Chronic insomnia or something else

[Mumof1andacat]

Since I was pregnant with ds, now 12, I have suffered from insomnia. I feel quite awake in the evening and generally drop off to sleep ok but wake up multiple times in the night. I have, on average, around 4-5hrs sleep a night. I can't remember what it's like to sleep longer. I don't sleep at home or on holiday. I never feel fully rested. Days off or annual leave have little effect on me.

I spend my days feeling hungover almost. I struggle to concentrate on things. I have become a little forgetful. I have put on a lot of weight in the last 5 years. I eat more thinking it will give me energy, but it doesn't. I lack the motivation to do life, really feeling exhausted all the time. I would probably nap in the afternoon, but I can't as I have to work and need to be awake in the day. I also fear napping as I might sleep less at night.

I used to be able to manage the triedness/exhaustion, but I the last 5 years, it's slapping me hard. I'm 40 in December. I'm becoming a shadow of myself. I don't know how the gp will help. I also fear the gp won't listen and just say get on with it. I had a poor experience when I had ds with 'poor bedside manner' well rudeness and not being listened to so I don't like gps. Even though I work for the nhs.

I just don't know where to turn 😕

Have you tried over the counter stuff like Nytol etc?

Insomnia is awful. I have struggled for 10 plus years. As you point out, it can zap your energy, motivation and you can really doubt things will get better. I called the GP is desperation last year and was prescribed sleeping tablets and was referred for CBT specifically for insomnia. I also registered on the Sleepio app ,that might be possible for you depending on where you live. Worth asking. It works on reframing your thoughts around sleep. These things saved me. Sleeping tablets are not a long term solution but worked as a total reset for me when things were really bad. I was googling at one point whether people die from lack sleep and what’s the longest anyone has been awake. But it got better.

Perhaps you need some routine blood tests to check things that may be impacting too. But you can sleep better. If you don’t find a particular GP supportive, then ask to see someone else. There is help out there.