Proof Of Something At Last: My Sleep Is Terrible!

[Kas_Can_Fly]

Last month I was accused over the phone by a (not my normal) social worker of messing my sleep up by sleeping in in the mornings and insomnia directly caused by my meds were not their fault but mine - that I must be doing something wrong because they simply don't do that (read the fine print - yes they do!). I've fixed that by taking them around 5pm meaning that whilst it does make me awake, I still go to sleep by a reasonable hour.

I've always had guilt around needing more sleep than most people do and fear it's because I'm lazy, I've been accused of that and more repeatedly in the past and to be honest I found this recent incident very distressing. Well my T was on leave and training around this time, but when she got back I spoke to her. I explained that despite the medication keeping me awake initially, I actually wake up less frequently since being on it only waking 8-15 times a night rather than 20-25+. I think even if she didn't disbelieve me, she doubted that I woke up that much and she recommended that I use an app on my phone to record and monitor my sleep.

I only got round to getting it a few days ago, but the results are already showing exactly what I was saying. I don't know if I wake up to roll over or just roll over while I'm awake, but I don't roll over when I'm sleeping. I'm always awake at the spikes in sound, but the movement isn't entirely accurate because I sleep on the floor and unlike a mattress it doesn't move when I do, although I have set it to very hard mattress under the sensitivity settings. (I slept even worse in a bed :()

Hmmmmm:

Well at least I feel a little vindicated now! I will show my T and my (normal) social worker tomorrow. I feel so relieved in being able to prove that I'm not lying or over-exaggerating for some reason or to get attention.

 

[Liana]

First of all, what is this phone app?

Secondly, you have proof and show your T and such what is actually going on. They have to believe you if you show them your proof. It's wrong that they didn't believe you, very wrong.. and I know how it feels.. So you're not alone. Hope this works out for you.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

The app is called Sleepbot, it uses your phones accelerometer to detect movement and records the sounds, you can tap on a peak to listen to 10-15 seconds which is pretty useful although I would have liked it if you could hear the whole night because I suspect I grind my teeth, though I don't know if that would have been detected by it as I kept my phone under my pillow.

It wasn't my therapist who didn't believe me, although I did get the impression she thought I was over-exaggerating. It wasn't even my social worker, it was a different social worker who mine passed me over to this other guy on the phone to talk about my medication with me. He doesn't know me, or my history and it really threw me, especially when he came out blaming me for my meds not working. I see both of them (my T and my social worker) tomorrow and I will be showing this and explaining why I need to sleep in on mornings. I will also tell my social worker that I don't want to see or speak to this other guy again as I found him upsetting.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

Another night to be taken along with me. I'll message back to say how it went.

 

[rainy_daze]

How did it go, @Kas_Can_Fly ?

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

They accepted up front that my sleep's bad and my T was glad that I felt vindicated in being able to prove it, though explained that this was transference on myself (something that even now is an issue - part of me is sure she's lying and doesn't believe me). Just this Monday I've been advised to see my GP and check into a sleep clinic. I've also had a change in medication. Thanks for asking