Biweekly Check-in for Current/Recovering Insomniacs ~3/10

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Here is this week's Insomnia check-in thread. We will be doing bi-weekly check-ins since it's a small group.

If you would like to be tagged for weekly check-ins, please let me know. mama2a @sluttybigb00bz


1. Are you a current, recovering or recovered insomnia sufferer?


2. Did you develop insomnia only after having kids or have you always had sleep problems? What triggered it?


3. What are you doing to treat or cope? Is it working?


4. Any major break-through lately that has helped you sleep better?


5. GTKY---How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (whole numbers only)

[Deleted]

@sluttybigb00bz - You can build a tolerance to benadryl. Please be careful if you increase your dose. Have you thought anymore about talking to your doctors about medication.

1. Are you a current, recovering or recovered insomnia sufferer? Current Narcoleptic with episodes of insomnia. Childhood insomnia.

2. Did you develop insomnia only after having kids or have you always had sleep problems? What triggered it? No kids, i've always had sleep issues.

3. What are you doing to treat or cope? Is it working? Nuvigil to keep me awake, Ambien to keep me asleep, Lithium to keep it together.

4. Any major break-through lately that has helped you sleep better? Nada. Daylight savings have really screwed me up.

5. GTKY---How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (whole numbers only) 1 whole acre

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 21:16:42 GMT -5 @sluttybigb00bz said:

I just realized I misread, I don't have kids (I had insomnia as a kid!).

@wallflwr926,thanks for the heads up on the Benadryl, I think it is working as a placebo effect if nothing else right now. It was a tough week.

I'm still going back and forth on therapy and meds.

No kids for me either. I wasnt sure how to reword it to make it more inclusive.

[Deleted]

1. Are you a current, recovering or recovered insomnia sufferer?
Current.

2. Did you develop insomnia only after having kids or have you always had sleep problems? What triggered it?
I've had insomnia since I was really little.

3. What are you doing to treat or cope? Is it working?
Sleep hygiene and all that. The biggest ones are I always try to go to bed at the same time and I don't stay in bed for more than 30 minutes if I can't sleep.

4. Any major break-through lately that has helped you sleep better?
Nope. Though I've debating sleeping every other day since when that seems to be the only times I ever get any decent amount of sleep.

5. GTKY---How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (whole numbers only)
84.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 21:27:41 GMT -5 @sluttybigb00bz said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:19:42 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

No kids for me either. I wasnt sure how to reword it to make it more inclusive.

No worries. I had struggles as long as I can remember so I guess my answer wasn't really "wrong".

aside from IF anxiety, you know what's getting me lately? I'm tired, but I don't go to bed because I don't want to go to work tomorrow so I stay up to try to dely tomorrow. Then I get overtired and can't sleep.

Going to bed too late sucks. I always get a second wind if I wait too long. Do you have a set bedtime that you try to adhere to?

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 21:19:42 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:16:42 GMT -5 @sluttybigb00bz said:

I just realized I misread, I don't have kids (I had insomnia as a kid!).

@wallflwr926,thanks for the heads up on the Benadryl, I think it is working as a placebo effect if nothing else right now. It was a tough week.

I'm still going back and forth on therapy and meds.

No kids for me either. I wasnt sure how to reword it to make it more inclusive.

I don't think there's really a reason to ask if it's only after childbirth at all. If it is they can include that in the answer, but I don't think it needs to be included in the question. But I'm new, so maybe I don't get it.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 21:36:24 GMT -5 @led said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:19:42 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

No kids for me either. I wasnt sure how to reword it to make it more inclusive.

I don't think there's really a reason to ask if it's only after childbirth at all. If it is they can include that in the answer, but I don't think it needs to be included in the question. But I'm new, so maybe I don't get it.

I just took the questions from the original thread. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
@led and @sluttybigb00bz - This board is pretty different from the others. We only have a global mod, and everyone is pretty receptive. Any input either of you have to help increase communication in the threads is greatly appreciated.

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@led - I know some people can function on less sleep. However, going with sleep for more than 24 hours can cause more issues. It may make you more suspectible to hallucinations and can impair overall judgement. Have you discussed this type of sleep pattern with your doctor?

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2015 21:43:40 GMT -5 @sluttybigb00bz said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:35:08 GMT -5 @led said:

Going to bed too late sucks. I always get a second wind if I wait too long. Do you have a set bedtime that you try to adhere to?

11:30ish. What I need to do is be better at going to bed at 10 if I'm tired. And my bedtime should be 11 I just drag it out. On weeknights I sometimes stay up past midnight and then I am stressing about the next morning already.

i am not good about getting up if I'm not sleeping. I always stay in bed.

That is really good advice from @led. If I start tossing and turning I try to lay down on the couch.

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Mar 10, 2015 21:45:07 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

@led - I know some people can function on less sleep. However, going with sleep for more than 24 hours can cause more issues. It may make you more suspectible to hallucinations and can impair overall judgement. Have you discussed this type of sleep pattern with your doctor?

No, and I'm not actually likely to try it, it just seems the only time I get any sleep is when I don't sleep the night before.

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Mar 10, 2015 21:46:53 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:43:40 GMT -5 @sluttybigb00bz said:

11:30ish. What I need to do is be better at going to bed at 10 if I'm tired. And my bedtime should be 11 I just drag it out. On weeknights I sometimes stay up past midnight and then I am stressing about the next morning already.

i am not good about getting up if I'm not sleeping. I always stay in bed.

That is really good advice from @led. If I start tossing and turning I try to lay down on the couch.

It's some of the b best advice I've gotten. Getting up and doing something boring, like washing dishes or reading boring studies, for a bit and then trying again works a lot of time. H gets annoyed sometimes because I get in and our of bed a million times, but he knows it's better than not sleeping and just being annoyed in bed.

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Mar 10, 2015 21:49:26 GMT -5 @led said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:45:07 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

@led - I know some people can function on less sleep. However, going with sleep for more than 24 hours can cause more issues. It may make you more suspectible to hallucinations and can impair overall judgement. Have you discussed this type of sleep pattern with your doctor?

No, and I'm not actually likely to try it, it just seems the only time I get any sleep is when I don't sleep the night before.

It makes total sense. Some of best night's sleep has been after not sleeping for a day or two. Although since the N reared it's ugly head, I dont think i've had a decent unmedicated sleep in about 8 or 9 years.

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Mar 10, 2015 22:01:31 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:49:26 GMT -5 @led said:

No, and I'm not actually likely to try it, it just seems the only time I get any sleep is when I don't sleep the night before.

It makes total sense. Some of best night's sleep has been after not sleeping for a day or two. Although since the N reared it's ugly head, I dont think i've had a decent unmedicated sleep in about 8 or 9 years.

What's the N?

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Mar 10, 2015 22:04:13 GMT -5 @led said:

Mar 10, 2015 22:01:31 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

It makes total sense. Some of best night's sleep has been after not sleeping for a day or two. Although since the N reared it's ugly head, I dont think i've had a decent unmedicated sleep in about 8 or 9 years.

What's the N?

Narcolepsy. That's what it's "affectionately" known as on Narcolepsy forums.

[mama2a]

Mar 10, 2015 21:36:24 GMT -5 @led said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:19:42 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

No kids for me either. I wasnt sure how to reword it to make it more inclusive.

I don't think there's really a reason to ask if it's only after childbirth at all. If it is they can include that in the answer, but I don't think it needs to be included in the question. But I'm new, so maybe I don't get it.

I was originally the one that phrased these questions. I included before or after kids since it can be a major disruptor of sleep. We can change questions around as I have on issue

[mama2a]

1. Are you a current, recovering or recovered insomnia sufferer? Recovering.


2. Did you develop insomnia only after having kids or have you always had sleep problems? What triggered it? After the birth of my daughter who is no 15 months. I developed it 4 months PP. I was a great sleeper beforehand, but I've always been anal about "Needing" 8 hours of sleep which is part of the reason the insomnia developed because I reacted way too strongly to loss of sleep which made it even worse.


3. What are you doing to treat or cope? Is it working? I think I'm on the road to recovering! I found a book called, "The Effortless Sleep Method" and it's exactly what I needed. I highly recommend it. It talks about all the things we do to continue to feed the Insomnia monster (which includes online support forums-hah!). All the habits, thoughts, behaviors that continue to perpetuate our belief that we have a problem and we have zero expectations at bedtime that we'll sleep which feeds the anxiety which makes you less tired and it's a vicious cycle. I'm pretty sure this is how anyone recovers from Insomnia on some level, but it's nice to have it completely spelled out and likely speeds up recovery. I still have my Sleep Psychologist, but haven't seen him in a few weeks. I've been sleeping well for about 1.5 weeks now.


4. Any major break-through lately that has helped you sleep better? Yes, see #3.


5. GTKY---How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (whole numbers only) Three?

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Mar 11, 2015 8:26:31 GMT -5 mama2a said:

Mar 10, 2015 21:36:24 GMT -5 @led said:

I don't think there's really a reason to ask if it's only after childbirth at all. If it is they can include that in the answer, but I don't think it needs to be included in the question. But I'm new, so maybe I don't get it.

I was originally the one that phrased these questions. I included before or after kids since it can be a major disruptor of sleep. We can change questions around as I have on issue

The way it's worded now just implies that we all have kids, and that's obviously not the case. 

[Deleted]

mama2a @led - Im a big fan of collaboration. What do you think of the question being worded like this?

What was the trigger for your insomnia? Did it begin after childbirth or another significant event? Or has it been a lifelong struggle?

Please feel free to make adjustments.

[Deleted]

Mar 12, 2015 14:50:27 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

mama2a @led - Im a big fan of collaboration. What do you think of the question being worded like this?

What was the trigger for your insomnia? Did it begin after childbirth or another significant event? Or has it been a lifelong struggle?

Please feel free to make adjustments.

I mean, I'm a big fan of simplicity and leaving things open to personal interpretation, so I would propose that we just use the beginning of that. No reason to start listing things and possibly leave things out. So something like "has your insomnia been a lifelong struggle or was there a trigger?"

[mama2a]

Mar 12, 2015 16:55:55 GMT -5 @sluttybigb00bz said:

Mar 12, 2015 16:01:39 GMT -5 @led said:

I mean, I'm a big fan of simplicity and leaving things open to personal interpretation, so I would propose that we just use the beginning of that. No reason to start listing things and possibly leave things out. So something like "has your insomnia been a lifelong struggle or was there a trigger?"

I agree with this suggestion!

Works for me!

[Deleted]

Mar 12, 2015 16:01:39 GMT -5 @led said:

Mar 12, 2015 14:50:27 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

mama2a @led - Im a big fan of collaboration. What do you think of the question being worded like this?

What was the trigger for your insomnia? Did it begin after childbirth or another significant event? Or has it been a lifelong struggle?

Please feel free to make adjustments.

I mean, I'm a big fan of simplicity and leaving things open to personal interpretation, so I would propose that we just use the beginning of that. No reason to start listing things and possibly leave things out. So something like "has your insomnia been a lifelong struggle or was there a trigger?"

I like that too. I have a tendency to ramble. Short and sweet is always better.

[Deleted]

mama2a It sounds like you are making great progress. Congrats!

[tjr42px]

Hi ladies. Dad lurker here. I was clued into a mindfulness thread over here and came across your support thread for insomnia. I apologize in advance if this is intrusive. I don't usually stray too from the dads board but wondered if I might offer some support/info.

I'm a mental health provider and the bulk of my work is treating anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia. Although this is not a substitute for professional treatment (CBT-I Coach) is an app that contains a lot of sleep hygiene and stimulus control information, a space to track your sleep to share with a provider, and a "tools" section complete with relaxation modules. It's really just a handy information and sleep tracking/relaxation tool. CBT-I is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Sleep problems are very individualized, but the basic educational foundation is universal. We find that 4-5 weeks of using good sleep hygiene and stimulus control (things easily googled or found in the app) results in about 70-80% increase in total sleep time and fewer nightly awakenings.

The app is free and put out by a company called T2 that works closely with the DoD and VA putting out tele-health tools for military providers. No kick backs here. Just offering a very useful tool available to anyone looking for it Although online treatment is not something I can offer, nor was it asked for, I do have a lot of information with regard to managing insomnia with or without medication that is purely informational. If I can be of help feel free to PM or tag me in