Paid Members Gus Mears Posted December 28, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted December 28, 2018 It's a cunt, isn't it? I get it frequently and I've known this bout of it was coming for a few days now and have managed to postpone it with Christmas booze. That fell off a cliff last night and I was up at 4AM drinking wine I didn't want to drink to knock myself out and watching Australia vs India on the telly. Think being in different houses each night over the holiday period hasn't helped, nor has buggering up my sleeping pattern with going out a few nights on the trot. Realistically, it's going to be a couple of days until my sleeping pills turn up, so I get the fun of not being able to sleep, the complete panic that follows and near permanent exhaustion until then. Anyone else suffer on a regular basis here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gaffer Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Every October without fail it seems to kick in for a few weeks. At its worst I'll go a week or two sleeping in patterns of 2 hours, 4 hours, a broken 6 etc to the point where I physically cannot go to work, because the aforementioned cunt also prickles my anxiety. I've had one or two complete breakdowns, because of it, usually made worse by having to go to the docs purely to get a sick note. Last time he gave me seroquel and they're still sitting on the shelf at home. Fuck that noise. It sorts itself out after a few nights and personally, I'd rather not pop an antipsychotic for insomnia. All the more power to you if it works, though. I've gotten much better at handling it through mindfulness. When the season kicks in I become a sort of New Age parody. Cup of chamomile before bed, Vicks on the chest, lavender spray from Boots. I got into mantras. Just simple ones. But the repetition of them definitely helps me out, loads. I used to try the whole empty your mind thing, but every few minutes I'd get frustrated at the sheer enormity of that task, and I think it made matters worse. I find I sleep easiest when the opposite happens and I actually go deep into thought, to the point where the hypnagogic carousel kicks in before I know it, and I'm off. Mantras basically let your mind keep chewing impulsively on something, only without having to think about it. Booze always exacerbates my insomnia. Insomnia's ruined booze for me, but I'm thankful for it because booze ruined me for me. It gives the old restless legs, as well. Brutally. That Vicks + lavender spray combination though. Give it a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted December 28, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted December 28, 2018 Yeah, now I know I'm in the middle of it, I'll crack out the calming tea, herbal tablets and the like. I hate the fact that I do sometimes end up resorting to drink when I don't have tabs, but everything else is very hit and miss for me. I usually keep a small store of Zopiclone about for when I get in a rut like this. Can't blame you for not wanting to take them, they're grim, but 2/3 days on them does always knock me back into shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Cod Eye Posted December 28, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted December 28, 2018 Insomnia has been the bane of my life sfor over 30 years. I first realised how my sleep wasn't the norm during a sleep over at my mates when I were 6 and he dropped into a full, deep sleep within 5 minutes of going to bed, but it took me hours upon hours to drop off. I've tried everything over the years, and the only thing that works are sleeping tablets. I've been to sleep experts with no look, removed all distractions out of my room and stopped watching TV hours before bed, with no joy. In the end I said "fuck it" and just accepteed it. Got myself a big telly in my room and spent almost the whole of every nihgt sonce watching late night TV and films. If I'm lucky enough for my doctor to let me have sleppers for a month or so, 8 hours sleep is complete heaven. I just hate the hangover the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5pints Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Yup. The tablets i'm on give it to me on a regular basis. The only electronic device I now have in my bedroom is my Amazon echo. The TV, mobile phone and alam clock have all been removed so no distractions. The echo plays sleep sounds (rain on tin roof my favourite). I have a sleep spray I use on my pillow. Best advice given to me was only go to be bed when feeling tired. Going to bed and knowing that you're not going to sleep will only make things worse inside your brain. At the beginning I would get tired to the point of physically shaking but as soon as my head hit the pillow i was wide awake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted December 28, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted December 28, 2018 1 minute ago, 5pints said: At the beginning I would get tired to the point of physically shaking but as soon as my head hit the pillow i was wide awake. For me, a big part of it is the panic of knowing it's not going to work. I find it very difficult to just accept, so I lie down and within 30 seconds in the case of last night, I'm panting and sweating like a pig because I'm terrified. I know that's the exact opposite of how you should approach it, but if it was easy, no one would have insomnia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gaffer Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 2 minutes ago, 5pints said: Best advice given to me was only go to be bed when feeling tired. Going to bed and knowing that you're not going to sleep will only make things worse inside your brain. This is so true. And whilst it goes against all medical advice, those of us with hardcore insomnia sometimes know it's better to just get up and do something. If I know I'm proper fucked I'll just switch on the small lamp and read. Put my time to use. Sometimes an all nighter has a novel buzz to it the next day that's more acceptable than the absolute stink of falling asleep and having your alarm go an hour later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 I've had it throughout my life but been fine for a while now. I get real pissed off with people who think they're insomniacs whereas they just have different sleeping patterns. No, you don't have insomnia if you fall asleep at 6am and get up at noon. Nor are you dyslexic just because you are shit at spelling, and no you aren't autistic or have some kind of aspergers because you're a bit of a cunt. Self diagnosis twats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Blog Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 I feel for all you lads. Never suffered myself but much like Keith I get irate with these tossers who claim they have it just because they stay up watching netflix until 4 does not mean you cannot actually go to sleep. Fucking irritating fuckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoChutney Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Likewise, I don't suffer from insomnia although I do sometimes struggle to sleep well. My problem is if I'm stressed or worried I can get over to sleep no problem but will wake up at 2 or 3am and that'll be me. My mind switches on immediately and I'll start to over analyse and over think minor things about work or family or whatever. I think that's linked more to the occasional bout of anxiety that I have then any sleep disorder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted January 3, 2019 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2019 Got to sleep at 6AM this morning after going to bed at 10:45. Second day back at work and I'm working from home because I got up 20 minute ago, it's fucking useless and embarrassing. Sleeping pills turn up tomorrow thank Christ, dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Accident Prone Posted January 3, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2019 Wishing you all the best, Gus. I suffer from frequent bouts of sleep paralysis (usually coupled with night terrors) and it often results in staying awake all the way through the night afterwards and it has a domino effect on the next few nights. Hope you manage to get some decent kip soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted January 3, 2019 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2019 Cheers man. Sleeping tabs have finally been dispatched and while it's a short term and blunt instrument to sort it out, it does. Also just gives me peace of mind knowing I have that option if I have a particularly bad night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted January 3, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2019 My insomnia's almost always psychological. Had it since the cancer biopsy. Was prescribed Zopiclone, and the first night I took it, I woke up feeling like Superman the next day. But subsequent nights on it, I just felt like shit - sort of halfway between hungover and horribly tired. It's been a not-so-great few years for me - all sorts of worries over health, family, career, love life, etc. I've just come out of that awful period - running my own company, family's health is better, I'm getting back into shape doing martial arts again, and I've started seeing an awesome woman. Still, the insomnia's not quite shifting - couldn't get to sleep until four last night, and woke up at half six. Guess it'll take a while for my brain to get used to being OK again. In the meantime, the old green seems to be the only thing that has any kind of non-deleterious effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted January 8, 2019 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 8, 2019 First night I've slept through without sleeping pills, booze or hangover tiredness in weeks. I could practically cry with happiness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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