Anyone else unable to sleep?

[Llamacorn]

So frustrating, I'm utterly exhausted and can't even function throughout the day. Yet here I have another night when I'm lying wide awake with the most awful gut wrenching feeling ever - a kin to when you see your child about to fall and your heart jumps into your throat for a nano-second. Except it's not a nano second, it's constant and draining. I'm pulling my hair out, picking my skin to pieces and scrolling through tirades of pointless posts on here but I can't stay distracted for more than a minute. Argh.

[MardAsSnails]

Last night I slept through for 5.5 hours.

That's the longest for around 3 months

Once I wake up, there no getting back to sleep. The night before I woke at 2am and followed all the advice online - get a warm glass of milk, low lighting and a real book rather than tv tablet or phone,don't worry about it until you're actually sleepy again. All that happened I was 15 chapters through and my alarm went off for work

My cuticles are picked beyond hope, and my skin is awful. I'm picking at spots too and the spots themselves are due to the stress I think.

I can't concentrate in work - I'm finding concentration for small tasks at a time, but nothing major. Thankfully there's a colleague I've worked with for around 8 years who's doing my concentrating work and I'm doing her bits and bats

I'm at the end of my tether with it. I've tried exercise in the evenings to physically wear myself out, I've tried no caffeine for a week, I've tried eating earlier, I've tried going to bed later, I've tried drunken stupor. And I can't fucking sleep.

I'm in a vicious cycle - work stress, DH made redundant so money worries, and now the stress of not sleeping is making it all 10'times worse.

Is there a specific you're up and worrying about?

[foreverandalways]

Hey.....I have several health issues, one of which is fibromyalgia, hence the insomnia which I have dealt with somehow for nearly 10 years now.......I am worried about myself, the impact on my wonderful husband and my daughters, one of which also suffers with extreme mental health issues....I feel extremely overwhelmed at the moment....I could quite literally scream!! Soft, gentle hugs...x

[foreverandalways]

Hey.....I have several health issues, one of which is fibromyalgia, hence the insomnia which I have dealt with somehow for nearly 10 years now.......I am worried about myself, the impact on my wonderful husband and my daughters, one of which also suffers with extreme mental health issues....I feel extremely overwhelmed at the moment....I could quite literally scream!! Soft, gentle hugs...x

[Llamacorn]

Sorry to hear you're both struggling too! It's very stressful isn't it, and we're awake because of our mental health but because we're awake the mental health issues get worse. Viscuous cycle.
I've had severe mental health problems for years - the hair pulling and skin picking isn't distracting me from wanting to self harm and I'm really struggling with that tonight.
I am on a ridiculous amount of meds which usually knock me out but I have had trouble sleeping for the last 2 weeks and I haven't slept at all since last weds I think. When I do sleep I have the most awful panicky dreams and I wake up fearing for my life.
I have had a lot more than usual going on and it's too much to handle just now

[BabyDontHurtMeNoMore]

Me....I've been off work with my bipolar for just over a week and today was the day I was going to go back.

Then damaged a ligament in my knee yesterday evening and have been awake in pain with it all night so definitely won't be able to go into work

[Llamacorn]

Sorry to hear that baby damaged ligaments hurt like hell!
Did anyone manage to get some sleep? Dd woke up st 4:45 after having an accident, so got her and her bed cleaned, managed to sort her out and cuddle her in then I had a wee cup of tea before everyone else woke up. Feel like a zombie today.

[dangermouseisace]

I have trouble sleeping.

I find watching TV whilst knitting something easy quite good for avoiding damaging yourself, as your hands are busy with the knitting (therefore can't do anything negative) and your brain is sort of TV based. Or colouring (sad but true).

[Llamacorn]

Thanks danger
I have done adult colouring but I've never tried knitting - maybe something I could take up. I do other crafts but with sharp objects so not the best idea to do when I'm like this.
I'm really, really struggling today. And I'm in the house alone today too.

[dangermouseisace]

me too I should be cleaning but I'm on mumsnet. Oops.

Knittings good if you're doing something easy with some nice wool- I find self patterning wool particularly rewarding as it makes it look like you're changing colours/doing something fancy but you're not!