Does Anyone Else Have Odd Sleeping Patterns That Work For Them?

[Turtle]

So I have always had nightmares ever since the abuse started. When they started (around age 10) I would only wake up in a panic, but go back to sleep eventually. They progressively got worse, (especially the last 3 yrs now that I am in college) to what my T calls terrors, crying out in my sleep, thrashing etc. I have been on almost every type of sleep drug, with very little success (they wouldn't make me drousy, or if they did it was such a high dose I would stop breathing-not good, too many probs with side effects, etc).

Now the only thing I take is valium, as needed during the day for if I start feeling very antsy or irriated, which has helped stablize me during the day but I still had problems at night. I have since found that sleeping for 3-4 hrs a night (whatever I can, my biggest problem is feeling safe enough to even sleep, and then staying asleep with violent terrors) and then sleeping again later in the day around 4pm for a few hours. I am consistent in this pattern and it keeps me from getting angry as often during the day (my biggest problem by far besides sleep issues).

Since I'm a college student it is a lot easier to stick with this sked than most people I can imagine, but my question is does anyone else solve their sleep issues this way? My therapist agrees that I have improved since I started handling my sleep this way, but my psychiatrist only sees that I'm not doing the "normal" thing and sleeping 8 straight hrs like everyone else. If I can get better rest this way compared to worrying about not sleeping all night, or worrying about being in a safe enough spot long enough to sleep or worrying about being able to calm down and get back to sleep even after doing other activities, like I used to, should it matter how I do it as long as it works for me? Unitl I can have my symptoms under control enough to actually have sleeping through the night as a remote possibility.

I also have a friend and he always does better with a more consistent sleep pattern (all of his sleeping is at night, compared to mine being broken up) but he also agrees with the psychiatrist and keeps saying I need to be sleeping at night, yet he'll admit I'm better than before now that me and my T have been working on this. I don't understand how he can say I have improved (and its been a big difference in my symptoms coming up compared with before) but at the same time saying that it's a bad thing. I understand it's not ideal, but right now it allows me to function.

Does anyone else have odd sleeping patterns that are working for them right now, or in the past?

Wow that was a long post. Thanks if anyone can stick through it and read it all.

 

[LikeCharlotte]

I used to sleep that way. It worked for years and it was better than not sleeping at all. Once I was able to focus on my sleep patterns I slowly changed them but I still fall into the old pattern of short sleep and "naps" from time to time.

 

[externalsmile]

I get severly peeved at work when patients get told off for odd sleeping patterns and this obsession with 8 hours sleep at night. Sometimes it works for people to sleep during the day, sometimes it works for people to only get 2 or so hours sleep at night. When someone is going through an illness any sleep at all is great IMO. Work on the getting some sleep anytime and getting well first, then work on getting a "normal" sleep pattern.

As you recover you will find you can sleep through the night. Actually.....it may even be the first thing that signals that you are in recovery. So don't be worrying about your sleep pattern. Any sleep is good at all.

 

[blwnawy]

Lack of sleep can be a real pain aye. I say whatever works for you keep doing. I have the same prob, my T came out with the idea one day "just sleep when you can" & it works for me, getting me through anyway. Half an hour or less sometimes maybe 2 or 3 times a day. I do find though if I sleep to long in the late afternoon/evening it has an effect on my getting to sleep at a reasonable hour at night.
I'm on Serapax( I was told by the Doc that these are the better replacement for Valium?) hardly any hangover next day & have Stilnox (hate them) stashed away for when I get to over tired & out there.
My T's, Psychologist & Psychiatrist both understand the sleep prob's connected to PTSD, they've never put pressure on me to get "normal" sleep & from what I've learned this would be the last thing you need when it comes to insomnia.
Hang in there
blwnawy

 

[snugglepuss]

I used to sleep better once the sun came up. I have to sleep with a night light on all the time. That is when things are good. When they are not so good, I have to have a light on in the hallway, with my door wide open. I would usually have very light sleep through the night if I got any, and it was always full of crazy nightmares.

But once the sun came up, I would crash and have a heavy sleep.

I seem to have most of my bad anxiety at night, so far as I can tell, so once bed time rolls around, I am usually wired and rarin to go (I don't know where I'm rarin to go to, but my brain has an agenda it doesn't let me in on). I have been a night owl for most of my life, not because I like being up at night, but because of the PTSD and the reasons why I have cPTSD.

I feel a lot of guilt and some other ickiness that I can't quite put my finger on if i sleep through a day. And then my whole kind of sleep pattern is messed up for several days afterwards....

fun, isn't it? :confused:

 

[becvan]

I usually sleep best between 4 am to 12 pm. I used to try to get on the regular 8 hour night sleep pattern and all it did was ensure I didn't get any sleep and had really out of control symptoms. My therapist also suggested I just sleep when I can, so that's what I do. I no longer guilt myself over this. I went for 3 weeks with no more than 10 minutes of sleep a night a few years back. I was bughouse crazy at the end of it. Any sleep at all is good sleep in my book.

If it's working for you, stick with it and don't worry about what others say about it. Lack of sleep means worse symptoms with less control of them and that is never good.

bec