[zac]

Hi Mona,
I understand your situation and have recently been there myself. Something to consider, read my posts in the below link, especially my last post in that thread:

Does Sleep Restriction Therapy work with an underlying Anxiety/Depression cond.

[zac]

Hi Lauren,
I understand your situation and have recently been there, including the stomach pain. Something to consider, read my posts in the below link, especially my last post in that thread:

Does Sleep Restriction Therapy work with an underlying Anxiety/Depression cond.

Hope you get relieve soon.

Zac.

[zac]

Hi alabates,
See my last post in the below link, for my theory on SR, Depression/Anxiety and medication….it’s all about chemical balance before things improve.

Does Sleep Restriction Therapy work with an underlying Anxiety/Depression cond.

[zac]

Thanks Martin and Elmtree57 for your responses.
I was hoping someone may offer something on the pain I mentioned…….re ‘as I have attempted SR four times now and have failed’ re……’then the painful physical symptoms commence in the form of Stomach Gastritis with breathing difficulties. It is now after the commencement of the painful physical symptoms, that I cannot go on with a ‘short window’ in bed, and need to remain in bed awake and resting for longer hours due to the physical pain……and then you have my SRT attempt failing.’…….curious if others have experienced physical pain on SR and got through it or failed?

Martin, you mention SR re…..’generate difficult thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and even though it might lead to some additional sleep disruption over the short term.’…….these I can all handle, but it’s the physical pain I mentioned, that I can’t cope with, as it physically weakens you, and makes it impossible to go on with only a very short window of laying around.

As I have mentioned, I have known about Sleep Restriction for over 20 years (see my initial post), and attempted it four times. Here is my theory on why SR doesn’t work for all……it is all to do with the balance of your neurotransmitters, ie. Serotonin, GABA, Norepinephrine, Dopamine, etc.. My theory is people with neurotransmitters within normal ranges have more success at succeeding with SR, if their insomnia is a learnt behavior. In my case, I have had pathology testing and my Serotonin and GABA neurotransmitters are below normal range. Depression and Anxiety are normally associated with difficult thoughts, feelings, and emotions, but in some of us, there is also physical pain, which is in my case, and it is this pain that I am blaming for failing my SR attempts.

I welcome to hear from others, who have had their neurotransmitters tested pre commencing SR, were in the low range, and experience pain, and have succeeded with SR? I am happy to be proven wrong on my theory?

I am an advocate of SR, as I do believe my arousal in bed is a learnt behavior, but Depression and Anxiety with a pain component brought on by the stress of SR, is the barrier stopping SR succeeding. In the past when I have been on ADs my pain threshold is high and I don’t get Gastritis issues and my whole digestive system seem to work better.

So, my plan is to go back on ADs, give them a couple of months to restore my neurotransmitters to normal ranges, and then attempt SR again – what do you think?

I know Martin you mentioned to me above re…’no medication can generate sleep’…..yes I agree, but with the ADs, not using them for sleep, I am hoping to get my body chemistry right, and then when I attempt SR there will be no physical pain for the stress of SR, and sleep will come.

PS. I have used ADs in the past in an attempt to restore sleep, but never a really restorative sleep, but I used to lay in bed awake for long periods of time……now implementing SR, hoping it will be different this time around.

regards,
Zac.

[zac]

Thanks Chee for your response…..re ‘Give yourself lots of time and patience It will settle down eventually and then as you begin letting go, these episodes will happen less’….yes i like this thought and will take it on board.

Thanks Angeli, yes I am aware for Claire Week’s book, I read it many years ago…..good to remind myself though on letting fear go.

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