Lived Experience Forum

[D1ng0]

Hey @Snowie, I'm glad you've found something which works for you, and thank you for the solidarity.

[Zoe7]

Yeah it can @D1ng0 I was always tired and even fell asleep at work momentarily a few times. 

It did take me a couple of years to get the initial sleep issues under control but that was also down to trauma (a long story I won't go into here). Once we found the right meds, dosages and combinations, sleep began to come easier. I did need to collect them daily for a while but once the sleep finally began to improve (and the nightmares eased), it did continue to improve. It certainly was not overnight - and there were many bumps in the road. I also do not work as much at night as I used to - that has been a big change also and really helped with stress levels. I used to worry I did not have everything done for work but now I accept what I can and can't do and give myself time to decompress and relax before bed. That, too, has really helped - being relaxed, not worrying about things and actually having enough time to sleep has been a game changer.

[SkySeeker22]

Hi @D1ng0 

It look like you've already got some great tips here, but I just thought I'd share some things that have helped me, in case they are of some use to you.

Nightmares/night terrors are awful.  I'm sorry you are experiencing these along with your other sleep issues.  I know when I have a nightmare I always wake up in fight/flight mode.  It usually takes me a few minutes to calm down enough and tell myself that it was a nightmare, but I'm still left with a full body "something is not right" feeling that can be hard to shake.  I find that getting out of bed in these instances helps as it breaks me away from the environment where I experienced the nightmare.  Just sitting on the couch with a glass of water seems to help.  When I go back to bed , I play "sleep stories" on my phone.  There are apps that are available for these but also some on YouTube etc.  Even on the  nights I don't get back to sleep, its nice to just lay there and have a nice calming story to listen to and focus on instead of letting thoughts wander onto other things that may be triggering. 

Warm regards

SkySeeker22

[D1ng0]

Hey @SkySeeker22, thanks very much for the insight and solidarity, it's really appreciated! I've never heard of sleep stories before, they sound really relaxing. I'll give some a listen.

[Jasper_123]

@D1ng0 - one of the ways that helps managing BPD is good sleep so here's some of my basic tips 

1. Limiting screen time before bed (I know for some people this isn't possible!! But if you can turn the brightness down or get glasses to repress the blue light that's still better) 
2. Other things you can do are reading! I love podcasts at this point my body falls asleep very quickly. 
3. Exercise (if possible for you) 
4. A good bedtime routine eg. journalling, skincare+tooth care, audiobook in bed, sleep (have a set time) 
5. Don't eat too close to bed!