Boy, is that the question of the day. And the week, the month... For years now my pain has controlled my sleeping patterns soooo much. Sometimes I go for weeks with only the barest amount of sleep, and I turn into a zombie. Other times I sleep 12-14 hours at a stretch making up for it, which is almost as bad.

For the first few years I felt guilty all the time, either because I couldn't do anything due to exhaustion, or for not waking up until two in the afternoon, when the day was already half gone. It still makes me feel bad, and does nothing to lessen the pain. Psychologically, when I do get to sleep I tend to hold on to it as tightly as I can. I fight against waking up, because in my sleeping dreams everything is normal again. I do fun things with my family and friends, and my wife loves me still.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that loss of sleep due to pain is a problem that has to be dealt with on a person-by-person basis. You have to find out a system that works for you, or at least lessens the problem. I hope you do find that system as soon as you possibly can, and start getting some really deep sleep. Because it's during that sleep that our body does most to heal itself. So not sleeping can lead to a vicious, self-reinforcing cycle.

I will send you my prayers and the best wishes I have that you figure this all out soon!

Idealist