Do you fear sleep?

[Prof.]

That's really bizarre that you are suffering from night terrors. Night terrors generally occur with children usually younger than ten years of age. However, night terrors can occur with adults too. From what I can remember from psychology, night terrors occur during stage four of R.E.M (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

This is from my old psych book:
"Generally, night terrors occur in adults cause of a recent traumatic incident OR from certain anti-depressant medication. If you are not on any A-D medication, you may be suffering from night terrors cause of Hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, by definition, means - 'deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream'."

My advice - go see your doctor.

 

[benlee]

After thinking more about this. I have had some horrible experience when running a fever.

It sounds crazy but a reoccurring condition involved me trying to get every wrinkle out of my pillow before I could lay my head on it and go to sleep. Thing is I could never do it (I was in between wake and sleep mind you). It was some of the most bizarre feelings of stress and anxiety I have ever felt. (and I'm in Law School). All over trying to get wrinkles out of a pillow (which is impossible).

Another one involved me trying to fit giant mattresses in a room. I mean GIANT. Same bizarre emotional feelings involved.

This illustrates that the mind/body do some funky things when the chemicals and electrical wiring is off (see Prof's post-perhaps Hypoglycemia)in some way. Hopefully time, meds, or some alternative remedy can fix the condition (and soon).

Good Luck. If you get bored trying to stay awake an interesting read into the human mind is "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" by Oliver Sacks. (might as well do something productive while awake). Just don't stay awake too long, could result in bad things. (see prior post: seeing a doctor).

 

[NAG]

I had one involving sleeping in a new bed. Might have been the smell or something.

 

[letsgorangers]

The neurology clinic I go to has a sleep lab. I assume they have a large number of patients, as Fridays are strictly for sleep disorders. Their sleep lab is actually in a hotel so it's not quite home, but it's not a doctor's office either. Try to find a neurologist in your area that specializes in sleep disorders.

 

[abijnk]

I know exactly what you are talking about. To a 'T'. And, though you might not want to hear it, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder... I have regular old panic attacks, and night terrors, which sounds like what you are describing. I was diagnosed a year ago, and let me tell you, while medicine might not sound the greatest, that first night of full sleep after a few weeks feels so amazing...

Definitely go see a doctor. You might have to have a bunch of tests, but it will be worth the sleep. Its a very destructive cycle if you don't sleep. You are scared to sleep, so you don't, then when your body is really run down and you finally try to lay down for a little bit the exhaustion just makes it all the worse.

In my particular case, a combination of birth control pills (to even out my hormones) and Zoloft made a world of difference.

I really hope you get help soon. Good luck.

 

[cycocelica]

Afraid? No.
Hate? Yes.

Sleep is a waste of time.

 

[Iscariot]

Not anymore, but I had somniphobia for years when I was younger. This sounds more like fear of dreams (oneirophobia) than fear of sleep, which are two different things. If your doctor is incompetent, I really suggest going to a specialist, I know how crippling a disorder it can be.

 

[EricNau]

That's really bizarre that you are suffering from night terrors. Night terrors generally occur with children usually younger than ten years of age. However, night terrors can occur with adults too. From what I can remember from psychology, night terrors occur during stage four of R.E.M (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

This is from my old psych book:
"Generally, night terrors occur in adults cause of a recent traumatic incident OR from certain anti-depressant medication. If you are not on any A-D medication, you may be suffering from night terrors cause of Hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, by definition, means - 'deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream'."

My advice - go see your doctor.

Night terrors are very different from sleep paralysis. With the former the subject is fully-asleep (in non-REM) and while experiencing a very extreme nightmare, cannot be woken, and afterwards, cannot usually recall any part of the event. With sleep paralysis, on the other hand, the subject is awake and aware, but still in the REM sleep cycle, and cannot move. This is often accompanied by hallucinations, which often coincide with one's fears/beliefs. Often, ghost and alien encounters can be directly attributed to sleep paralysis.

Mord - as many other's have said, go see your doctor. As a warning, be consistent: you doctor may not be able to "cure" you right away; medicine is not an exact science, and it can take a few times to reach the most effective treatment. You may also want to ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist.

 

[njmac]

Mord, when I get sleep paralysis, I completely and totally relax my body while breathing out and I am able to wake up and move right away. I know it sounds simple but until I found that trick, I felt like I was going to be stuck in a nightmare forever. It was terrifying but this works like a miracle for me.

If you try this and it works let me know. It worked for one other person that I know of (the person that told me the trick)

 

[Prof.]

Night terrors are very different from sleep paralysis. With the former the subject is fully-asleep (in non-REM) and while experiencing a very extreme nightmare, cannot be woken, and afterwards, cannot usually recall any part of the event. With sleep paralysis, on the other hand, the subject is awake and aware, but still in the REM sleep cycle, and cannot move. This is often accompanied by hallucinations, which often coincide with one's fears/beliefs. Often, ghost and alien encounters can be directly attributed to sleep paralysis.

Mord - as many other's have said, go see your doctor. As a warning, be consistent: you doctor may not be able to "cure" you right away; medicine is not an exact science, and it can take a few times to reach the most effective treatment. You may also want to ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist.

LOL

You always correct me.

 

[Mord]

I was referred to a neurologist a couple of months back back for horrific headaches but due to the NHS being the way it is I was told it could be up to 6 months or so, I ended up doing research and solved the problem myself.

I just spent the last hour trying to sleep again but instead of touching sleep I just slipped into paralysis hearing my subconcious and started to hullucinate, I managed to wake myself from this and I'm back to square one.

Mord, when I get sleep paralysis, I completely and totally relax my body while breathing out and I am able to wake up and move right away. I know it sounds simple but until I found that trick, I felt like I was going to be stuck in a nightmare forever. It was terrifying but this works like a miracle for me.

If you try this and it works let me know. It worked for one other person that I know of (the person that told me the trick)

I can pull myself out of the state eventually it just happens every time so I can't get to sleep so I just have to sit up for hours and hope that when I try again I go to proper sleep.

I know exactly what you are talking about. To a 'T'. And, though you might not want to hear it, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder... I have regular old panic attacks, and night terrors, which sounds like what you are describing. I was diagnosed a year ago, and let me tell you, while medicine might not sound the greatest, that first night of full sleep after a few weeks feels so amazing...

Definitely go see a doctor. You might have to have a bunch of tests, but it will be worth the sleep. Its a very destructive cycle if you don't sleep. You are scared to sleep, so you don't, then when your body is really run down and you finally try to lay down for a little bit the exhaustion just makes it all the worse.

In my particular case, a combination of birth control pills (to even out my hormones) and Zoloft made a world of difference.

I really hope you get help soon. Good luck.

My hormones are chronically messed up, the last time I had them tested I had ~10x the normal level of estrogen and ~5x testosterone. As I said though my doctor is a useless twunt, I was prescribed the med I'm on and had my estrogen levels reduced and I feel and look great as a result, I'm due for bloodwork to see what's going on so it'll be interesting to see the results.

What I'd like to hear or not is irrelevant, I like to be pragmatic about things and I don't doubt that an anxiety disorder or something similar could be the case, My head works in strange and often neurotic ways.

 

[solvs]

Anxiety disorder is a likely candidate for the cause, if not a symptom of a larger problem. I have issues sleeping as well, and while some of it is mental, some of it is also physical. While it's been thought that I do have an occasional minor chemical imbalance, after my regular doctor couldn't help me with what I was suffering from, I was sent to an allergy specialist who's referring me to an ear, nose, and throat doctor. Apparently I have a breathing problem. Again, might be the cause, might be a symptom. They don't know yet. Check up on that, have your current doctor refer you to someone else, even if it takes time, or find a better doctor. Pills never worked on me, but I still have hope that they can fix it, or at least make things a little better. So far my stomach has been feeling better (was having issues there as well) and the headaches aren't as bad when I do sleep. When I don't, it gets worse. So there's some improvement at least. Once I realized that some of the other symptoms I was having were because of the lack of sleep, that helped narrow down the rest as well.

Your issue sounds like there are some psychological issues you need to deal with that are making things worse even if there is a physical underlying cause (and the lack of sleep making things worse). It's nothing to be ashamed of if you are, and based on what you said about the hormone levels, could be coming from a chemical imbalance. Again, the symptoms making things worse and causing more issues, a vicious cycle. Go see another doctor. Go see a specialist. Go see someone, even if you feel as if you're being brushed off, if they drag their feet, if they can't figure everything out right away. It's only going to get worse, but with a little patience (I know you're frustrated) it can get better. Talking to someone might not fix it right away either, but over time, could also help.

There are pills that can make dreams go away too. They might not work, at least not right away, could even make things worse, but it's all experimentation. Doctors don't always know exactly what's going on, a lot of it can be guessing and waiting to see what happens, if it helps or hurts.

 

[Mord]

My eyes are burning and i have zero energy but i'm going to zombie my way to my doc in a bit.

 

[solvs]

My eyes are burning and i have zero energy but i'm going to zombie my way to my doc in a bit.

All the best, please let us know how it goes.

I didn't see it mentioned, but you should probably stay away from caffeine if you aren't already and *gasp* try to take a break from the computer and maybe even TV.

 

[Mord]

All the best, please let us know how it goes.

I didn't see it mentioned, but you should probably stay away from caffeine if you aren't already and *gasp* try to take a break from the computer and maybe even TV.

Will do, I don't drink coffee or watch TV, I pretty much live behind my macbook though.

 

[solvs]

I pretty much live behind my macbook though.

The light keeps me awake.

 

[katejones]

Hi Mord, sorry to hear your problem. I have trouble sleeping also, all to many times I look on the computer and it's 8am. I have horrible nightmares also on a regular basis. If i wake during those (wich i usually do when i die in my dreams) im to scared to lay back down. Im not sure i have any advice other than try to relax your mind before sleep. No mackbook no movies etc

My awake time has officially gotten worse than being sleep due to injurys and illness so lately i'd rather be asleep to avoid the pain. GL do a see a doctor and don't do what Heath Ledger did.

 

[Mord]

I don't want to sleep because I can't sleep I remain conscious, my body is paralyzed I get terrified and I hallucinate, I get no rest from this and I end up coming out of it in 5-10 minutes or so.

I know i'm stating the same thing again and again but people don't quite seem to get it, I'd love to sleep I just can't because I actually can't.

 

[katejones]

I don't want to sleep because I can't sleep I remain conscious, my body is paralyzed I get terrified and I hallucinate, I get no rest from this and I end up waking up after 5-10 minutes of it.

I know i'm stating the same thing again and again but people don't quite seem to get it, I'd love to sleep I just can't because I actually can't.

Yes something is very wrong, I am also suffering hormone imbalance and acute anxiety, no point any of us giving advice on something so serious. Hope your doctor can help you swiftly, all the best.

 

[Chaszmyr]

Since you can't actually sleep, it's not really technically false to call it a sleeping disorder. At the same time, it sounds like there's really more to it than that, and calling it a sleeping disorder might be downplaying a larger problem. I really recommend doing whatever you can to see a doctor, psychiatrist, and any other sort of specialist that you can as soon as possible until something resolves the problem.

In addition to being I'm sure thoroughly unpleasant, having disorders that prevent you from sleeping can potentially lead to serious health problems.

 

[Mord]

it's not really technically false to call it a sleeping disorder.

I agree, it is a sleeping disorder as i'm experiencing well documented symptoms of sleeping disorders, not being able to sleep properly is a disorder of sleep because you can't do it, calling it a not-sleeping disorder would be silly.

 

[doubleohseven]

Why not try sleeping with a bit of light such as a nightlight or a small table lamp? It might relieve your anxiety a bit.

Also, when you build up some energy, try taking some yoga or meditation classes; that may calm down your nerves and make you feel more relaxed. But first, I recommend you should see a doctor or a person that specializes in sleep disorders.

I had a night terror once when I was eight- I got scared that this monster would come in my room at any moment; I didn't fall asleep until 4am (got put to bed at 8pm).

Still, I find it hard to fall asleep sometimes; usually by being worried on what's going to happen the next day, particularly if a big exam is on. I tend to get lots of thoughts on my mind when I'm trying to fall asleep.

 

[3nm]

i've been experiencing sleep paralysis for 10+ yrs and i hate it. it's worse than the worst nightmare and it can happen even if i'm really tired. it's a torture as you are fully awake and your eyes may be open, but yet you have no control over your body. when it happens, i feel like there's this heavy creature sitting on my chest and i'd feel like i can't breath. occasionally, that creature would also touch every part of my bod, and then it'd somehow raise me to the ceiling. if i sleep on my tummy, that heavy creature would be on my back and i'd feel like i'm getting dicked.

from my experience, i think it's best not to fight it. it seems that the harder i try to regain control of my body, the longer i'd be paralyzed. i usually just tell myself, "this isn't real, it'd be over soon." but sometimes i wouldn't even realize what's going on and would try to fight it. and i'd end up waking up/scaring whoever's next to me. i usually try to sleep in a different position after having a sleep paralysis, but it can come back again and again on a bad night.

 

[nikopolidis]

I don't. Well I have nightmares but rarely.. If I have one I realize that this is just a dream as far as it gets for the most fearful episode and I just open my eyes and try not to think about this nightmare for 5 minutes.. Then I fall asleep again and it is all ok.
Try to find out where do these nightmares come from...
Dreams are the reflections of our real life...

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

I'm so tired of never sleeping...