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I have faith in hypnotherapy for various ailments or behaviours, but unfortunately found it was no help to me for insomnia. However everyone reacts differently and a lot has to do with the skill,understanding and methods of the therapist. It's worth giving it a try especially if they have had success previously. Are they willing to let you talk to any previously successful patients?
'ezgeez' wrote:When I first started trying to treat my insomnia I embarked on this very focussed therapy called Sleep Restriction. It is one of the most empirically-based methods–by that meaning that, if you try to locate papers on scientifically based behavioural treatments for insomnia in a website like psycNET, it comes up a lot. However, despite sticking to it meticulously, it did not work at all for me, and the result was a redoubling of despair and depression afterwards. With the help of a counsellor I saw that there were other issues in my life worth looking at, and the sleep did start improving once I started looking at those.
I first went to a Sleep Lab around 30 years ago. They were really more interested in Sleep Apnea, but they suggested a treatment they called Sleep Deprivation Therapy. I suspect this is the same as the Sleep Restriction you describe. Like you, I found it totally unhelpful and in fact made me feel a whole lot worse. It would appear that not much has changed in 30 years if they are still recommending this treatment. I have been to another Sleep Lab in the last 8 years or so, and although they didn't recommend Sleep Deprivation, they didn't come up with much else either. Once again it was clear they were far more interested in Sleep Apnea.
I agree with you that focussing too much attention on your insomnia is very self defeating and these days I try not to get upset about it no matter what happens or what I have to do the next day. I have found I feel much better if I just try to relax and get as much rest as I can without worrying about whether or not I am actually sleeping. If I am too restless for that I just read for a while until I feel sleepy and try again. My number one rule, though is NEVER look at the clock to see the time or how much sleep I might have had or how long before I have to get up. I have found over the years that I always feel less tired if I don't actually know how little sleep I've had. I also use “Sleep Tracks” Whole Night on repeat which I believe helps me to sleep, but seems to help me relax more even if I can't sleep. Since I've started using it religiously every night, some months now, I have almost completely stopped using any kind of drugs. I might take a Temazepam once every couple of months if I really feel the need, but almost never. Interestingly, I haven't taken anti depressants either since I started using “Sleep Tracks” even though I have had a lot of anxiety recently. In the past, I have usually found the two go together. I am not reading too much into this at this stage, but just making the observation.
I have written about “Sleep Tracks” in an earlier post for those who don't know about it. Incidentally, it isn't like relaxation music – it is more like “white noise” that is supposed to balance your brain chemistry. It is about the only thing I've tried in 40 odd years that actually helps besides drugs.
Ezgeez after over 40 years of chronic insomnia, I am only too well aware of how pressure affects sleep patterns. However, after trying every kind of treatment known to man, it has become apparent to me that not a single one of the therapists I've been to actually has much of an understanding of insomnia – it's causes, effects, effective treatment or the type of person likely to be afflicted with it. Until I joined Insomnialand I had never met or communicated with any other person who had actually suffered from or understood it. So this forum has given me the opportunity to gain some valuable insights which I might otherwise never have known.
Since it's unlikely there will be money to be made out of treating it, there seems to be very little interest in researching and understanding insomnia among medical proffessionals. Therefore I feel it's incumbent upon those of us who suffer with it to do as much research of our own as we can. That way, there may come a day when there might be some treatment options available besides sleeping pills or chamomile tea! Or even better, perhaps some preventative techniques which potentially susceptible individuals might employ to avoid it in the first place.
Hi All,
I think for me, there is a definite link between insomnia and depression. I'm just not sure which comes first. Sometimes I don't realise I'm falling back into a depressed state until I've had a few sleepless nights, but insomnia is a really a strong indicator of depression. It would be interesting to know if anyone is insomniac but doesn't suffer from depression. It might be helpful to know if they are linked or whether, in fact, one actually causes the other. Anyone??
Definitely not weird!! There's nothing more frustrating than being an insomniac and living with someone who couldn't stay awake if they tried. Well welcome, at least here you'll get lots of support from people who know exactly how you feel.
I too feel like I'm more of a nightowl and can't believe it when I start to feel human about 6pm after dragging myself around all day in total exhaustion. I've been an insomniac for over 40 years and my own mother still says things like “have you thought of having a hot milk drink?” Grrrrrrrrr
I just had a thought about the nocturnal thing…….. I was born in England but have lived nearly all my life in Australia. Do you think it's possible your body clock is set at birth and stays that way even though you move to a different time zone??? :wacko:
Yes Bobby, couldn't agree more. Once again it's the assumption that sleeping is simply a choice.
Well all I can say is if not getting much sleep is such a health hazard, I should nearly be at death's door. Yet after over 40 years of chronic insomnia (apart from the obvious side effects) I appear to be remarkably healthy. Makes me wonder what I would have been like if I'd been sleeping all this time??? 🙄
Hi Uly and Welcome. Thanks for sharing so much about yourself. I hope you find some useful and helpful information contained in these pages. I look forward to your future contributions to the forum.
When I joined this group, I had never met another insomniac so didn't know if there were any common links between sufferers. However the more I read from the members here, it appears to me that intelligent, creative thinkers are more prone to insomnia. I suppose it makes sense that your mind will be more active and your imagination more easily stimulated if you fall into this category.
I don't know if this observation is in any way useful in the eternal quest for a few decent nights sleep, but maybe knowing you're smart enough to be an insomniac is some kind of “consolation prize”! Hehe.
What do you think??? Martin? Anyone??
Hi Kate and Welcome. I'm sure you'll get some good support from the members here and hopefully pick up some useful info that might help you. Although it's always good to see new folks joining us here it seems like insomnia is becoming more prevalent – and that's certainly not a good thing. Look forward to hearing more from you in the coming weeks.
'Dozydame' wrote on '25:Aimee did you ever try “Sleep Tracks”?
Hi again Aimee. I did respond the last time you asked me about Sleep Tracks, but I'm not sure you read it. Anyway, here it is again. BTW Yan (from Sleep Tracks) has recently come out with some improved versions of some of the tracks, but I haven't tried them yet. They are now also on Facebook if you want to ask any questions before purchasing.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hpskip#!/SleepTracks
Well one of the reasons I haven't done a review of Sleep Tracks is because I stopped using it as soon as my sleep improved – which is not really the reccommended way to use it. The reason I stopped using it is because I didn't want to be trying to stay awake until the end of the track so that I could take my earphones out and turn my mp3 player off and risk waking myself up again in the process. I figured that since I'd started falling asleep more easily I'd just see how it went. I am thinking of buying a product called SleepPhones which is like a headband with built in headphones which you just plug your iPod into but leave on all night and blocks noise also. They are out of stock at the moment though.
Anyway, I did use the Fall Asleep track, the Whole Night track and the Insomnia Buster track. I found I preferred the Fall Asleep track because it was shorter – about 20 minutes. I also did use the Whole Night track on loop, but am not sure it made much difference. All I can tell you is that I was just not able to get to sleep at all without drugs for quite a while (but I'm really leery of using drugs much because I've been hooked on them before and don't want to go there again – so only every 3rd night) anyway within about 6 days of starting Sleep Tracks I found that I began to at least fall asleep again. I wish I could tell you that I'm now sleeping like a baby, but sadly not. However, I am getting some sleep most nights and am feeling more rested AND I've stopped taking drugs again. Most importantly, I'm now going to bed expecting to get some sleep instead of dreading another night of NO sleep. It seemed like it just broke the cycle I was on and allowed a better cycle to begin. After 40 years of insomnia I'm well acquainted with the fact that I go through cycles with it, but I still can't work out what the triggers are. Before I tried Sleep Tracks I tried hypnotherapy again but it made no difference at all. That last bad patch was the worst I've ever had and I was feeling absolutely desperate.
When I read about Sleep Tracks, like you I thought I really had nothing to lose and in fact they offer a money back guarantee if after 60 days you're not happy with it. I don't know how easy it is to actually get a refund, but the guy does come across as pretty genuine and you do get follow up info once you start the program.
Hope this helps Aimee and if you do try it I'll be really interested to see how it worked for you. Maybe you'll be a little more disciplined than me and use it correctly. Best of luck!
Aimee did you ever try “Sleep Tracks“?
Hi Aimee. I so relate to everything you've said here. One of the best things about this forum for me, is the opportunity to vent your frustration and distress to people who actually understand how you feel.
Over the past 40 years of trying to cope with “the highs and lows of insomnia” I really believe the lows have probably been exacerbated by other peoples' complete lack of understanding and sensitivity. Most of us have discussed how annoying it is having to contend with well intentioned people suggesting simplistic cures like herbal teas, hot milk etc. (when you've tried everything known to man including every sleeping pill ever made) but I have some friends who seem to think it's some kind of joke. If I'm foolish enough to mention feeling tired, or not having slept much last night I get comments like “Oh well, you haven't slept for 40 years anyway, have you? Hahaha……” 😡
Oh to just be a normal person who goes to bed and wakes up 8 hours later feeling refreshed…….I honestly can't remember what that feels like! 🙁
Hi Ivan.
I can't imagine what you are going through. It seems you have already had way too much pain to deal with in your young life.
I sincerely hope you find the strength to hang in there and that your girlfriend will be fine.
I hope it helps to know others are thinking of you and sending you love and support from the other side of the world.
Please keep us informed.
Can you take something to knock yourself out for a few hours? As we all know things never seem as bad after you get some sleep.
I wish I could offer you something more than this, Ivan.
Please take care of yourself.
xx
Hi xdunlapx,
Welcome and thanks for sharing with us. I don't think I'm qualified to offer much in the way of advice or help, except to say that I find caffeine has a very noticeable negative effect on my sleeping patterns, so I try to avoid it as much as I can. I'm sure cutting down on caffeine would have to improve your chances of sleeping and maybe it might help with the anxiety as well. I too know how horrible anxiety is to deal with and that's going to make sleep much more difficult as well.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you're doing.
