I've had insomnia for about 15 years now, the kind that makes it difficult to fall asleep. Never (I think) have I had simultaneously the kinds that makes it both difficult to fall asleep and that wakes a person early.
For a couple of weeks, I've had such insomnia. I don't fall asleep till after midnight and wake up for the day around four o'clock (this morning, 3:30). What is especially astonishing to me is that this insomnia is amidst first-trimester fatigue, a common cold, and that I am taking a nightly dose of Bendectin (half of whose ingredient is a Unisom sleeping tablet). I still take the pill at 9:30 and normally it knocked me unconscious by 10:00, but not so now. I just lay there and lay there and lay there. On Tuesday night I was awake almost all night with sick Mary and I still slept only three-and-a-half hours the next night!
I am mystified, irritated with my body, and very tired during the daytime. (Perhaps God is giving me this cross because he wants me to use my wakeful time to pray more!)
Okay, I have vocalized the first complaint about this in a couple of weeks. Now I will resume being quiet. Over and out!
I SO feel your pain. I've had insomnia for 20 years, and it's really debilitating. And sometimes you just need to complain about it a bit!
ReplyDeleteWish I had a good solution for you, but I've tried pretty much everything. I even went to a sleep doctor some years ago and had an overnight sleep study done. The result? They told me, "Your sleep patterns are abnormal, but we're not sure why. You should get used to not sleeping as well as most people." Wow, thanks.
Anyway, I hope it gets at least somewhat better soon!
Cathleen: That is a really funny report from your sleep study. I hope it didn't cost too much.
ReplyDeleteI have one mom-friend who finally decided to embrace her insomnia and now she stays up, being productive much of the night. Ha ha!
Have you tried Magnesium or Melatonin? I know there are melatonin drops that you can take sublingually. And there's a magnesium powder at the HFS that you drink as a tea. It's very calming and helps you sleep.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you!!!! I'm a bear with less than 6hrs of sleep, and lately I've been very impatient with the kids on my 6-7hrs.
ReplyDeleteOn the videos and in your blog you always sound so cheerful and patient. Please send some of that my way. :) I'll pray you can get a little more sleep though.
Sara: I haven't tried those yet.
ReplyDeleteAnna: Thanks, you're sweet. I don't post videos of when I'm being a bear and have to take my behavior to Confession. But, seriously, somehow I am functioning on four hours of sleep for a couple of weeks and that sort of things has happened before. I don't know how I can be functioning, so I figure I have to thank God. I guess he isn't giving me more than I can bear, as he promises he won't.
I too have trouble falling asleep - although not sure it is insomnia. What I find helps me is making it as dark as possible in the room - sometimes I even were an eye mask. Also, soothing music on my Ipod works as well.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to mention could it be the medicine you are taking? I had a friend who couldn't take nyquil because it kept her up all night. Her doctor told her that some medicines have the opposite affect on people.
Melatonin (specifically the sublingual type) has helped my mother's insomnia too. Might be worth a shot...
ReplyDeleteThe choleric in me just wants to figure out a way to FIX THIS for you but I know you probably just want a "there,there" and so I will control myself. (But I might google something. I can't stop myself.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm so sorry you're not sleeping. I cannot IMAGINE. I need a regular amount of sleep or I'm no fun to be with.
God is not telling you to pray more; your body is telling you something (and, yes, sleep studies are expensive, if your health insurance doesn't cover it). Valarian works for some people. Tell your doctor that your medication isn't working; being a pregnant full-time mother of two toddlers you definitely need decent rest.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you for all your concern. I should have known that to complain out loud would make people want to fix it! (Sarah Faith, you're so funny!) I do wear an eye mask, have darkened shades, listen to a sound machine, etc. Taking sleeping pills (whether doxylamine or diphenhydramine) works until my body gets used to it. Maybe after three months of taking doxylamine as part of the Bendectin, my body is used to it? But that still wouldn't explain being extra AWAKE, it would just explain not being knocked out by the drug anymore. Maybe I'll try melatonin.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel. While I have never struggled with insomnia I did have very little sleep when Kate was an infant. She would not sleep at night unless I was holding her while I was in an upright position! Even laying propped on the couch was too reclined! I had to walk with her untill she finally fell asleep and then I could sit in the recliner and hold her. She did this well into her 7th month, although she had a brief period of sleeping well at 4 months old.
ReplyDeleteI think I got an average of 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I remember when she was about 2 months old I started getting anxious and depressed as the sun would go down because it was so lonely staying up with her all night. I wish I could come up with a magical solution to your problem because I now how taxing that is. I hope you sleep better soon!