It's been 8 months.

It was late August last year when my sister and I went to a public swimming pool, which we often do in summer, had a great time, came back feeling exhausted and when I went to bed that night I just couldn't fall asleep. It was just like I couldn't even relax myself I just felt so tense. I ended up staying up all night watching TV but it happened again the next night, and the next and the next. .. and it's now been 8 months since I was last able to sleep properly. I have trouble falling asleep (it's really hard actually) then I go into this phase when I'm not really sleeping, it's like I'm just taking a light nap and then I wake up in the middle of the night for a couple of hours and then fall asleep in the early morning. It's only then when i get to sleep properly, but those few hours of sleep are barely enough to get me through the next day. I've tried all sorts of herbs and teas and my doctor even prescribed me some sleeping pills of some sort which seem to help, but I'm apprehensive about taking them, since I might get addicted to them and then I wouldn't be able to sleep on my own at all. I should probably point out that I'm only 16 years old which scares me the most. I don't want to live the rest of my life depending on sleeping pills. I'd really be thankful if someone could help me out because I'm not going to be able to take much more, I'm absolutely exhausted all the time. Also I'm really desperate because there just seems to be no reason behind this insomnia of mine. No stress, no nothing.. It just started happening out of nowhere.

I htink its good you don't want to take sleeping pills. They are addictive and i think a lot of people who have anxiety end up addicted to them. Best not to start if you can help it.

You need to learn mindfulness meditation. I'd suggest learning with a trained teacher and practicing diligently.

If your parents can afford it, seek out a mindfulness based cognitive therapy psychologist. Or learn in a mindfulness based stress reduction course which i think is a two month program.

If you can't do any of those things, check out your local buddhist centres. My preferences is for the theravada (south asia) tradition. It is closest to what the psychologists and MBSR program is about. There is stuff online but because you have an acute problem, i think you need the assistance of a teacher otherwise you will likely quit for the wrong reasons before you start to get anywhere.

Feel free to ask me any questions about meditation.

http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/programs/online-courses/introduction-to-meditation-online-course-talks/ this is a good place to start with online stuff. This teacher gil fronsdal is a good guy from the insight meditation centre (which comes from a theravada background but adapted to western culture more).

In meditation there are a few basic things you need to really know.

1. Have no expectations.
2 Let go let go let go should be your mantra. Letting go is how you advance in meditation
3. Do not worry or get impatient with your wandering mind. That's normal. You are still benefitting despite how much your midn wanders.
4. Do it every day.

BEcause you have a problem with sleep you can do it when you are lying down in bed and preparing for sleep. Just meditate yourself to sleep every night. It may take quite a while at first so it will require patience but at least its doing you some good.

See the link i put up tonight by going to the unanswered posts section. I can't remember what section i put it in apart from that. something benign.

good luck with this.

-- Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:17 pm --

I htink its good you don't want to take sleeping pills. They are addictive and i think a lot of people who have anxiety end up addicted to them. Best not to start if you can help it.

You need to learn mindfulness meditation. I'd suggest learning with a trained teacher and practicing diligently.

If your parents can afford it, seek out a mindfulness based cognitive therapy psychologist. Or learn in a mindfulness based stress reduction course which i think is a two month program.

If you can't do any of those things, check out your local buddhist centres. My preferences is for the theravada (south asia) tradition. It is closest to what the psychologists and MBSR program is about. There is stuff online but because you have an acute problem, i think you need the assistance of a teacher otherwise you will likely quit for the wrong reasons before you start to get anywhere.

Feel free to ask me any questions about meditation.

http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/programs/online-courses/introduction-to-meditation-online-course-talks/ this is a good place to start with online stuff. This teacher gil fronsdal is a good guy from the insight meditation centre (which comes from a theravada background but adapted to western culture more).

In meditation there are a few basic things you need to really know.

1. Have no expectations.
2 Let go let go let go should be your mantra. Letting go is how you advance in meditation
3. Do not worry or get impatient with your wandering mind. That's normal. You are still benefitting despite how much your midn wanders.
4. Do it every day.

BEcause you have a problem with sleep you can do it when you are lying down in bed and preparing for sleep. Just meditate yourself to sleep every night. It may take quite a while at first so it will require patience but at least its doing you some good.

See the link i put up tonight by going to the unanswered posts section. I can't remember what section i put it in apart from that. something benign.

good luck with this.

-- Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:18 pm --

I put it under the HOPE forum. Go to general first then hope.

Hi, I suffered from insomnia from about the age of 16, till I was about 27 I think. like you I would get my best sleep during the early hours of the morning, and thinking back, I wonder how I survived, since I was at high school for several of those, years doing HSC (sixth form) for one of those years, yet I passed OK, though I was lucky to have had an incredibly good memory until I was about 30 (killed my memory with alcohol), then i left high school, and the insomnia fairly quickly disappeared. For all the 6 years at high school, I was pretty stressed, needing to get good grades, and also being bullied. After starting work, I did not have those pressures, so it eased off a bit, but it was not till I moved into my own house, away from my parents, got jobs that I loved, and got a wonderful little dog, who taught me how to love, and, if I am honest, established a really good sex life ( a lover not a boyfriend) that the insomnia resolved. But, I think through all the years of insomnia, my brain had adapted itself, and decided that if it and I were to survive, I would have to go straight into deep sleep when I eventually fell asleep (usually after midnight), then get sufficient REM sleep in the early hours of the morning. I never took anything to make me sleep, although I did try acupuncture twice, maybe that was the answer, it just worked itself out, although the sex and finding the ability to love would have produced Oxytocin, and that is supposed to help with sleep
In all honesty, i do not ever remember being exhausted during all those years of insomnia.

Have you had a thyroid test done? Check with your doctor about this. Thyroid hormones control all kinds of body functions, from heartbeat to sleep patterns.