Insominia Please Respond getting no sleep

[singersongwriter123]

At my wits end as getting no sleep, dr has prescribed tempazepam to get into a sleep pattern took one the other night and the next day felt really drowsy and weak. I think it's my only choice though, I am still on 1mg of diazepam a night.

What has helped you with your insominia please respond.

[Carnation]

Not trying to sleep. Read, listen to Music, watch TV, come on here; until you so tired , and ready to drop. Don't force it. If you are lying there stressing about it, it makes it worse. So, try reciting lyrics to a song in your head, clench all your muscles and unclench them again, go through the memories of a good Holiday you had in your head; anything but thinking about going to sleep. :)

[singersongwriter123]

thanks Carnation, will try that, feel so exhausted

[MyNameIsTerry]

Give relaxation techniques a try such a Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and things like visualisations.

Are you getting much exercise? Its a known one for improving sleep based on many a study and it will help with anxiety and depression anyway.

[Wuboo]

I had it for 6wks and wasn't fun! Try not to think "omg I must sleep, need sleep". If you can't get to sleep don't force yourself to, pop the TV and watch something mundane, listen to some calming music and read a book.

Also if you can try and exercise before bed then do so... try this:

If your usual routine is to go to bed at 11pm try for example:

9pm: Take a run or do exercise which makes you sweat
10pm: Have a hot bath and even read a mag or book in the bath
11pm: Go to bed and only go off to sleep if you need to otherwise read or do something mundane.

Hope it helps.

[singersongwriter123]

thank you for your responses :)

[MrAndy]

are you struggling getting off to sleep or waking early in the night both are different forms off insomnia and should be tackled differently

[hanshan]

Hi Singersongwriter123,

First of all, let me say I support all the non-medication solutions posted here. It's a worthwhile goal to get a good night's sleep without medication.

But if you are using medication - Diazepam and temazepam are basically different versions of the same medication (benzodiazepine).

Temazepam generally clears more quickly from the body, so stronger doses are given for sleep. However, everyone's body is different, so if you are still affected in the morning, you should take a lower dose.

Benzodiazepines are not recommended for long-term use. On the other hand, there are quite reasonable people who find they work long-term.

Another alternative is an antidepressant like mirtazapine. Most people find it improves their sleep, and it may also improve depression and anxiety.

[singersongwriter123]

thanks for the replies, Andy I am waking up at 3.30am and not being able to go back to sleep.

I have had tempazepam for three nights and docter said only to take it for three nights to reset and wait and see so tonight will be my first night without it.

[MrAndy]

thanks for the replies, Andy I am waking up at 3.30am and not being able to go back to sleep.

I have had tempazepam for three nights and docter said only to take it for three nights to reset and wait and see so tonight will be my first night without it.
I suffer with the same problem ,try shifting when you go to bed the later the better.When you wake try and practice mindfulness and just lie still and relax.You are still getting rest even if you arent asleep.I kow its hard but the sleep does fix itself, it just takes time.Ive just gone through a very bad patch of waking at 3.30-4am but its now settling again
I also take magnesium that seems to be helping with relaxation at night,it might be worth trying

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yeah, I would suggest magnesium too. I've only just started taking it for various reasons but plenty of people seem to benefit from it for sleep issues. I think there was something it could be combined with to increase efficacy in a study I read about but I couldn't find the article last time I looked so it may be worth a Google search.

Medication wise, there is always Zopiclone. Its similiar to the Benzo's but its classes as a hypnotic. At first this really helped me when I started Citalopram and suffered bad insomnia but it does lose its effect and the one thing about hypnotics is that they don't make you sleep more than you need which I found after a couple of weeks on them made me really struggle getting out of bed (I would spend over an hour trying to get up and couldn't eat more than a few biscuits but it cleared within a few hours of rising). You can be on these a bit longer, usually a month like with Diazepam but I would ask about the correct way to use them if you go this route because my GP didn't tell me and the crisis team who made the recommendation told me in a follow up visit that I should have been taking them every other day. I'm not sure who was right or wrong on that score.

There are free to download apps and programmes that help with white noise. I think one is called Phizz. These are supposed to help some people.

Visualisation techniques following a long, say 30 minute style format, can help you drift too.

I'm sure I also read that meditation causes a similiar effect to sleep based on studies, its worth a Google search, and if so, do this to see if it helps...it will help you with anxiety & depression greatly anyway so its always worth incorporating into recovery and things like Mindfulness go way beyond mental health as they are being proved useful in pain & symptom management for things such as cancer thesedays.

[sulih]

If you experience insomnia is usually what I do is watch tv shows are dull. further without realising I've been sleeping slumbering

[PaulieC]

I suffer with the same problem ,try shifting when you go to bed the later the better.When you wake try and practice mindfulness and just lie still and relax.You are still getting rest even if you arent asleep.I kow its hard but the sleep does fix itself, it just takes time.Ive just gone through a very bad patch of waking at 3.30-4am but its now settling again
I also take magnesium that seems to be helping with relaxation at night,it might be worth trying

This is really helpful, thank you. I'm in the exact same position as OP and fixated on not getting enough sleep. A few weeks back I was awake for 3 days straight and it was horrendous. I've lived in fear of it since. I'm terrified at the thought of collapsing dead from exhaustion and just can't shake that thought.