Sleep Restriction therapy saved my life. An update from jittery18.

[Guest [...]]

Day 5 of my sleep restriction. It's hard! Some nights are better than others. I'm averaging 5-6 hours now. Last night I was real anxious so I was in/out all night of sleep, very broken. I'm sticking with it. Bed time is 11:30-12 and up at 6am. It's been 4 days since I've been up for 3-4 hours in the middle of the night so that's a huge success!! I just want to stop obssessing about sleep and thinking about it! I know patience and time will only do that. It's hard not to think about it when you just want good sleep!

[Guest [...]]

Quick question for everyone. I slipped and got lazy on my SR. Does the fear ever go away? I mean it's all I think about and I'm scared of sleep. It sounds so stupid but I want it so bad and the fear is so high. Someone once told me that after a few good nights your confidence will build.  Is this true? Will the fear go away?

[[li...]]

Nova, for me the fear has diminished to the point where I barely think of it, and I had truly heart pounding fear. Think back to any nights when you slept better than you expected to, and keep reminding yourself "SEE, I CAN sleep!" I highly recommend you work on every relaxation technique you can. They don't usually help immediately, but eventually they do, and for me it's made a huge difference.

 

Also, I find it helpful to have a little activity in my before-sleep routine. I save all my dishes until nearly bedtime and wash them then. That keeps my mind off of wondering whether or not it will be a good night, and puts the emphasis on how tired I am and how eager I am to get into bed. The sleep routine really is important.

 

Best of luck to you.

[Guest [...]]

Thanks so much for your advice! The last 2 nights have been good (averaging 5.5 hours). I'm now too exhausted to be scared, it's like I crave my bed. I can barely stay awake and my poor husband has to keep telling me to get up and move around. I can feel the anxiety leaving. Last night was a little restless, I woke up 3-4 times but did some relaxation and immediately fell back asleep. So I'm going to keep working on that because my sleep therapist said how important it is to have some relaxation to use as a crutch.

 

As exhausted as I am, it's much better than being up all night stressing and getting anxious. I just have to stick with it! It's so easy to slip in to old habits!

 

Granted I have to say, our house is very clean! From 10-12, the hardest time for me to stay awake, I start cleaning.  My husband loves it!

[[ma...]]

Well I am very frustrated. I absolutely could not go to sleep last nite. I've been using unisom, per my DR. for this thyroid thing. I think it is making my natural sleep worse. The 2 nites I had wine I slept naturally. Last nite I had a milk peptide pill and some herbal spray homeopathic and finally a melatonin and I just laid awake for 2 hours. Took a unisom at midnite in frustration. I just don't get why I can't sleep. AT 2pm I was so exhausted I actually laid down and dozed a bit. I never do that. I was just wiped out. Why can't I feel that way at bedtime???

[[fi...]]

Some people have paradoxical reactions to certain meds (including antihistamines).  I'm wondering if you're having a paradoxical effect to Unisom?  Just curious.

[[li...]]

Maltesemom, I'm so sorry you're having such a rough time.

 

You might be at the point where you don't really have any choice but to do SR. I'm not sleeping perfectly by any means, but for me, SR went really fast (or at least it feels that way in retrospect). I started with 6 hours in bed and after only a couple of nights went to 6.5 and then quickly to 7. I'm now usually allowing myself 8 hours in bed, although I often wake up 45 minutes before the alarm goes off, and of course, there's the time spent falling asleep in the beginning and after at least one wake-up for a bathroom break. I figure I'm usually sleeping 6-6.5 hours most nights.

 

If I feel myself keyed up for any reason, I don't go to bed at the regular time but wait an extra hour or two and even that won't be enough to get me ready for sleep, but I'm getting pretty good at avoiding things that stimulate me in the evening.

 

I guess since you aren't sleeping anyway, I want to encourage you to go ahead and try this. Do everything you know to do to relax for at least 5 hours before you go to bed. I think even doing the affirmations in writing (I wrote them with both hands just in case) that Sasha Stevens recommends is helpful.

 

Maybe give yourself a week to see if there is ANY improvement at all.

 

I understand your wanting to wait until you are well, but I'm concerned about you.

 

Please don't feel pressured. I'm just wanting to nudge you a little because I do think the sooner you get started the sooner you'll have some relief.

 

My best to you.

[[ma...]]

Thanks for your concern lifeisgood. This has really been such a difficult journey. I think the thyroid right on top of my finally starting to sleep a bit has really thrown me. I just have absolutely not been able to sleep. I do now think a lot of it is the thyroid issue...being hyper thyroid. I actually did sleep last nite with only milk peptide pill and some homeopathic flower spray. Don't think the milk peptide really does anything but I'll finish the bottle. I think my thyroid is changing to hypothyroid. That is what my latest blood test indicated so maybe I will be able to sleep some. Last nite was a miracle for me. I slept 6 hrs naturally. Unheard of for me. My husband was gone overnite and I didn't have to cook dinner(had popcorn) and had a quiet day at home. I think that really helped too. No normal rushing around. I am stilll having these hot sweats, like hot flashes. Wonder if the thyroid messed up my female hormones too. Regardless, I had sleep last nite and I am so thankful. LIke you say, now I can use this nite as an example that I CAN SLEEP NATURALLY. I can only pray it continues.

Glyn's story was amazing. He absolutely could not sleep. Then he started drinking coffee, a stimulant, and now he sleeps fine. He is lucky to have discovered that. I think many of us may have an answer like that, we just haven't found it.

I just hope if my thyroid gets better, my sleep will too.

Thanks so much for your posts lifeisgood. They are really helpful.

[[li...]]

I'm so happy to hear that you slept, Maltesemom. Take care.

[[ma...]]

Guess one nite is all I get. I've been up since 3am. Got up at 4. My husband was gone Sat nite and that was the nite I slept great. I had no stress that day. Did what I wanted. No one to complain or crab at me. Yesterday my husband came home. He was really angry because he wasn't getting to go to lunch on Friday with his friends. I have a very busy week and someone has to be home at all times with our Maltese or he has to go with us. My husband had a hissy fit and was really nasty to me. I have a feeling that is why I didn't sleep. Went to sleep fairly ok but woke up wide awake....thinking. Now I'll feel crummy all day today and since Tues is very busy I'll have to take a unisom again.

I was so hopeful after Sat. I can really see how upset and emotion really kills my sleep. I have a lot of resentment and anger at my husband and his moods. He is very hard to live with.

[[he...]]

Good Morning! I have been suffering with chronic insomnia for 3 yrs.

 

I too have been going to a sleep disorder clinic that spealizes in insomnia, the Dr there has me doing sleep restriction too.  Some nites are good and I get 5 or 6 hrs of sleep other nights I'm waking up at 1:30am or 2:30am and thats it I'm up for the rest of the night.

 

The most important thing the Dr told me was to not use my bed for anything other then sleeping and visits with the husband      I used to watch TV there because I didn't like what my husband was watching on TV in the living room.

 

He also told me no napping, I have to train my body to understand that this is its sleep time and if I don't sleep I don't get to go back to bed until the next night!

 

I also find that on the evenings I do a pretty intense workout I sleep better.

 

Maltesemom, I know I just joined but I have been reading your posts and I agree with the other posters you could definitely benefit from this in my opinion.

[Guest [...]]

So I'm on the 2nd week of sleep restriction and I had 5 great nights averaging 6 hours! Yay me! Then I had a bad night last night, night before work. Is this typical? Do I look at this as a step back? I'm assuming I also can't adjust my sleep times now, which I was hoping for.

[[li...]]

Nova, please don't look at it as a step back. It happens. Forget it. You are learning how to sleep and tonight you'll sleep great. Continue experimenting with what works and eventually there will be a long string of decent sleep.

 

I didn't wait very long before I adjusted the amount of time I spend in bed, certainly didn't require 5 days in a row of success before I added a half hour. I added it when it seemed like the right thing to do, when I thought my body was capable of making good use of the time, knowing I could reduce the time again if necessary.

 

My best to you.

[Guest [...]]

Thanks lifeisgood! You're right! It's only my 5th day so maybe I'm just not totally ready yet. I need to be realistic that this probably will take longer than 1 week to fix since I dealt with it for so long!  Also, do you practice any techniques in bed to help you fall asleep? He has me doing meditation with word repetition. And sometimes I feel like it keeps me up....

[Guest [...]]

The problem I'm having is the 20 minute rule. If i don't fall asleep right away I feel like I'm up all night. Does the 20 minute rule (up/down) really work? Last night I tried to get up and read for 20minutes, wasn't sleepy and then tried to lay back down. Couldn't fall asleep so I ended up taking something.

[[li...]]

I think some people, even good sleepers, take longer to fall asleep than others. I know I do. What I do is stay in bed as long as I'm still relaxed. I only get up if I realize that I'm not as drousy and relaxed as I was when I went to bed. But I'm just taking what I can from various experts and the people on BB and making it up as I go, not following any specific rules other than always setting the alarm at the same time every morning.

[Guest [...]]

Thanks lifeisgood! I found out from my doctor today that the dozing off that I'm doing before bed is what's hurting me. So he said to go to bed a little earlier if I absolutely can't stay awake. In general in the 7 days I've been doing SR I've had 5 great nights and only 2 bad nights! It can only get better! I definately just miss sleeping in on the weekend!

[[ar...]]

Had some minor sleep issues 13 years ago and my pdoc back then got me on sleep meds, first trazodone and then supplementing with ambian/lunesta. Everything worked for a while until it didn't. I got off the z-drugs and recently the doc gave me a script for gabapentin and zaleplon. I used them for about a month on and off until I saw how awful they were. I now want off everything and am on day 2 of the SR. It's been 3 days since I tapered off trazodone and needless to say I haven't slept at all but I'm hoping to get a little tonight.

 

I think the hardest thing for me and for others based on what I read is our association of a pill with sleep. Two nights ago I loaded up on valerian, unisom, melatonin because I have it in my mind that for the past 13 years I have to have a pill to sleep and it terrifies me to think of sleeping without one. It's my security blanket.  I figure if I stay up long enough eventually my body will have to sleep so the next few days will be rough but hopefully I can break my dependency on magic pills.

 

I have also made the decision that when I get home from work today I am going to throw away my stockpile of drugs. I initially thought I would keep them as a failsafe to reassure myself that I was having an awful night I could always just take a zaleplon (which I did the other night) and get some rest. I think if I get rid of it all then my mind will realize that there is no other choice but to sleep...whether that's tonight or tomorrow.

[[Gl...]]

hope you get some sleep soon ardvark, congrats on getting off all the meds

[[Ca...]]

Glyn

 

i am wondering how you are doing with sleep.

 

I came on this thread a lot at the beginning of the year and you were suffering so.

I am still suffering with sleep problems but last month I got a glimmer of light that my brain was healing a little and i was able to fall into a normal sleep for a few hours every morning.

It didnt last but at least i know that when the stars align again I will sleep again.

 

last night I fell asleep around 5 am. Woke at 7 went back to sleep until 9:30.

 

MY Head hurts

 

Carol

[[ma...]]

helf1212 I've thought about doing the sleep restriction many times as you've probably read. I tried a modified version. I think my problem now is my thyroid. I have thyroid inflammation and first it was hyper thyroid. One of the effects is insomnia and rapid heart rate, which I had. Now my thyroid is hypo and I'm taking meds. I really believe my thyroid is a big part of my insomnia now. I have some nites where I just lie down and go right to sleep. Other nites I'm wide awake and I know I will be all night. So crazy. If I ever get my body healed, I may try the sleep restriction. Right now my doctor says take the unisom and get some sleep so I can get my thyroid healed.

Good luck. I hope it works for you. It was a miracle for Jittery. I'm going to try tryptophan again. I heard a nutritionist speak about being low in serotonin with insomnia. She said 5 HTP or tryptophan helps a lot of people be more calm and sleep better. That is the case is you need serotonin.

She said people that need gaba should take inositol, or theanine or glycine or taurine and do yoga or tai chi. I bought some glycine but have not taken it yet. Maybe I'll try that tonite. Last nite I used unisom and got a decent nights sleep.

Wish we could all just sleep naturally.

[[Ca...]]

maltesemom.

Can you tell me what your tsh level is at?

 

I was borderline hyper last year at .59.

 

The year before i was st 2.15 tsh

 

i hope that i am somewhere in the middle but i dont want to got back for my results.

 

Thanks. Carol

[[ma...]]

Hi Carol. Mine has been all over the place with this thyroiditis. First it was really low 0.03 when I was hyper, then up to 6.51 when I went into hypo. I've been on Tirosint (like synthroid) for 2.5 weeks and now its down to 3.8. This has been over a 6 month period. I think the meds are making me hyper and woozy. It is supposed to take 6 weeks to affect the TSH and mine is cut in half in 2.5 weeks. I left a message for the DR.

I can tell you when you are hyper, and you are with a TSH that low, you can't sleep....period. At least I sure couldn't. My sleep has been a bit better on the meds but still awful plus now this awful woozy feeling. Still sweating and now some weight loss again. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. Up and down.  Insomnia, sometimes exhausted, sweating now weird headache and wooziness.

My body needs some help. I try to eat healthy, tho am addicted to chips. Trying to stop the wine too. Just heard a webinar on healthy eating and I can sure do better tho I try to eat organic.

I did fall asleep last nite but awakened at 4. Not too bad for me.

[[Ca...]]

Maltesemom

 

Yeah I think I also have had some thyroiditis. I went to a specialist in Houston and he said the nodes that I've caught and the up-and-down TSH showed possibly silent thyroiditis.

But the highest my TSH has been was 2.17 or something and the lowest it's been is .59 so not near the swings you are having.

My sisters are on Synthroid and my dad also was so it was a suspect in my really bad feeling two years ago but so far it seems that the zopiclone relative tolerance and subsequent more pills and more pills was the reason my thyroid went out of whack.

One sister said that when she started Synthroid it really made her nervous for I think four weeks and she didn't even take the amount the doctor wanted she went back and ask for a smaller dose because it made her so nervous.

 

I hope you're straightens out soon.

 

I would like to get rid of the wobble vibration that I get when I try to sleep. it has lessened but it's pretty persistent. I've had it for a year and a half now.

Carol

[[ma...]]

Hi Carol. Well, I'm now off the Tirosint. It is the same as synthroid. I guess mine does not come in a lower dose. The pharmacist suggested having a lower dose compounded which I'll ask the doctor about on Monday. I think my body responded really quickly to the meds and made me hyper again....maybe not hyper thyroid, but hyper symptoms like your sister. Not sure what the dr. will recommend because my TSH is still too high...especially when I have nodules. I just hate taking any kind of medicine because it always has some side effect.

I resisted the sleeping pills but used them in desperation. I awakened at 2:35 today and got up at 3:30. Now I feel really crummy. Tired and headachy. Why after so much time can't I sleep????Every webinar I listen to says sleep is so critical for your health and to get more sleep. Boy I sure would if I could only sleep.

I know this thyroid issue is making my sleep issues worse. Wonder if the lack of sleep set off the thyroid in the first place. My mom, sister and brother all have thyroid issues and take meds. I'm the only one who has been ok. They think this thyroiditis starts from a virus, but I was not sick when it started?

Guess today will be a do nothing day.