Feeling stuck in the insomnia struggle? Get the free insomnia sleep training course!
- This topic has 40 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 4 months ago by .
-
Posts
-
'Martin' wrote on '28:
No, I'm originally from the UK – we drive on the left over there. Went up to visit Iceland for about a week a few years ago – it's an amazing place. My first three cars in England all had manual chokes; I bet most kids now wouldn't even know the meaning of the word!
Your name didn't seem Icelandic, but that doesn't always mean anything–one's parents might have emmigrated there. Any geologist/geophysicist/tectonic scientist would find it fascinating, at the very least.
My two VWs and first Honda were manual, and I'd rather my van was as well. I think any car enthusiast who worked with cars made before the 1960's (in the US, that is–later for other countries) would know about chokes.
They didn't really start phasing out chokes in England at least until around the 90s – I had a car made in 1991 that still had one!
—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.
I'm sorry to say I struggle to come up with any positives to having insomnia.
The biggest downer I can remember was when I decided to take my 75 year old father for a four week holiday back to Italy where he had once been an escaped prisoner during the war. It was supposed to be this amazing once-in-a-lifetime trip and, I was hoping, a real bonding experience for the two of us. I had to do the driving which is a hair-raising and stressful experience at the best of times in Italy, especially when you normally drive on the opposite side as we do here in Oz. My insomnia always gets worse in unfamiliar territory plus I never realised my father was a snorer, so by the end of about three days(after about 30 hours of air travel without sleep) I was nearly hysterical. I had to convince Dad to wear this anti snoring device which he hated and try to stay in places with separate rooms whenever possible which added considerable expense on to the trip and certainly did nothing to improve father/daughter relations.
Somehow we survived, but I have never been so relieved to drop off a car and walk in my entire life. I'm still glad we did the trip, but I can't help wondering how much more enjoyable it might have been if only I could just have slept like a normal person. I try not to dwell on the many experiences in the last 40 years which have been spoiled because of this problem, but the overall cost has been very high. The average person, as well as most therapists, is utterly oblivious as to how soul destroying chronic insomnia can be for long term sufferers.
I urge any of you relatively recent sufferers to seek help and try not to let this problem escalate, as in my experience it certainly doesn't improve with age. Sorry I can't offer any more positive advice.
'Dozydame' wrote on '29:I'm sorry to say I struggle to come up with any positives to having insomnia.
Somehow we survived, but I have never been so relieved to drop off a car and walk in my entire life. I'm still glad we did the trip, but I can't help wondering how much more enjoyable it might have been if only I could just have slept like a normal person. I try not to dwell on the many experiences in the last 40 years which have been spoiled because of this problem, but the overall cost has been very high. The average person, as well as most therapists, is utterly oblivious as to how soul destroying chronic insomnia can be for long term sufferers.
You and I seem to have had very similar experiences on a “once in a lifetime” trip, as well as more ordinary trips. I do know how much more enjoyable many occasions would have been had I only been able to sleep.
With most bipolars of any designation (I, II, NOS–and anything else there might be found in DSM5), insomnia is tied into (hypo)manias, but having had darned few of those hypomanias in my life, I seem to be an anomaly, because I have my worst insomnia during the deepest depressions, with few exceptions. Of course, if I get to sleep and can stay there, I am not interested in getting up until I've had enough sleep. On a trip, or working or in school, or as the parent of a child from babyhood to getting to school without your assistance, this is just not feasible.
I'm off to bed–I've been staying up too late catching up on my email & blog reading/responses.
I was trying to do this last night–come up with some sort of positive. It was hard. I don't see any positives to insomnia. I sit up at night crying after three hours of lying in bed–I used to get out of bed, but now I'm so exhausted that it's hard for me to do so– and during the day I feel like a zombie.
Negatives: School used to come easy for me. Now I have to work 3 or 4 times as hard to get the same amount of work done. My memory has gone way down. My processing speed has gone way down. I keep my husband up when I cry and ruin his sleep, and now he has problems falling asleep. We are going to his family's for Christmas, and I'm terrified of slowing them all down and them thinking I'm this big party pooper, because I have no energy at all. Mood swings, hysterical crying. Depression. Let's see…. I used to have problems sleeping, but never like this. I wonder if it will ever end.
'cherrychapstik' wrote on '15:I sit up at night crying after three hours of lying in bed–I used to get out of bed, but now I'm so exhausted that it's hard for me to do so– and during the day I feel like a zombie.
Negatives: We are going to his family's for Christmas, and I'm terrified of slowing them all down and them thinking I'm this big party pooper, because I have no energy at all. Mood swings, hysterical crying. Depression. Let's see…. I used to have problems sleeping, but never like this. I wonder if it will ever end.
Between my long depressions, and the medications I've been on for bipolar disorder, my reading speed has dropped by about 1/3, and (definitely the psych meds) slowed my processing speed, as well. Avoid topomax, if it is prescribed for you–it has a nickname of “dopomax”, because for many people, it interferes, more than most p-meds, with your short-term memory and word choice. My concentration went down, but I did get some lovely sleep, in the two years it worked for me as a mood stabilizer. YMMV. However, my son shows none of these symptoms, and he's on it for migraine prevention.
I wrote this around 1996:
In 1986 I had a period of 4 months where I could not get to sleep before 3 or 4 am, and had to rise at 6 am. Maybe once a week I would have a 6 hour night, usually on the weekend. I was so groggy it was a miracle I didn't have an accident on the freeway or in the kitchen. A major portion of my marriage has been spent sleeping in rooms other than the one “our” bed is in. For a while after my son's birth, I was so often on the edge of utter exhaustion that I was falling asleep while he nursed. I began to understand what the sleep wormhole looked like, and how to aim towards it, but lately, I can't even get in the same quadrant of the galaxy. I get to sleep more than 3 hours if I'm already on the edge of total exhaustion AND neither the cat nor the baby nor anything else makes a lot of noise, or nothing is aching, or my bladder isn't begging to be emptied.
Imagine the vacations–I have to sheepishly explain to someone why they have found me on the dining room floor in the morning, or I've slept on bathroom or entryway floors, and occasional closets of otherwise nice motels or hotels. I've had fights in the small hours about wanting to go someplace else just so I have a chance of getting an hour or two of dozing. I am unwilling to pay for separate quarters, and ashamed that I need it. I know I'm going to be crabby because I didn't sleep (or not enough) and resentful of those who did, and wishing desperately for the problem to go away. Every trip is overshadowed by the sleeping issue and the dread of the white nights.
Yes, I understand what you go through. I hope you are able to get help soon.
BTW, due to my c-section, I wasn't able to lift my son for a while after birth, because I was supposed to avoid carrying anything over 5 lbs. I didn't find the slider arms comfortable, so I nursed in bed, with A at the center of the bed, so he couldn't roll off. No danger to him when I fell asleep–he usually did too.
Thanks for that Marina. Always nice to know you're not alone. I'm on ambien. I'm about to start taking it only every other day so that I can maybe see how my sleep is during Christmas break with no stressors. Lots of people freaked me out about ambien before I started it, but it's really not so bad. I don't sleep walk/eat/sex/drive. It only lasts for about fourish hours though, and then if my body doesn't want to sleep I'm up for the rest of the night. No dopamax for me! Ambien CR lasts longer, but it's expensive (8 dollars a pill), and I'm waiting on better health insurance to start in January so I couldn't take much.
'cherrychapstik' wrote on '15:Thanks for that Marina. Always nice to know you're not alone. I'm on ambien. I'm about to start taking it only every other day so that I can maybe see how my sleep is during Christmas break with no stressors. Lots of people freaked me out about ambien before I started it, but it's really not so bad. I don't sleep walk/eat/sex/drive. It only lasts for about fourish hours though, and then if my body doesn't want to sleep I'm up for the rest of the night. No dopamax for me! Ambien CR lasts longer, but it's expensive (8 dollars a pill), and I'm waiting on better health insurance to start in January so I couldn't take much.
The fiscal impact of medical treatment is why I'm having my right heel bone spur removed on 31 Dec 10 rather than a convenient time in 2011. New insurance plan is harsher on copays, the deductible before they start paying anything, the medication copays, etc. I had no plans for NYE, anyway–the years we have gone somewhere as a couple, our son has felt left out, but they were not appropriate events for him, and we seem to have stopped going out that night.
I said elsewhere that I had looked at three other insomnia sites, but found them either ineffective suggestions, or self-centered blogs, unlike the setup Martin has created.
I really hope you are able to get some relief.
'LindsayK' wrote on '30:Negative: When the insomnia strikes too badly like last week, I become extremely irritable and unstable moods, which is no good for my kiddos.
Positive: I get a lot of work done.
Im suprised Lindsay can get work done. Researching my phd has bought back my insomnia, and part of sleep-anxiety comes from knowing I wont be able to perform to my best if I haven't slept. A coping technique is simply to work whenever I feel I can, which means I am up mostly until 4/5am working … this is OK for a phd student, but what about the future?
I think we all know the negatives, so I'll try to come up with a positive…
sorry but the best I can come up with is …. “I could have a worse affliction”, (and they say people who suffer form insomnia are generally quite intelligent, this might be bullshit, it could just be that we;re arrogant)
and, it is ironic, people used to tell me don't smoke marijuana (which helped me sleep) because it makes great people average, not saying that I am great, but it certainly made made me lazy … although I insomnia has similar symptoms
There has been nothing positive about my Insomnia – and I usually try to look at the bright side of things!
My lowest lows of Insomnia:
I always struggled with sleeping issues from time to time, but never anything debilitating. Then I went to law school. It is very stressful and there is an endless work load which makes it very easy to get behind.
Okay, back to my lowest lows:
Finals week this last semester. I took a final on o sleep the night before and 1-3 hours the two previous nights. This doesn't seem so bad, but our finals are 100% of our grades. They all occur in 1 1/2 weeks and for most classes are 100% of your grades. If you get severe insomnia like me, much of the hard work is wasted and you will get crapy grades…very upsetting. Also, the night I took 2 Ambiens (10mg) and 5 OTC sleeping pills (equiv of 10 Benadryl) and still only slept a couple hours…but couldn't move the next day.
I could go on and on, but most of the lowest times involve too many sleeping pills sometimes combined with too much alcohol and lck of sleep being detrimental to my school and my life.
'cherrychapstik' wrote on '15:I was trying to do this last night–come up with some sort of positive. It was hard. I don't see any positives to insomnia. I sit up at night crying after three hours of lying in bed–I used to get out of bed, but now I'm so exhausted that it's hard for me to do so– and during the day I feel like a zombie.
Negatives: School used to come easy for me. Now I have to work 3 or 4 times as hard to get the same amount of work done. My memory has gone way down. My processing speed has gone way down. I keep my husband up when I cry and ruin his sleep, and now he has problems falling asleep. We are going to his family's for Christmas, and I'm terrified of slowing them all down and them thinking I'm this big party pooper, because I have no energy at all. Mood swings, hysterical crying. Depression. Let's see…. I used to have problems sleeping, but never like this. I wonder if it will ever end.
How much longer do you have for law school, Aimee?
—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.
I really don't think there are any positives to insomnia, other than one insomniac is probably the only person who really can understand another insomniac and therefore is able to show real empathy.
'fishyherring10' wrote on '02:I really don't think there are any positives to insomnia, other than one insomniac is probably the only person who really can understand another insomniac and therefore is able to show real empathy.
What about the other suggestions for 'positive' aspects offered by other members? Do you agree with any of those? Insomnia can be tough, and it can be very difficult to look for any positives. Sometimes it can help to dig, though. If only to help you cope.
Welcome to the forums, by the way 🙂
—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.
Get involved in this discussion! Log in or register now to have your say!
Want help from a caring sleep coach?
My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. Enroll in my free sleep training course and start improving your sleep today.
- * Get 1 email every day for 2 weeks.
- * Learn how to improve your sleep.
- * Pay nothing (it's free).
Over 10,000 people have taken the course and 98% would recommend it to a friend. Your email address will not be shared or sold. You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy.
