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Why Can’t I Sleep?

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Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#271

Post by schwartzworld »

Clampower wrote: post #4

Since about three weeks ago I cannot sleep. It’s very strange. I know the feeling of anxiety and how it leads to not sleeping, it’s something I’ve had in the past at very stressful jobs. I’ve learned techniques to deal with this, like breathing and mindfulness. But right now this feels different. I’m tired, I’m lying in bed, and I don’t have any stressful thoughts. Yet somehow I just don’t fall asleep. It feels like…

I had this exact situation, it led to panic attacks eventually.

Come to find out that the reason was apnea. I'd drift to sleep, have an apnea event and wake back up. I didn't feel like I was suffocating, but more that I just couldn't sleep. After 5 months on a CPAP I'm finally starting to feel like my old self.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#272

Post by bick_nyers »

It's probably not healthy, or recommended, but I take Benadryl for sleep, it works so well, I'm surprised it's not suggested that often. Like others I've tried and actively try everything. Melatonin gives me horrible nightmares.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#273

Post by steve_adams_86 »

hello_moto wrote: post #260
steve_adams_86 wrote: post #181

While we’re sharing anecdotes of what helps us sleep: I like to read ancient philosophy on an ebook reader at the lowest backlight setting. Usually within 15m I’m dropping the ebook reader on my face and wondering what I read. I do find that I get a lot out of the reading despite having to back track constantly. It’s just interesting enough for me to open it up, and just dry enough to put me to sleep. Last night was…

What eBook reader do you use if I may ask?

I use a kindle paperwhite. I don’t love it for its hardware, but I think it has been great value. I can’t have a lamp let alone a light on or I’ll have way more trouble falling asleep. This thing has been like a sleeping pill for quite a while now. A fairly enriching one.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#274

Post by userulluipeste »

david-gpu wrote: post #264
lliamander wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Sleep paralysis is only frightening when you fight it. But it's also really frustrating when you have an itch or if your in an awkward position where breathing is more difficult.

When I want to wake up, I direct my attention outward and take a deep breath. That will fully wake you up. Don't panic. If you do, remind yourself that you are safely laying on your bed and try again with an open curious mind.

"When I want to wake up, I direct my attention outward and take a deep breath."

From this, I very much doubt you had an experience of waking up in a sleep paralysis of a meaningful degree. I'm talking about when you realize that you're only awake because you can control your thoughts and receive sensorial inputs (feeling, hearing, etc.) but don't have any movement control whatsoever, not over your breath, not even over your eyelids to open and look around. That in itself, as bad as it sounds, may not be a problem if the awakened mind won't feel the need for more oxygen, yet the breathing stays suffocatingly short and slow for way too long. There's just no out, there's only a wait for some change that will give you back a first bit of motor control.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#275

Post by skygazer »

wruza wrote: post #149

Ironically, I fixed my moderate chronic insomnia succesfully by going to a doctor with a completely unrelated( citation needed ) set of symptoms. My CBT therapist wanted me to fall asleep during the appointment to perform another technique, but obviously I could not. He said to not worry and explained a routine which I’m happy to share to those who didn’t try yet: - lay, relax, comfort^ - do not move further - do not…

I don’t suffer insomnia, but when I do notice I’m not falling asleep, because I’m ruminating, I shift my attention to the random noise of the visual field of my closed eyes. I “observe” the patterns: sort of a dull swirling, shifting static; and fall asleep within a minute or two. They are somewhat mesmerizing. I’ve asked others if they can also see such patterns with their eyes closed and haven’t found anyone that recalls them.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#276

Post by cookiengineer »

wruza wrote: post #149

Ironically, I fixed my moderate chronic insomnia succesfully by going to a doctor with a completely unrelated( citation needed ) set of symptoms. My CBT therapist wanted me to fall asleep during the appointment to perform another technique, but obviously I could not. He said to not worry and explained a routine which I’m happy to share to those who didn’t try yet: - lay, relax, comfort^ - do not move further - do not…

I suffered for a very long time of chronic insomnia, and I tried out lots of meditation techniques and even learned how to lucid dream because of it.

But for me, those techniques never worked and I had to adapt my workflow to be really "done" in the evening so I can get my mind away from code.

Last year my girlfriend discovered a random tiktok, where lots of ADHD folks responded to. Apparently there's ongoing research related to lack of melatonin and therefore the heart and the whole body cannot get really into a resting state.

The ironic thing is that I always thought that drinking a chocolate milk in the evening helped me in the past, and most of my meditation techniques from the martial arts world focussed on pulse control. But, as I got older I got lactose intolerant...and also skipped my evening chocolate milk (obviously).

Now I'm taking 1mg of melatonin in the evening and I've never fallen asleep so easily. I was kinda mind blown when I discovered it, because I've long accepted that nobody can help me and this is just how my "condition" is like.

Note this is not medical advice, but my personal experience. Please check with your doctor whether it's okay to take melatonin safely (and whether your heart is okay, too).

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#277

Post by IntrepidWorm »

skygazer wrote: post #275
wruza wrote: post #149

Ironically, I fixed my moderate chronic insomnia succesfully by going to a doctor with a completely unrelated( citation needed ) set of symptoms. My CBT therapist wanted me to fall asleep during the appointment to perform another technique, but obviously I could not. He said to not worry and explained a routine which I’m happy to share to those who didn’t try yet: - lay, relax, comfort^ - do not move further - do not…

I don’t suffer insomnia, but when I do notice I’m not falling asleep, because I’m ruminating, I shift my attention to the random noise of the visual field of my closed eyes. I “observe” the patterns: sort of a dull swirling, shifting static; and fall asleep within a minute or two. They are somewhat mesmerizing. I’ve asked others if they can also see such patterns with their eyes closed and haven’t found anyone that r…

I do suffer insomnia, and though I haven't relied on using this particular phenomenon to fall asleep, I have noticed it, usually between sleeping and waking. Typically, I notice it upon being awoken by soft stimulus but not feeling the need to completely wake, and I have noticed them when falling asleep (presumably more common than I observe, as I only remember instances where I have actually failed to fully sleep). They typically fade for me if I pay too close attention, however, and I transition to full wakefullness.

My issue is more of an 'unquiet and overactive mind' as well as this irrational (but very unshakable) sense that there simply aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish my goals, and that sleeping would be admitting failure in some regard.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#278

Post by IntrepidWorm »

hotsauceror wrote: post #263
kristiandupont wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I perform an "optimized" version of this: I ask myself: "where's the tension?". Often, I realize quickly that I am flexing somewhere, and I just need to let go. [link redacted]

I think people carry a LOT more resting tension then they're ever aware of. Sitting at my keyboard, doing my thing for an hour or two, the building's not on fire just ordinary coding... If I stop and ask "am I tense, what do I feel right now?", in many, many cases I find my shoulders are almost clenched. Keeping my feet flat on the ground, continually checking my shoulder tension, adjusting my ergo so that I don't co…

I do the same, after noticing I carry my stress in my jaw. Occasionally something will break my concentration on a task and I'll notice that I have my teeth clenched so tight, that whole mandibular muscle group is positively aching (think of doggedly chewing gum for the whole day). Probably going to have some negative dental effects later down the line, so I do my best to relax when I realize I'm doing it.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#279

Post by mrmincent »

Clampower wrote: post #58
mrmincent wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve had chronically bad sleep for most of my adult life, but the last 12ish months has been the best, most consistent sleep I’ve ever had. I think I’ve finally hit a good combination of helpful things. I was diagnosed with an anxiety condition, and working to improve that has helped my sleep to a life changing amount. A jog or sprints most mornings, followed by meditation, and a low dose of lexapro (5-10mg). At nigh…

I am interested in taking an anti anxiety med, but I find the sexual side effects terrifying.

For me there hasn’t been a huge impact, I just take half a dose (5mg) or skip it for the day and everything is sweet. Spoke with my GP about it and he said after 6-12 months the body should adapt and Things should function well.

Re: Why Can’t I Sleep?

#280

Post by forgotmypw17 »

I think the idea of trying to follow the same sleeping schedule day in day out is severely misguided.

There are many variables which determine how much rest we need, such as physical state, fighting off an infection, time of year, mental state, fatigue, stress, and so on.

I've commented here before on this, but I think by far the healthiest practice (and one I've had great results with) is to sleep "to fullness" as much as possible, to allow yourself to go to sleep whenever tired, and also to not stress about not falling asleep when you're "supposed to", instead finding something else to do until tiredness overtakes.

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