[Marc]

I am presently in my early 70s. About 7 years ago I stopped sleeping. Just shut down completely without warning. I’ve come to learn the cause is probably a lifetime of depression. Early on I was found to need CPAP but that only brought my SpO2 back up into normal range. beginning of the third yr I developed a constant and debilitating heachache diagnosed as NDPH – unkown cause, no cure and difficult to treat. Same yr developed cardiac issues resulting in 2 ablations a yr apart. I have found no help: acupuncture, CBT, I’m not compatible per a genetic test with any but one anti-depressant (and that was not tolerated), a light therapy device to be used within the first hour out of bed, the Alpha-Stim AID device, a D.O. clinic for far out stuff, psychotherapy, about 70 treatments of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation during which a couple times I could actually experience my brain trying to respond, all insomnia Rxs failed except Lunesta (after several years getting the 4 hr sleep up front this last Spring started to fail), Melatonin, Ashwagandha, Magnesium, combinations of, Lavender scent, CBN, CBD (high enough dose left me too drowsy next day), combinations. Even had a small deviated septum and Turbanectomy done. I recently underwent Ketamine Infusion Therapy for the headache which didn’t help, but the anaesthesiologist was so concerned about my lack of sleep that he had me begin experimenting with Delta 9, Delta 8, different doses, brands and combinations. That experiment is about finished. The Delta 9 gave me a full night’s sleep but unbearably drowsy each following day. Currently back on the Lunesta having given the tolerance I had built up enough time to adjust back. First night with the combo was wondrous, then NOT. So 4 nights in with the Lunesta in the mix with different doses of Delta 8 I’m awake all night. Why the Lunesta Isn’t helping anymore I don’t understand. The only benefit thus far is these nights are comfortable using the 8. If the Lunesta has to be chucked, the only other sleep med that works is Halcion but it’s meant for only a couple weeks. I had hoped the Delta would be enough because I understand any Rx does not provide “restorative” sleep. My sleep hygiene is perfect. Any help would be appreciated.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Marc. Reason: added info

[Martin Reed]

Hello Marc and welcome to the forum.

At the current time, what time do you go to bed at night, what time do you get out of bed in the morning, and roughly how many hours of sleep do you get on an average night?

When you experience nighttime wakefulness, how do you currently respond to it?

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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 Mastery 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.

[Marc]

I am incapable of falling asleep or staying asleep without meds. I am unable to nap during the daytime.
For the several years the 2mg Lunesta was working I usually got 4 hrs up front but sometimes could have delayed falling asleep and on rare occasion no sleep. Nothing I did was different so don’t know why. Anyway, 4 hours doesn’t cut it. I struggled adding many dif supplements over time to no avail.
Now experimenting w Delta 8 and now had to add back the Lunesta having spent several months without because had developed tolerance (9 I slept but days too drowsy).
I’ve had extensive CBT-I, so adhere to the sleep restriction somewhat. I never deviate from 6AM getting up for the day. While experimenting a couple months ago with Delta 9, I added more time upfront because I was getting more sleep and didnt want to lose out on more sleep than I had ever gotten. so currently have my multiple times for taking Delta 8, CBD and Lunesta to allow going to bed at 10:15 and because of the Delta 8 am asleep within a few minutes (I schedule all night preparations so that I expect to be asleep by 10:30).
I have no anxiety about not falling asleep or waking up and not falling back asleep, though early on there was some of that, very little. I am disciplined enough that I meditate (breathing focus) to help go to sleep.
my plan is to reduce my sleep time if over the course of another month I should find what I am doing is stable. So, if I’m awakening for good at 5:00, getting 6.5 hrs sleep before that, I will move toward goal of reducing sleep by 1 hr. This 6.5 hr sleep is new to me, so if the formula and customized strategy I am using particularly with the Delta 8 – with little to no daytime drowsiness, I will take that as a huge victory.

[Martin Reed]

Hello again, Marc!

If you have no anxiety about not falling asleep or waking up and not falling back asleep, why is sleep a concern for you at the current time?

If you didn’t take medication, do you think you would remain awake indefinitely? Perhaps even for 365 days straight, without even a minute of sleep?

I wonder if all the effort to sleep might be making sleep a bit more difficult?

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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 Mastery 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.

[Marc]

not at all. If I didn’t take something, I wouldn’t sleep. Proven time and again. Bonkers – So, for 7 years now I’ve been barely hanging on until lately here when I got onto Deltas 8 and 9, but have had to return to the Lunesta. Thankfully, the several months I had to go without brought back its efficacy. In 2015 the sleep abruptly stopped and I’ve never gotten it back. The 3 years of battling this finally took its toll and several parts of me went south – the NDPH started, the cardiac arrhythmias started and the stomach pain got out of control. That next 3 years were a living hell. i literally survived minute to minute because of the exhaustion and these other consequences. I know no one can really understand the Hell I went through. the Lunesta usually gave me 4 hours but that wasn’t enough to make much of a difference. During those years I was trying first on my own doing things like Benadryl (tolerance developed in a short time) and Melatonin, then with my doctor then doctors trying out various antidepressants etc. All of that took time. In terms of sleep anxiety, I was so early on used to this state of sleep that I knew naturally as well as reading on the subject that anxiety would only make things worse. To your Q about 365, I don’t know. What I do know is that I’ve gone days without sleep and that no matter severity of exhaustion, sleep evaded me. When I get little to no sleep, I can barely get through the day and my chest is heavy. In the last few days I seem to have found somewhat of a solution that’s giving me usually 6.5 hours. I take 25 mg Delta 8 (9 would get me sleep but too drowsy the next day and less than the 9’s 10 mg left me without sleep) an hour before lights out, then another 25 as I turn into bed, and the Lunesta 2 mg 30 min before lights out.
This is my last resort, having unsuccessfully been through about 70 TransCranial Magnetic Stim. Since the Botox kicked in for the headache a year ago (that required 10 months of treatment before that happened), my NDPH is usually at a tolerable level. With the better sleep, the stomach hurts much less.
I should mention that I’ve desired a natural solution to the sleep because what does concern me is that Rx meds do not provide Restorative sleep. At this point, I’ll take anything.
Thanks for your interest Martin.

[Martin Reed]

Things sounds really difficult for you, Marc. It seems as though your current approach might not be proving to be particularly helpful or workable — so perhaps a new approach could be worth exploring?

An approach that doesn’t try to fight or avoid wakefulness and all the difficult thoughts and feelings that can come with insomnia, an approach that moves away from trying to sleep or avoid wakefulness and toward simply creating good conditions for sleep to happen while focusing on actions that are in our control and keep us moving toward the kind of life we want to live, even in the presence of all the difficult stuff that’s out of our control.

Such an approach is usually very different to everything we’ve previously tried and it can be very challenging to implement — and that’s why most of us continue on the path of trying to fight or avoid all this difficult stuff, even when we’ve been tangled up in the struggle for years or even decades without long term success.

I wish you all the best, Marc, and I hope things improve for you.

—

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 Mastery 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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