Naps

[[op...]]

I know a cardinal rule of sleep hygiene is not to take naps.  As someone now struggling with insomnia I've found that when I am able to lay down a take a nap, even a very short (20-30 minutes) one, the sleep I get seems deeply refreshing and I usually feel much better afterward.  And as long as I keep it short and take it before 3pm it doesn't seem to affect my ability sleeping in the evening.  This past Saturday I worked in the yard in the morning, ate lunch and then took a half hour nap and that evening I experienced one of the best windows I've had in months.  I'm wondering what other people struggling with insomnia think, and if any others get similar benefits from napping.

 

RV.

[[Be...]]

Optimist, I am the same way basically. My limit is about 15-20 minutes of which probably 5 minutes is actual sleep.  For a long time and most days, I couldn't nap at all.  It feels like a real luxury now.  I do have to fight the impulse to just keep sleeping, though. 

[[sp...]]

Ive napped in aftos right through w/d - find it is the only way I can manage the afternoon/evening with my kids.  If I dont get that sleep, I go downhill in the evening.  I set an alarm for an hour (usually takes me a while to drop off) and as long as its b4 3pm I find I get off at night ok.  I say go for it if it helps refresh you.

Spring

[[sh...]]

I wish I could share your success on naps.  If I take one when I wake up Im filled with anxiety.  Sometimes it's not even a nap.  I woke up last Friday and felt good, went back to sleep for 1 1/2 hours and then woke up with anxiety.  Anyone with this symptom or an idea of why it happens?

[[...]]

Optimist, there aren't really any cardinal rules during w/d.  Sometimes you just gotta do what's best to get through the day.  Sometimes I still have a brief nap in the afternoon but as with you I make it brief - even 20 mins can refresh me if I've had a rough night.  Fortunately now that I am benzo free my sleep patterns have been much better.  Hope yours will be soon as well.

[[ja...]]

Optimist, when I am able to nap for a brief time, I also find that the night sleep goes better.  Go figure.  The trouble sometimes is actually getting to sleep half the time for the nap even when tired.  I am on Ativan, by the way, and looking to taper soon. 

[[su...]]

My sleep psychologist says I shouldn't nap, and I am sleeping a lot better at night now that I am not napping. But of course I am doing some other stuff differently, too.

[[op...]]

Optimist, when I am able to nap for a brief time, I also find that the night sleep goes better.  Go figure.  The trouble sometimes is actually getting to sleep half the time for the nap even when tired.  I am on Ativan, by the way, and looking to taper soon. 

 

I think it's a bit counter intuitive, but like you said Jackson, napping helps me to feel better.  And so if I feel better and less anxious, then I'm more relaxed which usually leads me to sleeping better at night.  I think part of it also is that if I nap then I feel like I've rested my body and so I feel less pressure to get a good night sleep, which in turn allows me to be less focused on sleep (which in turn leads to better sleep - sort of a zen thing  )

 

Anyway I appreciate everybody's feedback and wish you all a good night's rest. 

[[ve...]]

Naps were a big part of my ability to get through some pretty heavy insomnia in my journey off benzos.  My feeling was that if I was fortunate to be able to carve out an hour during the day to actually get some deep sleep, it was well worth it.  That being said, if I did not set an alarm and ended up sleeping more than an hour and if it was after 4:00PM, some problems sleeping sometimes came up that evening though I often did not go to sleep til midnight so it usually was better having had the nap than not.  My view is that benzo withdrawal and sleep deprivation are a big challenge.  Any time you can give your body some much needed rest or recuperation, its a good thing.

 

Best,

 

V (no more)

[[...]]

Optomist,

I'm glad you brought the nap issue up, because I've always fought napping due to the advice against them

when you have had insomnia issues.

 

I've since wondered if it more unhealthy to get your mind accustomed to fighting the body's natural

inclination to sleep. 

Then, when you are ready to sleep, you have to tell your mind, "OK, now it's allright to go to sleep."

 

Unless you are sleepy all the time, it seems more natural to sleep when you feel like it, if that's possible.

-David

 

[[Da...]]

i get anxiety when i cant sleep and therefore i cant nap;;;  i used to be a HUGE napper;;like everday b4 i got my post partum,,, i think in due time when i am done w/drawin and feelin freaked out at nite i will be able to nap again;;;i have read many sleep books and they all say not to nap,,,but i guess it all depends on the person,,,i am also able to sleep till pretty late for i have help w my son and i am attemptin to change my work hours due to this;;;

[[wo...]]

I wish I could share your success on naps.  If I take one when I wake up Im filled with anxiety.  Sometimes it's not even a nap.  I woke up last Friday and felt good, went back to sleep for 1 1/2 hours and then woke up with anxiety.  Anyone with this symptom or an idea of why it happens?

 

The famous "toxic naps" that  many, many people tapering and recovering from benzo withdrawal talk and joke about.  I have them sometimes, too, but without my naps in late morning and early afternoon, I'd be sunk.

 

Who knows what exactly causes them.  They're just part of the deal for some of us.  They go away with time.

 

Love,

 

Missy

[[Ph...]]

I wish I could share your success on naps.  If I take one when I wake up Im filled with anxiety.  Sometimes it's not even a nap.  I woke up last Friday and felt good, went back to sleep for 1 1/2 hours and then woke up with anxiety.  Anyone with this symptom or an idea of why it happens?

 

The famous "toxic naps" that  many, many people tapering and recovering from benzo withdrawal talk and joke about.  I have them sometimes, too, but without my naps in late morning and early afternoon, I'd be sunk.

 

Who knows what exactly causes them.  They're just part of the deal for some of us.  They go away with time.

 

Love,

 

Missy

 

I came on here tonight to complain of the very same problem - had a horrific nap today, been feeling very sick ever since! Sigh.

 

L'andy

[[ca...]]

Comisado, wow I read your story you are lucky to have os much supposrt, as my family and my ex who was a dr. abandonedme when I had my first child due to withdrawals, ten yearas later and polydrugged just to make it through life, I am trying once agian to get off this klonopin I will do the crossover to valium as my sleep is realy bad, have been going to sleep at 10;30 and waking at 4;30 OR 5. a

[[ca...]]

Sorry I hit send without finishing, anyway at least it is bettr than some dyas when I tried to just stop and not sleep at all. My question is, I want to try remeron agian for sleep, how much do you take?

I am happy to hear it does not cause weight gain in you. As it did with me, but I think I need something else that is not a benzo to sleep better while going through this. I am going to try and do the valium crossover. as it is more sedating. I wish I could find a family Dr. who knows about this stuff and can help me through it. I am going to an ouptient detox place that knows the ashton method, they know about going slow, however it is out of pocket. I have to work, I don't have thaty emotional or monetary support except for child support which is not enough, I could go back to court, but my ex is vicious and I could not tolerate that. I take bioidentical hormones, are you still on the pill? Is it helping you?

Thanks for your answers

carriemax

 

[[cl...]]

NAPS?  What are naps?  Never heard of em.... haha yeah I am an insomniac who can barely EVER take a nap anymore.  I remember when I was on the klonopin I would sleep and sleep and sleep.  I'm talking getting 10 hrs sleep at night and then taking a 2 hr nap during the day and that was normal.  now I'm lucky to get 5-8 hrs sleep.

[[ca...]]

5 to eight hours is great!! It that naturally?

[[ve...]]

Hi Carriemax.  I don't know what it is about 4:00AM but it seems to be my witching hour too, was during my taper and still often do get up between 3 and 4AM.  Back during my taper, the problem was that I couldn't get back to sleep whereas now I seem to have a slightly better time of falling back to sleep.  I also considered Remeron or Trazodone at a point but so far have not used either one.   I think its a personal choice.  I probably would have used one of them had I not gotten my hour nap in the afternoons, I guess I was lucky to be able to carve out the time and to be able to catch up a bit via a nap, it wasn't hard though because I was wiped out by then.  By the way, even though you got 10 hours sleep on klonopin, I recall reading that the benzo sleep is actually not deep REM sleep.  When I first started taking valium, it felt like deep sleep but I realize I was confused because I was sleeping thru the night which felt great at first, but later it just didn't last and I was not as rested during the day.  Sleep is a tricky thing because the more you try to force it, the more of a problem it can become.  "what you resist persists".  Well, I wish I had more answers.  I'm still trying to find better sleep hygeine myself.  For one, I know I could watch the sugar intake in the evenings.

 

Best,

 

Vertigo (no more)

Wish I could say "Sleep problems no more"  

[[ca...]]

I cannot nap, I wish I could maybe it is all in my head. I might try the remeron, I took it one night the other night a baby dose, got the best sleep!

carriemax

[[Da...]]

carrie and others...i understand how ur strugglin w sleep....when i got PPD and i HAD to nap having a new born i would be laying there...dying of exhaustion filled w anxiety...my brain scramblin non stop...i kept tryin to sleep and nap...obvsly....but it wouldnt come wout meds...then came the poison "k"...even after i was all better i was still takin it to sleep...never knew i was addicted...i am almost 2 mos off and my sleep is gettin better....i have a bladder disease where i NEVER get a full nites rest w out wakin to pee many times but i am able to fall asleep and go right back to sleep after peeing..others on this site kept reassuring me my sleep will get back to normal and it has...there are nites when i have to take something...OTC or natural but otherwise i have been ok...try not to take the strong stuff as much as possible...and i kno its hard...there are nites i didnt sleep a wink...ur body will become more virgin and TPM or cherry tart will do the trick easily..

i also take don quai which is 4 woman's hormones..

a few things i do is cover the clock and dnt look at the time..it causes more anxiety...i also do EFT tappin..(u can find it on u tube) and i listen to sleep CD meditation..

good luck...xxoo

[[sh...]]

the problem I'm having with a nap is I wake up with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.  If I sleep for a few hours  it isn't as bad but if I dose off for 10 min or 45 min anytime it's horrible waking up.  Does anyone have something similar or an explanation of why all these syymptons arrive during sleep?

[[ca...]]

Dazzo, what type of the cherry tarts do you take. i have heard of it. I am crossing over to do the valium taper, I also have a problem peeing at least twice a night, lately, knock wood I am able to sleep. however coming off k directly there was no sleep at all then finally five hours then depression was setting in from the lack of it. all this broke up my marriage years ago, I have a 12 year old now and a profession where I have to sleep not to mention a serious congenital heart disease, and I have to amek sure I get my rest now mor than ever. so I am doing this very slow, and I am taking non-addictive things with it for deep sleep change it up some so my brain doesn't et used to it. What are the two things you mentioned that helped? agian and what brands?

thanks for the info!!!

carriemax

[[...]]

Some research has shown that if you limit naps to under 30 minutes or so, you actually see improvements in concentration and mood.

 

Hell, I think our 9-5 (and usually longer) society has made naps impractical, but I find 20-30 minute nap periods on my office floor in the afternoon to be rejuvenating.  I just set a mild alarm on my phone to ensure that I don't go over. Even with the time lost to the nap break, I find myself more focused and relaxed afterward, so I probably actually end up having a more productive day than I do when I skip the nap sessions!

 

Oh, and I would avoid napping in bed, save the whole ritual of preparation for nighttime sleep for the night. I  just lay on the couch, or even on the floor. it is also easier to over-nap if you sack out on your bed!

[[vi...]]

Naps were a big part of my ability to get through some pretty heavy insomnia in my journey off benzos.  My feeling was that if I was fortunate to be able to carve out an hour during the day to actually get some deep sleep, it was well worth it.  That being said, if I did not set an alarm and ended up sleeping more than an hour and if it was after 4:00PM, some problems sleeping sometimes came up that evening though I often did not go to sleep til midnight so it usually was better having had the nap than not.  My view is that benzo withdrawal and sleep deprivation are a big challenge.  Any time you can give your body some much needed rest or recuperation, its a good thing.

 

Best,  sleep deprivation part of my chronic disease for year now but insomnia is new. I was on 1.75mg v for 3-4 days had one night insomnia up all night. 1.75mg to hard to cut went to 1.5mg . been on 1.5mg last night was third night I have not slept again all night now third time on valium once a 2mg, l.75mg and now 1.5mg. earlier in week was still feeling doped up. pushed myself yesterday to go to lunch and walk 7/8 mille. Beeper said that was good.  few bb buddies said to get your opinon since I have felt so sedated on valium could I just come off now at 1.5mg after 14 days??? or should I take it to .5mg then drop off?  insomnia is due to my taper cuts. well I feel absolutely sick today with no sleep last night. plus computer was on I was on phone but sitting in front of computer light till 1120. been tryiing to get off computer by 9pm now 8pm it has to be a must. I do think staying up on computer is adding to my insomania

vicky

a

 

V (no more)

[[Gm...]]

Naps!

 

After 3 chocolate bunnies, handful of reses peanut butter eggs, and 300 jelly beans......It was impossible...

 

Now I have a sugar hangover.... I think I will sleep good tonight