I’m on the third night of Very Poor Sleep. I’ve been awake since 2:00, just like last night. Yes, I tried meditating, counting my slow, deep breaths, muscle relaxation, and pretty much anything else they claim is useful. I don’t drink coffee after 10:00 a.m. and I almost never drink alcohol anymore. I don’t/can’t nap during the day. I stay off of electronic devices after dinner and do gentle stretches and relaxation poses before bed. There is no TV in my bedroom. Yet in the middle of the night, adrenaline courses through my veins no matter what I do, and now I’m up talking to you.
This is my Normal. It has been for almost 20 years, so no, this is not a result of recent stresses. It would be nice if I were one of those people who happily function on 4 hours of sleep a night. In a way, I do function all right – I always get through the day, usually get a few things done, and feel mostly okay. But years of this are taking a toll. My memory is much worse. I can’t write fiction anymore and you’ve probably noticed the scarcity of blog posts over the last year. It has become a challenge to organize my thoughts and write something coherent. Often I start a post and give up in frustration because I’m not making sense even to myself.
Maybe I should resort to Twitter.
There’s no real point to all of this. Consider it a case a weary mumbling and go on with your day.
How did y’all sleep last night?
Marlene Dotterer 
That sounds awful. Have you seen a doctor?
Oh yeah, Amy. It’s been a topic with my doctor for years and years. We’ve done lots of things.
I think it’s time to consult with a sleep disorder professional. I’ve had several years of insomnia, finally resorting to sleeping pills to get my sleep rhythm back. The sleep deprivation became debilitating. Like you, I tried numerous remedies.
I found taking the sleeping pills 2 or 3 nights in a row got me back to normal sleep patterns, but the insomnia would return every few weeks and disrupt the pattern again. It was all stress, too many employees, too much travel, and too little time for myself.
I hope you find something that will help you soon. I know how awful it feels.
Maria: it may be time to go BACK to a sleep specialist. I’ve done it before, also at various times have tried cognitive behavior therapy, CPAP, and sleeping pills. Nothing works permanently, although I still use the principles of CBT. I don’t really want to take pills, especially on a regular basis, but I may talk to my doctor about it.. Apnea is not a major problem and the CPAP freaked me out, so I just gave it up.
I didn’t sleep well after 4:30 AM last night. Happens to me a lot, also. If it’s early enough (sometimes happens at midnight) I take a little NyQuil and sleep like a baby. Can go weeks having normal nights and then a week or so hitting the bottle! I know there is now ZZZZ but the no name NyQuil works and is cheaper 🙂
Ann, do what works, right? Those cold meds really can help you sleep.