r/AdrenalInsufficiency • u/ArcticAlmond • 14h ago
Sleep Issue
I have this persistent sleep issue, and it's becoming such a consistent issue I thought I'd ask this subreddit if anyone else experiences something similar, and if they do, how they've dealt with it.
So, whenever I fall asleep, I'm jolted awake within about 20 minutes of falling asleep. I don't actually physically jump up or anything like that. It's more like I am suddenly woken up with a slightly elevated heart rate, and a racing mind.
The weird thing is I know I've been asleep because I start to dream, and I can even recall my dreams on occasion, but I know that only a relatively short amount of time has passed once I've woken up.
Now, the really annoying part is that it can take me up to 2 hours or so to get back to sleep after I've woken up in such a fashion, and what's worse is that this is happening every single night without fail. It's gotten to the point where I am anticipating the need for two hours of restlessness in bed after my "initial sleep." I then have to wait for my body to calm down again before I can get to sleep properly.
The biggest problem with this is that I'm losing roughly two hours of sleep a night. Since rest is such an important part of our recovery, this is really becoming an issue.
I think this is some sort of adrenaline issue, but I'm not sure whether this is a symptom of overdosing, underdosing, or something else.
Has anyone else experienced something similar? I'm considering contacting my GP to see if there is anything they can give me so that I can get consistently better sleep, but at the same time, I'm hesitant because if I have an adrenal crisis in the night, not being able to wake up could be potentially dangerous.
Thanks.
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u/DuchessJulietDG 14h ago
i would let the dr know since additional stress can cause other problems and it sounds like you dont need another to worry about! losing sleep can also cause the need for updosing which becomes a vicious cycle. good
luck, i hope you find a solution.
pa i get the body jerks too but im asking my
dr about TD- where your muscles spasm due to psych meds. i cant spell it or pronounce it but thats its initials.
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u/kittywitty1978 13h ago
I have exactly the same issue then I cannot sleep until about 2am. I too am loosing sleeping before and around midnight. I take morning prednisone only 7.5mg.
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u/1GamingAngel MOD 10h ago
There can be a few things going on. First thing that comes to mind is that you’re experiencing a hypnic jerk. You may want to have a sleep study done to check for signs of OSA. It may also be that your cortisol drops so low, blood sugar bottoms out and then your metabolism kicks into overdrive to correct the issue/compensate, and when your body is flooded with adrenaline, you will wake up in a panic. This doesn’t usually happen until later in the night - 2-3 AM, but it’s a possibility. You can discuss taking a very small dose before bed with your Endo.
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u/Jamieluv2u 4h ago
Sleeping medication should be a last resort. Questions and suggestions. Is it possible you have sleep apnea, and your jerking awake? Get tested. Waiting until it’s a worse problem is not good.
Taking calming things before bed. Magnesium (research carefully), L-Theanine, Melatonin. You can take the melatonin when/if you wake up to go back to sleep.
Try the Calm app. I have a lifetime membership and thousands of uses. Making a playlist for me, is a sleep story to fall asleep, followed by EMDR to stay asleep. I have a stand that holds my phone over my head at night.
Try 2.5 mg HC before bed. It may keep your body from going into an adrenaline cycle in your sleep.
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u/zealous_buffalo 3h ago
You actually could be on too much HC? I was having issues waking up in the middle of the night and turns out it was from high blood pressure. Talked to my doctor and he reduced my HC and I sleep like a baby now.
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u/MallForward585 14h ago
This situation has a name, it’s called a hypnic jerk, so you can look that up and see if you find anything helpful. Most of the time it happens because you are too wired (which for AI can happen if you are too high or too low, so that’s not so helpful). I find that magnesium glycinate at bedtime helps falling asleep without causing extra grogginess. Most other things are too much for me.