annelies on the Old-Ways list.

Quote:

Now I'm up to the point where I can't remember what it's like to get up and be rested.

I always get up tired. Either I just can't catch sleep or I wake up several times a night.

Until I was put on Topomax for a mood stabilizer, it had been about 20 years since I'd last had a restful night of sleep, but Labor Day weekend of 2001, I had one. I was dumbfounded. I did have some annoying side-effects, and it only worked for me for two years, but I certainly slept well.

Quote:

I'm jealous of other people who seem to radiate energy

I've been deeply envious of people who never get headaches (much less migraines), people who had better dental genes than I do (lots of fillings, maybe a dozen crowns. Used to have a dentist phobia, but my current dentist and his staff have pretty well eradicated it), and people who had no problems getting to, and staying, asleep.

My husband falls asleep as quickly as yours does, but he often snores. It used to be much worse, but we discovered eucalyptus and a local acacia have such bad pollen for us both that when looking for places to live, we need either of those at least a block or two away. He still snores–we both do, to some extent, when congested, but this house has two trees called crape myrtles right outside our bedroom window. They flower in the summer. The one closest to our bedroom is doomed to be removed sometime when we have the money to do so.

So, welcome, and yes, you will be surrounded by those who understand your situation…and know that going to bed earlier just prolongs the amount of time you lie awake. It certainly did when I was a teen, and was to be in bed by 9pm!

[cherrychapstik]

'Dozydame' wrote on '20:

Welcome Annelies.

I'm sorry to say I also know exactly what you're going through. In fact I just reread my first post to this forum and discovered I'd said much the same thing as you have.

My insomnia started 40 years ago and unfortunately I'm still struggling with it! I've certainly changed a lot of things along the way to try and accommodate the insomnia, so I know it does have a big impact on your life.

Like you I've mostly stopped telling people about it for all the same reasons, so it is a relief to be able to communicate with other people who do understand. About the only thing I can offer in the way of comfort is that my body has adjusted over the years, so I find I can still function even if I've hardly slept. I'm not saying I'm not tired, but I can still manage to get through the day reasonably well.

When I first joined this forum, I was not sleeping at all except every third night (briefly) when I took drugs. That was the worst I've ever been and I was feeling really desperate by that stage and really wasn't coping. Since then I've returned to a slighty improved pattern and feel much better. In fact, I'm coming around to the idea that maybe how you feel, depends a lot on what you're telling yourself. It's amazing how good 2 hours sleep looks (and feels) compared to none at all.

I did use a product called Sleep Tracks, which I feel helped me to break the cycle I was on. Martin has asked me to review it and I intend to do that soon.

I'm sure you'll get lots of support from everyone here Annelies and if I can help in any way please feel free to ask.

I look forward to hearing more from you soon.

Please write a review and tell us about it. I would love to know if this product works. It feels like I can only find reviews that are just advertising (several of them are just the same exact words, obviously copied). I would love to not take sleeping pills anymore.

[sleepy lies]

'MarinaFournier' wrote on '22:

Hi, Annelies, I'm Marina from Campbell CA (right next to San Jose CA in Silicon Valley).

I'd rather have Belgian truffles than waffles. Are you a Walloon or are you Flemish? Would you happen to be a fan of Loreena McKinnett? I seem to recall an Annelies on the Old-Ways list.

Hi Marina,

I like both the truffles and the waffles. Did you know there are 2 kinds of Belgian waffels? There's the Waffels from Brussels and the one's from Liege. I like the latter because the dough is thicker and they are sweeter.

I'm Flemish. It's a bit difficult in Belgium on that matter. We've had elections in June but the politicians aren't able to form a new government. The differences between the Flemsish and the Walloons are to big. We are now at 227 days without a government.

Our politics are really difficult to understand for outsiders. Even most of the Belgian people don't really know how everything works.

You can see it as 3 countries in 1 actually. The lower half of Belgium is Wallonia. The people there speak French and have a more southern european lifestyle. They can choose in high-school between dutch and english to learn. So most of them don't speak dutch.

The upper half is Flanders, where people speak dutch. We are more like the Netherlands and Scandinavia. We are obligated to learn French and German. (Which are next to dutch, the other 2 vernaculars) So while most flemish people speak dutch, french and a bit of german, most of the walloons only speak french and refuse to speak dutch.

You can imagine this is a big issue over here. But not to worry. Things are peaceful. Belgians just don't care enough about our politics to start a civil war or anything like that. And we do have 'governement of ongoing affairs'.

The last prime-minister is still at work only now he's called 'the resigning prime minister'. One wonders how long you can be called that?

It took us 7 months before somebody organized one minor demonstration about the situation.(only about 34000 people attended). But enough on that matter.

I'm not the one who is fan of Loreena McKinnett? Haven't got the slightest idea who that is. I'm sorry.

But thanks for your response. I've been browsing the site a lot these last few days and I find a lot of comfort in knowing I'm not the only one struggling with this issues.

Seen you soon!

[aimee]

Hello,

I understand what you mean about never waking up feeling rested and going through the day wishing you could have a normal sleeping schedule like everyone else. I don't even say anything when people start trying to give me suggestions. I try not to talk about it with most people so I don't have to sound like a broken record and hear all the suggestions. I only really talk about it now to my boyfriends and my best friend…and now you guys. 12 years is a long time to be struggling with this. I have only had a serious problem for about 1.5 years and its horrible. 12 years…thats just awful. I'm sorry you have been going through this for so long

'sleepy wrote on '19:

Hi,

I'm Annelies from Belgium. (It's a tiny country in the middle of Europe, Belgian waffels anyone?)

I've been struggling with insomnia for quite a few years (around 12 years). Now I'm up to the point where I can't remember what it's like to get up and be rested.

I always get up tired. Either I just can't catch sleep or I wake up several times a night.

I've taken several kinds of drugs which then enable me to sleep. But since I worry about addiction, I don't take too much or when I feel things get better I quit taking them.

And then of course, the insomnia is lurking around the corner.

I'm used to always being tired, but I'm jealous of other people who seem to radiate energy. Mostly wondering what it feels like actually.

It most be wonderful to have an active life and not be tired all the time.

I'm also fed up with other people's advice. Like a hot shower or some kind of chinese herbal tea will help me sleep.

They just don't get it. So I've stopped mentioning it and just tell them I had a bad night.

My husband just tells me to get to bed earlier. He's a sweetheart but he sleeps before his head hits the pillow. He just doesn't understand. Quite frustrating.

I'm glad to finally get in touch with people who do get it.

Maybe I won't find a solution but I'm sure I will find some comfort and support here.

Thanks in advance!

[MarinaFournier]

Annelies wrote:

Quote:

I like both the truffles and the waffles. Did you know there are 2 kinds of Belgian waffels? There's the Waffels from Brussels and the one's from Liege. I like the latter because the dough is thicker and they are sweeter.

I may have only had the Brussels version. I had no idea there were two types.

Quote:

I'm Flemish. It's a bit difficult in Belgium on that matter. We've had elections in June but the politicians aren't able to form a new government. The differences between the Flemish and the Walloons are too big. We are now at 227 days without a government.

In California, we sometimes approach that duration without a State Budget!

Quote:

Our politics are really difficult to understand for outsiders. Even most of the Belgian people don't really know how everything works.

It seems that a large number of Americans don't understand the financial workings of this government…

Quote:

You can imagine this is a big issue over here. But not to worry. Things are peaceful. Belgians just don't care enough about our politics to start a civil war or anything like that. And we do have 'governement of ongoing affairs'.

The last prime-minister is still at work only now he's called 'the resigning prime minister'. One wonders how long you can be called that?

It took us 7 months before somebody organized one minor demonstration about the situation.(only about 34000 people attended). But enough on that matter.

Do the majority of Belgian citizens vote? Americans who don't even register to vote is a big sadness for me. Our voter turnout is scandalously low. Unlike some countries, such as Australia, voting is not compulsory in the States.

Quote:

I'm not the one who is fan of Loreena McKennitt? Haven't got the slightest idea who that is. I'm sorry.

Ah. Then you're not the woman on the Old-Ways list. Not to worry. Loreena McKennitt is a Canadian singer who started with Celtic music on the harp, and who has branched out into various cultures' music and into other musical instruments. She has her own recording company, at first because she was too much of a small-fry, and after signing up with Warner Bros. Music to distribute (and nothing else–she still handled all the production details and financing) her albums, she did not renew the contract because they didn't do an adequate job. A large number of Canadian musicians and singers have their own label, in order to control costs and details, and because they don't like what they've seen from the major recording labels. If you'd like to see what she's produced, and check out the music, go to quinlanroad.com/, and explore.

Marina

[Martin Reed]

'MarinaFournier' wrote on '27:

Do the majority of Belgian citizens vote? Americans who don't even register to vote is a big sadness for me. Our voter turnout is scandalously low. Unlike some countries, such as Australia, voting is not compulsory in the States.

A bit off-topic here, but I think they should simply add an option to the ballot 'None of the above'. A lot of people want to vote, but not for any of the candidates on offer. I think you'd see an increase in voter turnout simply by adding that option.

In the UK, people intentionally 'spoil' their ballot if they don't want to vote for any of the candidates. They still get to exercise their right to vote, but can also make it clear their disillusionment with what's on offer.

—

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.

[MarinaFournier]

'Martin' wrote on '28:

A bit off-topic here, but I think they should simply add an option to the ballot 'None of the above'. A lot of people want to vote, but not for any of the candidates on offer. I think you'd see an increase in voter turnout simply by adding that option.

I think that it is possible in every state of the union, and possibly in the District of Columbia as well, to write in a candidate for whom you would prefer to vote for, for each office. People often write in a “joke name”: someone who's dead, Noah Ward (no award), and a few other options. Is that what you mean by spoiling a ballot?

The Senatorial race in Alaska this year was a stellar example of the write-in vote. Lisa Murkowski won on write-ins after she'd lost the primary. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Write-in_candidate for a more extensive explanation with examples.

In 2003, in a recall election for California governor Gray Davis, there were 135 candidates who qualified for the ballot. I think it was the longest candidate list anyone had ever seen. Usually there are fewer than ten candidates for a given office–and it was hard not to find someone with whose politics you agreed.

[Martin Reed]

Yes, that's what I meant. I wonder if more people would come out and vote (even if disillusioned) if it was easier to vote 'none of the above' rather than spoiling your ballot?

—

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.

[sleepy lies]

We are obliged to vote. But your vote doesn't count if you write, draw, etc. on it. Also if you vote for 2 names who aren't on the same party it doesn't count.

So you can screw your vote, but it goes to waste then so I'm not sure wether that is a good solution either.

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