Hi CantSleepers,

Barnaby here, and I’m once again singing the insomnia sleep disorder blues. Unfortunately, hypnotherapy did not work to cure my insomnia. I was hopeful for a while, but it appears my brief remission was due to the placebo effect, or for whatever reason was just a pause which has now ended. The past week has been quite difficult, and I have been lucky to get 4 hours of decent sleep per night. Lying in bed watching my wife sleep while I can not is quite frustrating, and I can feel the effects of my sleep deprivation the following day. Thus, I am now once again singing the insomnia sleep disorder blues.

However, I am not giving up. I know there is a cure out there that will work for me — I have just yet to find it. However, no matter how bad my insomnia gets, I know that others have even worse problems — so I shouldn’t complain. Yes, insomnia sleep disorder can seriously impact your life, but you can still lead a decent life with it. I am almost beginning to cope with my insomnia sleep disorder, and it is becoming just another part of my daily routine. This is not to say that I’d love to find a cure for my insomnia sleep disorder, and hopefully I will soon.

I shall keep everyone updated on my next avenues for a potential cure for my insomnia sleep disorder.

Cheers,

Barnaby

Barnaby here, and unfortunately I must report a temporary relapse back into the symptoms of insomnia. For those of you new to my story, I’ve been posting on here for quite some time about my travails with chronic insomnia. Many of the usual causes of insomnia including clinical depression and sleep apnea have been ruled out in my case, and I tried a wide variety of sleep treatments. Recently, hypnotherapy for insomnia was proving to be quite helpful. I went for a stretch of around two weeks without experiencing symptoms of insomnia, but the past few nights I was not so lucky. I reverted back to my dreaded tossing and turning throughout the night, and I have become quite tired at work during the day.

For those of you who are still unaware, the most common symptoms of insomnia include:

- Frequent waking up in the middle of the night

- Taking more than an hour to fall asleep

- Waking up long before necessary in the morning

- Feelings of anxiety and a short temper during the day

- Tiredness even after thinking you slept through the night

Independently, not every symptom of insomnia indicates that insomnia is actually present. Everyone occasionally has trouble falling asleep, and most people are at least occasionally tired during the day. However, when these symptoms of insomnia occur on a frequent basis, then insomnia might prove to be the correct diagnosis. Unfortunately, diagnosing insomnia is far easier than treating it. In my case, I have been through a plethora of suggested cures — none to any avail. Hypnotherapy for insomnia had begun to help, but the jury is still out on whether my insomnia is gone for good. I’ll update everyone again soon,

Barnaby

It’s Barnaby again, and I’d like to follow up on my previous post about sleep apnea treatments. In order to know that you need a sleep apnea treatment, it is first required that you be able to recognize sleep apnea symptoms. Sleep apnea is a condition which entails the cessation of breathing multiple times during the course of the night. This leaves those who have sleep apnea waking up gasping for breath over and over — which obviously does not lend to a good night’s sleep. If you experience the following sleep apnea symptoms, then you should strongly consider getting a sleep apnea test in order to ascertain whether you are suffering from this condition:

- Excessive and loud snoring

- Waking up gasping for breath

- Daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating

- Night time dry or sore throat

- Frequent headaches upon awakening in the morning

It is quite possible that having only one — or two — of these sleep apnea symptoms does not mean that you have sleep apnea. Obviously, everyone who snores does not have sleep apnea, nor does experiencing morning headaches indicate the presence of sleep apnea. However, when several symptoms appear together, then the odds that sleep apnea is the culprit rise. A sleep apnea test can be administered either at your home or at a health care facility. In some scenarios, this test might take all night — but it is well worth it in order to determine if you have this condition. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to much more serious medical conditions. Addressing sleep apnea symptoms at their onset helps reduce the chances of anything more serious ensuing — so if you feel that some of these sleep apnea symptoms apply to you, then get a sleep apnea test sooner rather than later.

Barnaby

It’s Barnaby, and I just wanted to pop in to address some questions I’ve recently been receiving from loyal CantSleep readers. Many who believe that they suffer from sleep apnea have asked about all sorts of bizarre cures they’ve read about online. First and foremost, it is important to point out that only a qualified health care professional can accurately diagnose and devise the appropriate course of treating sleep apnea for your personal instance. That being said, there are some purported cures that are absolute nonsense. I’ve seen advice ranging from hanging upsidedown from a bar for 20 minutes before sleep, eating 10oz of dark chocolate each night (a bogus cure, but sounds fun anyway!) or using black sheets only. All of these are Internet myths, and they will not prove to be an effective way of treating sleep apnea.

The appropriate way for treating sleep apnea depends upon the type of sleep apnea you were diagnosed with. For some, losing weight is key towards treating sleep apnea. Others can benefit by using a better pillow and/or changing their sleeping posture. Treating sleep apnea in some instances requires a CPAP mask. In the most severe cases, treating sleep apnea can involve surgical intervention. As I indicated, treating sleep apnea effectively can only be done by a qualified health provider, so if you are suffering from sleep apnea symptoms you should seek help immediately.

As for my own sleep problems — they are getting much better. My hypnotherapy sessions are continuing, and the past week or so have been relatively insomnia-free. I don’t want to get my hopes too high seeing I’ve experienced prior remissions from my insomnia, but I think maybe this time it might be for good. I’ll update everyone again soon!

Barnaby

It’s Barnaby, and I’d like to share some interesting tidbits I learned from my hypnotherapist, Sharon. Sleep disorders insomnia, narcolepsy and others are among the most intriguing ailments suffered by us. Very little is known about the human brain, and even more mysterious are our sleep and dreams. Although much remains unknown about sleep, it is known that without it, we can not live. Sleep — and dreams, too — are necessary for a person to live. Sadly, in some of the severest sleep disorders insomnia people who can not sleep for long durations can entail a fatal result. These cases are extremely rare, and the vast majority of sleep disorders insomnia cases are relatively mild. Nonetheless, I can attest from personal experience that even moderate insomnia can truly impinge upon one’s life.

I have been experiencing sleep issues for several months now, and I have tried sleep aids, changing my sleep environment and a whole list of other potential sleep treatments. My test ruled out sleep apnea, and a professional ruled out the possibility of clinical depression. Recently, I turned to hypnotherapy for help, and my therapist Sharon has been great. Today she was telling me about a patient who suffers from narcolepsy. She advised him that hypnotherapy has not been shown to help narcolepsy at all, and that it was a medical condition requiring serious treatment. He knew this, but was so desperate that he was willing to try anything no matter how remote the chances of it helping. Sharon figured that no harm could come from hypnotherapy, and it might serve to just relax him if not help his sleep condition.

When she was describing to me how much he suffers, I felt almost lucky to have the opposite condition of insomnia. Those with narcolepsy can fall asleep immediately — even if driving or doing other dangerous activities. This presents far more danger than frustrating nights tossing and turning in bed. Hopefully, science makes some inroads and gains insight into sleep disorders, insomnia and narcolepsy — many of us truly need the help.

Barnaby

I just wanted to pop back over and clarify what seems to be a point of confusion. Many CantSleep readers appear to be in search of a singular “test” which definitely shows if you have insomnia, and if so, what the root cause of it is. Unfortunately, there is no such test. If there was, my own insomnia would have been assuaged months ago. However, there are tests which can identify — or rule out — some specific causes of insomnia. Most salient of these is a sleep apnea test. Sleep apnea can be definitively identified via a sleep apnea test. These tests are administered by professionals, and oftentimes you must spend the entire evening being monitored (I have gone through this myself). In my case, the sleep apnea test came back negative. However, there is no test to determine what truly is the cause of my particular sleep issues.

Insomnia can arise from a variety of causes. Some of these are physical, while others are mental. Stress can trigger bouts of insomnia, and depression has been identified as a main cause behind many cases of chronic insomnia. As indicated, physical conditions like sleep apnea can be the root cause of sleep problems. Unfortunately, there is no one easy test which can ascertain whether the cause of a particular case of insomnia is due to physical or mental issues. Many seem to confuse what they read about a sleep apnea test interpreting it as being a generic test for insomnia.

So, in terms of my own sleep problems — I have been continuing with my hypnotherapy with my great therapist, Sharon. I am beginning to notice improvements, and several of the past nights have been pretty much insomnia-free. Sleep is coming back into my life and it is a great feeling. Hopefully some of you reading this now can soon find the relief that I think I have come upon. I’ll provide further updates soon,

Barnaby

It’s Barnaby checking in with an update on my progress treating my sleeping disorder with hypnotherapy. I’ve previously recounted here at CantSleep my sleep issues going back several months now. I went through all sorts of tests, and no one was able to pinpoint the exact cause of my sleeping disorder. I experienced occasional periods of relief, but inevitably I found myself once again tossing and turning the night away. After quite a few unsuccessful treatments, a kind reader of CantSleep suggested that I try hypnotherapy to address my sleeping disorder. I just had my third session with my therapist Sharon, and I actually think it is beginning to work. Last night, I actually fell asleep on the sofa while watching a movie with my wife — not a strong testament to Letters To Juliet! A movie so bad it can put an insomniac to sleep. Well, I shouldn’t be too harsh — the film wasn’t meant for those of my gender.

So my wife was amazed to see me actually falling asleep that easily, and when she eventually woke me to move to our bed I then fell asleep in rapid order again. She really thinks it is the hypnotherapy, and I am beginning to think (hope) that she is right. I’ve increased my sessions with Sharon (my therapist) to several times a week, and I am really getting hopeful that this treatment proves to be the magic bullet for my sleeping disorder. Sharon warned that it might be a “placebo effect” — but I do not care, just so long as it is working! I’ll keep everyone updated.

Barnaby

There are now a plethora of sources for insomnia information, but, unfortunately, many provide less than objective advice. These days, when seeking information most turn to the Internet — and the volumes of information on the Internet ensure almost every question can be answered. However, within this voluminous information there exists myths, confusion and even outright falsehoods. Some websites purporting to convey insomnia information exist solely for the purpose of selling you a specific product — whether you need it or not. For example, a given source for insomnia information might say that sleep apnea is always the cause of chronic insomnia, and then they subsequently try to sell you a CPAP mask. The truth is that only a small portion of those with sleep problems truly have sleep apnea, and that the particular site was misleading you solely for the purpose of parting you with your hard earned money.

This phenomenon is salient within all arenas of knowledge conveyed over the Internet, however, within the realm of insomnia information it is especially prominent. Consequently, readers need to be especially discriminating — and skeptical — when seeking health information online. There exists several reputable sources which are universally recognized as providing objective information. However, these sites usually cover a wide range of health topics and give short shrift to insomnia information. Sources like CantSleep.com focus solely on insomnia information, and one of the reasons I felt comfortable sharing my story here is that you can easily see CantSleep isn’t pushing a diagnosis on anyone or suggesting that one form of treatment is better than another. The bottom line is, when seeking insomnia information digest what you read with a large grain of salt.

Barnaby

Barnaby here, and I’d like to answer a question which has been sent in by quite a few of our readers here at CantSleep. This questions relates to what exactly are insomnia symptoms? Everyone experiences occasional nights of restlessness, but when do normal happenings cross the line thus turning into insomnia symptoms? The following, at least according to prominent insomnia experts, constitutes insomnia symptoms:

– Lying in bed for an hour or more on a constant basis being unable to fall asleep

– Commonly waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall back asleep

– Waking up too early in the morning without falling asleep again

– Feelings of grouchiness, anxiety and distraction during the course of the day

– Still feeling tired after thinking you got a full night’s sleep

Insomnia symptoms can relate to both the quality and quantity of sleep. Many who suffer from insomnia are unaware that they are not getting quality sleep. This often happens with sleep apnea which causes the sufferer to wake up gasping for breath multiple times during the course of an evening. This obviously detracts from quality sleep, and even though you think you slept all night the quality of that sleep was deficient. Obviously, it is often hard to determine what are insomnia symptoms versus what are just normal happenings within life. Being grouchy one day, of course, does not indicate that you have insomnia. However, when multiple symptoms emerge that provides a real clue that insomnia may be the culprit. In the end, only a qualified health care provider can derive an accurate insomnia diagnosis, so if you think you have insomnia symptoms, then the best first step is to seek help from a professional.

I’ll be back soon to update everyone on my progress using hypnotherapy to address my own insomnia symptoms.

Barnaby