Insomnia due to depression

[kalny]

Hey guys I just wanted to get some insight on this - on both depression and insomnia.

For the first time in my life due to stress and anxiety I've come down with a bit of depression. Over the last few days rather predictably I've been having spells of super low mood, which linger for most of the day and then lift towards the evening. I'm hoping I'm getting better as yesterday my low mood was short lived and I felt my normal self for the first time in a while. Today the low mood is trying to visit me but I feel like it's not as bad. I'm able to do housework and such.

The kicker is I'm finding it hard to sleep. Over the last three nights I've found that just as I'm about to fall asleep I'll get some sort of weird sensation or jerk which stops me from dozing off. I've found I'm also tired but not sleepy. Today I feel a bit like a zombie. I've tried to have a good nap this morning but the same keeps happening. I struggled with this last night until about 3am when suddenly I felt a tiny bit sleepy. I then slept until about 5. It's this issue with sleep now that I feel is holding me back. It's giving me some anxiety like, what if I get unwell because I can't sleep? I'm scared I'm going to go crazy or something. I woke up this morning feeling very tired and irritable which just created more anxiety. Can't win! I reckon if I could just get a good nights sleep I'd feel like 100 bucks.

[Catkins]

Disturbed sleep and anxiety, stress and depression go hand in hand.

I'm never a great sleeper but last year when I was really not well it went completely to pot. I was given something to help with it, it helped to a certain degree but it still wasn't any where near my normal.

There are lots of tips/threads on the site with suggestions on what to do to improve sleep patterns.

For me the following helped;

Have a bedtime routine and stick to it (go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time).

No electronic devices in the bedroom (I read before bed).

Don't sleep during the day.

If you wake up in the night don't lie in bed and worry about it. Get up, go downstairs and read.

Don't worry about not getting enough sleep, you can function pretty normally on very little (well I found out I can).

Don't despair, things will improve as you feel better in yourself.

Hope this helps a bit.

[kalny]

Thanks so much for you reply. I guess the part that's worrying me the most at the moment is the deprivation. Looking at my smart watch I've had an hours sleep every night for a week. Last night I got around 2 hours. I guess I'm just scared I'm gonna stop functioning or die or go crazy or something. Right now the brain fog is intense. I tried napping but couldn't get to sleep.

[Catkins]

To be honest I wouldn't look at your smart watch, it can become an unhealthy obsession and honestly how accurate are they?

Try doing relaxing things during the day, guided meditation, light exercise etc. Try and keep your normal ish routine going and anything that makes you feel good.