Not Sleeping Through The Night

[Malaenis]

I just got a new med doctor, since my last one was very inconsistent. My meds needing adjusting, and I gotta say this new woman is very thorough which I love. Not just 15 minutes in and out and they never really understand what's going on.

For anyone who has been on these and knows, I'm on Wellbutrin the extended release for the mornings and Prazosin and Clonidine at night for sleep issues and nightmares. (The prazosin will be during the day as well but insurance wouldn't approve the script refill yet.)

Since before the switch, I wake up several times a night. So bad I'm not even sure why I bother sleeping in the first place! Lol. I'm exhausted most days by the time I get to bed. I told her, and she said it was fine, I have to play a mind-numbingly boring game on my phone or kindle before sleep or my mind wanders too much. I have been eating really healthy lately and getting in a good amount of exercise. But none of it has made a bit of difference. It's almost like the more I do during the day the WORSE I sleep at night. Since the med change my nightmares (the ones I remember) have subsided, and even my regular dreams aren't so vivid. I have no idea what to do. I don't even eat close to bedtime of anything that could possibly screw with my sleeping well. I don't believe it has to do with the meds, but I'm unsure.

And when I wake I wake anxious in a "I need to move" way. For example the other night I woke a couple hours after falling asleep, my mind was exhausted but it was like my body just wanted to move. I am a flight trigger, and have been triggered a lot recently. Not sure if it's that.

Any tips or ideas on what to do, what might help, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[scout86]

Have you been checked for sleep apnea? Sometimes it turns out that's part of the problem.
Also, from what I understand, the light from devices like phones and computers messes with the sleep centers in your brain and causes problems for some people. It can help to avoid that kind of light before going to bed.

 

[hogananjiggs]

I'd stay off the phone to rule that out. I used to read on mine but around 2 am I would have twitchy legs and need to pee something fierce. I quit using the phone and that went away.
I do however have some mindfullnes apps that I listen to at bedtime which helps alot.
I hope this helped.

 

[Malaenis]

I've been doing this for years and never had a problem. It's the only thing that quiets my mind enough to sleep. If I don't do this, my mind wanders to every little mistake I've made, or hears every sound in the apartment and freaks me out, and then I struggle to fall asleep. Meditation didn't even help. I tried breathing exercises,and it made me more antsy. The night it was really bad I had to take a melatonin(which I don't like to do because they make me groggy in the morning), that was all that worked.

I have an app where you can choose different sounds and sound-waves that help with sleep, relaxation, etc. It does help some, I just have to remember to set the timer for it because it makes waking up harder. Lol. Thinking about it, I don't think I remembered to turn it on that night. But had it on last night and I did wake up, but only a few seconds. I know sometimes it's my anxiety, did I forget to do this thing, I have so much to do and I'm anxious about having the time to do it, etc. And as I said a few things have triggered me lately, and all from different things.

I do see my therapist tomorrow, so I can ask her about it too. That probably hasn't helped either, I haven't seen her for over a week and it's made me anxious.