Testimonies: Struggling with insomnia

I have suffered from insomnia for 28 years(I’m 31 now)off and on. It started with nightmares and as a small child, I became afraid of going to sleep. It did not stop when I stopped having nightmares; I would lay down ready to go to sleep and could not. I would go 2-3 days, and as much as 5 days at a time without any sleep at all. My Mom tried everything from warm milk to taking me to doctors and nothing helped. When I did sleep, it was very light and full of strange dreams. I became very agitated and hard to get along with. As a teenager, I started reading all night and writing stories. It turned out that my dreams were something other than just the product of a child’s overactive imagination. That is another story all together.

Insomnia is generally caused by extreme stress. Most people experience insomnia from time to time. Severe trauma can also cause sleepless nights. Sometimes therapy can help you deal with the source of stress. I found once I was able to come to terms with my sources of stress, I was able to start sleeping better. I can’t really offer any advice on how to cure insomnia because we are all different. I stopped eating and drinking before bed, I stopped watching scary shows, I even statred exercising before going to bed. None of these helped me. I had to deal with my stress and traumatic events that my mind had supressed.

The mind is a powerful thing and it tells us when something is not right, we just have to be willing to listen. I still struggle with insomnia every now and then. If I stop and consider what is going on in my life, I can usually pin point what is causing my mind not to rest. Meditation can help relax your mind. It’s impossible to sleep when your brain won’t stop thinking! Be patient with yourself. The more frustrated you get, the less likely you’ll fall asleep.