I've had chronic insomnia for 13 years. I'm finally sleeping well, and the difference is astonishing
Small winI've had chronic insomnia since I was 12. I'm 25 now. For 13 years I slept 1 to 2 hours a night on average, occasionally getting maybe 4 to 6 about once a week. I've been actively trying to sleep more. I've seen doctors and therapists and done sleep studies. And now I've been sleeping about 6 hours a night, every single night.
I feel more motivated, more alert, infinitely happier. I'm in a fantastic mood every single day. My coworkers say my personality has basically done a 180. I speak up more and I feel more confident.
I used to think I was just a messy person because I never did the dishes or cleaned my room, but now I do it without even thinking. Picking up after myself feels effortless, where before it felt actually impossible.
I never felt depressed or anxious, but now that I'm sleeping better I think I may have been. It's like there was a fog in my brain, and now I can think so much faster. I can't believe I was even functioning before.
So what did you do to recover from the insomnia?
There's been a whole bunch over the years. I've tried countless medications, but they were never a long term solution.
My current success has actually been a UV light. My therapist suggested putting one in my bedroom, turning it on within 20 minutes of waking up and only turning it off 20 minutes before bed. I was honestly surprised by how well it worked. I'm not sure of the science behind it, but it does work.
I also completely cut out caffeine, which made for a rough first couple of weeks. I never nap during the day. The hardest one for me was not letting my dog in my room while I sleep.
I've also learned a ton of coping strategies for the things that were keeping me up in the first place. It's an ongoing process and I still have the occasional bad day, but it's the most successful run of consistent sleep I've had in years.
Staying consistent can be very helpful. I try to keep the time I lie down for bed consistent, along with other things, and it seems to help me have less insomnia.
I find being consistent about the time I go to bed matters less than being consistent about my routine before I sleep.
I've had insomnia since childhood, and I'm 34 now. I'm so glad you've found something that helps so much. Light therapy is the last thing I haven't tried. I'm not sure how intrusive it would be for my spouse, since we share a bedroom and go to sleep at different times.
Like you said, part of it is accepting that you have insomnia and don't really sleep like a normal person. It's so hard to explain to other people. I just don't really try to convince anyone anymore. For me, keeping a solid daily routine, keeping good sleep habits, and reminding myself that I'm doing all I can is the biggest part.
Taking a long nap after work whenever I can is actually super helpful for me. I think it takes away some of the stress of what I'll do if I can't sleep again tonight and have to wake up early, because I know I at least got 2 or 3 good hours after work. Just a guess from a professional non sleeper.
My sleep therapist has said naps can actually be very helpful if you time them correctly. But for me personally, if I nap, I won't sleep at night, so I tend to avoid them now.
I don't find the lights intrusive to my own sleep, and I find everything intrusive. I just have a small UV grow light for a potted plant in the corner of my room. It's not bright enough to keep me awake, but it really does help my sleep. Everyone is different, though.
Wow, you must have been a real life zombie before. Congrats on joining the land of the living, my friend.
I was the type of zombie who didn't even notice she was a zombie until I was back in the land of the living. It's truly a significant change.
My severe insomnia started as soon as we had to break up the bunk bed I slept on the bottom of. I figured the change would just take getting used to, and I didn't connect it to 5 years of insomnia. Then things changed and we stacked the bunk beds again, and my insomnia is literally gone.
Guess I'm just a reptile who needs my little hidey hole. No idea how I'll figure it out when my boyfriend and I move out and need a bed together. Probably a custom made bed frame or something. I'm glad you're finding success with yours, even if it's a lot harder. Taking care of your health is hard.
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