Has anyone experienced this?
 

I'm going to try my best to put this into words because I'm desperate for help and what has been happening to me is very strange. Never had sleep issues until my head injury by the way. Recently, and I've noticed this is getting worse, as soon as I close my eyes I start having these random thoughts pop into my head- almost as if I'm in a dream. Then, I feel myself slipping into a state of anxiety and panic which wakes me up.

This is all uncontrollable. It's more than just lying in bed thinking about things to be done or stressful issues. I'm so tired that as soon as I close my eyes, these uncontrollable images and scenarios come into my head. I don't know if it's my subconscious thinking I'm going crazy and waking me up but it is making me have major sleep issues.

I slept for two hours last night and was never able to get back to sleep. Even this morning I tried to go back to sleep and the same thing happened about 5 or 6 times in the course of not even an hour.

I am taking Remeron (Mirtazapine) at night and it doesn't seem to be helping anymore. I didn't know if anyone has ever experienced anything like this. After I am fully awake after the panic feelings I always calm myself down and try to get to sleep. I've tried relaxing and clearing my mind but nothing is working.

Sorry for the lengthy post but this is making me feel very mentally unstable and I am so tired during the day it is hard to function. Thanks.

I dont have any help for you, but i have recently (in the past few weeks) started experiencing very similar sleeping issues with racing thoughts that keep me awake all night. Last night i woke at 130 and wasn't able to get back to sleep again. Its almost like I'm dreaming because the thoughts are so vivid and dream like but i am awake (tossing and turning). Hopefully someone has some advice.

Yeah - that happens to me too. I usually try to repeat a mantra over and over and when the thoughts come in like that I just try to continue to focus on repeating the mantra (in my head). If that doesn't work then I take xanax.

I know exactly what you are talking about....and it seems to happen when I have had an overwhelming day. I may have a grip on it by the time I go to bed, but my brain apparently has not. I fall asleep, and awake to the utmost panic, most of the time it feels like I am dying in my dream. That my mind is so far disconnected to my body...and I am startled awake from the crazy, can't go back to sleep and because of the lack of sleep...it offers me a day of more crazy...

Same here. Sleep issues big time. My brain doesnt really "think" like yours is when attempting to sleep. Over the past few months ive mastered shutting down my thought process while attempting to sleep.

Thing is the most I ever get is "groggy" when I sleep. Ill go in an out of sleep so to speak, but im always aware of whats going on when im lying in bed. Its rather annoying, and is clearly not helping my situation.

Ive tried prescription sleep meds, no dice. Ive also tried melatonin mixed with otc sleep meds. Nothing.

In one aspect though, its not all bad all the time. I seem to go through cycles. Ill get mabe 1-2 hours a sleep a night for a month. The next month ill get 4-6 hours. Then the next month 1-2 hours. Its weird. Lately even though im self aware, I "daydream" during these times and have some random random dreams. Its because of the melatonin though, as I always have gotten those when taking them.

Yes, Brain injury seems to come with many strange sleep issues. Earlier this year I had a series of nightmares - really awful stuff. It did get easier to sleep well after that.

Hopefully you will find something that helps.

Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone.

Kevbo- what meds have you tried if you don't mind me asking...

EsthersDoll- what do you repeat that helps you? I want to try and keep the benzos to a last resort. I have them and I will use them if its get too bad however.

I would be up 24-48 hours when my injury first happened. I started** of Neurontin along with Ambien at bedtime and I started sleeping like semi normal person again. The Ambien helps but the Neurontin has been the game changer.
?I used to wake up with tremors and burning and Neurontin got rid of that too recently.
Please keep trying to get answers and help, everybody,

I repeat "Om Namah Shivaya" - but that is a personal choice. Traditionally, it is accepted to be a powerful healing mantra beneficial for all physical and mental ailments and it has been defined as meaning "I honor the divinity within me". (Taken from the Wikipedia Page)

But there are lots of mantras out there...

"Shanti Shanti Shanti" - means peace, rest, calmness, tranquility, or bliss x3

And before I started chanting Hindu/Sanskrit mantras (long before the concussion) I would say "Everything is in Divine Order" over and over again to remind myself that it was - especially when I felt like life wasn't in Divine Order. ;)

You can make up your own mantra (or chant or prayer) according to your own spiritual beliefs, or you can find one online, or you can get one from a spiritual leader in your life.

I believe every religion or spiritual practice can include mantras, or chants. You might even repeat a prayer, or recite a hymn, or a portion of a prayer or a hymn that brings you a feeling of peace or solace, or one that happens to resonate with you at the time.

@RAllen82 It sounds like anxiety about sleep and perhaps too much stimulation in the day, do you wind down enough before bed? For getting to sleep to help clear my mind I think about something specific, like fixing a car engine, as I think about the procedure it directs my mind and reigns it in. Sometimes I think of some good experience like walking across a beach, or something that makes me happy. For the first few months I found it hard to sit down and relax, I had to force myself to do it! Eventually tiredness replaces fatigue and relaxing comes back.

I was prescribed Tamazepam a week after my injury when my PCS struck, it only used to knocked me out only for 4 hours so even benzo's don't work as they would normally.

These days (6 months in) I fall asleep OK, but will sleep for an hour, wake then sleep for 3-4 hours, wake again then find it really hard to get off a third time, I just drift into a weird semi sleep dream state similar to @kevbo887, so frustrating! I've yet to break the 4 hour barrier. If we could just get 7 hours straight sleep wouldn't that be great!

Super,
The anxiety/ sleep cycle is so vicious, I don't know which one came first! I probably do have pretty high sleep anxiety, but I find that oddly enough I am calm in the hours before bed. I've been making myself stay up for as long as possible before turning in and taking my nightly meds (10-11pm). Your advice about clearing the mind is helpful- I will try it.

I too was prescribed Ativan after my injury and it was the same thing you are describing. I actually woke after two hours in more panic and anxiety than what I had before I laid down. It was awful. I take Remeron (Mirtazapine) now. It just makes me feel so exhausted the next day.

I'm with you- even 5 hours of straight sleep and I'd back flip out of the bed in excitement! Thanks for the reply. And on a good note- I actually slept "well" lat night. No "mini" panic attacks so I'm hoping this starts a good trend. I'm cautiously optimistic!

Rallen, Id recommend youd try to almost put yourself into a meditation mindset before falling asleep.

For example, the first few months of my injury I would either sleep a ton(because of a lot of meds), or not sleep at all. For the times I wasnt sleeping at all I would find myself having anxiety, thinking about the future, the past, whats going to happen ect.

I figured it out, from people on this forum, that recommended to just not think before bed, its hard, and it takes a lot of practice, but I have it down pretty good now. I make sure I dont use a phone, computer, tv ect at least an hour before bed. I try to meditate almost, just relax. It helps to clear your mind. With that said though, I just dont sleep well. I fall into a trance, but just dont get much sleep.

Ive talked to my dr about it, and hes said its very common with pcs. He claims the fact that I go through cycles where I get some ok sleep, and then cycles with hardly any sleep, is actually a good thing. It means my body is figuring it out on its own, and one day my sleep will return to normal.

I think he actually has a decent point with that one. But, we will see I guess.

Kev
Thank you for your advice. I am going to make an effort to stay off the computer and turn the lights down at around 9 to begin preparing for sleep.

I am glad that your doctor gave you the good news. It makes sense about the cycles of sleep- looking back since my accident there has been no rhyme or reason to the way each night unfolds. I know it's hard to be positive when things are so different than the way they were before. I hope all of us continue to get better and God will give us the strength to deal with the low parts because we all will have them at some point.

Thanks and hope this day is great for all.

The quick dream state may indicate a hallucination. In order to dream we need to get into REM state, that's when it happens. Its like sitting at your desk and you start drifting off and 'dreaming' right away because you are so tired. That's the bodies way of saying you need rest.
I wonder if a sleep study is called for, to attempt to determine the cause of your sleep issues.
Jamie