4 ms·

As someone who's been a chronic primary insomniac my whole life, I would not be surprised if I die young despite being very physically fit and healthy. My const

by Puer 9y ago

As someone who's been a chronic primary insomniac my whole life, I would not be surprised if I die young despite being very physically fit and healthy. My constant sleep deprivation has already taken a significant toll on my capacity to concentrate and it was the bane of my life during high school/university. It'd be interesting to find out what the actual physical state of my brain is after operating for several decades on 2-4 hours of sleep every night.

sametmax 9y ago
I find the topic of insomnia fascinating because it's so alien to me. In the Stephen King's book "Insomnia", the main character explains that you being sleepy and tired can actually be uncorrelated. It's like saying that you can't drink water when you are thirsty. It's so weird.
- Puer 9y ago
  That's exactly it. I'm in a perpetual state of being "tired", but rarely ever (outside of specific timing windows) in a state of being sleepy. This is partly because I also have a correlated condition called "Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder" which means my natural circadian rhythm is shifted (and unfortunately not in alignment with social norms for when I should be alert and asleep). Sleepiness is the feeling you experience right before you actually fall asleep; the overwhelming relaxation that drags you into the unconscious. Tiredness is being too exhausted to feel or express emotion. You're awake, but mentally absent, and incapable of completing any productive task. It's one of the most frustrating feelings in the world to be unable to do something as simple as sleep. I'm extremely jealous of the people, like my roommate in college, who can seemingly will themselves into sleep within 5 minutes of laying their head down. My insomnia was especially difficult to deal with while I was in school because it made me prone to stupid mistakes on exams. I would often misread or glaze over important details, especially on any trick or multiple choice questions, and in more than one class those little mistakes cost me grade points. It also often didn't matter how much I would study as my memory retention was horrible. Anyone who's read a book whilst tired can attest how difficult it is to not only process the words on the page, but to remember them for later.
  - sametmax 9y ago
    I really want to experiment polyphasic sleep, but people that tried it always say the first 2 weeks are hell. Sounds like your entire life looks like those 2 weeks. What kind of task can you perform that is not immediately 10 times harder under those conditions ? P.S: I'm like your friend, I sleep like a baby. Actually less than 7 hours of sleeps makes me feel like crap.
    - Puer 9y ago
      I don't really know if I can answer that question because I have no point of reference to what's "normal." It wasn't until high school that I found out it wasn't normal to take 3-4 hours to fall asleep every night. This is how I've been my entire life. Athletically I was able to compete with my track and soccer teammates without issue, but lifting weights is an area I lack in because sleep is so important to the development of raw strength. It isn't something I dwell on---I've lived for it so long I've gotten over it--but I do sometimes wonder in a curious way how much more I could have achieved without these sleeping issues. I used to want to be a doctor, but with this condition achieving the grades necessary to get into medical school was impossible (on a consistent basis, anyway).
      - pmoriarty 9y ago
        "It wasn't until high school that I found out it wasn't normal to take 3-4 hours to fall asleep every night. This is how I've been my entire life." Do you drink caffeine or take any other stimulants? They could definitely have an adverse effect on your sleep.
        Puer 9y ago
        Absolutely zero caffeine or stimulants. Caffeine makes me feel sick so I've never gotten into the habit of drinking it and I've found it doesn't really help my "alertness" when I'm tired anyway.
    - ASalazarMX 9y ago
      I tried and it's not worth it. You get much more free time, but all your schedule revolves around always having a place to take a nap on time. Miss your schedule and you fall back to normal sleep pretty quick. Besides that, my impression was that injuries heal slower with polyphasic sleep.
kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
Try exercising to the point of exhaustion and see how it affects your sleep.
- Puer 9y ago
  I appreciate the sentiment, but trust me: if there's a "solution" out there, I've tried it (Yes, I have in fact heard of melatonin! No, it doesn't help, thank you.) My chronic insomnia is "primary" meaning it persists in the absence of other factors. I'm not depressed. I get enough sun exposure. I take my supplements. I have a comfy mattress. I practice good sleep hygiene. I use blue light filters and don't use my phone/computer before bed. I exercise every day. I eat well and not before bed. I don't have breathing issues. Nothing helps. It's just the hand I was dealt genetically. Furthermore, exercising to the point of exhaustion is reckless and I've injured myself over the years doing exactly that because I don't get enough sleep for my body to recover properly. I can run and stay aerobically fit and I played high level soccer for many years when I was younger without too much issue, but activities like weightlifting are a struggle for me. Benchlifting when you're sleep deprived is pointless so I have to fill in on my off days.
  - ASalazarMX 9y ago
    What do you think about sleeping pills?
    - Puer 9y ago
      They're more of a bandage than a solution. Any "true" sleeping pill has to be tapered, so at best you can only take them for a few months at a time before they become ineffective due to tolerance. In my experience, they're also inconsistent and I would still experience a sleepness night about once a week. These are in addition to the usual side effects (oversleeping, daytime grogginess, memory issues, mood issues, etc.) that make long-term use impractical.
      - ASalazarMX 9y ago
        You're right. They are supposed to get you used to a sleep schedule, not to force you to sleep every night. They can't be used forever. As someone else already suggested, meditation might be worth trying. Some people find it harder to calm their thoughts, but those are usually the most benefited.

by Puer 9y ago

sametmax 9y ago

I find the topic of insomnia fascinating because it's so alien to me. In the Stephen King's book "Insomnia", the main character explains that you being sleepy and tired can actually be uncorrelated. It's like saying that you can't drink water when you are thirsty. It's so weird.

Puer 9y ago
That's exactly it. I'm in a perpetual state of being "tired", but rarely ever (outside of specific timing windows) in a state of being sleepy. This is partly because I also have a correlated condition called "Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder" which means my natural circadian rhythm is shifted (and unfortunately not in alignment with social norms for when I should be alert and asleep). Sleepiness is the feeling you experience right before you actually fall asleep; the overwhelming relaxation that drags you into the unconscious. Tiredness is being too exhausted to feel or express emotion. You're awake, but mentally absent, and incapable of completing any productive task. It's one of the most frustrating feelings in the world to be unable to do something as simple as sleep. I'm extremely jealous of the people, like my roommate in college, who can seemingly will themselves into sleep within 5 minutes of laying their head down. My insomnia was especially difficult to deal with while I was in school because it made me prone to stupid mistakes on exams. I would often misread or glaze over important details, especially on any trick or multiple choice questions, and in more than one class those little mistakes cost me grade points. It also often didn't matter how much I would study as my memory retention was horrible. Anyone who's read a book whilst tired can attest how difficult it is to not only process the words on the page, but to remember them for later.
- sametmax 9y ago
  I really want to experiment polyphasic sleep, but people that tried it always say the first 2 weeks are hell. Sounds like your entire life looks like those 2 weeks. What kind of task can you perform that is not immediately 10 times harder under those conditions ? P.S: I'm like your friend, I sleep like a baby. Actually less than 7 hours of sleeps makes me feel like crap.
  - Puer 9y ago
    I don't really know if I can answer that question because I have no point of reference to what's "normal." It wasn't until high school that I found out it wasn't normal to take 3-4 hours to fall asleep every night. This is how I've been my entire life. Athletically I was able to compete with my track and soccer teammates without issue, but lifting weights is an area I lack in because sleep is so important to the development of raw strength. It isn't something I dwell on---I've lived for it so long I've gotten over it--but I do sometimes wonder in a curious way how much more I could have achieved without these sleeping issues. I used to want to be a doctor, but with this condition achieving the grades necessary to get into medical school was impossible (on a consistent basis, anyway).
    - pmoriarty 9y ago
      "It wasn't until high school that I found out it wasn't normal to take 3-4 hours to fall asleep every night. This is how I've been my entire life." Do you drink caffeine or take any other stimulants? They could definitely have an adverse effect on your sleep.
      - Puer 9y ago
        Absolutely zero caffeine or stimulants. Caffeine makes me feel sick so I've never gotten into the habit of drinking it and I've found it doesn't really help my "alertness" when I'm tired anyway.
  - ASalazarMX 9y ago
    I tried and it's not worth it. You get much more free time, but all your schedule revolves around always having a place to take a nap on time. Miss your schedule and you fall back to normal sleep pretty quick. Besides that, my impression was that injuries heal slower with polyphasic sleep.

kevin_thibedeau 9y ago

Try exercising to the point of exhaustion and see how it affects your sleep.

Puer 9y ago
I appreciate the sentiment, but trust me: if there's a "solution" out there, I've tried it (Yes, I have in fact heard of melatonin! No, it doesn't help, thank you.) My chronic insomnia is "primary" meaning it persists in the absence of other factors. I'm not depressed. I get enough sun exposure. I take my supplements. I have a comfy mattress. I practice good sleep hygiene. I use blue light filters and don't use my phone/computer before bed. I exercise every day. I eat well and not before bed. I don't have breathing issues. Nothing helps. It's just the hand I was dealt genetically. Furthermore, exercising to the point of exhaustion is reckless and I've injured myself over the years doing exactly that because I don't get enough sleep for my body to recover properly. I can run and stay aerobically fit and I played high level soccer for many years when I was younger without too much issue, but activities like weightlifting are a struggle for me. Benchlifting when you're sleep deprived is pointless so I have to fill in on my off days.
- ASalazarMX 9y ago
  What do you think about sleeping pills?
  - Puer 9y ago
    They're more of a bandage than a solution. Any "true" sleeping pill has to be tapered, so at best you can only take them for a few months at a time before they become ineffective due to tolerance. In my experience, they're also inconsistent and I would still experience a sleepness night about once a week. These are in addition to the usual side effects (oversleeping, daytime grogginess, memory issues, mood issues, etc.) that make long-term use impractical.
    - ASalazarMX 9y ago
      You're right. They are supposed to get you used to a sleep schedule, not to force you to sleep every night. They can't be used forever. As someone else already suggested, meditation might be worth trying. Some people find it harder to calm their thoughts, but those are usually the most benefited.