Insomnia & Anxiety

[YCantISleep]

Well, it's 6:45AM and yet another sleepless night has passed. I've gotten probably 7 or 8 hours of sleep in the last four days, and not all at once, unfortunately. Just little 15 - 20 minute naps. I'm sometimes even afraid to drive because I never know when a "nap attack" will hit. I know my personality changes when I don't sleep for days at a time. I can't make decisions at all, and I hate having to talk to anyone because I can't think clearly and I know that a good deal of the time, I make no sense when I do speak. My apologies if this post is rambling and nonsensical. My behavior irritates my husband to no end! I try to keep up with housework, (I'm obviously not able to have a job), but quite honestly, sometimes it's all I can do just to "be". I hate feeling like this, and the fact that it bothers him so much just makes me feel worse! I got so upset at him a few days ago that I told him, "I didn't ask for this! It's not like I was given a list of things to choose from and I chose this!" Anyway, I apologize for this rant, but I do have a question. When you've gone several days without sleep, does anyone else feel like you're really losing your mind, or is it just me & should I be concerned? Am I correct in assuming that once I'm able to get enough sleep this will go away? Again, my apologies for the rant, and thanks for any help anyone can offer.

[Polar Bear]

Rants are part of what this Discussion Board is all about. Many of us have had our rants on different occasions.

Lack of sleep is such a burden, whether it is a part of RLS/WED or as a result of WED, or is a side effect of some medication, the end result is much the same. We are sleep deprived and many of us are going through our day as an automaton for much of the time.
I usually fight to achieve around 5 hours per night, usually in two parts. Sometimes I make 6 hours. Often I get only 2 or 3 hours. Many times I have gone to work having had no sleep whatsoever. Foggy and spaced out is often my state of mind and I just hope that most of the time I am responding in a sensible manner.

Then the unexpected happens. Five days ago I was jet lagged after flying West to East with an 8 hour time difference. Then two nights ago I had only 3 hours sleep. I was then up at 5am to work at the Election 6.30am - 10pm which is a 16 hour shift..... that was a pretty long day. That night I slept through for a full 12 hours. That has never ever happened before regardless of how sleep deprived I have been.... what a gift that was.
Last night I did 8 hours.... how is this happening. Today as I read the Sunday newpapers I am nodding off continuously.

My point being that we have such unpredictable vagaries in our lack of sleep and the different causes, that it's darn near impossible to find a definite cause and/or solution.
Reaching retirement was the best thing ever with no clock watching throughout the night.

Oh yes, many times I've felt like I was losing my mind, walking, pacing, crying, a cycle that goes on and on and on.
One thing that did help my doctor sit up and take note was my sleep diary. It's one thing to say that you are not sleeping well.
My diary showed every up and down during every night, a note of any sleep time, and a total of sleep time for each night. The diary was laid out in a grid and very clearly showed exactly what was happening night after night. After one month I took it to my GP who took it seriously.

And yes, once you get some sleep things feel better. Don't forget that sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture.

Have you ever discussed the disease and its effects with your husband. Perhaps not even from your own point of view where it might get emotional, but using an article that is not so personal.

[ViewsAskew]

I wouldn't be concerned that you feel like you're losing your mind - I think that's how we tend to feel when we get little sleep.

I would wonder if there is anything else you can do. Depending on how you are choosing to manage your disease, you may not have to live like that. I have issues - absolutely - but I rarely am in your shoes. I've chosen medication after failing using other methods. Some people here manage using non-presciption drugs, such as kratom. Others have found diet modification to help.

What are you doing right now - if anything - to control the symptoms?

[QyX]

You just described the way how I feel without or little sleep. I was struggling with these feelings for over 2 years now until I found a drug which added to my opioid finally let me sleep. The drug is an antiepileptic called Carbamazepine. Without Carbamazepine I can't sleep. The drug doesn't sedate me or makes me in any way tired at all. The drug simply allows me to sleep.

Then there was this anxiety. I thought it will go away when I start to sleep better and more but that didn't happen. I had to take an antidepressent before things got better.

It is quite a struggle to overcome these problems.

[badnights]

Hi YCantISleep. I've been there, as many of us have, and I hope never to go back to that hell you're in again.

I was once sent to a psychiatrist for depression, and the psychiatrist told me I wasn't depressed, I just needed sleep (actually, I told him that, and he agreed with me. But I digress.) He went on to say, to me and in his report to my referring doctor, that lack of sleep can cause the symptoms of every known psychiatric disorder, even psychoses. Incredible, isn't it? Lack of sleep. Can be mistaken for every single psychiatric disorder. But not so surprising when you think about it what sleep does for us, how desperately we need it; not surprising if you've ever felt the hell of chronically inadequate sleep.

Can I repeat viewsaskew's questions? How have you been managing the disease so far? Clearly something different is needed. If you want to talk about it, ask questions, get ideas, this is the place.