Insomnia Forum Posting

Posted by Paul on February 23, 2002 at 10:24:11:

In Reply to: Re: A few questions for Lynne. posted by Joanna on February 23, 2002 at 09:12:45:

Joanna-

I'm really glad that we are all trying to do this right now! I definitely need the support because getting up in the morning has always been such a pain for me.

You make a good point about regular meal times. That was one of my biggest problems...I would get in my night owl habits of staying up until 5 or 6 A.M. (usually dreading having to go to bed) and then struggle to sleep all day long and finally give up at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I was wasting nearly every day in bed and was only eating 2 meals a day because of the schedule. I would eat in the afternoon and then my dinner would end up being at like 11 PM or midnight. This was reeking havoc on my sleep and I was also losing weight because of it. I'm already very thin, so this wasn't a good thing!

I just had night 2 on the sleep restriction and it was rough, but I'm coming out of a bad cycle in which I was taking a lot of Ambien in January and February and was also on my usual night owl hours of trying to sleep all day long. This is a major shift in attitude and hours for me and it will take time. I am determined to dig myself out of this hole and I'll have to be very patient...it took me years to dig myself into this mess so it will take a while to get myself out of it!

I finally just cleaned out the cupboard of all the sleep prescriptions and threw them out so I wouldn't even be tempted. Most of them didn't work anyway, but getting rid of Ambien was the most difficult because it still puts me to sleep (even after two years of use 4 or 5 times per week). I just know I'll be better off without it.

Even though last night was really rough, I don't feel bad today. In fact, I feel better than I felt when I was sleeping all night on Ambien. I went for a long walk this morning so I could get out of my apartment and not be tempted to crash on the couch watching T.V. I walked five miles and feel really good! I haven't been out and about that early in the morning for eons (unless of course I hadn't gone to bed yet the previous night!)

I live in Los Angeles and it is beautiful today so I'm going to go to the beach in Malibu and walk there for a while and I'm planning to go with friends to see the L.A. Philharmonic tonight, too. Maybe ice skating tomorrow. I'm trying to keep myself busy so I don't waste away watching T.V. and so I'm not tempted to doze or nap!

Thanks, Joanna, for the ideas about music and positive thoughts. I will try to find a relaxing CD and give it a shot!

Good luck, fellow recovering insomniacs!

Take care,

Paul

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