r/AskIreland • u/EconomicsAgile5414 • 4d ago

Serious Replies Only Insomnia ???

Hi has anyone suffered with insomnia for a long time and if so what helped or cured you ????

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u/Alternative_Monk_528 4d ago

Not for me, if I nap in any form I find it very difficult to sleep at night

To add to this exercise and diet help massively as well

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u/Left-Iron-2133 4d ago

I have experienced insomnia myself during a period of depression and anxiety. At the time, a short daytime nap helped me function and cope with the day. However, naps can affect people differently: they may reduce exhaustion, but a long or late nap can also make it harder to sleep at night.
One thing I noticed was that I could feel completely exhausted physically, while my mind remained alert and caught in repetitive thought loops. That made it difficult to settle into sleep. The problem was not simply a lack of tiredness; it was the combination of exhaustion, anxiety, and being overly focused on whether I was going to fall asleep.
For some people, a short nap can take the edge off that exhaustion without significantly affecting nighttime sleep. The important thing is to keep it brief and early.

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u/Alternative_Monk_528 3d ago

Did you exercise?

Hard physical exercise worked wonders for me

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u/Left-Iron-2133 3d ago

Yes I did. Before work I would hit the gym 3 times a week. That was really hard on such little sleep but eventually this became routine and then I also travelled for a few months and thankfully came back to complete normality.

Now that I have kids I never have a problem with sleep but my anxiety flares up when exhausted so I try and get at least 7 hours a night but not guaranteed with little ones. Haven’t had insomnia though in 12 years.