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Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
Posts: 174
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#1
I’ve been battling insomnia since July when the depression hit. Do any of you who suffer insomnia ever have sleep return once you are stable? I’m just so tired of dealing with it. Sleep pills only help put me to sleep not stay asleep and I’ve found that I have better luck listening to a meditation YouTube video, because at least there are no side effects. I sleep the same amount, and when I replay it in the middle of the night I can fall asleep again. I can’t do that with pills... but I only average 4 hours per night. I also have these pains in different places around my head that are hard to describe, sort of like a burning sensation. It doesn’t really throb so I don’t think it’s a migraine... but I only started getting them when my sleep got bad. Does anyone else get these kinds of pains on there skull/brain? I’m always rubbing them. One is behind my head and another one on top. Should I be looking forward to getting more sleep one day or is it now chronic and ill just have to deal with it? Thank you!!
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*Beth*, Fuzzybear, Nammu, Soupe du jour
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Member Since Jun 2015
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#2
Hi NaoSky. I'm sorry to read that you've been struggling to get good sleep, and that you have associated head pain. In answer, in my experience my sleep can change depending on my mood and I suppose other factors (maybe medications or time of year or anxiety, etc.) I went through periods of getting little sleep or disrupted sleep, but that did eventually change. I would not immediately worry that sleep problems will plague you forever.
I never experienced what you describe about head pains relating to sleep. Have you discussed this with your psychiatrist? It is possible that such an experience could have various causes. I suppose figuring out what it is is important. Perhaps your psychiatrist can assist with this, or maybe they can refer you to a different kind of doctor to investigate it. I'm not sure what type of doctor is best for such an investigation. Neurologist? I don't know. |
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
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#3
Quote:
That’s good to know that it can change. I was hoping that’s the case. It’s just been such a battle trying to sleep. Last night I woke up after 1 hour then after 2 hours of sleep. I could t sleep more than 2 hours at a time. Thankfully that meditation video puts me back to sleep. Having only one hour is horrible!! |
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catches the flowers
Member Since Jul 2019
Location: Downtown Vibes, California
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#4
My sleep went haywire when I was 22 and my night owl daughter was born. So I don't know if my sleep issues are related to that, to BD, to both...I do know that over the years my sleep has gotten worse and worse. I don't think I can sleep anymore without some kind of either otc or prescription med.
As for the head discomfort, I've had severe migraines for most of my life. I get plain, excruciating headaches (on one side of my head), stabbing "icepick" pain, and weird burning pain. The only thing is, the sensations are always on the right side of my head. __________________ |
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Grand Member
Member Since Nov 2019
Location: In my head, mostly
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#5
I certainly hope it will improve when (if) I ever get stable again, but I can't speak to that yet. For me sleep has historically been largely mood-related.
I do get this weird feeling in my head that I can't quite describe, but when I feel it I know I'm not going to be able to sleep. It's not pain but it's a kind of dull feeling mixed with the sensation that my mind is "switched on" somehow. I guess that's too vague to get any kind of point across but I really don't know how to describe it better. |
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Member
Member Since Jun 2020
Location: Long Island
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#6
My sleep was poor and erratic since I was 7. Minutes changed my lifestyle completely to reduce stress. That helped a lot. Now i can sleep like a regular person most days but it doesnt take much to derail it. So yes it is possible. Hope this helps.
__________________ Bipolar 1 -Keep Calm And Carry On- |
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NaoSky
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Member Since Dec 2018
Location: New Jersey
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#7
I cannot stress enough how important a sleep study is for you. Because we have a mental illness we are used to having things like that dismissed because of our mental illness. It doesnt have to be that way @NaoSky. A sleep study can show you things that go beyond just not sleeping. And I do not mean a blanket diagnosis as "insomnia" Well No ***** you know you have insomnia what you need to know is what else? What happens when you sleep and what your brain waves look like. I'd share my own info but I dont want to junk up your thread.
__________________ "I carried a watermelon?" President of the no F's given society. |
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*Beth*
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
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#8
What’s minutes?
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
Posts: 174
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#9
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So what would the brain waves tell me? How would knowing that help fix the insomnia? One dr told me that when my mood improves so should my sleep, so that’s what I’m holding on to, I just don’t know how long I have to wait. My mom also has bipolar and had been dealing with it for years. She said her longest depression was a year.... so if thats what happens to me, I’m halfway there. |
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
Posts: 174
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#10
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*Beth*
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
Posts: 174
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#11
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*Beth*
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*Beth*
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catches the flowers
Member Since Jul 2019
Location: Downtown Vibes, California
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#12
Thank you, NaoSky. Anyone with a mental illness is strong, I think. Remember that you've been diagnosed, but you're still the same person you always were.
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Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
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#13
Thank you Beth. I just don’t feel strong and I surely don’t feel like myself. This is the first Christmas ever that I don’t feel like celebrating. I’ve always been big on holidays and I feel like the joy has been zapped out of me. It’s like everyone around me is excited and I’m living on some strange planet. The world is so different to me now and on top of that this stupid pandemic. It’s really like I’m living in some sci-fi horror movie that I can’t escape. I want to feel like me again but I don’t know how or when it will happen. I just keep living one day at a time with hope.
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*Beth*
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*Beth*
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#14
Just FYI..you can do at home sleep studies now
__________________ Bipolar 1 w/psychotic features or schizoaffective bipolar type PTSD generalized anxiety OCD celexa, prazosin, Lybalvi and prn zyprexa and klonopin |
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*Beth*
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catches the flowers
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#15
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For me, it's somewhat hard to separate living with BD and living through the pandemic. For example, I isolate a lot - but I'm not sure if that's me, or if it's covid. I know we'll all feel a better sense of clarity when covid is at least under control. Living one day at a time is a good idea, especially when you're newly diagnosed. I can't recall - are you in therapy? __________________ |
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catches the flowers
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#16
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#17
My sleep got messed up when I was 14. Just randomly started. I mean yeah during the summer when I was a kid I’d stay up until 2 and wake up at 6:30 but that was on purpose. But just one night in 2007 I suddenly had trouble sleeping and its been a mess ever since.
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*Beth*
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
Location: Texas
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#18
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See today I was starting to think I could enjoy myself a little for Christmas, but it’s like these tiny sparks that are inside me. I don’t know if they will last because then the sadness takes over again. Especially thinking about having an illness. That’s the biggest one. I miss my life. I miss days when I was normal. One day I may get over it, but it’s going to take a long time. I just don’t want to be sick. I miss my sleep. I miss wanting to do crafts or photography. I miss wanting to do anything. Now all I crave is sleep. And my daughter is the only thing that brings me joy. Without her I would be void of anything. |
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*Beth*
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*Beth*
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Location: Texas
Posts: 174
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#19
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Member
Member Since Nov 2020
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#20
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