Sleeping Trouble (uncontrollable vivid thoughts when i close me eyes)

Signs and symptoms
1

Hi guys,

Ive been experiencing this for quite some time. the first time I noticed it was when I came home from a festival after taking ecstasy. I closed my eyes to sleep and would find myself walking through the festival as if I was there just a few hours before. i could open and close my eyes and knew the situations weren't real but they were so vivid and i had no control over what i was doing. I couldn't change the place I was or scenario or control my movements when i had my eyes closed.

Ive noticed this a fair few times after taking drugs but now it has started to happen to me on nights where I'm sober (98% of the time). It could be a possibility that I stand under the speaker at work which we play music from and it is quite loud not to mention a very busy retail job in a liquor store. I come home to sleep around midnight and close my eyes and its as if im in the store with no control over my actions just serving customers going about my normal shift work.

My bedroom has a few led lights that flash but I mostly cover them up with t shirts, they're from computers and such, Im 22 years old healthy never had problems with sleep as a teenager and I've only noticed it in the last 2 years. Im thinking it might be to do with the long exposure to loud noise since its now happening once Im sober. when I drink alcohol I tend to pass out no problem within seconds of hitting the bed. Any ideas, theories or information on what Im experiencing and possible causes.

Thanks for your help

2

Hi Declan - I know exacty what you describe. I used to take Es a lot when they first came out in the late 80's/into early 90's. /Loads of fun at the time - but not so much fun in the long run. I have severe Bipolar, memory loss and eventually ended up addicted to heroin. The heroin was self-medicating my bipolar, but i would never have been mixing in those hard drug circles if i hadnt met them going partying. Not trying to scare you - if its only an occassional thing you'll surely come out fine the other side. But just be aware, it can lead you down a damaging path...

On the vivid sleep problems, a bit like waking dreams or hallucinations with your eyes closed - these are called eidetic imagery (i think thats how you spell it! ive only heard my shrink say it. Its either eidetic images or ideatic images!)

Basically as he describes it, its when you try to go straight into sleep while still highly stimulated. So that would fit in with tying to sleep while coming down on E, and trying to sleep having just come in still buzzing from a busy night at work.

I found best solution was to turn off all devices like phone, telly, computer, tablet music etc, curl up with a good book (something calm though, not horror or ultraviolence or porn!) Or have a nice calm soak in the bath. preferably both. 

it sounds like grannyish advice but it really really does work. 

If you still get the images when you then try to sleep, dont lie there getting more and more stressed. sit up again and go back to the boring book. I have some favourite choices - poetry or history really works for me. But my shrink suggested cookbooks, gardening magazines, or car maintenance manuals! 

Some find the Bible comforting. basicaly, what you are doing is telling your brain it is time to switch off. 

Make sure your bedroom isnt too hot or too cold, and i find a small nightlight or preferably total dark. If theres a lot of outside noise like housemates, street noise etc - you can get these 'white noise' machines, or I find the noise of an electric fan very conducive in blocking out external noise.

hope this helps x

3

Do you drink a lot of coffee.  Caffeine can have a similar "mind racing" effect.  I'd suggest taking 500 mg of magnesium before bed and 1 to 3 g of melatonin.  This should help set your circadian rhythms and make you sleepy (plus, both are all natural and work great).  Also make sure your hydrated.  Lastly, I'd highly recommend reducing your exposure to the blue light that comes from computers, TV, other tech for an hour or two before bed.  The blue light is interpreted as sublight by your body, and keeps you awake and alert.  You need to limit this along with loud noise as much as possible before bed time.  This will also help your body set a natural sleep cycle. 

4

Hi, most people doesn't know this that medication/drugs can also cause insomnia. Even if you are already sober now. But your body has been in that condition for a while. Also, alcohol has a sedative to make you sleep but it prevents deeper stages of sleep. That's why it will make you feel unrested when you wake up in the morning.

Source: http://helpmesleep.us/help-me-sleep-the-physical-and-medical-causes-of-insomnia/