Anyone have chronic insomnia? How do you deal with it?

[NervousKel]

I'm 41, and have insomnia occasionally since I was a kid. Usually, it would last a few nights to maybe a week or two, and then correct itself.

In 2013, when I went on an SSRI for the first time for anxiety, I had really bad insomnia as a side effect. It lasted 2 1/2 months, and then went away. I took trazadone at night during that entire time, plus for 5-6 weeks lorazepam as well at night.

Now, since April, I've been having an ongoing issue with insomnia. It started when the Citalopram I had been on for 5 years seemed to no longer be effective. I'm now in the process of switching to Escitalopram. During this whole ordeal, many nights I've had to take trazadone in order to fall asleep. Once I'm asleep I'm fine; it's just falling asleep that I have a problem with. I try to fall asleep on my own (sometimes I do), and if I don't then I take a trazadone.

It's been dawning on me lately that it might be like this for the rest of my life, and I'm feeling a bit disheartened. My anxiety is better now, but I'm still having insomnia. It's actually been getting worse the past few weeks.

Does anyone else have chronic insomnia? How do you handle it? What meds have you found effective, and do you alternate them to prevent building up a tolerance?

Any other tips or words of advice would be greatly appreciated :-)!

[RadioGaGa]

NervousKel

I'm 25 and I developed insomnia about four years ago. It became a lot worse in 2015, with me sometimes having "episodes" of not falling asleep until 03:00 (and being up for work at 07:30). This could last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

I note you take SSRIs and this is important: If you have found they are causing insomnia, take them FIRST THING in the morning.

As well, if you're taking benzos like Lorazepam, these can cause more issues long-term. You'll need higher doses and even then they may become ineffective. And withdrawing from them will cause rebound insomnia.

Make sure you're practicing good sleep hygiene as per the NHS choices website:

Keep regular sleep hours
Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time every day will programme your body to sleep better. Choose a time when you're likely to feel tired and sleepy.

Create a restful sleeping environment
Your bedroom should be a peaceful place for rest and sleep. Temperature, lighting and noise should be controlled so that your bedroom environment helps you to fall (and stay) asleep.

If you have a pet that sleeps in the room with you, consider moving it somewhere else if it often disturbs you in the night.

Make sure your bed is comfortable
It's difficult to get restful sleep on a mattress that's too soft or too hard, or a bed that's too small or old.

Exercise regularly
Moderate exercise on a regular basis, such as swimming or walking, can help relieve some of the tension built up over the day. Make sure that you don't do vigorous exercise, such as running or the gym, too close to bedtime, though, as it may keep you awake.

Cut down on caffeine
Cut down on caffeine in tea, coffee, energy drinks or colas, especially in the evening. Caffeine interferes with the process of falling asleep, and also prevents deep sleep. Instead, have a warm, milky drink or herbal tea.

Don't over-indulge
Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but it will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.

Don't smoke
Nicotine is a stimulant. Smokers take longer to fall asleep, they wake up more frequently, and they often have more disrupted sleep.

Try to relax before going to bed
Have a warm bath, listen to quiet music or do some gentle yoga to relax the mind and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a helpful relaxation CD.

Write away your worries
If you tend to lie in bed thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, set aside time before bedtime to make plans for the next day. The aim is to avoid doing these things when you're in bed, trying to sleep.

If you can't sleep, get up
If you can't sleep, don't lie there worrying about it. Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed.

These tips really helped me, although there are still nights where I get insomnia. I hope you can reduce the insomnia by following this.

Good luck