Chasing Sleep: Life with Insomnia

By: Matthew White Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Living without sleep can be devastating, as anyone who suffers from insomnia knows. In the following vignettes, three people share how chasing sleep has had a profound impact on their lives.

A Day Late, A Dollar Short
Fran, a fifty-something sales professional, sleeps fitfully most nights. She works long hours and suspects that's due, in part, to her difficulty staying on task. Her greatest challenge at work, however, is an inability to stay on schedule. In years past, Fran never missed a meeting; in fact, she was usually the first to arrive. Since insomnia has taken over her life, though, missed appointments have become commonplace.

Because Fran's livelihood is sales, being late to an appointment can equal loss of income. Compounding her troubles is her difficulty paying attention during those appointments. Believing herself to be suffering Attention Deficit Disorder, she had herself tested but the results were inconclusive. Much more likely, the psychologist concluded, was that her chronic insomnia was interfering with her focus.

Taking steps to get her sleeping back on track, Fran found herself back in the game once sleepless nights were rare. Her schedule no longer derailed, she breezed through presentations and her sales figures climbed. Who would have thought getting a good night's sleep could have such an impact on her bottom line?

A Study in Sleep Deprivation
Rick, on the other hand, was still training for his career. Smart and ambitious, he carried a heavy course load at college. Determined to be at the top of his class, Rick studied late into the night the first year at school and did well in every course.

Unfortunately, his habit of skipping sleep evolved into a pattern of chronic insomnia the following year. No longer able to shut down after studying, his mind raced for hours after he hit the pillow. As a result, his grades began to suffer, and staying awake in class became a real struggle. His normally copious notes from lectures dwindled to sketchy outlines of what he remembered. His standing in his class plummeted, bringing on a new anxiety that kept him awake nights.

Late in his sophomore year, Rick's fiancé suggested he take part in a sleep study. He learned he was seriously sleep-deprived, at a level that endangered his health. An irregular heart rate and slowed metabolism were two of the warning signals that his body was craving sleep. He'd known he was overly-tired, but had no idea his lack of sleep could have such an impact on his body's systems. This "wake-up call" was the impetus he needed to take action to end his insomnia.

Insomnia Runs in the Family
Which brings us to Anna, a stay-at-home mother with three small children. During her days, Anna worked efficiently to keep her household in order. Her youngest child recently developed colic, triggering a pattern of interrupted sleep. Even as his symptoms subsided, her sleep remained fractured, to the point she was sleeping no more than an hour at a time without waking.

Anna's husband was the first to realize she had moved beyond tiredness to serious fatigue. His normally cheerful wife was having outbursts of rage, and the children were reacting to the tension. Even with his extra help around the house, Anna swung between exhaustion and anger.

I'd love to tell you that Anna was able to quickly find her balance, but her chronic lack of sleep continued to take its toll on the family. Not only were everyday chores neglected, her relationship with her husband also suffered. Anna balked when he suggested they find help to restore her normal sleep patterns. Ironically, the long-term lack of sleep left Anna depressed and unmotivated to find a cure for her insomnia.

Only when her husband suggested a separation did Anna realize the toll her sleep deprivation had taken. Working with her naturopath, Anna found her way back to a full night's sleep. She marvels now at the tragic legacy her insomnia could have had for her children, and is grateful every night for a good night's sleep.

From stories like these and countless others, we know that insomnia impacts much more than a person's sleep. The complex systems of the body can be seriously disrupted when restorative sleep is absent. Our bodies, our minds and our emotions are linked inexorably with the balance of sleeping and wakefulness each of us needs.

Whether caused by all-night study sessions gone amok, a disruption in the family schedule or a cause we may not recognize, finding a way to regain normal sleep patterns is essential. When sleeplessness threatens our health, our families or our livelihood, it's time to get answers for what's keeping us awake.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Matthew White, the Sultan of Snooze, is the author of "Sleep Anywhere Anytime in 7 Minutes or Less" and "Eliminate Jet Lag Now". In his experience nearly all insomnia is curable. His work has proved this countless times. Matthew's mission is to pull back the curtain on those cures. Follow him on * Twitter * Facebook