Sleeping issues for years, is there anything else I can do?

Signs and symptoms
1

I honestly feel like I've tried everything. I'm 19 years old and I've had sleeping issues for years. I've been given so much different things by the doctors because the normal solutions weren't working. At the moment I'm taking Zolphidem (10mg each night) however they're making me fall asleep but I'm back into my constant bad pattern of sleeping during the day, making it extremely difficult for work, mostly having to go to work without sleep.

These tablets are also having huge side effects with memory loss that night (I've done things that I don't remember, things that can put me in danger) however at the same time, I can't sleep without them and it's been an issue for a long time.

I'll stay up all night for example (even if I'm lying in bed trying to sleep) not being able to rest and fall asleep. I found that without tablets I don't sleep at all that night and will normally attempt to fall asleep between 10pm-12am however would end up giving up after still being awake between 2-3am. I'd eventually get so tired that I'll fall asleep around 5isham. 

At the moment I'm going to bed around 8am. I sometimes skip nights due to it and then compensate. Some people have said "do some excercise" however even if I went to the gym or excercised for an hour, it doesn't matter. My issue isn't being tired, I could be extremely tired and still not sleep. 

I'm just sick of being in this pattern as it really lowers your mood and it's having an effect on my relationship as well. The issues caused me a lot of hassle with school, causing my grades to drop in my second year of A-levels as the sleeping got worse, and now causing issues with work and other activities. I normally get prescribed sleeping tablets by the doctor however they tend to stop working after a while, which seems to be happening with the zolphidem as I'm back to a bad pattern. They normally then switch my tablets or increase my dosage. 

2

Sorry, Stephen, but it sounds to me as if you need to go cold turkey. Stop the sleeping pills, they're only making it worse. I'm shocked your doctor has put you on them anyway at your age.

I know that sounds tough but you've already got yourself into a cycle of dependence and this doesn't bode well for the future. It's not that I don't understand your problem. I had a lot of trouble sleeping when I was your age too, though it gradually got better with age. I think I was just lucky that doctors wouldn't even consider prescribing sleeping pills to teenagers back in the 60s.

I haven't lived in the UK for 40 years but I believe there are a few specialist centres that deal with sleep problems of this kind. I seem to remember seeing a programme about it on the BBC a few years ago. Can you google this and see whether there's somewhere in your area you could get referred to?

This kind of programme takes a huge amount of work on the part of the patient but it would be worth it at your age. As you say yourself, all sleeping pills stop working after a while and at this rate you'll have exhausted all the chemical possibilities by the time you're 30.

Try not to panic about feeling tired. I remember that was my problem when I was your age. I'm sure you can get a hold on this, but you're going to have to bite the bullet and go through some tough times. Please try and find some specialist help that doesn't involve sleeping pills.

3

 I hope you find a solution

4

Hi Stephen,

I used to have very severe sleeping issue ... I know what you are going through. Its awful, but there is a solution that will work for you.

You say you have tried everything - but what about cognitive behavioral therapy? I myself didn't see any lasting improvements until I saw a pyschiatrist and psychologist. Stress and/or anxiety are the most common causes of insomnia. I'm not sure what set off your sleep issues to begin with, but the poor sleep itself is probably stressful enough on its own to maintain your issues. A therapist can help you break the cycle of poor sleep ... stress over poor sleep .. even worse sleep.

The key for me was to reframe the problem is less catastrophic terms. Rather than "oh my god, my life is over," it became "well, this a challenge to overcome." Then when I put myself to bed, I would be less anxious over the possibilty of poor sleep, and therefore would sleep better. I also find something pleasant to think over, to avoid any sort of boredom from lying awake in bed.

Also, make sure to follow strict sleep hygeine. A google search will explain these, but some important ones are: no caffeine after lunch, no stimulating activities before bed (TV, video games, etc), and no naps 8 hours before bed or better yet no naps at all. It sounds like the last one will be tough for you, but it is very important to not disrupt the circadian rythm. 

Those are things to take away - now some things you could add (to me, these were very important - I felt like I was doing something proactive). You say exercise doesn't help, because it doesn't make you tired enough. Well, regular exercise can actually help you have more energy during the daytime, so it could in fact help you deal with being tired. It also reduces stress, which is critical. Also, meditation and/or breathing exercises before bed can help you relax. And consider healthy snacks in the daytime. Stay away from high fat foods, which are difficult to digest and can make you tired. High carb foods and candy tend you make your bloodsugar skyrocket then tank, so those are no good either. Instead, look for fruit or high protein snacks. Those may provide a more constant level of energy.

This is all of course a vast oversimplification of habits that took me half a year to develop. Also, they may not precisely work for you, but maybe they can inspire you to find your own ways of coping. It will take some effort, but you will be able to find things, besides medicine, that help you. Don't lose hope!

5

I mostly agree about meds being a problem, but I wouldn't recommend going cold turkey.

Waking blackouts are a symptom of taking zoldipem when the dose is too high - try to get down to 5 mg as soon as possible. Tell your doctor you want to decrease the dose, with the goal of eventually coming off entirely. He/she should be able to outline a good plan.

Also, I wouldn't rule out medication entirely. While zoldipem and benzodiazepines can be problematic, not all sedatives have as great of risks of physical dependence or having the body develop a resistance. Some anti-depressents induce sleep, but have much lower risks than the classic sedatives. There's also melotonin, which has very low risks but is not very strong. Its a trade-off between risk and efficacy, but you have to figure this will be a long fight, so stick with meds that aren't dangerous over the long term.

The key is to view meds as a temporary aid, not as fix, and only part of a much broader strategy.

6

Hope you get help.