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Dear Becky,
I don't think you will find a solution on our list but you will find sympathy which sometimes can feel pretty good. You definitely have a heavier load to carry than I do. I can't speak for anyone else. Ambien does work for me and I use it sparingly so as to give myself a break from sleepless nights once in awhile. My doctor is more than willing to give me all I want since I make one bottle last a long time.
If I were you, I would not talk to my husband about my lack of sleep since he just makes it an opportunity to find false solutions. That could change the dynamic between you two which could improve things. Of course it also might not. It is worth a try.
You can set aside the worry that you are losing your mind. You write like a very intelligent, logical person despite all the problems. You might be suffering, but you are not losing your mind.
Hope this helps a little,
Margaret
It can't hurt to have it tested again, Jayinsf. I have two family members with sleep apnea who have been enormously helped by the new devices. It is actually dangerous in the more advanced forms since your heart stops and your oxygen levels drop. The new aids can make you feel more rested and could improve the quality of your life. It is definitely worth a try.
Margaret
Hi, Bobby,
Thanks for the tip. I live in Idaho so I should be okay for watching the eclipse. Also, we are not having much cloud cover this winter which is very rare. Usually it clouds over for about three months so I would not be able to see it even living on the west coast (and being awake).
As far as my sleep schedule the last couple of nights were pretty bad. I feel so much better on the days I get enough sleep. Only us insomniacs know what a drag it is to plod through the day without much energy. Once in awhile though I get enough and it sure makes a difference.
Margaret
'Jane' wrote on '06:I'll post a picture and you see if you can guess the catchphrase. First one:
Hi, Jane,
I don't know the catchphrase but i wanted to say welcome to the list. I lived in Loughborough for a year in the '80's. We loved sightseeing. England is so beautiful. All except for Loughborough. Ha!
My insomnia is not so much a problem now that certain personal issues are becoming resolved. Still, I have to rely on one or two sort of artificial ways to calm my racing brain. At least they work better now than they did. I sometimes take a Melatonin pill or else drink a beer or glass of wine. Without these aids I would not have a chance of relaxing. I still wake up too early but things are not as bad as they were for about ten years.
Margaret
Welcome to the list, Scott. I had to chuckle when I saw the cause of your insomnia was an upcoming baby. My husband did the same thing forty years ago. His anxiety fell away from him when he first held his little girl in his arms. I hope it will be the same for you. Margaret
Thanks to you Sleeplessinky for explaing CBD and giving the mayo clinic link. Along the lines of getting up instead of laying in bed awake for hours, I have found it to be helpful to read a (not too interesting) book and going so far as to the sofa in the living room and lying down reading under the table lamp. It seems to relieve the pressure of thinking about sleep which the bed induces. I sometimes drop right off. Amazing how relaxing it can be. In the same way, I often can take a nap on that same sofa so I must associate it with being relaxed. Of course, there are sometimes PEOPLE going back and forth in the living room during the day so the nap doesn't usually last too long but even a 10 minute cat nap can be refreshing when you are dopy from lack of sufficient sleep. I hope this helps someone.
Margaret
Dear Sleeplessinsky,
Your post interested me greatly. My son has sleep apnea. His CPAP machine helps him a lot. He does NOT have insomnia. The two conditions are completely opposite. I am appalled that a sleep disorder specialist would have the two confused. One is completely physical, the other can often be more in the realm of psycology or tension. They have more to do with conditions of modern life and can sometimes be relieved by changes in our living conditions. Sleep apnea can never be helped by anything other than a machine.
I hope the doctor told you that Ambien is addictive. I would never take Ambien more than for an occasional night or two and then go off it for, say, a week before taking it again. You might want to consider taking a half dosage even at this sporatic schedule.
What is CBT?
Margaret
Hi, Caers,
I lived in Loughborough. My husband did research. It was an exchange program. The Brit went to live in California that same year. We did lots of sightseeing.
I did not have so much trouble sleeping back then because I took decongestants which made me sleepy. My doctor does not recommend taking them just to sleep so now I have the insommnia. No allergies in Idaho like I had in California and England.
Does anyone else find that decongestants make them sleepy? Do you worry about dependance?
Margaret
Hi, Caers,
I know what you mean about it feeling good when you get some sleep. My insomnia is cyclical…I go without enough sleep for days, feeling wiped out during the day, and then make up for it with a couple of good days. Boy, do I feel better! Sometimes I am able to catch a nap on the day after a sleepless night but often I have to just keep plodding along. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones to even get these brief respites. They are really great though.
Margaret
