Sleep patterns and nightmares

[gen_the_friend]

I keep sleeping from 12-15 hours every night (waking up every 1-2 hours) and having multiple nightmares throughout the night. Also whenever I wake up I hallucinate (this isn't hypnagogic hallucinations, I hallucinate during the daytime too (i've been diagnosed with schizophrenia)). This is making me dread going to sleep every night. I really don't know what to do. I used to never be able to sleep at night and sleep all through the day, and my medication even on a high dose only made me tired for like an hour and then id be wide awake again, but i got put onto an extended release version too and so now i can sleep through the night so thats an improvement, but yeah.. I'm just really frustrated.

So if anyone has any suggestions on how to improve any of this id be very grateful

[BballJ]

Hi gen the friend,

Sleeping issues are so common with mental health issues, almost go hand in hand... it goes there has been improvement in the fact that you are now sleeping during the night... is your doctors or psych's happy that you are sleeping 12-15 hours? or is that recommended?

One thing many people find useful to get a good nights sleep is to be so tired when going to bed, that might be going exercise at night just to really tired yourself out and I believe there is some correlation to that and if you constantly have nightmares. It seems like you need to do things to help rest your mind, something like meditation even, have you ever given that a go?

My best for you,

Jay

[MarkJT]

Gen, I used to be scared to go to sleep due to the nightmares that i had. This was due to all the visual trauma that I had witnessed however exposure therapy and CBT overcame this, however even though I was no longer having nightmares, I would still be extremely concerned (just short of scared) of sleeping in case i started to have nightmares again.

To continue on what Jay has said above, I started practicing mindfulness prior to going sleep. Once I was in bed (actually still do this), I close my eyes and think of the three best things from that day. The things that put a smile on my face and I would re-live them in minute detail. This calms my mind and relaxes it and now i don't have to many concerns going to sleep - every now and then i get quite panicky, like last night, but i have over time learnt to manage it.

I don't have schizophrenia and have no experience in it but this may be something worthwhile to start doing. There is also the "Smiling Mind" app - download that and do one or two tracks a night. Guided mindfulness so teaches you how to do it - it is a learned skill so please persist with it.

Mark.

[Sophie_M]

Hi gen the friend,

We have a long-running thread on Sleep below which you may find helpful to read through and contribute to:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/sleep

[gen_the_friend]

Thanks for the reply Jay,

I've mentioned the sleeping 12-15 hours to my psychiatrist and GP and they haven't really said anything about it. But I have been starting to meditate and do some exercise lately so i'll keep that up and hopefully it will get a bit better 🙂

[gen_the_friend]

Thanks so much for the reply Mark,

That's fantastic that you got overcame your nightmares! I'm going to start seeing my therapist again very soon, so i'll tell them how i've been struggling with nightmares and see how they can help. I actually got the Smiling Mind app a few days ago because it was suggested to me by a social worker, and i've been using it when I get upset, but now i'm going to start using it before sleep. Also thinking of 3 good things from your day sounds like a very good idea and I think that will help.

Thank you again for the reply 🙂

Gen

[gen_the_friend]

Thanks Sophie, I'll go check out that thread 🙂

[MarkJT]

Gen, surprised that your psych and GP didn't say much about sleeping 12-15 hours as that is to much.

I remember when I didn't have a nightmare on the weekend and would sleep that much. I would wake up grumpy and groggy as well. Does that happen to you?

Have you tried setting the alarm so you wake up after about 8-9 hours?

Awesome that you are doing the mindfulness.

Mark.

[gen_the_friend]

Hey Mark,

I'm quite shocked because today I woke up from an 18 hour sleep (I really don't know how i was in bed that long), and I actually didn't have a nightmare last night (doing the mindfulness may be to thank for that). Also I usually always wake up grumpy and groggy and I always set alarms but a lot of the time i'm so confused and half asleep when I hear it, that I just let it go off for however long it goes for (this can make it very hard to take my morning medication at the right time).

-Gen

[MarkJT]

Gen, yep certainly know what it is like to sleep right through the alarm.

The no nightmares is obviously a good thing so hopefully that continues.

Have you thought of going to a different GP or psych and ask them about the sleep? 18 hours sleep is what a newborn has so I would think that this is quite uncommon for an adult.

Mark