Venting I don’t sleep well at all anymore

[willitpass]

I'm beyond fatigued. Not just the kind of fatigue that comes from being sleep deprived, it's more than that. But the lack of sleep is not helping. I can't remember the last time I slept through the night without waking up at least a few times. And the amount of times I wake up, as well as how long I'm up for before I fall back asleep, just continue to increase. I'm so so so tired. But sedatives and sleep aids don't work on me and never have. I don't know what to do. I could take a triple dose of benadryl and still only sleep for a few hours.

 

[Endlichkeit]

Have you tried trazodone/quetiapine? This combination works well for me.

 

[willitpass]

Have you tried trazodone/quetiapine? This combination works well for me.

Every prescription sleep medication I have ever tried does nothing, and I've tried a lot. Many of them either left me awake but drowsy all day or one of them even gave me paranoia. Melatonin doesn't do jack shit. Benadryl used to work but doesn't anymore. I also have ADHD so caffeine doesn't work to wake me up to at least get me through the days after sleepless nights.

 

[Ash]

I've sailed in that particular canoe up that particular stream many, many times. (I don't take sleeping aids as my PTSD tells me I need to stay alert and be ready for anything.) It's horrendous. Keep hydrated and try to eat regularly and properly, don't make any Big Decisions until you're more rested, and remember that you're not alone in this.

 

[willitpass]

I've sailed in that particular canoe up that particular stream many, many times. (I don't take sleeping aids as my PTSD tells me I need to stay alert and be ready for anything.) It's horrendous. Keep hydrated and try to eat regularly and properly, don't make any Big Decisions until you're more rested, and remember that you're not alone in this.

The problem is my mental health and eating disorder also won't allow me be hydrated and eat properly. I don't know why but I have to restrict my fluid intake as much as possible. I alternate between restricting and binging. I'm in such a vicious vicious cycle. And every time I say I will change I feel this compulsion that I cannot stop this because I deserve it. The worst part is I'm out of treatment options. I'm more than aware of how little sense what I do to myself makes but I can't stop. And there is no more help to try to help me stop.

 

[Ash]

The problem is my mental health and eating disorder also won't allow me be hydrated and eat properly. I don't know why but I have to restrict my fluid intake as much as possible. I alternate between restricting and binging. I'm in such a vicious vicious cycle. And every time I say I will change I feel this compulsion that I cannot stop this because I deserve it. The worst part is I'm out of treatment options. I'm more than aware of how little sense what I do to myself makes but I can't stop. And there is no more help to try to help me stop.

I'm sorry, I do know that from your other posts. Shattered myself so not connecting any dots. I also struggle with eating, which is why I mentioned it as I know you much worse it can make you feel. But the rest of what I said still stands: you're not alone. I know that knowing I'm not the only one experiencing something specific doesn't help, but at least that validation stops me feeling like I'm going "crazy".

 

[willitpass]

Promethazine Hydrochloride (phenergan) helps to stay asleep longer and anything mixed with 10-20mg bioperine will become more potent. Other than that the only other suggestion would be a sleep study where you go through your healthcare system and stay on a sleep clinic where they use a variety of sensors and stuff to monitor what your body is doing during and after sleep.
If you ever slept better before then are you taking medication or doing something that now interferes with your sleep?

I'm very resistant to many medications as well as having a job where I wouldn't like to risk trying something and finding out it makes me drowsy. I think the change is just my deteriorating mental health and subsequent deteriorating physical health. I have no interest in a sleep study either, as I no longer care about myself enough to believe I'm worth getting help. I'm stuck in such a rock and a hard place of being in pain and suffering and believe I deserve it and thus shouldn't intervene to make it better.

 

[sanitystruggle]

Every prescription sleep medication I have ever tried does nothing, and I've tried a lot. Many of them either left me awake but drowsy all day or one of them even gave me paranoia. Melatonin doesn't do jack shit. Benadryl used to work but doesn't anymore. I also have ADHD so caffeine doesn't work to wake me up to at least get me through the days after sleepless nights.

Benadryl is extremely weak as is phenergan (promethazine). Melatonin is great for things like jetlag but useless for real insomnia. Even most first line prescription sleep meds are not very strong: I've had insomnia that was completely resistant to max doses of Ambien (zolpidem) and Zopiclone. Sedating antipsychotics like olanzapine and quetiapine also do fuck all to knock me out.

I know you're not looking for help but have you ever tried the more heavily hypnotic benzos? Things like nitrazepam and triazolam. They aren't commonly prescribed but a highish dose should let you get some decent rest even if it's just an occasional catch up when you're able to get away from work. I used to find flubromazolam really effective back when it was openly available as an RC.

 

[willitpass]

Benadryl is extremely weak as is phenergan (promethazine). Melatonin is great for things like jetlag but useless for real insomnia. Even most first line prescription sleep meds are not very strong: I've had insomnia that was completely resistant to max doses of Ambien (zolpidem) and Zopiclone. Sedating antipsychotics like olanzapine and quetiapine also do fuck all to knock me out.

I know you're not looking for help but have you ever tried the more heavily hypnotic benzos? Things like nitrazepam and triazolam. They aren't commonly prescribed but a highish dose should let you get some decent rest even if it's just an occasional catch up when you're able to get away from work. I used to find flubromazolam really effective back when it was openly available as an RC.

I'm not trying to obtain meds illegally and I highly doubt my doctor would be willing to prescribe benzos to me without giving another shot to something weaker, which is something I'm not interested in playing games with. I just hope that maybe the sleep deprivation will be a helping hand along with all of my other issues in causing me to die soon without even having to CTB.

 

[Raindancer]

Been there with the eating disorder and am dealing with the sleep problems as well, although mine is mostly from pain. I do have Xanax which helps a bit but I literally take like half of the lowest dose. Not getting sleep is the absolute worst and makes everything so much more difficult. I am sorry you are struggling.

 

[Endisclose]

I'm beyond fatigued. Not just the kind of fatigue that comes from being sleep deprived, it's more than that. But the lack of sleep is not helping. I can't remember the last time I slept through the night without waking up at least a few times. And the amount of times I wake up, as well as how long I'm up for before I fall back asleep, just continue to increase. I'm so so so tired. But sedatives and sleep aids don't work on me and never have. I don't know what to do. I could take a triple dose of benadryl and still only sleep for a few hours.

Have you tried melatonin 300 mcg to 3 mg is the recommended dose the lower the better. I use it every night. Life extension 300 mcg immediate release and natrol 1mg are what work for me. They help sleep onset

Apart from that glycine 5g and taurine 2g at night can also help. They help sleep duration.

Other nootropics like l-tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin d, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) - all best taken together can help.

These worked for me. Maybe you can try them out and see if it works for you.

 

[willitpass]

Have you tried melatonin 300 mcg to 3 mg is the recommended dose the lower the better. I use it every night. Life extension 300 mcg immediate release and natrol 1mg are what work for me. They help sleep onset

Apart from that glycine 5g and taurine 2g at night can also help. They help sleep duration.

Other nootropics like l-tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin d, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) - all best taken together can help.

These worked for me. Maybe you can try them out and see if it works for you.

Melatonin doesn't even make the slightest dent in me, nor do vitamins.

 

[Endisclose]

Melatonin doesn't even make the slightest dent in me, nor do vitamins.

How much do you take.. Which brand? Sometimes a lower dose can work instead of a really high dose (anything above 3 mg is dangerous and not recommended). Do you sleep during the day.

Look at your diet - Do you have stimulants like caffeine, sugar, sodas?

There are foods that can help sleep - like pumpkin seeds at night. 30g or 6 teaspoons makes me really drowsy, but it doesn't digest well so I had to give it up. Pumpkin seed powder in milk can work as both are sleep inducing. Foods rich in tryptophan can help sleep at night.

Go for a gut cleanse and get some probiotics - natural ones like kefir and yogurt are great. The gut microbiome is key to maintaining healthy neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Foods rich in fiber like Oats, fruits, veggies clean the gut. Making lifestyle changes with a focus on diet can bring a vast improvement in a matter of weeks or few months.

Some common sources of tryptophan are oats, eggs, bananas, dried prunes, milk, tuna fish, cheese, bread, chicken, turkey, peanuts, and chocolate

Other options :-

There's other stuff like having a hot bath or a slow walk for an hour after dinner.

Slow deep breathing yoga style meditation.

Get sunlight an hour a day. 30-60 mins after sunrise and 30-60 min before sunset are good times for getting vitamin D naturally which is known to promote sleep. This will take a few months to reflect though. Be patient and keep trying all of these to see if any of it works.

Put on some deeply technical boring video like on some medieval castle history or something before sleep..

These are all natural options, much better than benzos or other drugs.

Give all of them a go and see what works best.

 

[willitpass]

How much do you take.. Which brand? Sometimes a lower dose can work instead of a really high dose (anything above 3 mg is dangerous and not recommended). Do you sleep during the day.

Look at your diet - Do you have stimulants like caffeine, sugar, sodas?

There are foods that can help sleep - like pumpkin seeds at night. 30g or 6 teaspoons makes me really drowsy, but it doesn't digest well so I had to give it up. Pumpkin seed powder in milk can work as both are sleep inducing. Foods rich in tryptophan can help sleep at night.

Go for a gut cleanse and get some probiotics - natural ones like kefir and yogurt are great. The gut microbiome is key to maintaining healthy neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Foods rich in fiber like Oats, fruits, veggies clean the gut. Making lifestyle changes with a focus on diet can bring a vast improvement in a matter of weeks or few months.

Some common sources of tryptophan are oats, eggs, bananas, dried prunes, milk, tuna fish, cheese, bread, chicken, turkey, peanuts, and chocolate

Other options :-

There's other stuff like having a hot bath or a slow walk for an hour after dinner.

Slow deep breathing yoga style meditation.

Get sunlight an hour a day. 30-60 mins after sunrise and 30-60 min before sunset are good times for getting vitamin D naturally which is known to promote sleep. This will take a few months to reflect though. Be patient and keep trying all of these to see if any of it works.

Put on some deeply technical boring video like on some medieval castle history or something before sleep..

These are all natural options, much better than benzos or other drugs.

Give all of them a go and see what works best.

I've been mentally ill since I was a young child. I've been given the "healthy sleep" lecture more times than you could count. My mind and body are simply broken and tired.

 

[Endisclose]

I've been mentally ill since I was a young child. I've been given the "healthy sleep" lecture more times than you could count. My mind and body are simply broken and tired.

I don't really know what to say.. If you've tried everything and nothing works, it is a despairing situation you're in. My sympathies are with you. I can understand your pain. I can only offer words and nothing else .

I was born with mental illnesses too. I have bipolar, borderline, ptsd, Ocd and some other ones as well. I had huge issues with sleep, I used to keep cycling between being awake during day and staying up all night every few days for like more than a decade or decade and a half, but some of that stuff there worked for me and I am able to maintain a normal sleep schedule these days. I was therefore hopeful some of them might work for you..

 

[Ash]

I don't really know what to say.. If you've tried everything and nothing works, it is a despairing situation you're in. My sympathies are with you. I can understand your pain. I can only offer words and nothing else .

Apologies for going off topic and making this about me but as someone who has been given sleep advice soooooo many times, usually things that I've already tried again and again and again, it's genuinely refreshing to see someone say "ok, sorry that didn't work for you - hope you're ok" instead of getting huffy and offended that their magic method doesn't work for everyone.

Grassy arse as we used to say many, many, decades ago (and never mind that my family are Spanish speakers and I would get told off for it!)

Anyway, as you were, nothing to see here...

 

[sanitystruggle]

How much do you take.. Which brand? Sometimes a lower dose can work instead of a really high dose (anything above 3 mg is dangerous and not recommended). Do you sleep during the day.

That's not really accurate. Doses of 15mg/day, and rarely as high as 25mg have been trialled in autistic individuals who often benefit from melatonin supplementation:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2011.03980.x

Studies in rats showed that toxic effects only began to show at around 400mg/kg which is an absolutely enormous dose.

 

[LunarLight]

I'm not trying to obtain meds illegally and I highly doubt my doctor would be willing to prescribe benzos to me without giving another shot to something weaker, which is something I'm not interested in playing games with. I just hope that maybe the sleep deprivation will be a helping hand along with all of my other issues in causing me to die soon without even having to CTB.

RCs are not necessarily illegal. Depends on where you live.

 

[willitpass]

RCs are not necessarily illegal. Depends on where you live.

To get them without a prescription would be.

 

[Kit1]

I've sailed in that particular canoe up that particular stream many, many times. (I don't take sleeping aids as my PTSD tells me I need to stay alert and be ready for anything.) It's horrendous. Keep hydrated and try to eat regularly and properly, don't make any Big Decisions until you're more rested, and remember that you're not alone in this.

I can identify with this. With the Complex PTSD, I cannot take any sleeping tablets as I am petrified that someone would try and rape me.

 

[Ash]

I can identify with this. With the Complex PTSD, I cannot take any sleeping tablets as I am petrified that someone would try and rape me.

Yeah. Even on the ward I refused to take just Lorazepam for the first time until my door was locked. And I've not really taken it since coming home because the same old anxieties are running rampant at the time I most need it

 

[Red Moon]

I'm kind of having trouble with sleep, not sure what to do about it.

 

[Ash]

I'm kind of having trouble with sleep, not sure what to do about it.

There are some good non medicinal suggestions above. Try them. If they don't work, speak to your doctor but as always, we're all different and what one person swears by won't work for someone else. Good luck. Not sleeping is the pits.

 

[Endisclose]

That's not really accurate. Doses of 15mg/day, and rarely as high as 25mg have been trialled in autistic individuals who often benefit from melatonin supplementation:

What I actually meant by "dangerous" is I remember coming across a video that said that if a large dose is taken over a considerable period of time, the pineal gland stops producing melatonin and so if one stops taking it, then one is likely to face sleep issues/insomnia as the body will have stopped producing it naturally. I am sorry I am unable to find the video right now..

Also larger doses tend to produce more daytime sleepiness and the general advice is to start low and work one's way up taking no more than necessary.. I used to take life extension's immediate release 300 mcg and it worked like a charm. It took about 3 hours to have it's effect though. The extended release version gave me a headache. I used to order from the US "iherb" app. I haven't been able to order as I've changed residence and applying for address update. They need id for customs clearance.







I use natrol 1 mg which is ok and liquid melatonin from now foods where I measure out about 12 to 13 drops. I used to take 10 mg gummies cut into four pieces. So each piece would come to about 2.5 mg and they used to make me incredibly drowsy the next day, so I've stopped taking them. I think I'll try cutting them into 8 pieces and try again. The pieces get really tiny.

There are some videos that say it's not safe, but I have to take it as it's the only thing that keeps me from cycling between being awake during the day and staying up all night. I think the general consensus is the lower the dose the "safer" you are..

 

[TiredOfAllThis]

I have been taking Trazodon, but it does not help much

 

[Mersault]

For me, it's quite the opposite, i sleep very well, 6-8 hours a day, almost like a dead person. I just wonder, am I really depressed? Are there others here like me?

 

[Ash]

For me, it's quite the opposite, i sleep very well, 6-8 hours a day, almost like a dead person. I just wonder, am I really depressed? Are there others here like me?

Everyone responds differently to depression / poor mental health. That's one I'd the reasons why it's so hard to treat. There's no right or wrong way to be depressed or suicidal or whatever. And it's not a competition. Your own suffering matters and is important and can't be compared to anyone else's.

 

[Ambivalent1]

I've been sleep deprived for 2 yrs. Revelation 20:10 is real

 

[willitpass]

For me, it's quite the opposite, i sleep very well, 6-8 hours a day, almost like a dead person. I just wonder, am I really depressed? Are there others here like me?

On the standard list of depression symptoms the sleep issues are always listed as "sleeping too much or not enough". Some people get so depressed they do nothing but sleep. Some are like me and can't seem to sleep much at all. Some people are depressed and their sleep is never affected. Depression is not some box everyone fits into nicely.

 

[Endisclose]

For me, it's quite the opposite, i sleep very well, 6-8 hours a day, almost like a dead person. I just wonder, am I really depressed? Are there others here like me?

I always thought sleep was a key indicator of neurodiverse brain chemistry. Yours is a very interesting case to hear. Do you have times where the sleep gets disrupted maybe you get less sleep or sometimes more? Do you feel low, drowsy when you are awake during the day with difficulty to focus, lack of interest in things? What are the symptoms you have that makes you think you have depression?