Hmmm. How do you describe insomnia? I guess the very basics is it's when you can't sleep at all for several nights, or when you only sleep for maybe a couple of hours or when your sleep is very disturbed. I read on a website a while ago about all the different descriptions of insomnia but I can't for the life of me find the site anymore... I'll keep looking though :o)
The really annoying thing about insomnia is that it goes on for days/weeks/months/longer with absolutely no break at all. At the time of writing I haven't had *any* sleep for 2 days and before that I was asleep for about 2 hours but I kept waking up at even the smallest sound.
I've got huge bags under my eyes, I can't stop yawning, I'm totally knackered both mentally and physically and it's really getting me down.
Some people find that the only way they can escape the grips of Depression is to sleep. I wish I could do that. What I wouldn't give for just one full night of peaceful, unbroken, uninterrupted sleep. Hey, even a *couple* of hours of deep sleep would be a dream come true right now!
Insomnia is a horrible, horrible thing. To deal with Depression on it's own is hard enough but when you've got insomnia to deal with too it can just sometimes feel like it's all too much to cope with.
So how *do* you cope with it? Unfortunately there aren't any easy answers to that question. Each solution is as unique as the individual trying to get to sleep.
Some things you might like to try are:
Put a couple of drops of Lavender oil on your pillow - I find that it really helps me to relax and eventually fall asleep
Don't pressure yourself to sleep and try not to get stressed out if you *can't* sleep - it'll just make you feel worse and the pressure and stress will stop you from sleeping (this is a vicious circle that is *very* hard to break out of unfortunatley)
If you're feeling wound up or stressed out or depressed or anything like that then try and write out how you are feeling. Either keep a diary (paper or online) or write a letter to someone - anyone (write it to me if you can't think of anyone) - and be totally honest... get it all out of your head and written down. If you try this you really do have to write it down and not just think it - thinking about it doesn't work... you need to have the words written down somewhere. If you think it would help then try burning your letter (or deleting it from the screen word by word) and imagine all your negative feelings, thoughts and emotions disappearing with those words.
Listen to some relaxing music - either music that you find relaxes you or maybe get a recording of birdsong or waves gently lapping at a seashore or something like that.
Try doing some meditation and/or deep breathing
Have a warm (not hot) bath and just lay back and try to relax
Take yourself on an imaginary journey to somewhere quiet and peaceful - it can be somewhere you've been to IRL, somewhere you *want* to go to or you can just make something up... just go with the flow and do whatever feels right
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