How long can you cope without sleep for?

[11hairylegs]

Just wondering really!
I suspect I’m hypo manic and need my meds tweaking (but not sure) but I’ve not slept for more than 3hours a night for a good month. Maybe more. Most nights it’s 1-2 hours and some nights not at all.
My brain’s just going at 200mph, my body is saying it’s tired but I don’t feel it.
I’m doing all the sleep hygiene stuff and only come online around now when I’ve given up trying.

Yeah, you need your meds tweaking. Get thee to a doctor's appointment toot sweet.

Continuously being short of sleep messes with your head significantly, effects coming in by the next day let alone after a month, and can not only make you less capable of making a useful decision (such as "make a doctor's appointment") but is likely to also make any other things going bad in there even worse. Vicious circle. Best thing to do is interrupt it.

If your doc takes online bookings, do that now while you're up and probably call in at 8am or whenever to try get an emergency one sooner. Make no bones about it, it's an emergency for your mental health.

Good luck! My go-to is reading history books about something I'm not really into, they usually knock me out quick - something with enough information density to disrupt the whirling thoughts in your head, but not enough to grip you and keep you fascinated like a good novel would.

(and the worst possible choice is 'just one more thing' generators like Twitter or YouTube or Facebook or or or.... mumsnet! Those things will keep you involved for too long and won't be helpful)

It doesn’t feel like an emergency though, I just know it can’t be that good for you.
I know I shouldn’t come online but I’m just getting frustrated at not sleeping or switching off and it occupies me. I’m not in bed now though, as I was getting too irritated and my back is hurting.
I can’t find my online doctors details but I will call though. Perhaps I needed to hear that someone thinks I should go. Can’t seem to make any decisions, you’re right there.
Thank you.

Get an appointment. Persistent insomnia takes such a toll mentally and physically. Especially with a pre existing MH condition.
I've had just the same as you. Took a lot of trial and error but I am at last on a medication that helps. Not perfect but my bad sleep periods are rarer and much shorter lived.
Sensible, sympathetic doctor needed.
Take care of yourself

Thank you. I really wasn’t sure whether it warranted an appointment but I think you’re both right.
I’m glad you’ve found a medication that helps you.

Hurray! Good luck yourself. I'm off to bed myself now.

Well I called!
Couldn’t get an appointment today, I explained why I wanted to see someone and my doctor is calling me back at some point.
Not sure what they’ll do tbh. I managed 20 mins sleep in the end but also managed a whole load of work planning so at least I’ve not had to work as hard today. Good job really although my mind is still racing.

Just realised they didn’t call me back. I’d assumed it’d be today (ok, now yesterday).
I really tried again tonight. Didn’t do the stuff you should and didn’t do the stuff you shouldn’t until I’ve now given up again but I’m back downstairs.
Tried reading a boring book and I found concentrating hard so listened to an audio sleep story in the pitch black. Didn’t work.
This has to break soon, surely? I know new parents survive on little sleep but they’re shattered, I’m just irritated. Actually that’s weird in itself, I’m usually tired a lot of the time!

Rubbish, isn't it? I only got four hours last night and spent quite a chunk of today dipping into microsleeps. Fell asleep on the sofa at 8, woke up at midnight, here I am.

I don't think I've ever been called back by a doctor when they said they would. I'm not surprised given the shitty working time they do, but it's always disappointing. Did you book a non-emergency appointment? If that's not too many days off, you could just go with it - or give them another call in the morning.

What they'll do is tweak your meds, I would expect.

My sympathies OP. I Woke up with a painful shoulder on New Year's Day and haven't been able to lie down since, which ever way I go it's unbearable 😩

The only position that I can put up with is sat on the sofa, so I'm here for another night. I can't be getting more than an hour or two a night and it's been nearly a week. I am quite literally at the end of my tether.

Hi again @spoonblender. Really rubbish! I’m sorry you only managed 4 hours but I’d take that right now. I’d also take micro sleeps and the nap. How come you’re sleeping so badly atm? I do get how frustrating it is.
I’m disappointed I didn’t hear back, it took a lot to call. I do get how over worked they must be though. The next non-urgent appointment was nearly 3 weeks away so didn’t book it.
Hi I’moverworked, pain isn’t hard to deal with, have you tried painkillers? Maybe you need some decent ones. I have to confess I often take tramadol when pain is high.
I do hope you feel better soon.
Thank you both! Feeling a lot less alone with this.

That should be pain IS hard to feel eith!

I feel for you OP, since menopause have had chronic insomnia, have to get out of bed every night as can’t drop off, usually manage max 4 hours’ sleep on the sofa, has been like this for years now and it’s just part of my life, if I get frustrated I feel like I’m losing my mind so I try to stay calm, hope you manage to drop off soon

People never believe me but I can go days with very little sleep, I've been like this for as long as I remember, useful when the children were babies!

So the last few days for me

Sat night awake all night
Sun 1hr nap at 8am on the sofa (then got woke up by the neighbours)
Sun night awake all night, had to give up around 5am as I was disturbing dh
Mon no nap during the day, kept myself busy. Had a bath at 9pm to try and relax me. Still wide awake

So since Friday at 7am (had 4 hrs overnight on thurs) I have had 1hr. I honestly don't know how my body copes but it does. I don't feel remotely tired now, so in 96 hrs I will have managed to sleep for 1 hour

I have tried everything, the GP must think I'm lying when I tell them.

Maybe trying to stay calm is key atm. I’m not calm and yes, starting to feel like I’m losing my mind.
That’s crazy! Mind you I’m the same atm but I’m not usually this bad. Usually I’ll crash eventually but it’s not happening. I don’t know how your body copes either. And nothing has ever helped?

@11hairylegs sadly nothing has helped, tired sleeping tablets, melatonin. I don't drink caffeine, tried sleep hygiene, hypnosis, routine, no naps, no screen time, wine! Honestly nothing works. I don't get stressed about it anymore just get on with it.

I feel you.

Have MH issues and things have been bad lately.

Fell asleep about 1.30.
Woke up at 4.
Probably won't sleep now

Worst bit is I feel exhausted but my brain just won't let it happen

My mania has on a couple of occasions tipped over into psychosis, so I tend to get ten zopiclone from the gp and PRN respiridone or olanzopine and the tens to sort it out in a fortnight.
Good luck xx

Sorry I meant to say it’s tipped because of lack of sleep

I can go 2 days without sleep. I once went on holiday to Spain and had a flight back in the middle of night. Once I had landed back in the UK I went home got dressed and went to work. All my colleagues expected me to flag during the day but I didn't and I felt fine. I went home that night went to bed slept well and was back at work the next day. I do realise not everyone is like this but I have not needed at lot of sleep even when I was a child.

Honestly I go months without sleep which is why I’m on maximum daily dose of olanzapine, maximum daily dose of benzodiazepines and get prn zopiclone weekly it’s not fun and I’m always slightly psychotic even if I’m just paranoid.

I’ve been like this the past few days, sleeping about 2 hours a night, go to work (which is quite physical) and think, right I should get a good sleep tonight. Nope.

Olanzapine has been suggested as a PRN for me, but I’ve never really got on well with antipsychotics so I don’t know if that will work. I have zoplicone too, but I don’t want to become dependant on them, so haven’t been taking them.

It’s starting to take its toll now. Getting very irritable, especially at work and speaking out when usually I just do an internal eye roll and keep my mouth shut. Don’t want to end up landing myself in trouble!

When I am hypomanic I feel so horny all the time that I have problems to fall asleep. When I finally do I sleep around five to six hours. Otherwise I sleep well.

@Bansku19

Do you mean a nymphomaniac?

I don't know but when I am high the first sign is hyper sexuality.