Hi all. Iâm interested to know how many of us have a serious sleep issue. So far I havenât found much of a unifying thread between aphantasics, other than that weâre very familiar with what the back of our eyelids look like! But one common thing I have heard over the years is a sleep issue.
I have chronic insomnia. Interested to hear back from others.
I guess itâs not unusual for my best nightsâ sleep to be after an unusually busy day, or a lot of exercise / labour
Honestly Iâve tried everything you can think of, along with things youâve prob never heard of⌠can do everything right (exercise, fresh air, sunlight, healthy diet, sleep hygeine, only red light before bed) and still find myself unable to sleep. Melatonin is very helpful but the NHS makes it all but impossible to get on prescription, itâs insanely-expensive to buy online. Sometimes I travel to Finland where I can buy it at the supermarket and smuggle some back. Technically itâs a controlled medicine but Iâve never had it taken or even looked at.
I have to be exhausted to sleep, which is why I stay up past 1am most nights.
Exactly the same. Havenât got as many responses as hoped but Iâm making a note and so far seems to be a common factor.
That sounds very tough. I donât have that level of insomnia, though I try to read or play a board game after about 10pm, avoid the news, etc. Thatâs usually enough.
The main thing for me is anxiety, which kills any chance of sleep - including anxiety about not being able to sleep. I was on Mirtazapine during a bad period and while it did knock me out, I felt real drowsiness in the morning so it didnât feel worth it. Iâve heard melatonin is much better.
Melatonin definitely does have a bit of a âdragâ in the mornings (at least, does for me), but youâre right itâs nowhere near the level of âurrrggghhhhâ I felt after sleep tablets. Also donât seem to wake up with ye olde âGhandiâs flip-flops tasteâ mouth with melatonin.
And yeah anxiety about falling asleep preventing falling asleep is horribly ironic isnât it!
