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Sleep

Hergé

Hi,

I have problems staying asleep. I fall asleep almost straight away and the first couple of hours are fine but after that it's pot luck really. I don't have sleep apnoea as I've been tested.

Being tired just makes life even more fun and interesting.

I've tried everything including sleep hygiene, meds both over the counter and prescription, meditation, warm milk, warm baths, lavender oil etc.etc

It's not worrying or repetitive thoughts, it's almost like static or like a CPU that's at 100% with nothing running.

If anyone has any suggestions?

Thanks 

  • Have you tried a weighted blanket? I wouldn't be without mine now.

  • I found meditation with a real focus on the physical body was a game changer for me - focussing the mind on almost scanning the muscles from the top of the head down to the tips of the toes and feeling them relax was a great way to physically relax and then focus on the sensation of floating to help drift off to sleep.

    After using this for a while I could do it like flicking a switch and fall asleep in seconds - much to the annoyance of my wife who never had the patience to master it.

    There is normally adrenaline causing it and this is triggered by anxiety, so I used mindfulness to shut the anxiety down (along with having a writing pad by the bedside to write down any thoughts I needed to recall the next day).

    It can take time to exert that level of control over your thoughts but the results are worth it - at least for me.

  • in reply to Homebird

    Thank you for your reply.

    I generally just try to get a comfortable as possible and hope that I will drop off, sometimes I do go back to sleep but usually it's more like micro naps. Being tired just makes my ASD traits seem worse and in turn increases my stress. I think this is a viscous circle that I'm struggling to get out of.

  • I don't fall asleep quickly very often. However I know the feeling of being awake and not knowing why. Some nights my mind is too busy and I have to bore myself by repeating a phrase over and over again. On other occasions I realize I am still awake but I don't know why. I used to fall asleep if tired on the second night but now I can be tired and still awake. I sometimes wake after a couple of hours and struggle to get back to sleep. That is wearing as it leaves me feeling more tired than if I fall asleep late but then sleep for more than 4 hours. It must be hard to cope with that regularly.

    Sometimes I get up briefly then go back, sometimes I listen to quiet music for a while and sometimes it helps if the window is open to let in cool air.