Never feel like I fall asleep

[[kp...]]

Okay...I lay down to go to sleep but I never, ever feel like I fall asleep or wake up.  I know I've slept a little as I can remember dreams.  I'm not sure why but when I try to sleep my anxiety is going and I have this strange fear.  So, it's very, very difficult to get any sleep.  I look at the clock and notice from that I may be dozing about an hr at a time.  So, here it is 5 am and I'm up with my eyes feeling tired but my heart is racing and like I said I have this strange fear so I cannot lay down and even try to sleep.  This all started about 5 wks ago and has only gotten worse with this strange fear thing.  I'm kinda scared really.  It's more unsettling than the anxiety issue at this point.  I mean I know anxiety, I don't know this "black sleep."

 

If anyone can relate, I'd love to hear...if possible please don't give me any time-lines as to how long it took you as that is anxiety provoking for me for some strange reason...well, lot's of things are anxiety provoking for me really - lol

 

thanks fo much, I'm so exhausted from all this!

[Guest [Si...]]

kpjensen,

 

I have sleep like that sometimes.

From what I have read on here, people describe their sleep differently.

I'm sure there are some posts from the past you can relate too.

Use the search function to do this.

Sometimes when I have a question about sleep. I look at some of the old insomnia threads, and can relate.

 

My heart rate also jumps up. Sometimes, even while resting.

 

S#

 

[[am...]]

All sounds completely normal to me, for withdrawal anyway.  It will all settle down in time, how long no one knows but it will.  What helped me was going to bed and getting up at the same time everyday regardless of whether I slept or not.

[[Pe...]]

I also go to bed at the same time each night and think that this did help to reestablish my sleep pattern.

[[we...]]

the sleep switch is packed with GABA, that's why falling asleep is difficult.  I had / have that too, with the anx. too.  It's benzo wd. "normal"

[Guest [la...]]

P-

I get this too. It's not the normal, "I'm tired, so I'll go to bed". I lay down in the dark, close my eyes and just wait. At some point, I must go to sleep, but I don't remember it. Then I wake up in the morning and it doesn't feel like I've slept at all. The morning anxiety is the WORST. I think I panic b/c I know that I have an entire day to get through again feeling like this. It's awful and it's hell. I sometimes have dreams, I sometimes do not. Sometimes I remember those dreams, at other times I know I that I had dreams, but as soon as I wake, I can't recall them, even if I try. I also wake multiple times throughout the night- can usually go back to bed- but not once the sun is up. If there's light in the room, I just toss and turn until I eventually get up and then am SLAMMED w/ anxiety.

 

My covers and blankets are always all over the place. This morning I woke up w/ no underwear on?? I have no idea. I must be doing weird stuff in my sleep. I just know that my brain is off and is not working right at this point.

 

Sadly, we just have to go with it and be thankful that we DO, in fact, sleep. Ugh. I'm grateful for any sleep I get, tell you the truth, b/c it's the ONLY relief I get from the nightmare that being awake brings. I'm sorry that you're suffering as badly as you are. Hang in there, love, it will get better. Can't tell you when, but it will get better.

 

Much love to you always, Nicole

[[Pe...]]

My anxiety is also the WORST in the mornings, feel like am going to EXPLODE!!!!!

[[Cr...]]

I had this last night---got up every hr----benzo w/ds even after 5 months. You also came off 10 mg valium which may have been too quick. I came off 5 and am still protracted w'ds with 157 days... My sleep has improved over the last month but I still have days like last night that you explained in your thread. Just hang in there and know it is normal and if you are like me kinda expect some more bad nights before better nights come... Just be careful what exercise you do, stress at work, what you eat (no caffeine, refine sugar etc) and in my case how many doctors you complain to. This is a tough road but the group is here to help

[[we...]]

2 hrs sleep last night, maybe.  The "it gets better part" is eluding me right now.  4 months off.

[Guest [CM...]]

Me too, 6.5 months off and two nights in a row with very little sleep and very sick today.

Crying  :'(

I hate this!

[[li...]]

Same here to guys.  Off 4 months and the little sleep I did have has gone to 2 to 2 1/2 hrs a nite.  Linder

[[ma...]]

Ditto to what you have all said. I am 4+mos off and just not getting more than 2-4hrs, unless I take benadryl. After several nites of almost no sleep, last nite I took benadryl and got about 6.5 which is great. Feel better today. I just keep waiting to sleep naturally. Tonite will try with melatonin and tryptophan. It is very frustrating this far out and my crummy sleep. Also have an irritated throat now for several weeks. Not sick, not terrible but notice it feels irritated. Maybe if I could get some sleep, I could get my throat better.

It is good to know we are not alone in this. Other friends think I am a mess, which of course I am. They just can't imagine the tiny amount of sleep I get.

I thought the Sleep Tracks, recommended by Teakettle was helping, but now not so sure. I'm kind of tired of hearing the same woman talking, night after night. Luckily she has a nice voice.

Happy sleep to you all and better days ahead to look forward to. Wish someone would come up with a natural cure for insomnia.

Kathi

[Guest [Cl...]]

Okay...I lay down to go to sleep but I never, ever feel like I fall asleep or wake up.  I know I've slept a little as I can remember dreams.  I'm not sure why but when I try to sleep my anxiety is going and I have this strange fear.  So, it's very, very difficult to get any sleep.  I look at the clock and notice from that I may be dozing about an hr at a time.  So, here it is 5 am and I'm up with my eyes feeling tired but my heart is racing and like I said I have this strange fear so I cannot lay down and even try to sleep.  This all started about 5 wks ago and has only gotten worse with this strange fear thing.  I'm kinda scared really.  It's more unsettling than the anxiety issue at this point.  I mean I know anxiety, I don't know this "black sleep."

 

If anyone can relate, I'd love to hear...if possible please don't give me any time-lines as to how long it took you as that is anxiety provoking for me for some strange reason...well, lot's of things are anxiety provoking for me really - lol

 

thanks fo much, I'm so exhausted from all this!

 

 

I am experiencing the same thing right now. I am reading a book at night called "When Panic Attacks" by David Burns which is probably the best anxiety book I have ever read. It is quite long, which is actually a good thing, because I will have a companion through these loooonng nights.

[[Ho...]]

I'm going through this right now. I'm hoping it was due to the Pheno, since I know that does cause a weird insomnia. But I'm no longer taking Pheno as of today, so we'll see...

 

I go through the whole night literally not thinking I've slept at all. But like you said, there are things that do point to me sleeping - such as, I think back on the early morning hours and do not recall hearing the garage door opening (the garage is directly underneath my room so it's loud!) I need to start keeping Benadryl away from my bedside too, because this feeling of not sleeping is so intense that I get all upset and will just reach for another Benadryl to try to knock me out.  

 

The thing that really scares me though, is that I haven't felt like I'm especially sleep deprived the following mornings... but I know I should definitely have a feeling of sleep deprivation!

 

...Please keep me updated!

[[ma...]]

Hi Holly. I slept last nite, but it was because of the Benadryl. Tonite will be melatonin and with that I don't sleep very much. It does help me go to sleep at least. So frustrating. It makes such a difference when you do get a good amount of sleep.

I think you must be sleeping more than you realize. Otherwise you would feel more awful the next day. Sometimes I am ok in the morning with no sleep, but by the afternoon, I am useless.

Hope you sleep tonite!

Kathi