Originally Posted by myheadhurts

Hi,

your sleep will return in time, as hard as it sounds you have to just ride it out. When I came of a lot of benzos I didn't sleep a wink for 8 days, then started getting 30 -60 mins here and there, it took about 3 months to get bad to a "normal" sleep routine. Still now at 5.5 months out, I wake up 3-4 times a night but still it is sleep.

The things that have helped me have been:

1: go to bed and get up at the same time everyday, whether I slept or not.

2: no tv or computer for 2 hours before bed

3: lights off at night, leave curtains open as it gets dark outside, the fading lite triggers the production of melatonin which makes you sleep. Failing this yellow lens glasses at night, it blocks the blue light frequencies that keep you awake.

4: no food at least 3 hours before bed, no drink for 2 hours. The only exception to this rule is that I will eat a bit of real cheddar cheese an hour before getting in bed, it contains tryptophan, a chemical precursor to serotonin which converts to melatonin which makes you sleep.

5: use the bed only for sleeping, no reading, internet, or anything else, if I can't sleep within 30 mins I get out of bed and try again a bit later.

6: make sure the bedroom is clean, tidy and cool, also shut out all light sources, including digital clocks, standby lights, etc.

7: a white noise generator or environmental recording helps me to focus on something to drift off, there are many free ones available online, failing that a floor fan works.

8: a bath an hour before bed helps some people relax their muscles and promotes sleep.




Anyway, these are just some of the practical things I have done to help get my sleep back on track. I know how awful not sleeping is, it played havoc with me for a long time. Perhaps some of these techniques will help you.

The main thing I think is not to worry too much, I know it's easy said than done, but you will get you sleep back eventually. No need to do anything crazy even though it feels like it will never end. It does end, just takes too long and is incredibly difficult.


In addition to the above I found that accepting it as being a temporary major annoyance that I can't do much about helped me to deal with the worry/fear side of it.

Hang in there, one day it will all be just a bad memory.

MHH