Bad Sleep Habits?

[Stripey]

Hi

I just want some other opinions. I don't sleep well, but a lot of the time i wonder if i'm my own worst enemy. I live with my boyfriend but as soon as my mood begins to go down (or look like it's going down) i sleep on the couch.

Naturally i'm somone who always comes alive in the evenings (my whole family say i've always been like this), my boyfriend is more of a morning person. In reality I feels this leaves me alone from about 9.30 onwards.

But sometimes i feel that i'm my own worst enemy. Tonight, i was okay (not that low, although just coming out of a low). But i didn't try to go to bed and now here i am at 3.30am i've taken some tablets (nothing too drastic so don't be concerned) and i'm thinking that if i'd just tried to go to bed at about 1130 there's a good chance i would have slept.

Is this just bad habits. Everyone says routine is so important when it comes to sleeping and i just don't even try to stick to a routine, so am i just shooting myself in the foot and not even giving myself a chance to get some sleep?

Any thoughts welcome.
Stripey

 

[jamesdean]

Hi I didnt sleep for most of my life only recently have i had a sleep pattern. I used to go to bed every night but would get up no sooner than getting into bed, and then I would be up most of the night, the only sleepnI really got was when I crashed out sometimes for an hour a day, I would ask people why couldnt sleep I sleep n some people would say because I wasnt doing a hard days graft which wasnt true I needed some medication.

 

[silly madam]

Hi, I am very similar in that I am a night bird and my husband is a morning person. Again, I have always been like this since I can remember. It does cause problems with my husband tho but thats another story. I dont know if this rings any bells with anyone but I have almost a fear of going to bed sometimes and I really cant put my finger on why that is, and god knows I have tried. Does anyone else feel the same or similar way?
Youre certainly not alone on the sleeping problem front anyway, not that that is much help. But its always nice to know youre not the only one.

 

[Lozzi_1004]

Im more of a night person (not a morning person at all) and thats always been the same, when im high and hyper i sleep very little or not at all (as im sure many do) and when im low i want to sleep all the time.
People have told me the same thing, a routine is what you need when it comes to sleeping, personally i think its a load of bull... i sleep when im tired and thats the end of it. If im having bouts of insomnia it doesnt matter how much routine i do i still cant drift off and i find it more frustrating because im told its supposed to work!
Thats my thoughts anyways

 

[Stripey]

Thanks for your comments. I kinda know what you mean sillymadam about fear of going to bed. I'm not sure mine is a fear but i know that i've spent so much time lying in bed, being frustrated at not being able to sleep that i probably view 'bed' in a very negative way. I find it better to just lie on the couch and watch a DVD and see if sleep comes.

Lozzi, agree with what your saying totally. i hate when i don't sleep till very early hours of the morning, but then fall asleep at about 4am and need to get up for work at 8am!

Feel better knowing i not the only one struggling with this.

 

[emski]

Hi Stripey,

You're definitely not the only one who struggles with sleep. Sleep is my demon and I view it in a very negative way. I've always struggled getting to sleep for as long as I can remember, a problem that is compounded by sleep paralysis. I've always been a night owl too.

When my mood is high I cannot sleep at all and very often feel that I don't need sleep. Even when I'm well it takes me ages to get to sleep and I wake up several times a night. If I have a waking dream, which I usually get on trying to fall asleep, then I can't sleep either. Zopiclone helps but I'm virtually dependent on this now, and it very often doesn't work.

Anyone here know of a non addictive sleeping tablet. The Mirtazapine I take is supposed to have a sedative effect but it has no effect on me.

 

[Dollit]

I was hypnophobic from being a small child until this year. I was talking to Paradox about it in a pm and he suggested a particular crystal set up by the bed. I must admit I was skeptical but desperate and I have slept well ever since. I talked to my consultant about it and he said that if it works then why not do it and it doesn't matter why it works.

He has put some more general tips for using crystals on another thread - if you're like me - desperate to try anything - then it maybe worth a shot.

 

[blackdog]

My sleep is all over the place, some nights I don't sleep at all, other nights I may get between three and six hours. Funny thing is on days when I've been more active I seem to sleep less.

 

[quality factor]

Hi,
My sleep pattern is up and down. Some nights i don't want to sleep in case I have another bad dream, other nights I just drift off without a thought. There are times when I go to bed and am up 5 mins later. I've just started sleeping in my own bed after two years on the couch..My CPN reckons its all about creating the right atmosphere for sleep; comfy bed, quiet background music, making your room a pleasant place to be in etc... I've tried it all but if you can't sleep you can't sleep!!

 

[Stripey]

Hi

I cant tell you how good it is to hear that others have the same problems, not just with not sleeping but also with how erratic whether you sleep or don't can be.

If i have a period of being fine and then am slipping, my sleep is the first thing to go. But the thing is that i get paranoid about my sleep. If i have one bad nights sleep when i've been doing 'ok' then I'm really negative and get all worried thinking there's something wrong; and maybe there is...or maybe it was just a bad night sleep!

I do appreciate everyone posting, it really is nice to know i am not alone.