Sleep Difficulties

Shardovan said:

If I have a few days off in a row, I drift into a firly nocturnal existence. My biorhysthms just seem to be that way... and I like it. Awake when most of the world is asleep.

Me too. I feel like it's not socially acceptable in the modern world but it makes sense from an evolutionary point of view. Last year I worked evenings one day a week and it felt much more natural to me!

I'm naturally a night owl and forcing myself into a different pattern might be what contributes to poor sleep. I sometimes use a weighted blanket and I've got some earplugs on order. Have backout curtains too. I also find if I sleep on a low bed (virtually on the floor) that can help. I've read sometimes autistic people are short on melotonin so im trying sone 5htp to see what haopens.   I think magnesium can help with sleep. I'm trying to practise better sleep hygiene also.

embrace-autism.com/.../

Sporadic Sparkly said:

Sometimes, when I'm suffering from insomnia, it's a case of 'keep on going' until my brain and body are both in agreement that I do actually need to sleep because they are both exhausted.

My brother watches Youtube shorts when he can't sleep. He says eventually he's so tired his brain shuts down.

I sleep all the time. Constantly on the edge of no energy and risk of collapse. I think I could sleep for a month and I'd still wake up feeling tired. I used to go through bouts of insomnia but I grew out of it in the end, instead I now sleep right through the night sometimes waking up nearly at lunch. And then I'll sleep on and off over the rest of the day. But when I'm awake I never feel completely rested. The tiredness causes balance problems. But it's ridiculously annoying because I've had more than enough sleep.......

I find it can be easy to lose track of how long one has been awake, especially if one has an erratic body clock like mine, and the day one wakes up is not the same day that one falls asleep. It can all become a bit of a blur... "Was it yesterday that I woke up, or might it have been the day before?... What day is it?... When did I last sleep?... "How long have I been awake for?"

The only thing I do know is that getting frustrated about not being able to sleep when one is suffering from insomnia is pointless. Rather than lying in bed for hours on end fretting about being unable to sleep, better to get up and do something that will hopefully be a distraction. I know there's a lot of talk about 'sleep hygiene', which I agree with to a point. For example, watching TV tends to be discouraged because it can stimulate the mind. In my case, watching something on TV that I'm not overly interested in can be just the thing that actually sends me off to sleep... sometimes.

Sometimes, when I'm suffering from insomnia, it's a case of 'keep on going' until my brain and body are both in agreement that I do actually need to sleep because they are both exhausted.

I probably do get the recommended 8 hours on average, as despite being a worrier, that kind of burns me out frequently enough to fall asleep as a kind of emergency shut-down. However, that 8 hours is sometimes assembled from bits and pieces (a postprandial snooze that sneaks up on me, an 'I'll just doze for five, then I wake up and night has already fallen)rather than one long stretch. If I have a few days off in a row, I drift into a firly nocturnal existence. My biorhysthms just seem to be that way... and I like it. Awake when most of the world is asleep.

And thank you!

Good luck and sweet dreams. I hope you feel better when you wake.

Thank you. 

I'm actually going to try to sleep now. I hope you have a great day. 

Sorry to hear of your insomnia. I get bouts of insomnia usually brought on by stress and anxiety, likely it's the same for you as you mentioned being troubled. If you drink a lot of caffeine this can cause insomnia as well. And make sure your room is comfortable and light from outside if there's any isn't keeping you awake.