Sleep Restriction Therapy for Insomnia

Hey Aloha,

 

Good idea on a political forum. I need to find me one too - I am also very into politics (mostly international). It was my choice to get more time on the back end vs. the front end because I felt I was a little stressed about not being sleepy enough before going to bed, but that's changing now

I had a very weak attempt at SR. I couldn't handle it for more than about 4 days. I was doing the day on day off for a while. I slept for 10 days in a row in mid June and then had two 0 nights with broken sleep night between and after. I'm at my mom's place now and slept good for 6 more days. Last night went back to 0. I'm feeling absolutely terrible today. Massive depression too from all of this. I wish I had a magic wand to make all of this bullshit go away.

 

Siggy,

It sounds like you are having more good nights than bad nights. I think that sounds like progress for someone with insomnia. I found that my depression comes and goes along with my quality of sleep. Hang in there. I'm sure that you have many more good nights to come.

 

Thanks aloha, yes I'm hoping it's progress. That's what my wife says. I guess I just can't see the forest through the trees. Have a dr appt in a few weeks to get all the hormones checked out. Have a lot of thyroid issues that run in the family.

Hey Aloha,

 

Good idea on a political forum. I need to find me one too - I am also very into politics (mostly international). It was my choice to get more time on the back end vs. the front end because I felt I was a little stressed about not being sleepy enough before going to bed, but that's changing now

 

Runner,

Check out this forum. I have not had time to really look at it yet, but it like it might have potential.

http://www.politicalforum.com/latest-us-world-news/

It has almost been 3 weeks since I started my sleep restriction therapy and I am about to declare it a failure. In looking back at my sleep logs I see no real progress. There were periods of improvements only to be followed by declines. I now seem to be right back where I started. In spite of this, I feel that I need to continue with the program since I need to keep trying something, but it is going to be much harder to commit to the hardship when I now have serious doubts about a successful outcome.

 

I have been taking time off of work under the Family Medical Leave Act. My therapist has been providing the documentation allowing me to do this. If I give up the program I will no longer be under her care and will not be able to extend my work leave. I will most likely have to return to work although I do not feel like I can do this now. Also my employer requires a letter stating that I am able to return to work, especially since a stated reason for my taking the leave was because I was no longer a safe driver. I don't know if my therapist would be able to vouch for my fitness if I continue to make no improvement. Now I worry about my keeping my job. That does not help with sleep.

 

I am wondering if burned-out GABA receptors due to my Ambien misuse is the reason for my not progressing with the therapy program that is said to work for most people who stick it out. Perhaps there is still a physical barrier to sleep that only time can overcome. I also have to think that perhaps I am fighting against myself and that mental barriers are holding me back. Perhaps hypnosis or self-hypnosis will help. I will have to explore these approaches next.

 

This is by far the biggest hardship my wife and I have had to endure to date. Lack of sleep really messes me up. My craving to sleep and the nightly disappointment has really depressed me. I have to admit that I spent most of the Forth of July parade that we attended thinking about how I would say goodbye to my family and what I could plan to make life without me easier for them. Thoughts do not get much darker than that and I really do not want to go there again.

I'm so sorry about your situation aloha. The sleep issue as we all know is definetly a bear. I tend to agree with your assessment about the sleep restriction may not be able to fully help with people like us that have had a chemical damage their sleep mechanism. I might be wrong though. I'm dealing with similar issues and thoughts. Absolutely terrible what these garbage meds do to people. I'm now really questioning myself too because I slept almost 11 days straight when I took a vacation to my mom's house over 4th of July week (1 bad 0 hour night last Wednesday). We got back late last night after driving all day and I didn't sleep at all last night. I knew I had to go back to work and I think the fear all day while driving just keyed me up too much. I'll admit that driving in the morning to work is the toughest. Once I'm at work for a few hours it gets a little better. I still feel like crap, but I march on. My main saving grace is that I usually do pass out on the second night after a zero night (knock on wood). Hang in there bud. Do what you can to get by.

Siggy,

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I'll take as many of them as I can get. You hang in there too/1

Hey Aloha,

I am sorry to hear that it's not panning out the way you expected. And the dark intrusive thoughts are the worst. Woorrsst. Are you exercising and seeing a therapist (just to talk to, not the sleep person)? Sometimes it's cathartic to just pour your heart out to someone.

 

But keep in mind that the progress is not linear with this therapy, there are setbacks. You can still have spontaneous insomnia. But as long as you have tools not to stress out about not sleeping, it becomes easier to bounce back. This therapy has indeed been tried on long-term benzo users and it is successful for them too.

 

Since you mentioned that you started sleeping way better when you moved out of your wives bed, I am hesitant to think that it's the permanent GABA receptor damage. It sounds like a behavioral problem. Just my two cents.

 

Hugs,

 

LDR

 

 

Hi Runner,

 

Thought that you might be staying off the forum for a little while. Good to here from you again. How is your therapy going? Last time I heard something, it sounded as if you were well on your way to recovery. I hope that you get there soon.

 

To answer your questions...I am exercising as much as my fatigue will allow. I started taking yoga classes and started using the YMCA gym that is behind my house. My wife and I also still go for our evening walks, although not as far as we used to because we are both so tired at night.

 

In addition to my sleep therapist, I see another therapist to address anxiety issues associated with my sleep problem. This week I will start seeing a third therapist who is going to teach me self-hypnosis since I agree that a big chunk of my problem seems to be behavioral in nature. Fortunately, I have very good medical insurance and was able to take time off of work.

 

To further calm my soul, I will be starting to attend meditation training sessions with my wife at a nearby eastern spiritual  center. I have already been practicing 20 minutes of daily mindful breathing meditations so I can see that there is some value to be had with meditation. If a couple of years ago I was given a sneak peek of my life today, I would have insisted that I was viewing someone else's life and not my own.

 

It seems that every time I feel like I am almost hitting bottom, I am able to think of something to improve my mood and perhaps increase my chance of sleep. Now I am really looking at what by bed means to me. I can't help but to notice that I often get a clenching feeling in my gut when I look at it. It is a very plush and expensive bed that feels like heaven when I first get in it, but I have been noticing mixed feelings toward it before my current insomnia problem started. I think that at some level, such a comfortable bed sets me up with a high expectation of immediate and satisfying sleep.

 

It may sound strange, but lately I have been interested in the many homeless people that have been in the news a lot over here in Hawaii. I have been paying attention to their attempts to create comfort with what they have to work with. In my tired state, it stimulates some sort of nesting reflex that is totally crushed by my "mother of all comfortable beds". My wife thinks that I am a bit of a nut case, but tonight I am going to sleep on the floor next to my bed. I did my best to create comfort out of nothing and I am really looking forward to my 1 am bedtime to test it out. At least I will be in my room and not far from my wife so I am hoping that I can easily transition back into bed if I end up sleeping well on the floor.

 

Sorry for such a long posting, but you know how it is when trying to stay awake until 1:00 am every night while sleep deprived.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Aloha,

 

I do mean to stay off BB, I keep coming back out of habit! I don't go to the forums anymore. Just check the threads I posted. I finally jumped from Gabapentin this Sunday. I was very nervous because I was worried my sleep won't come through. Plus taking a pill before going to sleep is such a ritual for me, that it feels strange to have it omitted. The first night I tossed and turned out a bit, but still slept. And today, I feel asleep around 12:30am and woke up at 6:30am!! Then I was half dreaming until 7:15am Very excited. I think my next big hurdle is just not to concern myself with sleep at all. Just look at the clock and realize "Oh shit, time for bed." That's my next goal for improvement.

 

My sleep therapist is happy w/ my improvement, my bed time is now at 12:30am, and if that goes well I go to 12:00am next week. Fingers crossed.

 

I think in addition to the therapy, I am taking Inositol and I believe that helps w/ my anxiety (and consequently sleep). I have definitely seen improvements in positive mood. I believe Inositol is a secondary serotonin messenger, so all that makes sense. I built it up over a course of a month, and I now take 12.5mg (divided up in 3 doses). You may want to look into it.

 

I am glad to hear you are taking such proactive steps towards your recovery and not idly standing by. I think that's huge. One of these - or summation of these - things will help you get back on your feet. That tells me that you still got a lot of fight in you Keep posting and letting us know how you are doing.

 

-LDR

Runner,

Congratulations on your jump! I know what you mean by feeling strange not taking any pills.

I saw my therapist today and presented her with my most recent sleep log for the sleep restriction therapy. The numbers showed no real progress over the past 3 weeks with a continued low nightly hours of obtained sleep. She told me that my case is pretty rare and that I definitely fall well outside the average person's experience. It was her stated belief that my continuing the therapy is equal to cruel and unusual punishment. She also cannot understand how I am able to function on so little sleep for so long. I left feeling like some sort of alien, but surprisingly upbeat.

 

She wants to consult with the medical doctor who oversees the sleep center and get back to me with alternate therapy approaches. I am not worried because I feel that I recently achieved a major attitude adjustment regarding my sleep problem and may have found an approach that works for me. For the first time since my insomnia started, I do not feel worried about it. Maybe all of the yoga and meditation has finally paid off (at least as long as I am getting more than my usual amount of sleep).

What's your method that's working for you aloha? How much sleep are you getting?

Hi Siggy,

 

I did not mean to get your hopes up thinking that I found something that you too can use to improve your sleep. Mostly I am excited that I was able to obtain an attitude adjustment that makes it easier for me to put up with my problem. Also, the approached that I mentioned is personal and relates to my specific situation. I decided that to some real extent, my overly plush and expensive bed is no longer suitable for my old body that is now suffering from arthritis and tendonitis. I'm pretty sure that this was a factor in bringing on my insomnia and is making it harder to end it. Sleeping on the floor seems to offer more support. My wife and I must now replace our cherished bed with a firmer and less fancy one.

 

Today I start self-hypnosis training and my sleep therapist wants to try out a couple of alternative treatments since the sleep restriction therapy did not work. One such treatment involves electro-stimulation to the brain. I googled it and it sounds pretty promising. This therapy has been shown to be successful for treating anxiety, depression, pain and insomnia with little or no side effects. I will post follow-ups to let you know if any of these treatments produce any results.

Hi Siggy,

 

I did not mean to get your hopes up thinking that I found something that you too can use to improve your sleep. Mostly I am excited that I was able to obtain an attitude adjustment that makes it easier for me to put up with my problem. Also, the approached that I mentioned is personal and relates to my specific situation. I decided that to some real extent, my overly plush and expensive bed is no longer suitable for my old body that is now suffering from arthritis and tendonitis. I'm pretty sure that this was a factor in bringing on my insomnia and is making it harder to end it. Sleeping on the floor seems to offer more support. My wife and I must now replace our cherished bed with a firmer and less fancy one.

 

Today I start self-hypnosis training and my sleep therapist wants to try out a couple of alternative treatments since the sleep restriction therapy did not work. One such treatment involves electro-stimulation to the brain. I googled it and it sounds pretty promising. This therapy has been shown to be successful for treating anxiety, depression, pain and insomnia with little or no side effects. I will post follow-ups to let you know if any of these treatments produce any results.

 

Ah ok makes sense! 

 

My mom has a sleep number bed and it was pretty nice. My wife and I were playing with the settings for each side. One side can be firmer than the other. On another note, my wife is Korean. Here mom uses a sleeping mat on the floor much like you are talking about. It's for a lot of the same reasons. You may look into something like that. Since you're in Hawaii, I'm sure they have places that sell them. I think they also have ones with stones built into them. May not be your cup of tea though. Just do a google image search to see what they look like.

Aloha, my husband and I had to get a new mattress a couple of weeks ago. We probably could have waited but the slightest difficulty ruins my sleep. We had a good mattress before but I could feel every move he made and even his snores jiggled the bed. We spent more than we hoped to but found one that is firm but had tempurpedic foam on the top, a "hybrid" mattress. Now my restlessness doesn't bother him and nothing he does affects me. I hope you get this figured out too.

 

And that brain stimulation stuff looks really promising. I've been following that some. It helps a bunch of issues. We have a friend here with a physics background who figured out how to stimulate the correct part of his brain and would do it from time to time and had some dramatic positive effects on thinking and mood.

I don't remember if I ever summarized the results of my attempt at sleep restriction therapy. It did not work. In fact, the therapist took me off of it because my sleep logs were showing very little sleep over the weeks. She thought that my continuing with the program would be too cruel.

 

I have since come to realize that withdrawal-related insomnia just needs to heal on its own over time. There are probably no shortcuts. After having tried everything that I could think of to fight the insomnia, I now just accept that it is a part of my life.  Fortunately my sleep is starting to return. I can now count on a good 4 to 5 hours of almost normal sleep a night. It just takes a couple of hours to fall asleep.

Aloha, the attitude adjustment was the best thing I got out of CBT for insomnia. My experience was much like yours but after weeks and weeks of not being able to go to bed until 2:30 am it shifted how I feel about going to bed. I see any sleep at all as a blessing, even cruddy sleep, and believe this is going to get better in time. I do all I can to be physically active, exercise, meditate and work with my stress so I tend to be a lot less upset about the whole sleep thing most of the time. I bet you'll start to see progress before too long.