Advice on sleeping problems?!
Question: I have had this problem for years now - I have a really rough time sleeping, I also suffer from depression and anxiety. On an average night I will by lying awake in bed until between 4am and 6am when I will eventually fall asleep for 30 mins or so at a time. My doctor is aware of these problems and did offer me anti depressants, which didn't really suit me, so I stopped them. I was just wondering if anyone has been through anything similar? Would my doctor be able to prescribe me sleeping pills, even a low dosage? I just find it so difficult. I spend most days with barely enough energy to leave the house, and feel so tired - but still can't sleep at night. Ony geniune answers please - feel s**t enough as it is! Thanks
Answers: I have had this problem for years now - I have a really rough time sleeping, I also suffer from depression and anxiety. On an average night I will by lying awake in bed until between 4am and 6am when I will eventually fall asleep for 30 mins or so at a time. My doctor is aware of these problems and did offer me anti depressants, which didn't really suit me, so I stopped them. I was just wondering if anyone has been through anything similar? Would my doctor be able to prescribe me sleeping pills, even a low dosage? I just find it so difficult. I spend most days with barely enough energy to leave the house, and feel so tired - but still can't sleep at night. Ony geniune answers please - feel s**t enough as it is! Thanks
not all anti depressants r the same i was put in mental health back in november and placed on avanza i was only on them for 6 weeks and they made me drowsy but i put on 15kg in that 6 weeks. i was then placed on laprexo which i find excelant. i am also on 10-20 mg of temazepam to help with sleeping coz i was as bad as u with sleeping i now sleep for 12 hours straight and dont wake once unless someone wakes me. talk to ur doctor and see what he can put u on. hope that helps and keep ur head up coz i know it does get better. i lost everything my friends,boyfriend and my mum was scared of me coz i was out of control with my depression and anxiety. good luck.
Just because the anti-depressants you got did not suit you, you should not just have given up!
The depression is the root of the sleeping problem.
Go back to the doctor and try to persevere through finding the right tablets for you - they are NOT a one size fits all solution so you will need to keep trying until you DO get the right fit!
Once you do though - you will be amazed what a difference it can make to your life!
Only a psychiatrist can provide sleeping pills. Get your doctor to refer you to one. I would recommend starting on Melatonin - it's a natural substance in the body so taking it in pill form won't do any harm. Jet lagged people take it. I take it - it's wonderful and has cured my insomnia.
Most commonly the best solution is a schedule.... Begin to unwind much earlier in the evening. Most times people suffer form racing thoughts that inhibit their ability to go to sleep. Try some old fashion home remedies such as non caffienated tea or warm milk, relaxing music etc... Sleep aids only work temporarily and the body will adapt quickly to usage, so this is not recommended, unless as suggested by your doctor. During your day try and burn off some of that extra energy, perhaps a work out or brisk walk will help.
I sometimes have the same problem.
You have gotten yourself into a bad routine, where you worry so much about sleeping at night that you lie awake. You have become so used to staying awake at night that it has now become a habbit, which you have to break. It's not the anxiety, it's the worry of not being able to sleep that stops you from sleeping.
This is what I do when I have trouble sleeping:
Clear your head before you goto bed.
Write everything you're thinking down onto paper.
Don't take any stimulants throughout the day such as coffee, cola, etc. and try and eat 3 meals.
Also get us MUCH exercise as you can as this will help you feel sleepy.
Make sure you stay out of bed UNTIL you cannot stay awake any longer. Don't goto bed when you're 'a little tired' or drowsy, go when you are so tired you cannot move anymore.
Don't have a shower or bath before bed as this will only wake you up.
Don't lie on your bed AT ALL throughout the day, stay standing and alert, try and avoid going into your room at all costs!!
And make sure you're room is nice and cosy and dark when the time comes you are going to bed.
I am one of those people that cannot sleep alone I am so used to sharing my bed. This could be you but you just haven't realised it!
If this fails, try sleeping tablets as a last resort.
Good luck!!
x
you can try what i do.
an hour or so before settling down for the night, to help you relax take a Valerian root tablet ( available from any good herbal food shop ).
then retire to bed with a hot mug of warm milk/malt-drink/cocoa
( whatever's best for you ) & read something, a few pages of a book you've been meaning to read, avoid horror novels, for obvious reasons.
take another valerian root tablet with the last dregs of your drink, they usually take 15-45 mins to work, depending on your tolerance levels
also ban any TVs/computers from your bedroom, they do not promote sleep.
when/if you feel sleepy, settle down & here's the last bit to help you sleep.
self meditation, imagine a beach with a gently laping waves.
try to keep that imagine as long as possible & repeat the words SLEEP, SLEEP SLEEP.
it works for me & i do hope it may work for you, as you really can't continue getting just a few hours or less, sleep a night, it will make your depression worse.
the doctor could prescribe you a low dose diazipam, but they are only for short term use & have addiction problems, as far as i'm aware valerian is not addictive.
see how you get on & fingers crossed i've helped.
I am Bi Polar and I am On Drugs I am Taking
Multivitamin Cap, Calcium Carb 1.5 mg 2 times a day, Alendronate 70mg once a week, Gabapentin 300 mg 2 in the morning and 3 at nite, Venafaxine HCL 150 mg 1 a day, Cyclobenzaprine HCL 10 mg 1/2 tablet as needed, Divalproex 500 mg 1 at night, Trazadone HCL 50 mg as needed for sleep, Omeprazole 20 mg 2 a day for stomach acid, Methadone 10 mg 2 tablets 3 times a day for pain, Perocet 5mg 325 mhg aceacillion 2 every 4 hrs for pain as needed. The Methadonenwas just changed due to increased pain due to the fact that the current dose wasnt working.
And so the VA has me scheduled for a sleep study for Sleep Apnea have you been evaluated for Sleep Apnea you should look into it My doctor and my neurologists both recommend it I had canceled once because i didn't want to go and have all the things hooked up and I am a smoker and they want you there at 7 pm to check in and you are pretty well making a comment that you will wear c pap the breathing machines at night and to tell you the truth I was up all last night I could not sleep I have PT SD too and i KEEP THING ABOUT THE SAME THINGS that happed over and over so Maybe you should check in to it I don't know that you have or not?
I do sympathise with you .Its no joke being deppresed and not being able to sleep.I went through this 6 years ago .I went on Effexor 75 mg tablets and they did help .Before that i was tried on8 different antidepreesants.The doctor gave me sleeping tablets which i fought against.The result was no sleep.I n the end i took one diazepam5 mg and that helped me relax/
Don't go back on antidepressants until you've tried some 5htp.
It's an amino-acid and helps to increase the serotonin levels in the brain. It helps you to fall asleep and gives you a better quality of sleep as well.
Take 50-100mg at bedtime with a carbo snack or some milk. It will help with your depression as well......without the difficult side-effects that SSRIs have.
You can buy them from health food stores or over the 'net. Please think about giving it a go as it's worked far better than prescribed meds for my depression and sleeping problems.
It's safe and non-addictive.