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Its like sleep is the enemy and I keep thinking what a horrible waste of time sleep is.
Originally posted by undead trev
I have been a chronic insomniac since childhood. I sleep on average every second or third day and usually 3 or 4 hours. It is not unusual for me to go for a week. If that seems extreme well it is, and it affects every part of my life. I have tried medications but build immunity very fast, I meditate and understand a number of relaxation techniques. I simply am unable to shut my mind down. It has gotten so bad that I honestly now dread trying to lay down and sleep. I used to find it all so very frustrating and seeing how other people sleep used to get quite jealous (I suppose in a way I still am) but now just try and except I have extra time. Rarely does it affect my mood, although when I have not slept for 8 days I start getting quite desperate and start thinking slamming my head into a wall might just knock me out. lol. When other people live 7 days a week I live 2 or 3 normally. I tend to run better on less sleep than more. When I have slept 6 hours although very rare I find I cannot wake up properly and spend the next 2 or 3 days (your time 1 for me) yawning and not being able to focus as well. Lately I have taken to alcohol and try to knock my self out that way although more times than not it does not help either. I had a lady in my life for 4 years who had never seen me sleep. Mind you she slept long hours. I am at the extreme end of insomnia and believe there are many factors that contribute to it. I am a glutton for information so find the net great. I am 44 years of age and retired. Not surprisingly I worked very long hours and was able to put myself in a position to stop work. I have more than I need. Although I worked as a Laboratory Techinician (Product Development) I am also a very active person. I find hard physical activity changes nothing for me. I know there are many people that have times in there life where they have trouble, and some try to advise me when they realise just how little I sleep. But unless you are a true insomniac it is not something people grasp well. This subject is obviously very close to home to me and I could sit here and talk about it all day, but that just seems pointless. If I could sleep 3 hours every night I would feel amazingly blessed. Wow just the thought of it makes me smile.
Yet while some claim to can cope well with just a few hours' sleep, others (such as myself,) are at a loss without a good 7-8 hours.
The question is to what degree are you affected?
I hope this thread stays alive, theres some really interesting ideas and methods that may help to get through or even solve the sleep deprivation problem, for some at least anyway.
I dont know if i can be helped as it's always been the way i am, but im sure others who dont have it so serious can be helped. Ill keep coming back to this one, really good thread OP