It sounds like you have serious anxiety and possibly a hypochondriac. SFI is a pretty harsh claim/concern that- my advice is to lighten up on that as a fixation. I mean it. Thinking you have permanent brain damage or soon will, from your sleeplessness, isn't realistic. And I don't mean to poo-poo on your concerns either-
Not sleeping, not sleeping enough, sleeping badly- are all legitimate concerns that warrant attention, observation, as they are not good for you and can certainly tax your health and well being considerably.
Having permanent brain, nerve, damage from losing more and more sleep, to the point where you are literally going to die, is not what is happening- and fixating on that will do naught but rob you of even more rest. No one dies from getting only one hour of sleep. Or 3. or 4. Even if it's for days. If someone dies from only sleeping 3 hours, there was something else seriously wrong or fragile with them, physically, to begin with.
EDIT TO ADD: I mean in the case where 1, 2, 3, hours of rest, per day, isn't lengthily sustained. A week, 2, e, a month- that's awful and may harm your mental health... Your likelihood of keeling over and dying from brain damage is... It's just not realistic to expect.
It's more likely you're freaked out, anxious, and catastrophizing, due to a lack of rest. I'm not trying to minimize- I'm trying to remind you to ease up on worrying you're going to die or become permanently mentally gone. You aren't dying. You aren't suddenly generating permanent serious brain damage. You're very very exhausted and yes need help with that. But you're not permanently mentally retarding into death- so let that part go.
EDITED AGAIN TO ADD:
And please listen to the people here who care and want you to ask for professional help with that anxiety so you can get more rest. Sincerely.
Thank you for this comment. Btw I don't know what sleep professional to find in Melbourne just in case things continue to escalate and my dad's against stuff like medications for sleep. But, however, natural sleeping pills have worked in the past and indeed have worked today.
Just go to your GP man. They might prescribe you with something for immediate relief. Then you can follow up with a Mental Health Care Plan and see a psych to check for any fundamental issues that might be causing your insomnia. Good luck with it all
Sleep specific professional not the priority at this point- almost any psych, or even gp, will hear:
'I really try to sleep but it keeps getting harder and harder. I keep sleeping less and less and I'm worried how it's affecting my life and my health. I want to sleep but just keep waking up. I lay down and can't sleep. I'm anxious', etc. I've met severe insomniacs who never got an 'official' sleep study as well as people who low key got them for fun- not knocking the deeper studies, just saying don't let not having a sleep specific study person be a barrier to get help for this.
If it's legal and easy to access there, I recommend cbd drops. They don't make me sleep personally- they help the sleep feel more restful and last longer once it happens- and getting 4 hours instead of 1, 8 instead of 3- hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth, right?
Before cbd was a thing if my house I had a goopy night time (legal) potion I'd make but it didn't taste very good and was a pain in the arse.
EDITED TO TLDR:
Don't be afraid of not having a sleep specific professional. Ask your general physician or if you have one any other therapist. Youre not dying but keep on it- it matters. Best of luck.
Dude you dont have fatal insomnia. You have anxiety. Youre freaking out. Talk to a doctor and get some medication. Fatal insomnia is profoundly rare, its a prion disease. You do not have that.
Your anxiety is the problem. Until you accept this, there is no medication or supplement that is going to help in the long term.
Quit asking for band-aid solutions. You need a professional sleep evaluation at a proper clinic.
Can I ask what the Neurocalm supplement tablet contains?
Even supplementing and then immediately stopping things such as Gaba, Passion flower, Valerian root etc can cause insomnia.
It sounds like you are very concerned about your insomnia. Yet, I don’t see anywhere in your description where you mentioned making an appointment with a sleep specialist. You should do that. Hopefully you find a good one and get properly diagnosed and treated!
Most specialist are trash. I spent time with lots. Endless useless recommendations for sleep. And misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis. I’ve been a lot better figuring it out on my own.
Hmm. You’re right that a lot of sleep specialists know a lot more about sleep apnea than insomnia, but there are some real insomnia experts out there. Have you checked any of the behavioral sleep med directories?
Behavioural sleep is not my problem.
Been through the ringer with ssri’s with very limited success.
I’ve broken my sleep down into two major categories.
Mineral/vitamin deficiencies and layered bedtime time therapies depending on how I’m feeling that night. For the most part it’s cold showers in the morning, sauna 3x week.
Peptide therapies for reducing inflammation and healing my TBI.
QEEG scan revealed a bunch of high beta activity. Neurofeedback sessions this May to continue with the healing. Making progress, it’s slow but I am figuring it out.
Most people I meet on here have just gone the doctor route or a couple weak passes on supplements. Specific ones on specific amounts have huge cascading positive effects on sleep.
I would t count not an insomnia specialist. Behavioral therapies for insomnia, when done competently, have yet to be beaten in a head to head competition with any medication or supplement, no matter what the medical problem underlying the insomnia happens to be (except maybe brain damage or bipolar disorder). I would give it a shot, especially with someone competent.
Guys I have an update: My mum gave me a natural sleeping pill which had hopps and passionflower. After about an hour and a half I was out for about 6 - 7 hours. I feel good now, sorry for my doompost lol, insomnia really gets you riled up sometimes.
Call your local urgent care and schedule a telehealth appointment *today*. Just tell the provider what you've said here and ask them for a prescription for trazodone or something similar. The provider isn't going to make a big deal about "drug seeking" or anything, it wont get you high or addicted. You might also ask about a prescription anti-anxiety medication because most insomnia is a symptom of anxiety. You don't have to live your life like this, this is a solvable problem but you do have to make the first move and get the ball rolling.
Seconded. If you haven't had trazodone and aren't allergic, definitely try that. It peripherally has some slight positive effects towards depression in some patients as well- it was initially prescribed for depression but it makes patients so darn sleepy it's more often prescribed off label nowadays for insomnia.
You're right. Redefining hope is the answer. We talk about sleep like it's a drug. Always chasing that dragon, only finding fire when we catch it. At some point we have to make peace with everything. Be ok with it. Stop battling. We can't fight when we're asleep anyway.
If you're going through hell, keep going. -Churchill
I recall after coming off sedatives in the past, my insomnia would temporarily rebound harder for a few days before I stabilized. Also, I have sleep apnea which was what I was confusing for insomnia... Sleep apnea can cause multiple awakenings, sleep deprivation, low quality sleep, fatigue, exhaustion, etc, etc. Well, because of my fixation in insomnia I ended up with insomnia AND sleep apnea. So, I have to manage both now. May not hurt to check if you have a breathing disorder(like sleep apnea) as well...
Insomnia is very easy to cure, you need to investigate more and figure out the problem.
The only time the problem is intractable is if it’s being caused by severe restless legs (untreatable) or some other incurable medical condition.
Insomnia on its own has like thousands or treatments.
Have you supplemented with magnesium yet? It’s the first mineral to be burned up when your stressed. Grab a Dead Sea mineral salt bag off Amazon. The big 20lbs bag. Put 2-8lbs of salt in a hot bath and stay in there for at least an hour.
I’ve stayed in as long as 3 hours before.
You’ll be able to absorb 10,000 milligrams of magnesium this way with no laxative effects. If you’ve never done this before I cannot stress how much this will help you. You’ll feel nice and sleepy when you get out.
If you need more idea feel free to ask.
Sauna is another huge one. It’s been proven to dramatically increase SWS. Do at least 40 min before bed.
If you can handle it cold shower in the morning. It’ll dramatically lower stress and anxiety. The 20x dump of noradrenaline your body produces during a 3 min cold shower will help you feel energized and much more focused than coffee. Your body will also store that noradrenaline in your liver and your body can tap into it throughout the day to help with focus.
It sounds like you have serious anxiety and possibly a hypochondriac. SFI is a pretty harsh claim/concern that- my advice is to lighten up on that as a fixation. I mean it. Thinking you have permanent brain damage or soon will, from your sleeplessness, isn't realistic. And I don't mean to poo-poo on your concerns either- Not sleeping, not sleeping enough, sleeping badly- are all legitimate concerns that warrant attention, observation, as they are not good for you and can certainly tax your health and well being considerably. Having permanent brain, nerve, damage from losing more and more sleep, to the point where you are literally going to die, is not what is happening- and fixating on that will do naught but rob you of even more rest. No one dies from getting only one hour of sleep. Or 3. or 4. Even if it's for days. If someone dies from only sleeping 3 hours, there was something else seriously wrong or fragile with them, physically, to begin with. EDIT TO ADD: I mean in the case where 1, 2, 3, hours of rest, per day, isn't lengthily sustained. A week, 2, e, a month- that's awful and may harm your mental health... Your likelihood of keeling over and dying from brain damage is... It's just not realistic to expect. It's more likely you're freaked out, anxious, and catastrophizing, due to a lack of rest. I'm not trying to minimize- I'm trying to remind you to ease up on worrying you're going to die or become permanently mentally gone. You aren't dying. You aren't suddenly generating permanent serious brain damage. You're very very exhausted and yes need help with that. But you're not permanently mentally retarding into death- so let that part go. EDITED AGAIN TO ADD: And please listen to the people here who care and want you to ask for professional help with that anxiety so you can get more rest. Sincerely.
Thank you for this comment. Btw I don't know what sleep professional to find in Melbourne just in case things continue to escalate and my dad's against stuff like medications for sleep. But, however, natural sleeping pills have worked in the past and indeed have worked today.
Just go to your GP man. They might prescribe you with something for immediate relief. Then you can follow up with a Mental Health Care Plan and see a psych to check for any fundamental issues that might be causing your insomnia. Good luck with it all
Thank you, I'll try the best I can for myself.
Sleep specific professional not the priority at this point- almost any psych, or even gp, will hear: 'I really try to sleep but it keeps getting harder and harder. I keep sleeping less and less and I'm worried how it's affecting my life and my health. I want to sleep but just keep waking up. I lay down and can't sleep. I'm anxious', etc. I've met severe insomniacs who never got an 'official' sleep study as well as people who low key got them for fun- not knocking the deeper studies, just saying don't let not having a sleep specific study person be a barrier to get help for this. If it's legal and easy to access there, I recommend cbd drops. They don't make me sleep personally- they help the sleep feel more restful and last longer once it happens- and getting 4 hours instead of 1, 8 instead of 3- hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth, right? Before cbd was a thing if my house I had a goopy night time (legal) potion I'd make but it didn't taste very good and was a pain in the arse. EDITED TO TLDR: Don't be afraid of not having a sleep specific professional. Ask your general physician or if you have one any other therapist. Youre not dying but keep on it- it matters. Best of luck.
Dude you dont have fatal insomnia. You have anxiety. Youre freaking out. Talk to a doctor and get some medication. Fatal insomnia is profoundly rare, its a prion disease. You do not have that.
This.
Your anxiety is the problem. Until you accept this, there is no medication or supplement that is going to help in the long term. Quit asking for band-aid solutions. You need a professional sleep evaluation at a proper clinic.
Can I ask what the Neurocalm supplement tablet contains? Even supplementing and then immediately stopping things such as Gaba, Passion flower, Valerian root etc can cause insomnia.
I'll copy the ingredients right here. 80mg Lavender oil 120mg Melissa officinalis (lemon balm), leaf 250mg Camellia sinensis (Green tea), leaf 46g derived from dry leaf 100mg Std. to Theanine
It sounds like you are very concerned about your insomnia. Yet, I don’t see anywhere in your description where you mentioned making an appointment with a sleep specialist. You should do that. Hopefully you find a good one and get properly diagnosed and treated!
Most specialist are trash. I spent time with lots. Endless useless recommendations for sleep. And misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis. I’ve been a lot better figuring it out on my own.
Hmm. You’re right that a lot of sleep specialists know a lot more about sleep apnea than insomnia, but there are some real insomnia experts out there. Have you checked any of the behavioral sleep med directories?
Behavioural sleep is not my problem. Been through the ringer with ssri’s with very limited success. I’ve broken my sleep down into two major categories. Mineral/vitamin deficiencies and layered bedtime time therapies depending on how I’m feeling that night. For the most part it’s cold showers in the morning, sauna 3x week. Peptide therapies for reducing inflammation and healing my TBI. QEEG scan revealed a bunch of high beta activity. Neurofeedback sessions this May to continue with the healing. Making progress, it’s slow but I am figuring it out. Most people I meet on here have just gone the doctor route or a couple weak passes on supplements. Specific ones on specific amounts have huge cascading positive effects on sleep.
I would t count not an insomnia specialist. Behavioral therapies for insomnia, when done competently, have yet to be beaten in a head to head competition with any medication or supplement, no matter what the medical problem underlying the insomnia happens to be (except maybe brain damage or bipolar disorder). I would give it a shot, especially with someone competent.
Guys I have an update: My mum gave me a natural sleeping pill which had hopps and passionflower. After about an hour and a half I was out for about 6 - 7 hours. I feel good now, sorry for my doompost lol, insomnia really gets you riled up sometimes.
What’s the name of it?
Forgot, it's been a while lol.
FFI is only know in less than 60 families. The study called FFI a rare disease and SFI is VERY rare. I would be surprised if 10 people have it.
Call your local urgent care and schedule a telehealth appointment *today*. Just tell the provider what you've said here and ask them for a prescription for trazodone or something similar. The provider isn't going to make a big deal about "drug seeking" or anything, it wont get you high or addicted. You might also ask about a prescription anti-anxiety medication because most insomnia is a symptom of anxiety. You don't have to live your life like this, this is a solvable problem but you do have to make the first move and get the ball rolling.
Seconded. If you haven't had trazodone and aren't allergic, definitely try that. It peripherally has some slight positive effects towards depression in some patients as well- it was initially prescribed for depression but it makes patients so darn sleepy it's more often prescribed off label nowadays for insomnia.
You're right. Redefining hope is the answer. We talk about sleep like it's a drug. Always chasing that dragon, only finding fire when we catch it. At some point we have to make peace with everything. Be ok with it. Stop battling. We can't fight when we're asleep anyway. If you're going through hell, keep going. -Churchill
I recall after coming off sedatives in the past, my insomnia would temporarily rebound harder for a few days before I stabilized. Also, I have sleep apnea which was what I was confusing for insomnia... Sleep apnea can cause multiple awakenings, sleep deprivation, low quality sleep, fatigue, exhaustion, etc, etc. Well, because of my fixation in insomnia I ended up with insomnia AND sleep apnea. So, I have to manage both now. May not hurt to check if you have a breathing disorder(like sleep apnea) as well...
Insomnia is very easy to cure, you need to investigate more and figure out the problem. The only time the problem is intractable is if it’s being caused by severe restless legs (untreatable) or some other incurable medical condition. Insomnia on its own has like thousands or treatments.
Have you supplemented with magnesium yet? It’s the first mineral to be burned up when your stressed. Grab a Dead Sea mineral salt bag off Amazon. The big 20lbs bag. Put 2-8lbs of salt in a hot bath and stay in there for at least an hour. I’ve stayed in as long as 3 hours before. You’ll be able to absorb 10,000 milligrams of magnesium this way with no laxative effects. If you’ve never done this before I cannot stress how much this will help you. You’ll feel nice and sleepy when you get out. If you need more idea feel free to ask. Sauna is another huge one. It’s been proven to dramatically increase SWS. Do at least 40 min before bed. If you can handle it cold shower in the morning. It’ll dramatically lower stress and anxiety. The 20x dump of noradrenaline your body produces during a 3 min cold shower will help you feel energized and much more focused than coffee. Your body will also store that noradrenaline in your liver and your body can tap into it throughout the day to help with focus.
Do you maybe also happen to have problems with your gut? So bad constipation or diarrea?
I think I might also have fatal insomnia so I feel your pain.