Insomnia: Constantly Finding New Ways Not to Sleep

I finally have something that resembles a sleep schedule, it seems. Unfortunately, it is a schedule of not sleeping rather than actually sleeping. I am waking up a lot more frequently than usual, and I am sick of it.

My schedule was already quite a mess, but this has made it much worse. I am exhausted. If I could have just 1 night without waking up a thousand times, that would be great. Waking up frequently at the same time every night is stressful with insomnia.

Stress from frequent nighttime waking

I know exactly what my sleep schedule will be before I climb into bed each night. I will fall asleep around 4:00 AM. Then I will wake up at 6:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 10:30 AM. At 11:30 AM, I wake and stop trying to go back to sleep.

Oddly enough, the times are almost on the dot every single night. It does not vary much. It is almost like I have an internal alarm clock for those times.

How much sleep am I actually getting?

I know that seems like a decent amount of sleep, but it is not. It takes me between 30 and 45 minutes to go back to sleep after waking. Every single time I wake up, I am awake for at least half an hour. Sometimes I am only asleep 15 minutes before I wake again.

This is indeed more sleep than I often get when you add it all up, but waking so often makes it feel like I have not slept at all. If I could manage to get 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep I would feel so much better.

Waiting for a good night’s sleep

This has been going on for a few weeks now. Every night I hope it will be the night when I get more sleep. I am sorely disappointed when I wake up at 6:30. When I wake, I keep my eyes closed and stay very still hoping to go right back to sleep. I never do.

Exhaustion is becoming a big problem. This has gone on long enough that the lack of sleep is really taking its toll. It is wreaking havoc on my mental health. I just need 1 night of actual sleep. Just 1 night will make me feel so much better.

Stress and sleeplessness

I am stressed. I stress about not sleeping and stress keeps me from sleeping. This might be why I have found myself stuck in this rut. If I could better manage my stress levels, perhaps I would get a good night’s rest. Unfortunately, that is much easier said than done.

It is less difficult to manage stress when you are well-rested. Being well-rested helps alleviate stress. I cannot sleep, and I struggle to keep my stress level in check. One issue agitates the other, and I have no idea how to get either of them under control.

Do you struggle with waking frequently in the night? How do you handle extended periods of not getting enough sleep? Have you found ways to deal with stress? I would love to hear about your experience. Please share a comment about your experience.