Trouble with sleeping

I have been doing really very well with my TMS for several years, essentially pain free for at least 3 years since my first terrible episode, which thankfully led me to Dr. Sarno and actually this forum. For the past 2 weeks or so, my sciatica has come back. I am good at working through it, still keepin up with weight lifting 3 times a week and work and daddy duty and trying to be a better husband. I felt the lead in for my recurrence was a big test I took at the beginning of this month, continued stress and worry over my kids, especially my 9 year old special needs daughter, plus all the rest of the anger and angst I carry with me all the time. The biggest problem I am facing now is that I cannot sleep more than 2 hours without significant pain waking me. Most nights I end up sleeping at the dinning room table, sitting up in a chair. I’m pretty tired. I feel a lot better when I get up and move around, but have been eating meals standing etc, watching TV while standing too. If I could get some regular sleep it would be amazing! As soon as I lay down I can start to feel things tightening up. I yell at my butt, at my brain to cut the crap out but in the end (pun intended) it doesn’t help. When I am calm, I am certain that things will get better and I try to be patient, but in the middle of the night I do get a little desperate sometimes. Anyone have some suggestions on how to approach this better? Thanks in advance!

 

Have a peek at this post by @Ellen. Hopefully there will be some insights for you.

http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/recovery-from-chronic-insomnia.16653/ (Recovery from Chronic Insomnia)

 

Thanks for the advice and the direction. It's interesting but a lot of what she said is exactly what I tell my patients who are suffering from insomnia. My problem over the last couple of weeks is that after about 1-2 hours I awaken with terrible pain and need to get out of bed, walk around for a while and eventually I can sleep again but only while sitting up in a hard chair, like at my dining room table. What I have been trying, and with the reinforcement of Ellen's post, I will try harder, is to let what is, just be. It is difficult to just go with the flow when the rest of the world is asleep and my sciatica is through the roof just because I was laying down, but I will just do what I can and let the process work itself out. Btw, sleeping aids, meds, etc are absolutely no use, which is exactly what I expected since I know the pain is from TMS, but I'll have to admit that I was trying to get away with using some Valium etc. One of the things I have successfully done for myself with my "regular" insomnia is exactly what Ellen said. I refer to it as, removing myself from the argument. It has been very effective in helping me destress and get good sleep, but, and I just realized this now, I guess the stinking TMS realized I beat the insomnia that way and therefore changed the problem on me, much like how someone beating sciatica suddenly developes shoulder pain. Hmmmmm, very interesting...

 

Here's a great article on what is sleep. You are not awake alone in the middle of the night, a lot of the rest of the world is up too. I actually look forward to waking up now, and getting stuff done while things are quiet :

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16964783 (The myth of the eight-hour sleep)

I also had sciatica years ago, I rigged up a winch above my bed to stretch out my leg--my sciatica is completely gone now and I sleep well.

Do you get any exercise so you get physically tired enough to need sleep?

Napping is good.

 

So just a follow up... I decided to sleep on the living room floor last night, with legs elevated and a small pillow under the small of my back. After an hour or so barely avoided the mother of all cramps in my calf, but actually settled into a good position on my side and slept a straight 5 hours!!! When I woke, getting up and walking around was hard as heck, but eventually got things rolling again and was able to get on with my day. I figure the floor is my bed for now, but in the meantime I am going to check out the programs on the home page and try to work through them. It's amazing how having one good night's sleep makes such a difference! I am much less anxious about going to sleep tonight.