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The Mental Health Council of Tasmania (MHCT) is a member based peak body. We represent and promote the interests of community managed mental health services and have a strong commitment to enabling better access and outcomes for every Tasmanian.

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

Hello @Captain24 , @Jynx , @tyme , @Bow , @SmilingGecko , @Meowmy @MedicinalGypsy , @MermaidHair @tonys , @PeppiPatty , @Healandlove , @DogMan79 , @D1ng0 @Jasper_123 

 

how is everyone going with their sleep 

my update is that I have a sleep apnea machine to help me now , takes a little while to get used to the nose mask i have to wear everynight   

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

3 years broken sleep every hr or so awake running on empty. So glad it's supporting you as sleep is everything

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

hugs @MedicinalGypsy 

I still get up 3 times a night though 

and my husband has broken night sleep every night

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

Oooo I understand my hubby too gets woken at times

I dream of sleeping all night one day

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

ohhh us too @MedicinalGypsy ♥️

 

are you able to nap or get some sleep through the day ?

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

@Shaz51

My sleep is better than I probably described earlier

My current care team take a hands off approach to sleep. We really don't discuss it unless I bring it up. Then they awkwardly try not to trigger me

So those things have minimised the Trauma Response and some of the PTSD Triggers associated with sleep. Which means that I haven't been forcing wakefulness and deliberately or actively avoiding sleep

I've mostly just been letting my body decide when it's tired. I haven't journaled hours but I'm guessing 8 to 10 hours sleep. The wake cycle probably varies between 15 and 20 hours or so. But I haven't had cause to be consciously aware of my sleep cycles as I say. Which has minimised the assault of trauma responses at the slightest mention of sleep from before

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

@Shaz51 @Jynx @Captain24 

 

I'm glad the appeal machine is helping with the sleep. I'm getting an average of 6hrs sleep at night. Not great. I stay up late working to catch up and then have meetings as early as 6am in the morning due to timezone differences.  I'm an early riser but should be going to sleep earlier. By the time I'm done putting the kids to bed and spending some time with husband just watching some TV for 10min I then work for a couple of hours before going to bed. Most of the time husband stays up waiting for me to go to bed.

 

He has nightmares almost every night so that wakes me up as well. Does MrShaz twitch in his sleep? My husband does that a lot. He also wakes up at 4am every day and can't get back to sleep till 5.30am. He needs to be up by 7am to help with kids getting ready for school etc while I do meetings.  He takes magnesium sleep tablets but they don't help keeping him asleep.  

His therapist says it's his cptsd. I also read somewhere that the amygdala doesn't sleep and that 2am to 4am is the most common time it is at its most activity. The amydgala of people with cptsd is shaped differently as it has developed differently due to the trauma.

 

@Captain24 have the nightmares gotten better? I hope so. ❤️‍🩹

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

Occasionally I fall asleep I running high cortisol I believe I get Max 2 hours straight at night sometimes a hour during the day I live a extremely stressful state to be honest

Re: Counting Sheep ~ The Importance of Sleep!

That's sounds so tough @MedicinalGypsy . Stress can really affect sleep. Hope you get a better sleep tonight. 

Mental Health Council of Tasmania