Chronic Insomnia

[phoebe22]

I have been trying to find out what the physical and mental/emotional effects of severe (max 4 hours of broken sleep), prolonged (10 months and counting) inomnia are, but so far not much luck ... mostly comments about how it can be dangerous because a person becomes less alert (duh) ... so I'm hoping someone here would be able - and willing - to either give me some idea, or point me in the direction of reliable and relevant information.

Thanks

P

 

[Daniel E.]

Usually, people with insomnia tend to be anxious about insomnia, which helps to keep the insomnia going. So books on insomnia will say things like "no one dies from insomnia" and you should wake up at the same time each day even if you only slept a few hours. So at least some of what you find out there on the Internet, such as at Google Scholar or Google Books, may be reassuring: Insomnia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some books on insomnia are mentioned here: http://forum.psychlinks.ca/sleep-dr...m-to-last-a-month-at-a-time-2.html#post192930

BTW, for insomnia, pretty much anything can be more effective than sleeping pills in the long term. And antihistamines like Benadryl can be ineffective for insomnia after only three days of continued use.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Chronic sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep, especially REM sleep deprivation, at the very least tends to make other mental health issues worse and potentially can exacerbate depression, anxiety, anger, frustration tolerance, stress tolerance, etc. Among other things, good sleep is necessary to maintain normal brain chemistry.

 

[Daniel E.]

And, of course, treatment usually includes treating the underlying mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression, which tend to be undertreated in general. Early-morning awakening is associated with depression, for example. And many sleep hygiene behaviors like exercising in the morning are also treatments for depression, anxiety, etc.

So a sedentary lifestyle, which has long-term health effects including depression and anxiety, is also associated with people prone to insomnia:

Keep in mind that nature is based on cycles of rest and activity. If you don't get enough of one, the other is affected. Without enough activity, you have more difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. Physical activity quickly improves both, and recognition of that has made it a primary remedy at sleep clinics.

Anxiety depression are two major causes of poor sleeping patterns, and physical activity helps defuse both....

Sedentary patients often complain of insomnia...Among them are quite a few intense type A people, individuals who are very busy but not physically active.

Move Yourself: The Cooper Clinic ... - Tedd Mitchell, Tim Church, Martin Zucker - Google Books

 

[Retired]

Would you describe the exact nature of your difficultiy for good sleep, if indeed you are the person with insomnia you are talking about?

Is it because of difficulty falling asleep, difficulty remaining asleep, interruptions during the night that make it difficult to get back to sleep, or perhaps early morning awakening, and inability to return to sleep.

Would you describe the environment in which you are having difficulty to sleep..Is it noisy, bright, uncomfortable, unsanitary, are there external distractions interfering with sleep or are the distractions internal, such as recurring, troubling thoughts?

How about your general stability in life and overall health?

Are you financially secure at this time, marriage (other relationship) stable, physical health? Are you a consumer of any caffeine products, sugar containing foods, alcohol or medications, prescribed or otherwise?

 

[Daniel E.]

I browsed some of your old posts. Are you still on a low dose of Seroquel for sleep? If so, that dose doesn't seem to be helping your sleep at this point. Or did you stop taking the Seroquel? Of course, it wouldn't hurt to call your psychiatrist, and maybe s/he can also help you find low-cost resources for mental health counseling. From what I remember reading, you mentioned that you could not afford to see a therapist.

BTW:

As her recovery has progressed she’s been able to sleep for longer periods of time, with the lights and television off, and without anyone else being home. It’s been very exciting for her to see her need for insomnia meds reduce.

PTSD, Insomnia and My Sleeping Aids

 

[phoebe22]

I'm frankly too exhausted to respond individually or in detail, but I can say that it's not due to mental health issues (though I'm sure it's not helping them) nor by habits, over-use of sleep meds, and so on. I have abnormal sleeping brain wave patterns, and in terms of medication there's nothing that can be done about it, so I've long since given up chasing that hope. I don't take many medications, but there's one which, when I use it for its purpose (muscle relaxer) does knock me out for about 45 minutes.

I'm experiencing a lot of the emotional/mental aspects of not sleeping, though I can't say I actively worry about whether or not I'll sleep when I go to bed. Usually I'm out cold almost straight away ... it's staying asleep that's the problem. Regardless, I don't worry about it. I tend to trust my body to get its act together eventually, but this has been going on for nearly a year now, and has become impossible to ignore or shrug off as something that will pass.

My health has been in the tank for 30 years (some say post-viral damage, some say M.E. ... they can't do anything about it, so I don't care what they call it; I also have FM and CMP) and said health is rapidly worsening. For that reason, what I really need to find out is what are the physical effects that are most common to long-term sleep disruption/deprivation. Nothing more than 3-4 hours' worth of restless cat-naps obviously can't be good, but the more I understand about the physical impact, the more able I'll be to identify what's due to my existing health issues and what's due to or being aggravated by the lack of sleep. It's probably a bit of both, but any new knowledge may prove helpful.

And I really hope that made sense :noidea:

Thanks again

P

 

[AmZ]

I experienced insomnia for several months and can empathise. Then I went in to hospital and they gave me Imovane to help me sleep. At the beginning it would knock me out and help me fall asleep but then I'd be awake 3 hours later or so. But gradually, alongside therapy and a relaxed environment, I began sleeping through the whole night.

There are answers and hope out there.

 

[Daniel E.]

I'm frankly too exhausted to respond individually or in detail,

So then are you also too tired to exercise much during the day? I say that since feeling too tired to exercise is one of the painful ironies of insomnia, which is why there is some discomfort in the behavior therapy for insomnia.

I have abnormal sleeping brain wave patterns

Are you referring to an overnight study at a sleep clinic or something like that? If so, how long ago was that?

Regarding CMP, some of the self-care tips are the same as for insomnia:

Can CMP be prevented?

It might not be possible to prevent all episodes of CMP, but the following tips might help reduce their occurrence and hasten recovery:

• Improve your posture.
• Reduce your body weight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
• Learn stress-management techniques.
• Use proper techniques at work, and during exercise and sports.

Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP)

Similarly, for fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia: Lifestyle and home remedies - MayoClinic.com

Even if the insomnia was somehow "treatment resistant," CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) can help at least with coping. And, as you may know, CBT has been used to help manage chronic pain.

the more able I'll be to identify what's due to my existing health issues and what's due to or being aggravated by the lack of sleep

Because you believe your insomnia isn't treatable?

Have you tried physical therapy? For example:

You may need to start slowly and build up gradually. But exercising regularly often improves symptoms. Many people find exercises such as walking, swimming, biking and water aerobics to be helpful. A physical therapist may help you develop a home-exercise program. Stretching, good posture and relaxation exercises also can be helpful.

http://forum.psychlinks.ca/fibromyalgia-and-chronic-fatigue/18682-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html

 

[phoebe22]

I give up

 

[Daniel E.]

what I really need to find out is what are the physical effects that are most common to long-term sleep disruption/deprivation

physical effects that are most common to long-term sleep disruption/deprivation - Google Search

I give up

In case you are wondering where I am coming from, I would personally find it difficult, for example, to differentiate between some of the effects of insomnia and the effects of depression, especially since they can improve together by doing the same treatments. That has been my experience with overcoming my own sleeping problems.

Another example: Sensitivity to pain can be increased both by insomnia and by stress/anxiety, with insomnia also affecting stress tolerance and with stress being the most common cause of insomnia.

So while there is a chicken-and-egg thing often going on, the important thing is to ensure the treatments address both the insomnia and the co-morbid disorders, which isn't too hard since they usually share the same basic approaches such as SSRIs (which can also contribute to insomnia, esp. if they are taken later in the day), CBT (which can include self-help CBT such as MoodGym), and lifestyle changes.

---------- Post added at 05:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 PM ----------

And, of course, other causes of insomnia include medication side-effects and undiagnosed medical conditions: Insomnia: Causes - MayoClinic.com

---------- Post added at 08:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:42 PM ----------

Chronic Sleep Disorders - Apnea, RLS, Narcolepsy, and More

Seeing a sleep specialist is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Many sleep disorders are secondary to a variety of medical and mental-health disorders, pain, and even the treatments for these disorders. Medical conditions like diabetes, congestive heart failure, emphysema, stroke, and others may have nighttime symptoms that disturb sleep. Depressive illnesses and anxiety disorders are associated with sleep disturbances, as is the pain from conditions like arthritis, cancer, and acid reflux, to name a few.

Recognizing and distinguishing among sleep problems, primary sleep disorders, and those secondary to or associated with medical conditions is critical to proper diagnosis and treatment. It is equally important, however, to realize that they often interact in a complex manner, with each impacting the other. For example, poor sleep can affect your mood, and your mood can affect the quality of your sleep. Poor sleep can contribute to obesity, and obesity can cause sleep disorders. Exactly how all these factors interact is not completely known, but we can target each aspect individually and achieve vastly improved interventions and treatments.