never sleepy

hi guys

 

i am just curious. is it normal to never feel sleepy? i am currently unsure what is going on with my sleep. initially it was thought that i had rebound insomnia but apparently it cant be that anymore because its been 6 weeks. the doc doesnt even think its the benzos that are causing my insomnia anymore. i dunno

 

but anyways. does anyone else experience the feeling of their brain never winding down at all through the night? never feeling that sense of sleepiness when we know we are just about to nod off? my sleep is very random each night from 0 to 6 hours but never more than 2 hours at a time. and when i do sleep i dont really notice falling asleep. my gf just tells me that i was asleep for an hour or so and i just cant believe it. its freaking me out. i have been getting really anxious about it. insomnia is the only main thing im going through which is why i am so lost as to what is causing this as i know how others have multiple symptoms. can insomnia be a single symptom? could i still be going through rebound insomnia?

Hello,

 

Although, there were times I slept for 6 to 8 hours, my sleep averaged 2 to 3 hours a day. That lasted over 14 months. The insomnia this brings to most of us is unreal. The insomnia eventually will correct itself and go away completely.

 

There are some good tips in this insomnia board, try to look through it if you can, there maybe something that will help you.

 

Try some deep breathing, meditation or anything to ease the anxiety. Easing that anxiety could help you sleep longer.

 

Mike

Oh, yes!  Most every night!  It is like I can't find the switch to turn my brain and anxiety off.  A few times I had been so exhausted that I pretty much passed out fairly early and woke up feeling great, only to realize I had only been asleep for an hour!  Then up most of the night.  I have been getting some better nights, though.  I got about six hours last night.  Not continuous but certainly better than one or two.

 

Hang in there.  It will get better! 

I am never really sleepy either. My brain does not ever seem to want to "shut down" like it normally would pre-Benzos. I also cannot take naps like I used to. I used to be able to take a nice, normal nap in the afternoon and now, if I lay down, or am able to sleep, I have a "toxic nap" where I'm always woken up in a panic or by some weird noise or intrusive thought. For this reason, I try to avoid napping.

 

Hang in there and you will start to sleep again. While it is horribly annoying and does cause anxiety and other problems due to fatigue, count your blessings that insomnia is your only symptom from this mess. You brain will eventually reset itself and you will begin to sleep normally.

 

Wishing you the best. I am sorry that you are suffering.

 

Much love, Nicole

Hi Trojantony.

Yeah insomnia of the type you describe is pretty common.  It was one of my 3 or 4 main symptoms during my taper.

Fortunately, as others have pointed out it will improve over time.

Hang in there!

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

I really am praying that this is only temporary. I kind of freaked myself out before after reading a story from a lady from Finland who experienced this for years and years and still never felt relief. I don't know if I should have been looking at that sort of stuff. I just want answers.

 

Up until a couple of weeks ago I had actually been feeling that sleepy feeling at 4 or 5 am and be able to sleep for a few hours. The scary thing is that now I dont get it at all. It just makes me feel like it's getting worse.

 

I have a feeling that I'm suffering something unrelated to Benzos as It came about so suddenly after being fine the night before. I am hoping that it is caused by Benzos. That way I am sure that it can be fixed.

 

Surely my brain will heal itself. I just don't want to be living like this forever.

I started sleeping more at about 6 months off and it appeared insomnia wasn't going to be a problem for me. I even started to nap. My head started to feel physically relaxed if that makes sense. Inside and out.My symptoms through this have been head/eye physical based.

 

At 11 mos out, I got a new head symptoms, head muscle seizing, it felt tense everywhere inside and out and everything translated sharp and alert. Hard to explain. Along with a strange head pressure, milder now and sporadic, but I think what ever is going is all together is compromising the brain from sleeping.  Hard to explain. And now, I still can't get that groggy sleep feeling back as it came back in the 6th month, so I know what you mean. Total insomnia and I am tired but even up 22 hours the sleepy feeling doesn't kick in. I don't get it. I can relate. It cycles. I do the whole sleep hygiene thing etc. I know it will resolve if it did once. Just on it's own time.

 

The woman you referred to from Finland is not a common situation so try not to think that will be you. Most get their sleep back. xoxo

I was sleeping better when just off then it got worst.  I had several weeks of really really light sleep, averaging 3 1/2 hours a night, but really broken in 15 minutes, or 30 minutes interval.  Around 11 weeks, i started getting some deep sleep, but still averaging about 4 hrs a night.  then around 13 weeks, I'm starting to put in some hours, but very very light, and i wake frequently, but usually get some deep sleep. If there is any distraction I wake up.

 

I think that for several people it's par for the course.  I'm always tired but never sleepy.  I don't get the sleepy feeling, in the last few months I have felt it about twice or three times, it is really unnerving and am really looking forward to restorative sleep.  I sleep really well about once a week at most.  It's "benzo wd. normal" in a twisted sort of way.

Yeah it's really frustrating and at times scary. 2 nights ago I slept a solid 5 hours straight up but never got sleepyat all and didn't feel like I was even asleep at all. I then fell asleep soon after and for the first time in 3 months I was sleepy. It was the best feeling ever. I went back to sleep for an hour or two and woke up feeling like you should after 3 months of awful sleep. It was the most satisfying morning I've had in a while.

 

Lastnight I went back to my really broken sleep. Although I did get about 6 hours all up I could have sworn it felt like I had never slept despite my clock telling me otherwise.and I didn't get the sleepy feeling again which kind of depressed me. Oh well. At least it showed me that I can feel tired. It will just take some time.

 

And i guess I should be happy  that I'm getting any sleep at all. It's really reassuring to hear other people goin through a similar thing. It really does make this all a lot easier. 

When I quit the benzos 4 months ago, that first month was insane! My mind would not shut down, I had no sleep for a full month.

 

It is much better now, I actually start yawning and get sleepy. What a great feeling. Sleep is far from perfect yet, but some nights I get between 5-6 hours. compared to what it was I guess I would consider this pretty darn good.

 

It will get better for you too.

 

pj

I notice that during the intense days of my withdrawal from a dosage drop (about four days), I barely sleep, feel anxious, and am revved all day. I don't even feel tired. During my one week of "vacation" from withdrawing, the rev subsided and I noticed I was very tired and slept well for a few nights. But now I'm in the thick of another dosage drop and having trouble sleeping.

Found this old post--it's exactly what's going on with me.  If there are any updates from those who posted originally, would love to hear them!  Also, if anyone new is experiencing this...I believe it's all related  to why I'm only sleeping 2 hours/night.