WoolPippi
Senior Member
- Messages
- 556
- Location
- Netherlands
Yeah, I had cortisol-insomnia for years. Not as bad as your zombie-nights though
I'd fall into bed, wake up after a few hours, be ALERT and AWAKE for about two hours and then fall asleep again and cannot get out of bed afterwards. I figured it was a cortisol rush. Had it for years, from childhood on. Before ME.
Over the summer I fixed it and here's how I did that:
For me that means earplugs, warm bed, safe surroundings, Mg + Li + Valerian root + Echineaforce + Progesteron before bed, no raw veggies during the day, no MIL from hell in my life, no career, no big meals, no insuline spikes, no nutmeg and no vanilla flavouring. Your milage will vary but basically the weirdest thing can set you off. No point in arguing with your body about it ("really? no veggies? They are healthy!" "Yeah ... but no. Here, have some stomach cramps. At night.")
Stress at night is strongly related to stress during the day. Can't fix the first without addressing the last. I snapped out of it with Gupta Amydala techniques and now I can manage daytime stresses better. They wash over me and I guide my body back to ease when the stressor is gone.
I also take 20 mg Hydrocortizone during the day and 100 mg MPO Progesterone at night so my body doesn't have to scramble for anti-stress hormones. This has brought much relaxation over my body.
Here's my timeline for this year:
- April: 45% healthy + insomnia
May: start 100 mg Progesterone each night (it's not a sex hormone) + Gupta Amygdala
June: 65% healthy (!!wtf?) + insomnia
July - Oct: Sleep restriction therapy
Dec: sleep pattern settled, sleep through nearly every night. 85% healthy (yay!!)
PS not saying Sleep Restriction Therapy is the answer. It's dangerous when your body is weak. I had the HC to back me up and have been healing my body for years so had a robust base. Also have a very sensitive body so can monitor wether something's good very quick and in small doses.
I'd fall into bed, wake up after a few hours, be ALERT and AWAKE for about two hours and then fall asleep again and cannot get out of bed afterwards. I figured it was a cortisol rush. Had it for years, from childhood on. Before ME.
Over the summer I fixed it and here's how I did that:
- I spend fewer hours in bed for sleeping. Lights out from 23 till 6.30. With another 45 minutes just laying in bed with bright lights on in the morning to start up (aka waiting for the HC to kick in). These hours are a remedy for sleep, not a result. I did it via Sleep Restriction Therapy but this is a dangerous therapy when you have ME.
- Low tyramine diet (because of MAO A gene) ad lots of vit D (because faulty receptors)
- Got rid of the wiredness. During day as well as night. With valerian root and cognitive behaviour/NLP techniques and not eating anything that startles the body. Basically I eat chicken soup all day every day... and relax my body all the time.
- Taking serious downtime during the day. Horizontal rests for an hour, twice, at least.
For me that means earplugs, warm bed, safe surroundings, Mg + Li + Valerian root + Echineaforce + Progesteron before bed, no raw veggies during the day, no MIL from hell in my life, no career, no big meals, no insuline spikes, no nutmeg and no vanilla flavouring. Your milage will vary but basically the weirdest thing can set you off. No point in arguing with your body about it ("really? no veggies? They are healthy!" "Yeah ... but no. Here, have some stomach cramps. At night.")
Stress at night is strongly related to stress during the day. Can't fix the first without addressing the last. I snapped out of it with Gupta Amydala techniques and now I can manage daytime stresses better. They wash over me and I guide my body back to ease when the stressor is gone.
I also take 20 mg Hydrocortizone during the day and 100 mg MPO Progesterone at night so my body doesn't have to scramble for anti-stress hormones. This has brought much relaxation over my body.
Here's my timeline for this year:
- April: 45% healthy + insomnia
May: start 100 mg Progesterone each night (it's not a sex hormone) + Gupta Amygdala
June: 65% healthy (!!wtf?) + insomnia
July - Oct: Sleep restriction therapy
Dec: sleep pattern settled, sleep through nearly every night. 85% healthy (yay!!)
PS not saying Sleep Restriction Therapy is the answer. It's dangerous when your body is weak. I had the HC to back me up and have been healing my body for years so had a robust base. Also have a very sensitive body so can monitor wether something's good very quick and in small doses.
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