Insomnia- Can't sleep- Help

[bc48]

Hello everyone. I am an 18-year-old male who has recently completed Year 12. In the past couple of weeks, I have been experiencing insomnia which hasn't improved and is getting worst. On average I was getting around only around four to five hours of sleep a night, I would go to bed at 11 pm, sleep at 1 am, and get up around 5 am. I believe this has been caused by my intrusive thoughts and my anxiety about the future in general. I have tried every technique to fall asleep, including meditation, mindfulness exercises, avoiding caffeine and heavy food before bed, avoiding screen time, and also drinking camomile tea. However, these have been no improvement and have had an even worst effect on me. In the past week, I am only able to get three hours of sleep and there are nights when I go sleepless. It is normal for me now to stay awake in bed until 3 or 4 am, counting sheep and doing anything I can to fall asleep. It makes it even worse when I look at the clock or googling the effects of Insomnia which terrifies me. I really miss sleeping 7-8 hours and I am so desparate to get out of this situation. Any responses will be hugely beneficial for me. 

[Trans22]

I recommend seeing a GP.  They should be able to provide one or more options/suggestions for you.  There are also psychologists that specialise (have lots of experience) in this sort of space.

[Ggrand]

Hello bc48,

I have periods of times that I struggle with insomnia, due to my overthinking and anxious mind….

The thing that works best for me, is listening to sleep stories when I lay down and am ready for sleep….The stories are gently read and the reader takes us to different many peaceful places….While listening to them sometimes my mind wanders back to my anxious thoughts, so I pull myself up and go back to listening intently to each word to the story……Most times I don’t get to hear the ending of the story because I fall asleep somewhere through the story…..Sometimes things work for one person but not the other….but I think and hope that you might give them a try….I go through YouTube…then search “Dan Jones” and select a story….

We also have a great thread on the forums titled “Sleep”…their are lots of good suggestions written by some our lovely community members who have also been struggling with insomnia..maybe if you feel up to it….in the search box search “Sleep” 

My kindest thoughts and care Dear bc48.

Grandy..

[sbella02]

Bc48,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, and I'm sorry to hear about your sleeping troubles. Chronically sleep deprived woman here, so I highly resonate with everything you have just said. I actually recently saw somebody about this too, so I'll share what has helped me the most, hopefully something in my advice will stand out. 

Firstly, I would recommend going to see somebody, maybe your GP, a therapist, or psychologist. There are people who specialise in sleep conditions like insomnia too, so perhaps seeking a referral to somebody who may be able to offer some professional advice to improve your sleep may be a good place to start.

If you're familiar with ASMR, this can be a great tool for relaxing the mind and inducing sleepiness. If you've never heard of it, it essentially describes a physical repsonse to certain sounds that can relax the mind and make you feel sleepy. For most people who experience ASMR, external sounds can be a powerful trigger, and there are plenty of YouTube videos out there that achieve this perfectly. 

Do you have a consistent wake-up time? For me, this can be one of the greatest regulators of my sleep, having a consistent time that I wake up every day. It may also help to have a before-bed routine as well. Brushing teeth, applying face cream, and showering are often great inclusions to a bedtime routine, as well as a quiet and relaxing activity like reading.

I hope this is helpful, please feel free to reach out more if you need further support.

All the best, SB

[Mark Z.]

Hi bc48,

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sorry for your challenge.

When you say your insomnia is caused by intrusive thoughts and your anxiety about future,  do you want to share more details? What kind of thoughts are lingering in your heart？What specific concerns do you have about the future?

Mark

[Aline SM]

Hi bc48, thanks for sharing your experience and good on your for seeking for help here.

Although all the things you've mentioned you've been doing are extremely helpful, they are not capable to control your thoughts. Definitely seek for professional help to help you with your coping abilities!

You are in a moment in your life where we all feel insecure and have lots of doubts in regards to our future and feel pressured to make all the right decisions asap. Something that really helps me to control these intrusive thoughts and I believe it can also give you some sort of relief, is to rationalize all these thoughts. Eg.: you are worried about supporting yourself financially or figuring out with what you'd like to work - stop for a moment to brainstorm all the possibilities you have that will allow you to support yourself and even getting to know what interests you and what your strengths are. We are afraid and anxious about what we don't yet know, so it's good to allow yourself to get to know a bit more of the world out there to start getting comfortable and confident in our own abilities.

I know your goal is to be able to sleep again, that's why it's important that you start looking at the root of what is causing it all in the first place. Ask yourself what is worrying you, challenge your worries and then find a solution for it. As I've mentioned before: seek professional help! You don't need to figure it out all by yourself 😉 

I hope it helps you get a bit of insight and also that soon you get the good nights of sleep that you deserve!

Let us know how you go!