Well although the sleep deprivation technique  is working right now, I have some concern it may not work in the long run.

The reason being, I have such severe arthritis ( pinching nerves and such) that my body just cries out for an nap in the afternoon. I have been 97 percent sucessful for now, in just laying down but usually not falling asleep......but in the future......?????

And I have taken ambian and trazadone, and other sleep meds.....but my sleep doc says they keep you from REM sleep

or

at least that's what I thought I heard? I could be wrong, I am not sure if its the sleep apnea or the meds that make me sometimes confused.

So feel free to correct me if I am wrong. That way I won't worry if somewhere down the line I may need to take sleep aids again.

But for now I am happy it is working....I really didn't think it would.

Guest,

thank you. I also have pinched nerves and move around a lot at night. For 20 years I have managed the pain by taking a nap in the afternoon. My pain doc started me on this years ago. However, now my new sleep doc says I should not take naps in the afternoon.

I don't know who is correct. However, I do know that I am in much less pain at night if I take a 30 min nap during the day. On those days when I am not tired I do a simple self-hypnosis countdown and that at least makes a good alpha wave start and my muscles begin to relax.

Stevew

Well. it's 1:56 AM EDT and here I sit, perusing my favorite forum!  Had my regular dose of Temazepam and I could use another one or two.  I won't indulge myself.  I've been taking prescribed sleep aids forever.  If not I would be among the walking dead...maybe I am.  With All Saints Eve just around the corner, I don't even have to fake my funny gait as I think I broke my toe last week and it still hurts like the devil.  I am totally compliant on my treatment with the exception of nights like this when I awake for no good reason.  I've been an insomniac longer than I've been apneac (is that a word?).God bless all the precious little "hoseheads" and give them lots of Rem.   Your loving JuJu!

For over 20 years my normal bedtime has been about 3:am.  I am just a night owl. Have been all my life. Even structured my job around it. I am trying to go to sleep by midnight, but it is just not my lifestyle.

Tonight I stayed up watching the special features on disc 2 of the Phantom of the Opera. I wonder why I chose to watch the Phantom of the Opera when I have such resistance to the cpap mask?!????  There has to be some psychological reason for that.

good night,

Stevew