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Hi Deb long time no speak. So just to verify, you are pretty much falling asleep and staying asleep no problem these days? If so, congrats, and I appreciate you continuing to post on here.
I personally am doing ok. After my second relapse of 2019 (a little over a month ago) that you may remember me posting about I have since returned to SRT in an even stronger way. After about a week I was doing well again, like I knew I would, but as you know very well, that doesn’t mean much in my world or any insomniac’s world. It’s about maintaining this good sleep and not falling into a downward spiral again. My last one was caused by having a special event the next day if you may recall. I had a bad night as I was anxious about said event, and then this spiraled.
These days now, a month later after this last relapse, I am at a point where I am taking no chances. While I have already began to wean off of the strict 11:30p-6a window, if I have even one bad night then the following night I will revert back to going to bed close to 11:30p again. The problem with beforehand was that instead of doing this, I just assumed things would clear up after a bad night or two, when they would actually just slowly get worse. Last night, ironically enough, I had a flat out bad night. My first in quite some time. I feel awful today but I know that tonight will be a sleep window night, as will tomorrow more than likely, in order to make sure I don’t spiral.
As far as ACT goes, I’ll admit I haven’t implemented it full time or very strongly, but I have done some exercises here and there. If you have any key ACT exercises that you feel definitely helped you that I may not have heard of before, by all means please share.
Good post Karen . Would you mind sharing what mindfulness techniques you use during your 15 minutes per day? Thanks
Hey Deb hope all is well. I am currently in my third wave of SRT for 2019. As you know my problem has been relapses. The difference I’ve decided this time is that I will go even longer, several more months even, before I begin to go off SRT after I begin doing better. I think part of my mistake, during the two times I’ve gone through SRT this year was, possibly weaning off of it too soon. Then slowly but surely the monster of Insomnia came back, whether more naturally like the first time, or triggered by the special event the second.
It was as if the second I felt ok, I would then begin going off SRT, sleeping in on the weekends, going to bed not super tired, etc. So at least I’m going to try something different this time, right? In the last week and a half since I was on here with my second breakdown of the year, I’ve been sleeping better for the most part. Seems as if SRT is working as I knew it would. Around 10:30pm I’m getting that crazy sleep drive where I can no longer keep my eyes open. I head to bed and then I’m out by 11 or so. Some nights I’ve slept until by 6am alarm, others I’ve woken a bit early. Last night was a bit tougher actually. This past Sat and Sun I slept until around 7 though which wasn’t a good thing, but I’ve learned that as long as I don’t go TOO far crazy with sleeping in, and generally stay within that 6-7am timeframe, it’s not the end of the world.
I’ll report back here soon man. In the meantime if you have any other advice or tips, by all means please share.
Well said Deb. Definitely not a straight line for most, especially those trying to heal from chronic insomnia.
Seen it all before, burn. Seen it all before.
I guess after I get through this rough patch I will more than ever before try to implement ACT, but at this point, after so long, I just feel like I should be over this.
The thing is, a bad night is going to happen for everyone. But for people like us, it’s a serious hurdle we need to climb, and for me it’s one of the last ones I have to do, because it has often meant me spiraling back down like I am right now.
I’ve read his book. My first book ever on insomnia. I ended up getting rid of the book when I thought I was over this for food. Perhaps you could give me a brief summary on this “Sabatoge” thought if you’d be so kind?
Yes deb I have to come here now to check. No more emails even tho it says I’m subscribed.
With regards to my anxiety I just don’t know what to do deb, Bc when I get into a good phase let me tell you I am fine! No bad worries during the day or anything. It’s as if insomnia never existed at some points. Hard to believe I know, but true. What happens is when a bad night comes, then all the worries start flooding back in a bit.
Crazy how things like that are totally completely gone for me (bad dreams, doing something to TRY and fall asleep) yet I still fall back into deep holes like I am now. Been skimming through some posts on here that I’ve missed over the last couple of weeks. Seems like a lot of people are very much on the right track. But while I’ve read a lot of good words and advice, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see it all before, 10 times over. For me insomnia just seems like a never ending cycle that at this point (and I know, this is bad to say) I truly sometimes think I may never get over it for good. Sure I’ve improved tremendously but to be back at such a bad place in the last week is beyond heartbreaking and just makes me feel hopeless. Weds night I slept well in my 11:30p-6a window, but last night I woke at 5am, way too early. I know this is all part of adapting to the window again and eventually more good nights will happen, but it’s just all the same game to me. WHEN am I finally going to break through? Deb you were right the other day that while I’ve improved, the sleep anxiety is still very much there in me, underneath it all, just waiting to be retriggered by an off night or two of sleep.
Give me some info on the background of your Insomnia. How/why did it begin?
There are all sorts of things which are keys to remaining calm, from being sure to not look at the clock to learning how to accept the anxious thoughts that are traveling through your body and just relax. Plenty more. For starters though you need to begin SRT before you can even begin trying to really get better.
Your post is the truth and is what it’s all about. Thank you for sharing what I would probably write one day.
I remember those afraid of the bedroom days. I’d walk in there like a criminal walking to the electric chair let me tell you. Long gone now are those days, yet here I still am!
Has nothing to do with gluten imo. I too have experienced the (albeit rare) days of actually feeling so sleep deprived that dizziness happens. Steve knows I’m sure, after much trial and error, that this comes down to anxiety like nothing else. There’s a reason that on nights when I feel great and cheery and well that I sleep better, and on nights when I worry, after a more stressful day perhaps, that I seem to struggle more. I’m sorry about your daughter, that is rough, but I feel like anyone would have a problem sleeping after a traumatic event such as that.
Thanks Steve, I appreciate that so much. Even just a little bit of conversation helps me. It has many times throughout this year. Yes it was a rather poor 6 hours last night. Crashed out around 11:30p and woke around 5:15a I’d say. Again this was my first night reverting back to SR so the anxious thoughts were a little more relevant as 10:30p and 11p passed me by while watching TV. As the days pass, that feeling will go away and 11:30p will feel normal again. Its as if I’ve seen this same movie 20,000 times and I always know what will happen. I know all the in’s and out’s of insomnia now. I know that once back in a pit of a bad phase there is no overnight cure. It takes at least a solid week to start coming out of it. With regards to SC, if by that you mean getting out of bed if I can’t sleep, then no, because that is no longer an issue for me. I’m usually out within 20-25 minutes of going to bed and when I DO wake up too early, I typically do fall back asleep, however the problem is that it’s a broken/light sleep that leaves me feeling unrefreshed when I finally wake up for good at 6am.
