I’ve had sleep issues as long as I can remember. The chronic fatigue came later in life along with my diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Although I am more tired now than I was then the sleep problems have been ongoing since I was a child. I’ve always had a hard time sleeping. I’ve also always had a hard time waking up. Waking up for school was the worst. Having my sister nag me about getting up drove me crazy! I just wanted to sleep! Of course, I had to go to school, so I’m glad she did! When it was the weekends, though, I could sleep well 10am – sometimes even past noon!
Fast forward to now where I have had an unstable relationship with sleep for the past 3 years due to our youngest not sleeping well. I’m sure it has changed my sleep habits some, but some things didn’t really change. I’ve always been a night owl, and I’ve never been a morning person. He is finally starting to sleep better, and we’re hoping that his surgery was the last step to resolve his sleep issues (because now he can breathe better!), but I’m still not sleeping. I have no reason to not be sleeping. I’m tired and frustrated. Sometimes I stay up and just enjoy the quiet time and get some things done. Other times I really TRY to sleep but get frustrated by laying in bed for HOURS not able to fall asleep.
I wish I could just fall asleep like this:
Such is insomnia, right? Do you want to know something amusing about it all, though? After trying to deal with my headaches naturally I decided I needed medical help. So, my doctor has put me on medications. One is a medication I had taken for my Fibromyalgia before I went off the medications, but he thought it would be a good idea to help the tension that initially triggers the headaches. The other is a migraine medication to prevent migraines (not the type you take when you get one). His big concern was that both of the medications make a person tired. So, he wanted me to start on a low dose of both, move up on one, and then if things go well but I still need a little more relief move up on the other.
At my follow-up appointment I had to see a different doctor (which unfortunately is common here but rather annoying when it’s for a follow-up appointment), and I explained I had already moved up to the maximum dose my doctor had suggested for the one medication and was ready to move up on the other. I explained that it didn’t make me get so tired I couldn’t be woken up. In fact, I still couldn’t even fall asleep – or stay asleep when I finally did. He looked at me like I was NUTS! I’m not kidding! His facial expression was priceless. He then explained that the dose I am on of that medication he has given to patients to SEDATE THEM! Here I am saying I don’t even feel tired when I take it! PLUS I’m taking another medication with it that is “supposed” to make people tired!
Well, I have moved up on that medication as well since the deep sleep issue wasn’t a problem, and I’m sure that doctor would be amused to know that I’m still not able to fall asleep. I thought I knew what insomnia was before, but I think THIS is the true definition of insomnia. What do you think?
I’m committing to posting every day as part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge!
Hmm, I also sometimes have problems sleeping. I always seem to have hundreds of thoughts flying around my head at inappropriate times! It also doesn’t help if you have a lot on your mind!
Yes, that makes it so hard!
I used to have a hard time falling asleep until I learned about the “third eye.” Although it won’t keep me sleeping, I don’t need to use fall-asleepy pills anymore1
I have heard about that! I will have to look into it more! Thank-you for mentioning it!
What’s the third eye?
I am so use to not sleeping when I do actually sleep I feel horrible. My 16 year old is autistic and he has never slept through the night so even when I am sleeping I have one eye open waiting for him to come wake me up. He got a puppy in May for his birthday and he has slept through the night almost every night since. The puppy sleeps with him and he did not want to get up and wake the puppy it is ok to wake me but not the puppy lol .
haha Our 7 year old is on the Autism Spectrum, and their way of thinking can be really unique! I definitely see him doing something like that!
I understand your frustration! I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a little over a year ago. The weird thing is, before my problems with that came along, I could sleep just fine! Now I’m constantly tired no matter how much sleep I get…I can’t seem to wake up and have to literally set 4 or 5 different alarms between my clock and my phone to make sure I get up for work. It is hard to fall asleep due to the pain most nights and just feeling ‘too’ tired.
Yes, I know all about that feeling. It’s so frustrating!
I don’t have much of a problem falling asleep – I have a problem STAYING asleep. It seems that no matter what time I go to bed (11pm, 12 midnight, even 1am….) I still wake up about 4:30am and cannot get back to sleep. Of course, the harder I try to relax and let go, the more awake I become, and more frustrated and angry. I truly feel all alone in the world at that hour, even though I live with 2 other people. Then I get pretty crabby during the day, due to sleep deprivation. I have to check out this “third eye” that md kennedy mentioned.
Has your doctor asked you questions that would help determine if you might have sleep apnea? I had sleep problems & I knew that I snored. Finally I asked my doctor & he recommended a sleep study. Which, by the way, isn’t cheap. Praise the Lord for insurance. I had the study and it showed that I woke up hundreds of times during the night. I now use a CPAP machine that forces air into my nose and I rarely have a sleepless night.
My husband has sleep apnea and uses a CPAP. They said I don’t warrant a sleep study since I also have a problem falling asleep – not just staying asleep.
Some times I am also so much bombarded by so many thoughts that I found it very hard to sleep and I am awake till late wee hours. I have been trying mindful meditation, initially it was tough but now after few weeks of practice, it works! And I get to sleep after 15 – 30 minutes of session.
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