Insomnia while TTC???

[readerwriter]

Has anyone experienced insomnia while TTC? I don't know what to do. I slept only 3 hours last night and now I can't sleep again. My heart is just racing. I found out last night that one of my best friends is now pregnant. I'm just overwhelmed and feeling so helpless. I would do anything to be able to right now... I can hardly get through the work day I am so exhausted.

 

[StephieB]

I'm sorry, there is nothing worse than not being able to sleep

I have suffered from insomnia on and off over the past year, not for a while though. My first round of insomnia came about a week before I was diagnosed as suffering from stress. When we are chronically stressed (like with TTC when you sit and worry) our bodies release a long acting form of adrenaline called corticosteroids to help us 'fight' the stressor. This is something we have evolved to have to protect ourselves from being hunted etc..it's just our 'stressors' have changed. Bad thing is these corticosteroids prevent us from sleeping, cause digestion problems and weaken the immune system.

Truth is, out bodies and brains can't go very long without some decent time to recharge (sleep) and we easily enter the awful cycle of insomnia, worrying about sleeping, so can't sleep etc...

If it continues for more than a week go and see your doctor, they will be able to offer you some advice of how to deal with it

Also it might sound silly, but if you have the ability, there are some really good relaxation apps you can get which are designed to send us to sleep and de-stress us, and they really worked for me

(Sorry I went on a bit here, just stress and insomnia was my research during my thesis )

 

[smallstar]

readerwriter - I can totally sympathise with you on this!!!! I have suffered sleepless nights on and off now for nearly 18months Its awful and so hard for people to understand who say just relax and go to sleep!!! Argghhhhh!!!!

Again my insomnia is due to stress, worry, anxiety etc

Primarily when i am particularly worried about my TTC journey ill almost have mild panic attacks at night where my head and mind go into overdrive with thoughts about literally EVERYTHING.

Also, when my best friend told me she was pregnant (about 3 weeks ago!) i couldn’t sleep just over playing scenarios as to why her and not me etc and then this spiralled into me over analysing me TTC!!! Its a vicious cycle and one that is difficult to break

I did eventually seek medical advice as it was having an adverse impact on my day to day life!!! My doctor was very sympathetic and helped give me some practical distress tips and advice, plus also (as a last result!) prescribed me some sleeping tablets but only to be taken if all else fails!!!

Really hope that you get through this "bump" in your TTC journey

x

 

[readyformore]

I do but it's mainly in my luteal phase. PMS hormones can give you insomnia, and I have oddly found myself impatiently waiting for my period just so I can get some stinking sleep!!

I had to stop temping because I would sleep very poorly. I was anxious to see what the thermometer said. It just wasn't worth it.

Try exercising every day in the morning. Don't drink caffeine after lunch. And keep yourself hydrated.

Good luck. It just stinks when you can't sleep.

 

[readerwriter]

Also it might sound silly, but if you have the ability, there are some really good relaxation apps you can get which are designed to send us to sleep and de-stress us, and they really worked for me :thumbup

Thanks, I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I also think exercising would also help but I have been feeling so tired that I haven't had the energy to exercise, argh.

 

[readerwriter]

I had to stop temping because I would sleep very poorly. I was anxious to see what the thermometer said. It just wasn't worth it.

Try exercising every day in the morning. Don't drink caffeine after lunch. And keep yourself hydrated.

Good luck. It just stinks when you can't sleep.

I too stopped temping because it was causing me to wake up a lot in the mornings. I would have dreams about temping!

I'm going to try exercising too. I've been so tired it's been difficult to have the energy, but I think it would help. Thanks for your help!

 

[readerwriter]

Primarily when i am particularly worried about my TTC journey ill almost have mild panic attacks at night where my head and mind go into overdrive with thoughts about literally EVERYTHING.

Also, when my best friend told me she was pregnant (about 3 weeks ago!) i couldn’t sleep just over playing scenarios as to why her and not me etc and then this spiralled into me over analysing me TTC!!! Its a vicious cycle and one that is difficult to break

Yeah, in a way this feels similar to panic attacks. My heart is beating so hard and I feel trapped and overwhelmed. I only feel this way at night though. I think maybe it's time to see an RE so I can at least feel like I'm being proactive about something.

 

[smallstar]

I think at night its when we start mulling over things in our heads more than we do in the day....I think about things in the day don’t get me wrong, but am more consumed with work, food shopping, cooking cleaning etc....then come night BOOM my brain pulls all the stuff in the back of my mind right to the front and it goes into overdrive!!!

Definitely worth seeing a doc just to put your mind at ease, (no pun intended there! LOL ) Like I said sometimes just talking to someone about the problem and understanding different ways to overcome these stresses and moments of anxiety really help

x

 

[xxshellsxx]

I can sympathise totally! I am an insomniac too. I looked up lots of ways to help and the best one i found for me was a muscle tensing exercise.

Start at toes and tense the muscles.. hold and relax them. then do your feet, ankles... etc... work up your body through every muscle group! including fingers right up to face!

I find this really helps and i can finally fall asleep not long after xx

 

[StephieB]

Following on from Shells suggestion, here is something my counsellor taught me that I find works really well when my bloody brain just wont switch off

If my mind is racing and is preventing me from sleeping, I have to visualise and imagine my perfect home, where the rooms will be, what colour the walls would be painted, what furniture I would have in there, where would it be etc all in my head... and usually by the time I'm half way through designing my dream living room, I'm snoring

It sounds silly I know, and I was reluctant to try it, but when I did it gets my mind focusing on something that isn't my worries and anxieties and worked a treat for me, I still do it now on the odd occasion.

 

[RKW]

Hi, I also an terrible for all my "I'll never have a baby, ever, ever" thoughts when I'm trying to get to sleep. I now have a list on my phone, called "happy thoughts" I read this list before I go to sleep, right before I switch off the lights. It contains points such as, we live each other, wedding in 6 months, good sperm count..... All the reasons I have to be optimistic rather than pessimistic.
It might be worth a try xx

 

[readerwriter]

I think at night its when we start mulling over things in our heads more than we do in the day....I think about things in the day don’t get me wrong, but am more consumed with work, food shopping, cooking cleaning etc....then come night BOOM my brain pulls all the stuff in the back of my mind right to the front and it goes into overdrive!!!

Thanks, I think I have been using being busy to keep me from being sad and obsessing over infertility. Then, I feel badly for worrying and caring so much and can't get out of the cycle.

 

[readerwriter]

I can sympathise totally! I am an insomniac too. I looked up lots of ways to help and the best one i found for me was a muscle tensing exercise.

Thanks, I'll be trying this tonight!

 

[readerwriter]

If my mind is racing and is preventing me from sleeping, I have to visualise and imagine my perfect home, where the rooms will be, what colour the walls would be painted, what furniture I would have in there, where would it be etc all in my head... and usually by the time I'm half way through designing my dream living room, I'm snoring

This sounds like a great idea. I have been trying to just focus on a single word but that doesn't block out the worrying. I could see how instead focusing on details would move my mind into a happier "room". Thanks so much!

 

[readerwriter]

I now have a list on my phone, called "happy thoughts" I read this list before I go to sleep, right before I switch off the lights. It contains points such as, we live each other, wedding in 6 months, good sperm count..... All the reasons I have to be optimistic rather than pessimistic.
It might be worth a try xx

Thanks, great idea! I know I have so much to be happy about. It's so easy to get bogged down with IF.

 

[Armywife84]

Absolutely! Mine is stemmed from my depression and anxiety associated with LTTC, that I had to get prescribed sleeping pills. There's times when I'm too anxious that they don't work, and other days of where I could give 2 shits about infertility and sleep soundly.

It's worth speaking to your GP about. They could give you information on tips and tricks to get some sleep.