I have been severely sleep deficient lately and I keep wondering how much longer I can go before I crack up. I have had sleep disorders for years but over the past several months the hours of sleep I get have become fewer and fewer. I am now going entire nights without ONE MINUTE of sleep. If I do sleep, I might sleep acouple of hours. I can’t sleep now during the day to make up for the lost sleep because my son is on summer vacation. I can take little “cat naps” while he is here but nothing major. He’s used to my rest routine and is very well behaved.
At least when he was in school if I didn’t sleep at night I knew I could try and make up for a little sleep by sleeping after he would leave for school. Now I’m left to go all night and now all day without any sleep.
My son woke me up about 8 a.m. on Monday morning. So from 8 a.m. Monday through what is now 4:20 p.m. Tuesday as I write this, I have had a total of less than 30 minutes of sleep. I collapsed Tuesday afternoon but only had a chance for a small cat nap. The last time I looked at the clock it was 2:30 p.m. I remember having a dream and my son woke me up at 3 p.m. because he wanted me to take him out to play.
My life is falling apart due to my lack of sleep and I find my husband becoming aggitated by my mood and other issues due to lack of sleep. I am even exercising (walking/riding bikes) and that’s not helping me to sleep better.
Sleep aids no longer work for me because I am immune to them all. The only thing sleep aids do is leave me feeling hungover but they don’t put me to sleep. During the day I feel like I can barely make it but at night it seems like my body comes alive and my brain doesn’t shut down and sleep refuses to come. It isa horrible feeling to already have ME/CFS and then on top of it to go days with little sleep.
I’ve tried everything under the sun to get to sleep and nothing is working. Going to bed early doesn’t help. I just lie in bed for hours tossing and turning because it is usually after 8 p.m. when my body comes alive.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I fear I’m going to end up either: a) having a nervous breakdown, or b) in the emergency room.
I’m so sorry about your lack of sleep!
They say when you can’t sleep that it’s bad to lie in bed – it teaches your body that bed is for tossing and turning, not sleeping. They say you should go sit in a chair, do some quiet reading, until you feel tired. But when you’ve been sleep-deprived so long, that’s hard advice. It’s been a while since I have had insomnia, but I sympathize.
I agree that you might have a disaster without sleep. Can you see your doctor?
Other questions (since no one else has commented yet):
Have you had a medication change? (Is something ‘kicking in’ after 8 and keeping you up?)
Do you think it could be hormonally related? (I used to have sleepless nights like clockwork related to my time of the month.)
You say sleep aids don’t work; have you tried melatonin? (This is the hormone your body produces to make you fall asleep; it’s sold over-the-counter to help people with jet lag.) Not good for an every day solution, but could help get your clock re-set.
If you go on not sleeping at night, can you get a sitter for the boy one afternoon so you can get square with a long nap?
I just ‘met’ your blog and I really appreciate it, so I hope you are able to sleep soon!
How is your sleep problems now. I know your post is many years old. I was wondering how you dealt we with the problem and did it ever resolve itself? I’m suffering from insomnia and looking for answers!
Hi Sarah! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope you find a lot of helpful information here.
My main issue is that once I have taken something for a while, including melatonin, my body becomes immune to it.
I have had problems sleeping for years but it seems that over the past six months or so (?) things have gotten gradually worse to where they are now.
What is odd is I am actually having my menstrual cycle right now and typically during my cycle is when I sleep the best because I am extra fatigued.
I do have a babysitter who comes one evening a week. I haven’t been able to get her free yet during the day.
Hi, Sandy. I hope you are able to get some good sleep soon. I have a few suggestions:
1) Try Tylenol PM
2) Warm bath just before bedtime
3) Listen to some relaxing music, such as classical. Use earbuds/headphones if it bothers your husband.
4) If the music doesn’t help, try some kind of white noise.
5) Or a nature sounds CD (tropical jungle, ocean waves, etc.)
I hope one of these helps you get the sleep you need.
eat more turkey
L-tryptophan powder.(The pills aren’t cost effective) It is th eonly supplement that I know to be effective for insomnia. Take 5 grams dissolved in hot water, allow to cool. It doesn’t taste very pleasant, but you’ll get used to it. Take it on an empty stomach, i.e an hour after your last meal, right before you intend to go to sleep. I order mine form iherb.com, using Doctor’s Best 50g. Even with shipping and customs charges to Ireland, its definitely worth it. After about a week of using it, you’ll begin to fall asleep naturally. Let me know if it helps
ive had sevre cronic insomnia for a month and a half , its kinda getting worse but i hope it gets better , this past week i had went three days straight no sleep then finally i went to sleep but had a panic attack befor time slept maybe a total of 6 hours interuppted sleep then the next night didnt sleep at all so the next day i couldnt move or anything i was crazy and my body finally gave out at like mid night then slept till three am then from maybe four am to six thirty im hoping i sleep tonight ……….this is a horrible expirence im only 18 and its destructing my life and evryone aroud me
I’m not sleeping well sometimes go for nights we without sleep. Taking a relaxant now to help. Just wondering how all you guys are now getting on we with your sleep problems as your posts were many years ago just wondering has your problems reilved themselves?