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I’ve just realized something important. I’ve suffered with sleep maintenance insomnia since 2010 or a little sooner than that, I can’t remember exactly when. I’ve shared with many of you here with how my faith has developed for the better over time since having a faith crisis in the church. I enjoyed going to church, felt uplifted taking the sacrament, and have enjoyed fellowship with my friends of the ward, before COVID-19. I’ve felt like this even with the way my faith has changed. However, I’ve felt a bit uncomfortable in my own skin there. Although I still get uplifted with some of the online videos that are posted by the local members and general leadership, I still feel that discomfort. I’ve tried easing the discomfort with mainly personal inspiration, but there is so many unanswered questions that just plague my mind. I’ve finally that is what has been causing this form of insomnia for me. In the past, I’ve shared some of my struggles with the church with my family, specifically my parents. I have a great relationship with my parents that are traditional converts to the church, and we love each other alot and they’re aware that members of the church, even the leaders, can be capable of great good and evil, but, with the way my faith has changed over time, they can only understand so much. Is there any suggestions you could offer? Do you think that if you solve the “sleep maintenance insomnia” that it would solve your issues with the church? What is sleep maintenance insomnia? Is it the same as regular insomnia?
Have you tried medicine to help you sleep? I have a close friend for whom OTC medicine works and another friend who has a prescription. For them, nothing else worked.
Sleep maintenance insomnia is the type of insomnia that causes to people wake up in the middle of the night, instead of not being able to sleep. I have that. I was saying it’s apparent to me through inspiration that I strongly believe to be from God, that how I’ve been dealing with my issues regarding the church has been causing me sleep problems for a long time. I’ve tried just not letting the issues get to me at all, but the stress is manifesting itself in my sleep. I’ve accepted a long time ago that my faith in the church will never truly be traditional as it used to. I’ve pretty much accepted that. There are time I’ve prayed to ask if I should still stay in the church or resign, and I still get the impression to stay. I’m just asking if anyone can give advice on how to do with my issues in on better way. I don’t want to unload on my parents about this or most any members of the church about my issues. I don’t want to become bitter. There are so many websites with former members that are super bitter towards the church already, so I don’t want to add to that. Any recommendations? Old-Timer, I’ve tried prescription meds and none have worked so far. I’m on an advanced type of OTC melatonin and nothing’s changed. In fact, I’ve been using for a year or two and nothing’s changed. Even tried changing my sleep positions, ear plugs, different types of pillows, and all the little details my doctor, psychiatrist, and the medical websites say to do to treat insomnia. All with no success. So I prayed this morning, asking God some yes or no questions about what might be causing this. After the process of elimination in this way, I asked the Lord if my issues with the church from my faith transition has been causing my sleep maintenance insomnia and I got a strong positive yes. It sounds like you have put a lot of thought & effort into understanding what’s happening in your life. Is it physical?
Is it spiritual?
Could it be emotional?
etc.
In my opinion, it could be all of the above.
In my area of the US, we have sleep clinics that study & diagnose sleep issues & potential health problems related
to interrupted sleep. I’ve gone to them twice with mixed results. They diagnosed Sleep Apnea & prescribed a sleep
apnea machine that forces air into my lungs on a regular basis & measures interruptions in my breathing during the
night. It does help me to go to sleep without medication & sleep soundly through the night. I still wake up tired in
the morning.
The toughest thing in supporting you is that you’ve tried a lot already. I also have and have had sleep maintenance insomnia, but usually only during times of high stress (usually work related). Melatonin also does nothing for me, but an OTC med does at least ease the issue – but I also haven’t had the insomnia for 10 years running. My other thought was professional counseling, but you see a psychiatrist. Maybe a psychologist? DJ brings up a good point. What works for one person may not work for another. That can apply to not only physical ailments but emotional & spiritual issues as well.
I like & use Melatonin. It may not work for someone else.
Some people get a lot out of praying. I like to meditate instead.
You all bring up some good points. When I mean psychiatrist I mean the doctor that subscribes my anxiety medications at the mental health facility I go to. Sometimes I ask her for advice when I need to talk to someone and she gives me some advice. Now, for psychologists or counselors, from that place, I’ve had two consistent ones. One helped me with my OCD scrupulosity and for some of the addictions I’ve mentioned on here. I first saw my young singles branch president before I even knew I had OCD. Although my branch president was a very nice guy and trained in psychology, he couldn’t really help me with my addictions and my OCD, even if I didn’t know I had OCD. In fact, everything seemed worse. I originally had plans to go to see a counselor in the LDS Social Services, with my OCD scrupulosity. However, that didn’t work out as planned. The LDS counselor worked at the stake center that was good one-drive away from my town. It’s a good thing it didn’t work out as planned. Things might have become too unbearable. Two other counselors I had to see were just temporary. The last psychologist I saw about a year two ago was to help me with some of my anxiety regarding my faith transition. It helped some, but maybe not enough if I’m in the situation I’m in. I’ve thought about sleep apnea, but when I wake up I seem to wake without breathing problems, it doesn’t seem like my snoring wakes me up, and I don’t wake up tired. My body just wakes up.
Minyan Man, you said,
Quote:It sounds like you have put a lot of thought & effort into understanding what’s happening in your life.
Is it physical?
Is it spiritual?
Could it be emotional?
etc.
I wonder if it’s all three now. Well, I’ll be seeing my medical doctor and my psychiatrist next month. If I’m actually wrong about what I believe to be causing my sleep problems, than it might be something else. I don’t know about sleep apnea, but I’ll find out.
I am sorry for what you are going through. It can be difficult to function and have high quality of life without adequate sleep. I wonder if it might be easiest to take a sabbatical from the LDS church and see if that helps. I believe this to be a low cost experiment because you can always cut your sabbatical short if it doesn’t seem to be helping.
Roy wrote:
I am sorry for what you are going through. It can be difficult to function and have high quality of life without adequate sleep.I wonder if it might be easiest to take a sabbatical from the LDS church and see if that helps. I believe this to be a low cost experiment because you can always cut your sabbatical short if it doesn’t seem to be helping.
And we’ve already got a start on sabbaticals!
🙂 Maybe in addition to just not going to church a mental sabbatical is in order, although that may be easier said than done.Roy, I have thought of taking a sabbatical. In fact, when I was inactive at one time, I was sorta doing that. However, I eventually felt I needed to go back. I was visiting my parents this Sunday for Father’s Day and I didn’t realize that, even though my dad has had his health problems caused by used to having his radiation treatments for cancer, my parents had distanced themselves from the ward. I said in their case a change of location might help. I have been enjoying home church in my apartment since the church shut down due to the COVID-19, but a part of me misses the fellowship. There some family friends in my ward that seen and supported me through my various stages of faith. I’m real close friend with them. However, I don’t want to unload all my concerns on them either. Although my new bishop is a very laid back guy, I don’t know him well enough to share too many of my concerns with him. I have a calling a ward missionary, which I don’t mind. It’s just that where so many members have this eventual hope that all non-members will join the church, I don’t believe everyone will be comfortable as a member of the church no matter how spiritual or “worthy,” “righteous” they are. I believe it may or not be part of their spiritual path. I’m kind of that way when it comes to ministering when it comes to people that are inactive. If people feel prompted to be baptized into the church or be active in it, I welcome it. If they don”t, I support that too. I’m aware that any religious organization wants as many as possible to join and it keep there members involved as possible, I respect that. I just wish respecting people’s spiritual paths could be taught a little more often in many religious organizations, especially our church. Elder Uchtdorf, who I like alot, used to teach that a little bit. Now, I noticed in the April General Conference that his message seems to have changed a little bit. I hope you find a greater measure of peace – at the very least to get restful night’s sleep. Every person has a path that is valid. May we all find joy and meaningfulness in our individual paths.
Roy, thank you. I really appreciate that. I really try to give leadership the benefit of the my church issues regarding racist teachings and how they handled church history in the past, but I only handle so much. I’ve thinking after activity in the church started up again and if eventually things get to hard, I might need to ask my leaders if I can take a mental break. I don’t think that would be a problem because my bishop and my ward mission leader are pretty laid back guys.
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