Dealing with insomnia is a battle you have to fight constantly. Every sleep disorder is a story of its own, but insomnia is the one I feel most comfortable discussing, as I’ve had to live with it for a long time. Many times a long night was spent waking up and pacing the lounge as I tried to piece together a plan for how I would fall asleep again. While these episodes aren’t as frequent as they once were, insomnia is still something I worry about even now. And while I’ve grown better at fighting it, it has left a mark on my mental state, which is why I’m writing this right now.
You probably know by now that you should take sleep disorders seriously. But you may not be aware of all the reasons why they’re troublesome. I want to give you a personal story, one that displays the ability of insomnia and similar conditions to create turmoil and discomfort in your mind. Hopefully, some of you find yourselves in this story and can take steps to improve your life as I did. Let’s not waste any time:
A Typical Night With Insomnia
Day jobs are stressful; everyone knows this. You show up to work, and you’re already swamped with responsibilities, deadlines are approaching faster than you’d like, and your results are being carefully monitored. It’s exhausting, but not in a way that made me get additional rest during the night. I would come home, and the negative feelings and stress wouldn’t be left at work.
Sometimes, a bad day at work can ruin the rest of your day entirely or even the whole week. It certainly happened to me, and during those days, I would have one question on my mind: “Am I going to get enough sleep tonight?” Unfortunately, in many cases, the answer was a resounding “no.” I would do everything right before bed – a light meal for dinner, some exercise, a relaxing shower, etc. However, it would take me up to three hours just to fall asleep, and the next day I would wake up tired, with memories of episodes where I’d wake up, tossing and turning for what seemed like hours.
The worst fears would cross my mind while I was on medication for this sleeping problem. When I used to wake up after taking sleeping pills, I would worry that the medication was ineffective, that I was risking side-effects for no real benefit. These worries ended up haunting me for days on end, and I had periods of up to several months, where I was constantly stressed out and anxious, always worried about something.
The Effects of Bad Sleep
I remember a conversation with my best friend from that time. She had been on a trip, and we hadn’t seen each other for a while. The first thing she told me was, “You look like you haven’t slept in weeks.” I explained to her how I felt, and how I hadn’t been able to rest properly, making sure to spare no detail. I still remember her response: “You should remember all these things you just said to me, and say them to a therapist.” For the first time, someone had encouraged me to seek psychiatric help. I asked around for a good therapist and scheduled a session.
It felt really liberating to talk to a stranger about my issues, especially one that could understand everything I was saying. It was like they knew me better than I knew myself, in a way. I made it a goal to have regular sessions with them, and I also consulted my physician. Both of them ended up agreeing on a piece of advice – I had to change my overall lifestyle.
They explained how a vicious cycle could form between poor sleep and anxiety or depression. When a person wakes up during the night often, as I did, they don’t get enough REM sleep. REM sleep is a bit weird and complicated, but the big thing to know is that it helps your mind recover from stress and prepare for the next day. It takes a while to enter this sleep stage, so I was deep in debt, as it were. This means all the discomfort and anxiety I had picked up from work and other problems would linger on during the following days, and slowly accumulate over time. And let me tell you – stress and anxiety are really good at preventing sleep, which then takes you right back to square one. It’s a mess.
The Solutions
I’d like to be able to sit here and tell you that there’s a clear-cut solution to your problems. However, the unfortunate truth is that most sleep disorders can’t be cured, and the best you can do is live with them in a way that isn’t too harmful to you. Don’t think of it as being doomed – think of it as an opportunity to grow and become stronger as a person, because I certainly did.
A lot of it has to do with common sense, really. You want to live your life in a way that helps you think more positive thoughts and adopt healthy habits that make it much easier for your body to relax and stay asleep once you finally doze off. A big part of it, at least for me, was creative expression – this article is an example of my personal therapy plans. You want to be able to put your thoughts on paper or on a canvas, or anything else you can think of. It’s cathartic, and it can result in works of art you’re really proud of. I enjoy arts and crafts, and have made a handful of jewelry boxes and vases using household items – it adds a lot of cozy charm to my home, and my friends love them too!
You should also pay close attention to your diet. Comfort food is nice from time to time, but too much of it can leave you feeling bloated and sluggish, which is no good. Stick to the classics – lots of salad, some rice, eggs, and toast for breakfast, etc. Try to avoid tons of sweets or carbonated drinks, and definitely try to avoid regular alcohol use! Getting tipsy to clear up some stress is actually one of the easiest ways to disrupt your sleep even more.
Everyone is different, and what works for me may not be as effective for you. Try to work out methods and habits that make you feel comfortable, and help your body relax when the time comes to hit the hay. Your friends and doctor can give you some really good advice, so don’t be shy or afraid to talk about your problems with them. Good luck on your personal journey!
Support Our Campaign
We rely on the generosity of the public to fund our work and so far together we have achieved great things! Please do continue to support us so we can provide future generations in Ireland with the resources to recognise and talk about their emotions, and equip them to navigate the ever-changing world around them as they grow
