Sleep Paralysis/ Insomnia

[MementoMori]

Has anyone got any experience of this? Because it's absolutely doing me in at the minute.

Back in college I used to get sleep paralysis around the time of my exams. I just put it down to the Pro Plus and stupid amounts of caffeine and left it at that. After my exams it stopped and I never thought about it again.

But recently I've had a lot of stuff on and it's come back. Well it came back so frequently I ended up going to the doctor who signed me off with exhaustion due to the silly hours I work.

A week's rest didn't cure it and I ended up going back to him and he gave me some Zoplicone but I don't like this as it makes me feel insanely lethargic the next day. Literally just lay on the bed on my laptop all day, not really eating cos I can't be arsed to get up and sort something out. And I'm still not back at work, I'm due back on Saturday now.

I haven't been taking them every night because of this, but when I do fall asleep naturally I have really, really bad nightmares. Worse than I've ever experienced in that I feel negative emotions such as fear and anger like I've never experienced in real life.

So it's got to the point now where I'm scared to fall asleep. I've been up all night tonight and have no inclination to try and sleep. I feel tired but I know I can't sleep or I will get the terrible nightmares again. Or I can take a tablet and be absolutely useless for the next 24 hours. Moreso than I am running on no sleep.

To be honest, I don't know what to do any more. I don't feel like there is anything or anyone that can help me. I feel really trapped, I know I need to sleep and I don't want to put my body under the strain but I can't do it, I'm too scared.

I don't know, has anyone ever had to deal with this? Cos it's fucking horrible.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers for reading.
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The tiger who came for a pint

[Dazbo666]

Not sure what to suggest, but sleep deprivation to the point of exhaustion obviously won't be doing yourself any favours either.
I work long anti-social shifts (just about to finish another 12 hour night shift at 7am), so I have a fair amount of personal experience with disturbed sleep patterns etc.

I often have strange / surreal dreams after a long night shift, but very rarely anything that I'd describe as a nightmare.

However I don't usually have any serious issues with getting to sleep afterwards, as long as I haven't been hitting the coffee too much.
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[JP7]

I have had on and off sleeping problems throughout my life, so I can understand how awful you must be feeling at the moment.

I can only recommend that you head back to your GP and see about changing your medication. If it's having unwanted side effects then it's not the right one for you to take, and hopefully your GP will have more ideas.

By the sounds of it, it's having a lot of impact on your life, so it might be worth asking your GP for a referral to a sleep study centre such as Papworth near Huntingdon. You spend a night there and they watch what goes on while you sleep, and will make recommendations or give treatment accordingly.

Good luck!

[Rogerborg]

Tried fresh air and exercise? And no, I'm not trying to be trite or cute.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[CaNsA]

[adamck]

Maybe an allergy?

I recently found that if i east anything with garlic in im wide awake and my heart is racing!

I think it thins the blood, so maybe thats my issue, i used to be ok and im a big fan of italian food, and i LOVE garlic bread!

I now keep clear of it and im ok, maybe worth looking into what your allergic too, maybe its a caffein intolerance? ProPlus and RedBull is nasty stuff and very bad for the heart!
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[YUN]

I feel your pain as I have the same problem on and off.
I tend to get insomnia when I have a lot of stress and worries. I'd be tossing and turning in bed and when I eventually do fall asleep (near early morning)...i'd get really bad nightmares, similar to how you've described it.

I've never been to the doctors and have tried to ride this out by myself for years.
It's hard, but basically you have to 'empty your mind' from all the hang-ups, stresses, anger you have built up before you go to bed. Are there any personal reasons that might be affecting your sleeping problem?? You might have to deal with those first!

My other suggestion is try to tire yourself out during the day. When I keep myself busy - with chores, constantly up and down and keeping my day jam packed....I will fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow AND with NO nightmares which is the perfect result.
____________________
Meet the team that will win, Blade, Razor, Blazer and my personal assistant, Michelle and from Romanovia - Fran Stalinovskovichdavidovitchsky
~ * CBT - 13/01/08 --> Theory 24/05/08 --> Squished by lorries, brand new CBR125(2000miles) write-off 04/06/06 --> DAS booked 02-04/08/08 * --> DAS passed 05/08/08 * --> VFR400 (aka 'Mike') ~

[schooleydoo]

[BelleBot]

I have similar problems with insomnia and occasionally sleep paralysis and nightmares which scare the shit out of me.
The best thing I've found is fresh air and exercise, not eating for a few hours before bed and routine - getting up and going to sleep the same sort of time everyday, so no staying up till the early hours. It's dull and boring, but works.
There are times where all that fails, but I'm quite fortunate that zopiclone works wonders for me and if my insomnia gets really bad I can take a weeks course and reset myself so to speak before the sleep deprivation gets too bad.

Go back to your doctor and ask for something else, there are lots of sleeping medications available, it's usually a case of trial and error to find something that suits.
Or go and see the pharmacist, if prescription sleeping medications are too strong for you and zonk you out the following day, an over the counter remedy might well help instead.
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Current Bike: 2004 SV650S
Old Bike: 1989 Honda CB-1 - crashed

[mogster]

I too. Suffer from insomnia + vivid upsetting dreams particularly when I am stressed. The more exhausted I used to get the less I slept.

I work all shifts in a mix which most people couldn't cope with. Ironically I sleep best during the day after a night shift! I now accept that 4hrs straight is a good kip for me, but I do rest.

My tips are:

Get a different sleeping tablet (as said many different), you could even take half a tab to try. Don't be put off as a few night on tabs (even with sluggish days) can reset your clock.

When you get back to work choose at least one night a week as a pamper night. Bath, relaxing music, hot water bottle, fresh linen, sleep alone & this will help recharge you.

Keep a food/drink diary as you may be reacting to something eg yeast.

CUT OUT caffeine completely!

CUT OUT ALCOHOL completely for at least a month. DO NOT rely on alcohol to help you sleep......it won't!

Don't use computer etc for at least 4hrs before bed.

Get blackout blinds/eyeshield/earplugs or as I do keep the radio on (not pop) as it minimises background noise.(Radio 4/world service good).

As before exercise/fresh air will help.

Don't despair as you will get past this. You just have to find a way of coping & relaxing.

Sweet Dreams
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MOG

The roar of his mighty triumph was heard throughout the land

[Clanger]

I suffered insomnia after my accident, mostly because of re-dreaming the accident over again and making up different scenarios and silly things.

My doctor told me that laying down is as good as a rest, and not to beat myself up that because I wasn't sleeping...but to enjoy laying there doing nothing, and not working my muscles.

And having a routine...each night, I would switch off the pc/tv around an hour before I wanted to sleep...would read a couple of chapters of a fiction book...then lie down and do a relaxation techniques...

Visualising: I was going to the beach, kicking off my shoes and wiggling my toes in the grass, and then walking down the wooden steps to the beach, counting the steps, then stepping down onto the warm sand, and finding a boat, and loading my troubles and stresses onto the boat, and pushing them out to sea....

Earplugs help block out the noise, and blackout blind any light.

No fluids after 7.30pm, or only half a cup of something like camomile or other herbal.

It worked/works for me...I still use the same scenario to send me off to sleep (if required).
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[RPM]

Hello

If zopiclone are causing difficulties and I would expect them to (they are not the best option by a long way). You could try

1. cutting the dose, iirc they are 7.5mg tablets (cut one in half) although if you are sensitive to their effect it might be the drug effect rather than the dose. Please be aware that they can cause dependency similar to all of the z drugs or benzodiazepines (which are similar in action).

2. Try to introduce a regime that promotes a regular sleep pattern (easier said than done.....or in the very short term

3. See your GP and suggest that they try promethazine (phenergan) it's an anti histamine which provided you are not tolerant to the ingredients, a one tablet dose can and often does promote sleep without having to suffer the half life effects.

All medication is a short term intervention and can be useful during times of difficulty point 2 above is the best long term option, but only you will be able to work out how this could be acheived.

All the best
Mike