What To Try For Sleeping Issues?

[FlameTachiku]

Hi She Cat,

Sleep is one of my biggest challenges that I address with commitment and investment because lack of sleep has bad consequences on my overall well-being. For me when fully triggered I have to add Trazadone to get through the bad dreams and flashbacks, also it provides an increase dose of seretonin for the sadness that come with the return of the symptoms.
Yet trazadone makes me live like a slug so I don't take it for more than a week if possible.

All my life is not PTSD symptom full, and sleep is an important part to support my ability to stay in that place. That is why I invest in comforts to support sleep. I have a deep bathtub, wonderful bath soaps, shampoos, bubbles, and bath salts. The smells relax me along with the warm water. My bedroom has a quiet air pureifier, plants, and water fountians to provide peaceful sounds that do not repeat. Meaning the sounds are like water going over rocks with changing tides or the ocean.

I have ionizing salt blocks with amber light, and amber lighted fountians to provide a warm glow to the room, peaceful but not black darkness. I also often have a fire for when I wake up, I watch the fire for a few minutes and peacefully fall back to sleep. There are beautiful fireplaces to be found that are not expensive to maintain and are electric, more real looking than in the past. In the summer it is possible to use it without heat. I also have a fan over my bed and more.

My sleep is improving. I feel better. I sleep deeper and wake up earlier and happeir. We all have different things that comfort us. I like clean fresh air and nature to surround me. I also have three incrediably beautiful and loving cats that always surround me. A comfortable recliner, favorite books, decorative lamps and great art.

It takes time to create an atmosphere that is supportive and uniquely individual. It does not have to be that expensive. I hunt garage sales, craigslist, goodwill stores. I grow plants from seeds. But it does cost which is why it is a priority. Sleep matters a lot to me. I work for it. Without sleep everything falls apart.

This is how I deal with sleep without medication too much. I have gone the medication route. But, my quality of days are not as good because of the side effects. But at times it is medication or forget about function so I am grateful for the option.

I hope this helps in some way.

Flame

 

[Deleted member 541]

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions.. I will try to implement some of them..

Flame....You have an open invitation to my home to come, work your magic and turn my bedroom into a sleep oasis....Yours sounds warm, inviting and soothing....

 

[pandora]

Sounds like a great way to decorate my room when i move!!!!

 

[Mina]

I have actually found that melatonin makes my sleep -worse-. The dreams, already so vivid and and non-stop, intensify and get more bizarre and more stressful. My T says that she and several of her patients report a similar reaction from melatonin. I've used valerian root in the past, although I currently take 1/4 of a 2mg Lunesta (.5 mg) when I have a lot of trouble...maybe once or twice a week on average. Fabulous stuff.

When I got divorced and was having a lot of trouble sleeping (pre-PTSD), I found that making my bedroom as soothing as possible helped a LOT. I love what FlameTachiku describes - how lovely!! Personally, I got rid of my TV/computer in the bedroom, decorated in beautiful velvets, had lots of scented candles, and made sure to keep it very, very clean. I don't sleep well in a room containing chaos, whether it's clothes all over, a stack of papers, or even unvacuumed carpet. Order is key.

These days, the bedroom is a little messy, but it's because we're remodeling - so it sits better with me. However, I have taken to a cup of hot tea before bed (Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime or Honey Vanilla Chamomile), and journalling whatever I'm thinking about if need be. I also keep pen and paper near the bed so if I wake up and have something on my mind, I scribble it down in the dark. Doesn't matter if I can't read it in the morning...it's all about getting it out of my head so I can relax.

I also keep the lights dim in the bathroom and bedroom as I'm preparing for bed. It helps me transition.

 

[Esther]

I've tried prescription meds but the problem is they are short acting, my problem is waking up through the night which has only recently been a problem. Changing my ssri to an snri helped, and I take Valerian and have been exercising during the day as well. Also I watch my thoughts when I wake up- it's a lot worse if I start the "omg i'm awake now I can't go back to sleep and I will be so tired tomorrow..." than if I just go have some warm milk and then lie down again.

 

[Cindy]

probably my biggest unrecognized problem

I just deal with the lack of sleep and have no idea how it affects me daily.

Some nights I'm just up all night. Other nights a couple of hours. Mostly I get around 4-6 hours. Not enough according to my therapist. I do have a prescription for trazadone which works great .

Anyway, the reason I responded to this is, My therapist came up with a cool idea a few sessions ago in order to monitor or make conscious my choices on sleep. I have set the alarm on my cell phone to go off at 1015 pm to alert me to 'bedtime' half hour. It forces me to ready for bed or choose not to.

It's good. I am much more aware when it is time to change my focus and begin to wind down.