How to cope with insomnia

Insomnia is extremely debilitating, frustrating and can make you feel alone. I know how you feel. You feel like you are trapped in consciousness, unable to slip into a sweet dream.
Sleep is such an amazing thing, the thought of a relaxing deep sleep when you are tired is so inviting. However, for some of us our brains won't allow us to slip into a peaceful sleep, we have to fight for hours to get to sleep.

Insomnia has been such a depressing experience for me. Throughout my cancer treatment I have had bouts of insomnia. The worst was when I had terrible anxiety, I would lay awake for hours, feeling restless and depressed because my mind wouldn't let me fall to sleep. It was an extremely sad time for me as I felt alone and helpless. The only time I would get a break from insomnia was when I was away at a charity house with my mum during radiotherapy, my anxiety was caused by fear of liquid getting into my lungs, so when I slept in the same room as my mum I felt safe. Fortunately, I have being seeing a counsellor and my anxiety has improved dramatically, I can sleep extremely well now and I don't have my mind fixated on my anxieties all day.


Symptoms of Insomnia
Here is a few common symptoms of Insomnia, let's see if your symptoms match:

• Difficulty to fall asleep.
• Lay awake for long periods at night.
• Wake up several times in the night.
• Don't feel refreshed when you wake up.
• Feel tired, irritable and lack of concentration.

Possible causes of Insomnia

These are some of the most common causes of insomnia:

• Stress and anxiety.
• Poor sleeping environment.
• Mental health conditions.
• Life style factors, e.g jet lag, shift work and drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed.
• Physical health conditions, e.g heart problems or long term pain.
• Certain medications, e.g antidepressants, epilepsy medication and steroid meds.

What to do about it

Especially if your insomnia is caused by lifestyle factors you can change some things to help get rid of your insomnia. For people with mental health conditions, like me, it is a bit harder but I personally recommend seeing a counsellor/therapist because that can ease your mental health conditions. Here are a few ways you can get to sleep easier:

• Setting a regular bed time.
• Relaxing before bed, e.g take a bath or listen to music.
• Get off of technology an hour before bedtime as the blue light from your device can disrupt your brain activity and keep you awake.
• Use thick curtains/blinds, ear plugs and ear masks if your sleep is disrupted by the environment.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, heavy meals, and exercise for a few hours before going to bed.
• Don't nap during the day.
• Write down your worries and solve them to help you forget about them.

Treatment

Try some of the appropriate tips on how to stop your insomnia for a few weeks, if no progress is made then sometimes treatment is necessary for you.

Cognitive behavioural therapy- This is a type of therapy that can help you deal with your thoughts in a more positive way. It helps your break down overwhelming problems into smaller parts and showing you how to change these negative patterns to help improve the way you feel. Unlike other talking therapies, it does not focus on your past, instead it helps you look for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis. This therapy will help you avoid the thoughts and behaviours affecting your sleep.

Sleeping tablets- Sleeping tablets are usually used as a last resort, doctors try and avoid prescribing them as they won't fix your insomnia and they have longterm effects.

I really hope this post has helped you in some way. Insomnia is such a hard thing to go through and to finally fix it is the best feeling in the world. Sleep seemed so unnatural to me before but now it seems perfectly natural, and now I look forward to sleeping. I wish you the best of luck if you have insomnia.

Love Ellie xxx