How long can we Function on No Sleep??

[[Fi...]]

I have experienced sleep deprivation prior to any benzodiazepine use and I have experienced sleep deprivation after withdrawing from benzodiazepines. I can honestly and unequivocally say that it was far more dangerous for myself and others for me to drive and to operate other potentially dangerous machinery while being sleep deprived after withdrawing from benzodiazepines. For the safety of HopeToHeal and others that may be affected by sleep deprivation,  I hope they will seek professional assistance.

[[Th...]]

I hope people seek professional assistance too...but what is the possible recourse other than more Rx drugs?

 

IMO people put too much faith in "medical professionals" when trying to get help with sleep.

 

CBTi is basically worthless during Benzo induced insomnia and that is the biggest recommendation that I received from 4 different "sleep" doctors instead of drugs.

The other sleep docs wanted me to try Mirtzapine, Seroquel, Doxepin, Amitriptyline. etc....it was Rx city!

Sleep hygiene is also basically worthless during Benzo induced insomnia for pretty much everyone?

In fact, nothing short of another Rx drug will touch Benzo induced insomnia for almost everyone going through it?

 

I too experienced sleep deprivation prior to Benzos; that's what put me on Benzos in the first place.  For me, the two types of insomnia were completely different.  Prior to Benzos, if I had a bad or zero night for 1 or 2 nights in a row, I always got at least 4-5 hours the next night. That never happened during Benzo WD induced insomnia.  I went for months on 5-10  hours per week, but never got that low of sleep outside of Benzo use.

 

Almost everyone I have read about and conversed with on this forum for the past 5 years had no issues with nodding off regardless of the activity during Benzo induced insomnia.  Your results may vary!

 

If there is a chance you could nod off while driving or operating dangerous equipment, then by all means please do not engage in that activity.

 

But expecting medical professionals to help with or "cure" your insomnia outside of additional drug use is only setting yourself up to be very disappointed. 

[[Sh...]]

Agreed theway. I sort out medical help, and was put on lexapro, mertazapine, amitriptiline, dotheipine, rohypnol, zyprexa…. U get the idea. I can say hand on heart, I was completely unable to function on this “help”. In fact i many times was unable to drive and would have to get my elderly father to help pick up my kids from school. Some days I needed his help to make their lunch. Right now I am sleeping 0-3 hrs, am basically fully functional, and never feel like I am putting myself or anyone else at risk. I actually reverse park better than most men (take it easy boys it’s a fact) and my children are well cared for, have clean clothes and everything they need is given to them. My house is neat and clean and all bills paid. I look like everyone else, I wear clean clothes and my hair is well maintained. So my point is you can absolutely function on this amount of sleep. I hate it! I wish it would stop yes. I’m not thriving but I am functioning. I’m doing everything expected of me as a parent and member of the community.

 

Let’s not forget nikolas Tesla and issac Newton 2 of the greatest minds slept less that 4 hrs a night. Now, yes both had breakdowns, but look what they were able to achieve! On next to no sleep. There’s better stories for us benzo insomniacs to read to put our minds at rest, better to read stories of hope than articles that are designed to frighten people into thinking they are going to die from heart disease or fatal insomnia.

 

And I’m not even directing that towards you FI. If you research insomnia on the internet, all you will find are stories of doom and gloom, setting anyone suffering with the affliction up for stress and anxiety, which sends them to the dr for help and usually onto Benzos.

 

Drs recommend 8 hrs a night, but lots of people survive and thrive on much less.

 

https://historythings.com/4-historical-geniuses-who-didnt-sleep/

[[He...]]

Agreed theway. I sort out medical help, and was put on lexapro, mertazapine, amitriptiline, dotheipine, rohypnol, zyprexa…. U get the idea. I can say hand on heart, I was completely unable to function on this “help”. In fact i many times was unable to drive and would have to get my elderly father to help pick up my kids from school. Some days I needed his help to make their lunch. Right now I am sleeping 0-3 hrs, am basically fully functional, and never feel like I am putting myself or anyone else at risk. I actually reverse park better than most men (take it easy boys it’s a fact) and my children are well cared for, have clean clothes and everything they need is given to them. My house is neat and clean and all bills paid. I look like everyone else, I wear clean clothes and my hair is well maintained. So my point is you can absolutely function on this amount of sleep. I hate it! I wish it would stop yes. I’m not thriving but I am functioning. I’m doing everything expected of me as a parent and member of the community.

 

Let’s not forget nikolas Tesla and issac Newton 2 of the greatest minds slept less that 4 hrs a night. Now, yes both had breakdowns, but look what they were able to achieve! On next to no sleep. There’s better stories for us benzo insomniacs to read to put our minds at rest, better to read stories of hope than articles that are designed to frighten people into thinking they are going to die from heart disease or fatal insomnia.

 

And I’m not even directing that towards you FI. If you research insomnia on the internet, all you will find are stories of doom and gloom, setting anyone suffering with the affliction up for stress and anxiety, which sends them to the dr for help and usually onto Benzos.

 

Drs recommend 8 hrs a night, but lots of people survive and thrive on much less.

 

https://historythings.com/4-historical-geniuses-who-didnt-sleep/

 

This was extremely beneficial for me to read. Thanks for the link too.

[[Fi...]]

Agreed theway. I sort out medical help, and was put on lexapro, mertazapine, amitriptiline, dotheipine, rohypnol, zyprexa…. U get the idea. I can say hand on heart, I was completely unable to function on this “help”. In fact i many times was unable to drive and would have to get my elderly father to help pick up my kids from school. Some days I needed his help to make their lunch. Right now I am sleeping 0-3 hrs, am basically fully functional, and never feel like I am putting myself or anyone else at risk. I actually reverse park better than most men (take it easy boys it’s a fact) and my children are well cared for, have clean clothes and everything they need is given to them. My house is neat and clean and all bills paid. I look like everyone else, I wear clean clothes and my hair is well maintained. So my point is you can absolutely function on this amount of sleep. I hate it! I wish it would stop yes. I’m not thriving but I am functioning. I’m doing everything expected of me as a parent and member of the community.

 

Let’s not forget nikolas Tesla and issac Newton 2 of the greatest minds slept less that 4 hrs a night. Now, yes both had breakdowns, but look what they were able to achieve! On next to no sleep. There’s better stories for us benzo insomniacs to read to put our minds at rest, better to read stories of hope than articles that are designed to frighten people into thinking they are going to die from heart disease or fatal insomnia.

 

And I’m not even directing that towards you FI. If you research insomnia on the internet, all you will find are stories of doom and gloom, setting anyone suffering with the affliction up for stress and anxiety, which sends them to the dr for help and usually onto Benzos.

 

Drs recommend 8 hrs a night, but lots of people survive and thrive on much less.

 

https://historythings.com/4-historical-geniuses-who-didnt-sleep/

 

This was extremely beneficial for me to read. Thanks for the link too.

 

I am still concerned for the safety of sleep deprived drivers and the consequences that sleep deprivation may cause to them and others. The statistics  stated in the above linked article: "According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2015, U.S. police reported 90,000 motor vehicle crashes that involved sleep-deprived drivers." imo, based upon my observations of long-haul over the road truck drivers and others, that statistic is likely very much underestimated. Be Safe Out There! 

[[Th...]]

But sleep deprivation induced by Benzos or other Rx drugs is NOT the same as "simple" or "regular" sleep deprivation that most people experience!

It's an apples to oranges comparison between "regular" sleep deprivation and drug induced sleep deprivation!

 

Benzos change and alter your brain chemistry so even if you don't sleep, you feel wired all the time...I couldn't sleep, couldn't nod off if I wanted to and couldn't nap. 

Today, I can do all of those things since I am healed.

 

Case and point:  Our family drove to Florida in March.  Our hotel in Birmingham, AL was given to another party so we ended up driving all night...24 hours to be exact from Wisconsin to Florida!

 

I hadn't slept since 3:00 am the day before and was majorly sleep deprived.  We pulled over for an hour or so at a way side and I was so tired (sleep drive caused by adenosine build up in my brain) that I slept for45 minutes to an hour before we continued driving.

 

Again, the point is that never would have happened during the thick of my Benzo induced insomnia.  Since I am healed now, I am back to experiencing what sleep deprivation feels like that is not Benzo induced and it is different.  Both make you feel tired and involve concentration and other mental issues, but I don't feel "wired" like I used to during Benzo WD.  Now I can nod off or take a nap!

 

I would bet the farm that there were probably less than 10 out of 90,000 benzo induced insomnia drivers involved in crashes? And I am not talking about people currently on Benzos involved in crashes, I mean people that quit CT or tapered off and then were hit with drug/Benzo induced insomnia and nodded off behind the wheel causing a crash!

 

It just doesn't happen.  As Shayna said, we know our bodies better than doctors and can function and make decisions without being reckless or unsafe.

 

But I still have to qualify this by saying if there's any chance you could nod off, then please be safe and don't drive or operate equipment that could harm you or others!

 

 

[[He...]]

If the entire problem is that you can't sleep, you're highly unlikely to fall asleep at the wheel.

[[Qu...]]

I don't think all the people sleep deprived during benzo withdrawal are functional, but surely on average we have lots of adrenaline during the day which at least partially offset sleep privation.

RX drugs for sleeping may help but individual reactions are different and here is my point: sleeping and being sedated are two different things. It's OK taking 50mg seroquel and sleeping 7h, it's not OK taking 50mg seroquel getting 3h of sedation and feeling zombified for the rest of the day. In the latter case it's better taking nothing.

A big problem during withdrawal is that lots of RX drugs at decent dosage simply do not work and at higher dosage just give mild sedation and lots of grugginess. Sleeping 6-8h taking a proper small amount of an RX isn't bad per se. It's a good trade off. Unfortunately it's a trade off not always available for many people here. Many of us are trying to find relief from sleeping aids at therapeutic dosages that likely would knock out a normal person and just get a couple of hours with side effects attached. Benzo withdrawal may give you a drug resistant insomnia which is difficult to treat for the majority of doctors. The more experienced and honest doctors I met 1) recognize benzo withdrawal may take lots of time, 2) are aware that many symptoms are benzo related and avoid unsuitable treatment (like starting an AD therapy when you're not actually depressed), 3) avoid big changes and multiple prescription, 4) know that finding a proper RX aid sometimes it's more an art than a science and also a matter of luck.

[[Sh...]]

Case and point, 1.5 unisom, zero sleep feel like shit but I can still drive.

[[Ne...]]

Add me to the list of benzo injured who get at the most 3 broken hours of what may be perceived sleep and my mind is not all tired.  This is the one saving grace I have from these many sleepless nights.  Benzo-induced insomnia is very different for me than insomnia in general.

[[He...]]

Add me to the list of benzo injured who get at the most 3 broken hours of what may be perceived sleep and my mind is not all tired.  This is the one saving grace I have from these many sleepless nights.  Benzo-induced insomnia is very different for me than insomnia in general.

 

How long have you had benzo induced insomnia? Have you tried any sleep supplements?

 

HM

[[Ne...]]

Heartmost:  I went off 39 days ago and for the first 33 days or so, I had mostly zero nights of sleep.  When I first came off, I had two nights of 6 hours of sleep but the rest was pretty much of zero sleep nights with sleep going downhill from there.  For the last six nights, i am getting some light broken sleep (perhaps 2 to 3 hours) based on my husband saying that I am snoring and that my nights are getting shorter.  In the beginning, I tried time release 5 mg melatonin, CBD oil, CBD gummies with melatonin, GABA, magnesium, Unisom, and Calm Forte but none of these really did anything for me.  In fact, the next morning after i took these sleeping aids,  I found myself upset that it did not help.  What ThEAy2 had to say about sleep drive being destroyed by the benzos resonated with me as my brain is not tired and I don't even feel physically tired (I feel very lucky in this respect).  I have learned to meditate and the Calm app really has helped me - not to help me sleep but more with putting me in a better frame of mind to accept all of this while my brain continues to heal.  Best wishes on your journey as we navigate through this.  I am determined to have this be a learning experience and to come out the other side stronger and a more confident me!

[[He...]]

Heartmost:  I went off 39 days ago and for the first 33 days or so, I had mostly zero nights of sleep.  When I first came off, I had two nights of 6 hours of sleep but the rest was pretty much of zero sleep nights with sleep going downhill from there.  For the last six nights, i am getting some light broken sleep (perhaps 2 to 3 hours) based on my husband saying that I am snoring and that my nights are getting shorter.  In the beginning, I tried time release 5 mg melatonin, CBD oil, CBD gummies with melatonin, GABA, magnesium, Unisom, and Calm Forte but none of these really did anything for me.  In fact, the next morning after i took these sleeping aids,  I found myself upset that it did not help.  What ThEAy2 had to say about sleep drive being destroyed by the benzos resonated with me as my brain is not tired and I don't even feel physically tired (I feel very lucky in this respect).  I have learned to meditate and the Calm app really has helped me - not to help me sleep but more with putting me in a better frame of mind to accept all of this while my brain continues to heal.  Best wishes on your journey as we navigate through this.  I am determined to have this be a learning experience and to come out the other side stronger and a more confident me!

 

Thank you for sharing. I am taking trazodone and while it doesn't help with sleep, it does help with my mood during the day and helps me handle the situation better so, far that reason, I continue to take it.

 

Here's wishing us both healing ASAP:)

 

HM