Insomnia

[rcfieldz]

For me

In '95 I awoke sitting straight up in bed my heart beating out of my chest. I believe it was my first heart attack. My father gave me one of his Xanax pills and warned me that they can become addictive. My doctor at the time gave me a treamill test which found nothing but of course when he was out of the room my heart skipped a beat. I have had a few other physical setbacks since then but my sleep has progressively become scarier with awakening having palpitations in the mornings. I told this to a judge at a disability hearing(denied it), but I got a new appointment with my doctor(not the old one I had) and was prescribed an angina medication. This has helped amazingly(tho sometimes I still awake with palps'). I also take Xanax( I do not have panic attacks...) which helps with heart rhythm irregularities. I have also added a small amount of liquid Benadryl for a kicker on occasion. I do not recommend personal drug experimentation...but we all do it(at least many)..tho I notice the drug seems to have a negative effect on my joints(both my knees have had trauma). I do not have a hangover or headache as I do when I tried Ambien for which the side effects are painful for me. The only ptsd related history(self diagnosis) I have problems with is the loss of a girlfriend(died in a car accident). My father had sleep disorders too. So I feel it may be inherent.

 

[Dancing David]

I was asking why is was specifically important to people with bipolar disorder.

Circadian polymorphisms associated with affective disorders.

Again about mood disorders in general, not specific to bipolar.

Abnormal hypothalamic response to light in seasonal affective disorder.

Not bipolar disorder.

Dark therapy for bipolar disorder using amber lenses for blue light blockade.

I think you misunderstood my question?
"A preliminary case series herein demonstrates that some patients with bipolar disorder experience reduced sleep-onset latency with this approach, suggesting a circadian effect. "

Not exactly ruling out that it is a circadian rhythm unrelated to BPD.

Chronobiological therapy for mood disorders.
"In recent years, an increasing literature about the safety and efficacy of chronobiological treatments in everyday psychiatric settings has supported the inclusion of these techniques among the first-line antidepressant strategies for patients affected by mood disorders."

Again not specific to BPD.

Role for the Clock gene in bipolar disorder.

Again, not really about the blue light and bipolar disorder.

My point being that circadian disruption is associated, and sleep disturbances are associated with mood disorders in general, not specific to BPD, and that the blue light thing is likely not associated solely with BPD.

 

[Manopolus]

I haven't read the whole thread, so this might have been mentioned before. Insomnia is often linked to a vitamin D deficiency.

Simply spending more time in the sun andmaybe taking a supplement can sometimes do the trick... it works for me.

 

[megaresp]

I haven't read the whole thread, so this might have been mentioned before. Insomnia is often linked to a vitamin D deficiency.

Simply spending more time in the sun andmaybe taking a supplement can sometimes do the trick... it works for me.

Interesting you should say that. Vit D deficiency did indeed show up back in 2010 when a gastro was trying to get to the bottom of a liver issue I was having.

Despite supplementation since then, it hasn't helped my occasional bouts of insomnia.

 

[wolfgirl]

I don't know which "herbal" remedies you tried, but melatonin (your body's natural sleep regulator, not herbal) worked well for my insomnia. The key (as I understand it) is smaller, not larger doses. Otherwise your body just stops making its own and you're even worse off (or something like that). I did .3 mg, and it was like a miracle.

 

[Zelenius]

I was asking why is was specifically important to people with bipolar disorder.


Again about mood disorders in general, not specific to bipolar.


Not bipolar disorder.

I think you misunderstood my question?
"A preliminary case series herein demonstrates that some patients with bipolar disorder experience reduced sleep-onset latency with this approach, suggesting a circadian effect. "

Not exactly ruling out that it is a circadian rhythm unrelated to BPD.

Again not specific to BPD.


Again, not really about the blue light and bipolar disorder.

My point being that circadian disruption is associated, and sleep disturbances are associated with mood disorders in general, not specific to BPD, and that the blue light thing is likely not associated solely with BPD.

You're correct in that we cannot rule out that it is circadian rhythm disorders unrelated to BPD. And that these aren't really about BPD. These are the closest I could find to bipolar. It does overlap with these other conditions to some degree. Hopefully more research will be carried out soon that directly addresses blue light and bipolar. These days, I am totally obsessed with green light and its effects. I hope I or the research will be able to answer your thoughtful questions some day. I myself am very curious, and I am not necessarily an expert, just someone who found something that works for him and some other people, based on sound though preliminary science.

 

[Zelenius]

I said I'd report back on the blue-light blocking glasses from OptimalOWVision.

They arrived earlier in the week. It took 3 days from placing the order, one of which was Sunday. There was a delivery charge of around £3. The order system terminated at WorldPay and I was not returned to the company's site. The company emailed me on Tuesday to say the product would arrive in 2-3 days time. It actually arrived about 30 minutes after the email .

The product packaging was labeled: Fragile. Product for the Blind. They look like massive sun glasses and have deep yellow lenses. The world certainly warms up when you're looking through them (useful given the current UK summer).

I've worn them for the last 3 nights. I get a mild headache after about an hour of wearing them. This is somewhat helped by wearing my reading glasses under them. They're not exactly light - a bit like thick-framed 60s-style sun glasses in terms of weight.

I haven't had a problem falling asleep, but due to pressure of work this last week I've had very late nights. They have not made a difference in terms of staying asleep. I've woken up at least once every night. No trouble falling back asleep.

I'm not going to use them tonight and see what happens. I guess it will take some time to figure out whether these are helping or not.

Still - at £21 it's a relatively low price to test a potential cure. Better still, they're fit-overs so are enormous on my face. I look like Joe 90¹ when wearing them!

¹ - Cultural reference that shows my age

Very interesting. You said you you got "deep yellow" glasses? The ones I use and recommend are orange and I believe they are optimized to block out wave-lengths around 470 nanometers or virtually 100% of blue light. 470 nm is said to be the most problematic for sleep issues. I'm sorry if they haven't been very helpful for you and hope you can get a refund or you can sell them if you find them to be useless. We all have our own needs, and I've known of some people benefiting from yellow glasses, although I think orange are best for my situation.

Years ago when I started wearing them, I benefited right away. I felt sleepy earlier and woke up much earlier after wearing them for the first time. In a few days, my severe insomnia-circadian rhythm disorder was effectively cured. It felt like a miracle. Around this time, I discovered a few blogs where some people had cured their insomnia by doing the same thing, like In Search of Mornings.. I still remember the shock of some friends and relatives when I would call them early in the morning(8 to 9) on a weekend or day off, since I tended to get up at noon or later if I didn't have to work.

I also remember getting slight headaches, diminished libido and even mild nausea the first time I wore it. I would get a little nauseous while wearing them for about a month, but I haven't experienced this side effect since. It was never enough to make me want to vomit.

The tinted glasses I use are not sunglasses or meant to replace them. They are tinted, and can be worn indoors to allow a person to function normally at night, although some people find them uncomfortable for watching movies or using their PC(I don't). Sunglasses have an extra black or brownish element in the lens to block out light generally. The orange tinted glasses are almost useless if used as sunglasses.

On the issue of bipolar disorder: I have never been diagnosed with it, but I believe I do or did suffer from a mild case of it or something similar. I used to have terrible mood swings. I would go "crazy" some days, and it was obviously linked with my sleep issues. Ever since I started wearing the glasses, this has mostly vanished. My mood is generally much better these days. I am just one person and this is all anecdotal, so you can take this with a grain of salt. As a side note, learning to juggle 3 balls has seemingly improved my mood even further.

I am not a medical doctor or scientist, so always consult with doctors if your problems worsen or before trying anything drastic. I really hope my advice helps.

 

[Dancing David]

On the issue of bipolar disorder: I have never been diagnosed with it, but I believe I do or did suffer from a mild case of it or something similar. I used to have terrible mood swings. I would go "crazy" some days, and it was obviously linked with my sleep issues.

Most likely something else, the mood swings in bipolar take months, there is a subcategory of rapid cycling. But it is controversial. The onset of mania, depression or both is a long term process.

 

[Zelenius]

Most likely something else, the mood swings in bipolar take months, there is a subcategory of rapid cycling. But it is controversial. The onset of mania, depression or both is a long term process.

I think you're right. My problem was basically being depressed in the morning and feeling manic at night. The earlier I got up, the more depressed I felt. I've always been something of a night owl, which I think is partially genetic(it seems to run in my family). I've also had major depressive episodes in the past and expect to have them in the future, but they aren't very serious. I've never sought professional help for it nor do I need to. I get them so rarely anyway.

Interestingly enough, during the worst phase of a month-long depressive period, I would always have no trouble with sleep since the depression would compel me to want to go to bed early.

 

[Dancing David]

Well differential diagnosis is an art and a science, I had some strong hypomanic symptoms, but somehow my doctor correctly decided I have depression. I respond well to zoloft. Now they picked up on clues somehow.

I had major early waking and OCD.

But sometimes the doctors aren't as lucky, BPD is often diagnosed after other treatments fail.

 

[Cainkane1]

I take trazadone for my insomnia. It works but you pay a price the next day. Hungover feeling and decreased efficiency have cost me at least one job. I'm old enough to retire but if I had had to take this medicine when I wazs a young man I'd have been in trouble.

 

[mgidm86]

Marijuana?

Can't believe it took so many posts for this.

^ This and a "happy ending" have been my reliable formula for years.
For me it give a good solid 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

There you go!

Marijuana is legal in many states here in the US. I didn't have insomnia, but it worked for me on restless nights back when I smoked. It may work for you, it may burn you out the next day, it may not even help. Everybody is different, and the high from it is not for everyone, but if you're in serious need of a nights sleep it may be worth a try. Grow your own and it's practically free as well (check your local laws).

Eat a pot brownie half an hour before bed. Tony99's idea is good around this time too lol. Goodnight!

 

[Sjw]

Serious lifelong insomnia is largely genetic. It had a negative impact on my life for decades. About 6 years ago my urologist recommended prescription sleeping pills because i was getting up multiple times a night with severe sleep deprivation, and i've taken them ever since. I still got up during the night, but was able to get back to sleep. For me and i think many others, sleeping pills are a good solution.

I take generic triazolam. It takes about an hour and a half to work on me, so i just plan around that. I don't let myself go outside, even down to the corner, after i take it. No morning drowsiness, the same dose keeps working, occasional slight amnesia of what i was reading, etc. before falling asleep. Those with histories of substance abuse may be prone to addiction, for the rest of us there's just rebound insomnia for about a week after you stop taking them. The package inserts have full info on precautions, etc.

The only downside i've found is social stigma.

 

[megaresp]

Quick update - the yellow glasses do seem to have an effect. Of course it's still way to early for me to call this one. But I have found it easier to get to sleep lately when wearing the glasses for 2-3 hours before going to bed. And this despite the heat London has suddenly turned on just in time for the Olympics

 

[Dancing David]

Serious lifelong insomnia is largely genetic. It had a negative impact on my life for decades. About 6 years ago my urologist recommended prescription sleeping pills because i was getting up multiple times a night with severe sleep deprivation, and i've taken them ever since. I still got up during the night, but was able to get back to sleep. For me and i think many others, sleeping pills are a good solution.

I take generic triazolam. It takes about an hour and a half to work on me, so i just plan around that. I don't let myself go outside, even down to the corner, after i take it. No morning drowsiness, the same dose keeps working, occasional slight amnesia of what i was reading, etc. before falling asleep. Those with histories of substance abuse may be prone to addiction, for the rest of us there's just rebound insomnia for about a week after you stop taking them. The package inserts have full info on precautions, etc.

The only downside i've found is social stigma.

Just curious, did you have a full medical work up and a sleep study?

If it works for you that is great!

 

[Sjw]

Insomnia treatment

Just curious, did you have a full medical work up and a sleep study?

If it works for you that is great!

I've had two sleep studies and met with a sleep neurologist even after I'd been on sleeping pills for a while since I was still having problems. But I started taking them initially purely on the recommendation of my urologist. I was skittish about the idea because I'd used seconal a few times in the past, and it left me pole-axed. But this new generation of sleeping pills works by a different mechanism.

 

[Dancing David]

I've had two sleep studies and met with a sleep neurologist even after I'd been on sleeping pills for a while since I was still having problems. But I started taking them initially purely on the recommendation of my urologist. I was skittish about the idea because I'd used seconal a few times in the past, and it left me pole-axed. But this new generation of sleeping pills works by a different mechanism.

Thanks, it is also just good to have a general work up, there are many causes of insomnia. The one you mentioned before is an older style of medicine. Unlike the generation three bezondiazapines.