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Buddy370 how are things for you? We sorta met on the client forum a few months ago, and I’m wondering how you’ve done. And Whiskers, how are you?
Welp. Spoke too soon. Now the lexapro is causing insomnia. What a ride we’re on. All the best to you!
Thank you for replying. ☺️. I hope you get the results you’re needing. Just for reference, I’m super sensitive to medication, so starting a normal dose of Lexapro does not work for me. I’ve found that if I take 1/4 of a 5 mg pill in the mornings, it helps a lot with anxiety and I sleep well. I will slowly up that dose to 1/2 a pill in a few weeks. If I need, I’ll up it to 3/4 pill after that. It might be worth a try, if you don’t get success with Martin’s program. All the best!
Hi Pam1129!
I did not finish the course, as things weren’t improving and I was having more anxiety than before I started. I think the course can be super helpful for a lot of people, but looking back, I can now see I was dealing with antidepressant withdrawal and menopause symptoms that gave me lots of anxiety and insomnia, to the point that I couldn’t control it with tools from the course alone. I tried taking progesterone and using estrogen patches, and they relieved all the anxiety, but unfortunately gave me insomnia as well. I’ve now reinstated a microdose of Lexapro and things are much better. Sometimes it’s not just about the psychology of insomnia, but about hormones, brain chemicals, and more. I think Martin’s tools can be useful, but for where I am and was, there was more to the story.Hi there Greenleaf67. It seems like a common theme, post-menopausal and post-antidepressant insomnia. I’m in the same boat. If you’re getting 4-5 hours of sleep during your window, I would count that as a win. Our brains are trying to figure out how to sleep again. I tried a rigid sleep window and a less rigid one. I seem to do better when it’s not so rigid. I’m committed to getting up at 6 am, but sometimes I let myself go to bed early if I’m exhausted. I’m on week 6 of the program, and sleep isn’t especially better. I think my commitment to live a full life, even with no sleep, has improved, and I’m learning how to accept wakefulness. A lot of the learning comes in accepting whatever sleep we get and moving forward as best we can. That’s what I’m focusing on right now.
Good afternoon!
The sleep window is but one tool in Martin’s course. I tried tightening my window, thinking it would solve all my sleep problems, but it didn’t work like I hoped. As tired as I was, the stricter I tried to be, the worse things got, and I was putting too much emphasis on making it work. I’ve moved away from being so strict with my sleep window, and I’m focusing more on the AWAKE tool and just accepting the insomnia. I’m trying not to chase sleep, and I’m filling my days with things that enrich my life and those around me.
I’m not saying the window doesn’t work, but we’re all different, and some tools are more effective than others.
Hope this helps!Chrissie, I’m feeling just like you. The sleep window has definitely not helped, and I feel like things are getting worse with not only sleep, but my anxiety around it. How are you doing now? Did you switch things up?
Whiskers25. I’m so glad you’re getting the help you need. I could tell through your posts that things were not good with you, so I’m relieved to know you’ve found more help. I’m probably doing worse than I was before I started the course when it comes to sleep. The nighttime sleep window is tricky for me. I feel so sleepy about an hour before my window, but I force myself to stay up to the window, and when it comes, I have a second wind, and I’m no longer sleepy. So, I”m rethinking strategy. I will probably give myself more grace with the window and focus more on living a good life on difficult days, as well as accepting difficult thoughts and feelings. Hang in there! I’d love to hear how you’re doing!
How are you two doing? I’m pressing forward, but my sleep hasn’t improved. Still sleeping night on, night off. I’m accepting the panic on the nights I don’t sleep, but it doesn’t seem to help sleep happen. The panic seems to be generated quickly by my brain several times a night and then I don’t sleep. For the most part, I’m accepting it, but sleep is as bad as it has ever been.
I am on the same schedule. One night I sleep, the next I don’t. Have things gotten better for you?
I’m sorry that you’re struggling. I wonder how much sleeping pill withdrawal is playing into things. When I quit Zoloft in March, I too had lots of consecutive nights with little to no sleep. It was a total withdrawal symptom and it stuck around for weeks. I too had an all-nighter the night before last, and it was disappointing, but I’m back on the horse today. Wow. I’m proud of you for sticking it out on so little sleep. Give yourself some time to let that sleeping pill withdrawal exit your system, and things will get better. You got this!
Hi Whiskers25!
I don’t want to be premature, but this week has been pretty good! The first week, my sleep window was 11-5, but it wasn’t working particularly well for me. Not sure why. I was sleeping one night and not the next for a few days. I read somewhere that sometimes just waking up at 6 am is all you need, so I gave it a try. I sometimes stay awake until 11, and sometimes I’m up much later, but I always get up by 6, if not before. I fill up my days with living life, and if I feel super sleepy, I get up and do something. I find that if I stay busy until 10 or 10:30 pm and then relax in bed for a 1/2 hour, I get super sleepy and crash by 11 or so. I’m not adding any sleep time just yet, as I’m not completely confident.
How are you doing?
