Maintaining good sleep hygiene is important when it comes to managing bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, unlike taking meds, seeing your therapist, and possibly getting exercise, this isn’t something you can always control. Ideally, you should go to bed at the same time every night (which I do, give or take an hour, maybe 2), and get up at the same time every morning, which I do because I wake up too early and either toss and turn for a couple of hours or sleep very lightly so I might as well get up.
It’s weird because I’m getting about 8 hours of sleep. The problem is that it isn’t good sleep — you know, like REM sleep. And then I’m exhausted the rest of the day and don’t feel like doing anything like showering or getting dressed, let alone going anywhere — except maybe for a latte and my new food thing — Starbucks peppermint brownies. And you know, they aren’t even the bomb, but I’m stuck on them for some reason.
Anyway, sufficient sleep and plenty of rest is good for anyone’s health, whether or not you have bipolar. I’m not getting it and it’s making me very irritable. Sometimes I’ll fall asleep for an hour or so in the afternoon and even that doesn’t help — I feel exhausted physically and mentally when I wake up. At least the naps don’t keep me from being able to fall asleep at night.
My sleep med (trazodone) helps me fall asleep right away. The extra 1mg of Klonopin at night has finally seemed to kick in because I’m not waking up in a knotted ball of muscle. But for some reason, I can’t sleep through the night. I suppose I could sleep past 7am, which is when I usually get up, but I hate sleeping so late into the morning. Something needs to happen because I can’t stand it anymore — I’m like, climbing the walls.
I have the same thing with having a sleeping tablet to get sleep and waking waking too early. If I try stay in bed then my mind sabotages my mood.
Although when I’m in a dip, having a nap always makes me feel a notch or two better for a few hours, especially if I take a cat up with me to cuddle
You’re doing the right thing trying to get a regular sleeping pattern.
Usually, when it’s really bad and I can’t fall asleep (other times, not this time), I just get out of bed instead of trying to force it. Then I get on the computer and play Mafia Wars.
Having one of the cats, usually Angelo who’s amenable to being dragged to bed or onto the couch with me, helps with my nap, but I still always wake up even more exhausted. Confusing.
Trying to get into a normal sleep cycle has always been a struggle for me. It’s harder to remember the times when my sleep has been fine, unfortunately.
Have you tried Melatonin? It’s natural.
Robin´s last blog ..My Unsexy Hollywood Men List
I haven’t, but whenever I try natural stuff, even if one of the docs recommends it, bad IBS things happen.
It might be worth a try. I’ll ask the pdoc.
I have finally been able to get some sleep. I take 900mgs of seroquel at bedtime. It has been working pretty good. Before I was lucky to sleep 4 hours. Now I sleep about 8 and only wake once or twice in the night.
Sleep is so important. I notice a huge difference in my mood when I get sleep. Have you tried a different medication for sleep? I hope you find some comfort.
crazybeanrider´s last blog ..Crazy Little Zombies
*sigh* I’ve tried so many different medications over the years for sleep. Ambien was too weak, as was Lunesta; Restoril gave me suicidal thoughts and I was far from depressed at the time; trazodone works best. I’ve taken anywhere from 25mg to 150mg.
All of the meds I take that could possibly make me sleepy I take at night. The pdoc currently thinks that it’s the anxiety that’s hindering my sleep rather than depression.
Although I can alternately barely keep my eyes open and feel like I’m crawling out of my skin, I’m certain we’ll find something that works.
I forgot about this, but I actually have mild sleep apnea. I had a series of tests done a few years ago. You can read one of the posts here, if you want. I even took pictures!
I know what you mean about waking up “in a knotted ball of muscle”. Sometimes my body tells me what’s going on even before my thinking or mood does. I go through periods where I wake up grinding my teeth, and with my fists clenched (whole body, really) – sore muscles all day long. For some reasons, naps make me ga-ga. I always wake up from a nap feeling more tired than when I laid down.
Maybe the change of seasons is impacting your REM sleep. Have you tried getting more sunlight? I know that sounds kind of silly, but I do sleep a lot better when I getting outside for 30 minutes or more during the day.
You’ve described what I go through, exactly. And it’s so frustrating — and yes, naps make me feel worse when I wake up but sometimes it’s so hard to keep my eyes open!
I do think the time change and winter season have something to do with it because this seems to happen every year. Usually, the depression gets worse, but I agree with what the pdoc said recently: that the anxiety is driving the depression rather than the other way around. I mean, really, who wouldn’t feel just a tad “down in the dumps” if they aren’t getting the rest they need?
Since we got back from vacation I’ve had trouble leaving my apartment again. But this year I’m finally going to get a lightbox so hopefully that’ll help.
Thanks for commenting, and I fixed your link so it goes to your blog.