Can you go mad from lack of sleep?

[fizzbuzz]

Yes, this is a serious question...just wondering if there comes a point when the body just can't take any more sleep deprivation, and how do you know? Feel like I am part of some extreme survival programme on how to survive on zilch sleep. Is it just me?

awww fizzbuzz

you dont want the answer

talk more

do you have a sleepfree child, perchance?

Sleep deprivation is a form of torture...and yes, you can go 'mad' in that your brain ceases to function effectively.
You poor thing, is there anyone who can give you practical help? Look after your child while you powernap?

She was ok, but now she's not.....impossible to sleep whilst she is napping, as she cries out all the time. Seem to have gone past point of even feeling sleepy, and have reached some strange land beyond that? Can you forget how to sleep? These sound like the wanderings of a lunatic...obviously I have gone mad....

fizzbuzz, been there and after 2 1/2 years of feelign like some stressed out lunatic with dd not sleeping (10 min power naps anyone??!) she finally slept through 1 night for 12 hours!!!! I didn't sleep cos i kept checking she was breathing! then she has slept through approx 12hours ever since!! We tried everything - controlled crying was a nightmare , it did work to an extent but then if she was ever unwell or woken up we were back to square 1. how old is dd? I used the Babysooth cd of white noise to get both of mine to sleep and it worked. (it was just keeping dd aslep that was the problem!). My gp told us to use medised on her too ad we tried every sleep trick in the book but she only did it when she was ready. Maybe as they grow and get more active she may tire herself out more. Good luck and remeber it does get better!

Well, answering the op yes, lack of sleep can drive you mad, you start by loosing your memory, it slows your reactions, and can get you depressed.

Don't know what to suggest about getting the child to sleep, though, there were some things that worked for us but every child/mother is different.

how old?

how long no sleep?

can anyone take her for a long walk or similar?

She is 4 months old, and until 3 weeks ago was reasonable.
She always had a dream feed at10.30, and would go to 5.30 am.
However one night she woke up at 2.30 am, starving and took entire bottle. This was ok as well, as she still went to 6.30am.
Now after 2.30 feed, she sleeps for about 3/4 hour, and then wakes up, grunting, crying out, dozing off, screaming, farting. This generally carries on for about 2 hours, 1/2 hours sleep again, and then more of same until 7.30am.
Do not know what is wrong with her , have tried calpol, lots of winding, and have now given up. It never happens in daytime only at night. Judging by some threads on here, she is not that bad, but it is still awful

Try to feed her more often/longer during the day, that may help to space the night feeds.

It sounds like she has tummy trouble. I would chat with your health visitor about the type of formula she's on. Maybe the formula doesn't agree with her.

You could try 'Infacol' - think I've got the name right (it's been a while), it's the stuff you give them before a feed to help them with colic/wind/whatnot. It very much sounds like tummy troubles but I can't figure out why it would just be at night time.

Thanks for all help. Have changed formula already. Spoke to HV apparently, she will grow out of it! (What do these people get paid for).
Cut out dream feed last night, which made little difference to what time she woke up at, and she was much better. I think she was just stuffing herself full at night, which was like us pigging out all night,( I wish) and then getting indegestion. Also stuffed her full of gripe water, although most of it got spat out.
Have tried infacol in the past with no succes.. I think I want something like deflatine for babies....

Hi,

Hope things are getting better. We had a problem like that too (dd is now 6 months old and grown out of the crying and grunting thing, but still not sleeping through). You could look into whether or not she has reflux. We put dd on a special milk called Comfort by Cow and Gate which the pediatrician told us about.
Might be worth a try?
Good luck.

She has got reflux, and is already on infant gaviscon. I think the problem was she was simply eating too much at night and it was giving her bad indegestion. Have cut out dream feed which has made no difference to her waking up,so she isn't tanking up as much. Thanks for help

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I hallucinate if I dont get enough sleep. Am due with DC2 next month and that is one thing I am not looking forward to.

Yes you can, thats why its used as a form of torture.

doesnt your brain start to shut down or something....

Sorry to be nosey but what to you see when you hallucinate. I think I have sometimes from lack of sleep. I can see sort of shapes out of the corner of my eye like someone hs just walked out of a room, or a folded umbrella leaning against a door. It's very weird, nothing like a hippy acid trip (not that I'd know)

I saw things moving out of the corner of my eye or thought I saw insects Very strange experience! I also had the sensation of my body moving or the sofa/bed vibrating.

my ds had terrible colic he cried constantly unless he was being fed until he was 4 months old. He hardly slept and would only do so when being held. Dp and I used to have to take it in shifts to get sleep and I never got more than 2 hrs at a time as I was bf. I did think I was going to go mad. On days when I was home alone I never got dressed, went 3 days without cleaning my teeth and seemed to open the door to everyone with ds attached to my boob. I found infacol helped a bit, but the best thing we ever bought was the rainmaker from elc for £5. It stopped ds from crying almost instantly and we used it to get him to sleep everyday for about 5 months. It did get a bit tiresome shaking it constantly for 3/4 of an hour but it helped him settle. Even now at 17 months if someone shakes one at a play group his eyes glaze over and he goes all docile! It doesn't last forever, just try and get other people to help look after the baby whenever you can so you can try and get some sleep. But don't put pressure on yourself if you can't sleep. Just lying down with your eyes closed will help refresh you. Good Luck.

Your halucinations sound like mine. Dark shapes, sometimes insects, shadows over the top of my eyes, alway just out of focus and then they disapear when I look back again.

Does she sleep lying flat, could you try propping the cot up? Will she settle if you hold her, either lying down or in a chair? Can anyone take her out for a few hours to give you a break in the day?