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A Lifetime Without Sleep

I'm a middle aged man that for the best part of my adult life hasn't had a good nights sleep. It didn't bother me when I was younger (& bullet proof) but in recent years has resulted in fairly severe bouts of stress & related depression. Talk about soul searching! I've explored every nook & cranny of my life trying to expose any specific reason/s for my sleeplessness, even to the point where a psychologist suggested that there wasn't a reason! I JUST CANNOT GET MEANINGFUL SLEEP.


Unfortunately for me my depression leads to anxiety related OCB which fills my head with all manner of irrational thoughts. My day to day memory is terrible & it takes all my strength just to function. I've tried every gimmicky product/ method there is but nothing works. I'm not even sure why I'm writing this blog as I just cannot see light at the end of the tunnel. I haven't given up yet but bloody hell I'm close.

Comments for A Lifetime Without Sleep

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Oct 04, 2011
 Don't give up
by: Anonymous

I am the same as you - my mother said I never slept well as a child and now in middle age it is worse. I can only work part time if I want to avoid anxiety and depression. Recently, an internist sent me to a sleep specialist who thinks I have upper airway resistance syndrome because I wake frequently without knowing why and have symptoms/ indicators that point to it. A regular home sleep apnea test did not pick this up. In short, don't give up asking for a specialist, sleep study etc. I recommend the book by Dr. Dement - The Promise of Sleep. Every sleep disorder known is covered including my possible problem (though not extensively). The treatment for my possible issue is a CPAP for which I will have to look for funds from a charity as it is not covererd on my health plan. Blessings.

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About This Site

Welcome! This site is continuously being created by students of Dr. William C. Dement's Sleep And Dreams course at Stanford University.

We made this site as a call to action for people all over the world to live healthier, happier, safer, and more productive lives by learning about their own sleep. We have faith that reading the information provided on this site will motivate you to be smart about your sleep deprivation and strategic about your alertness in order to live life to your fullest, most energetic potential.

In fact, we challenge you to do so! What do you say, are you up for the challenge?

A Note On Visitor-Submitted Questions:

Publishing sleep stories and questions from our visitors is meant to create a forum for open and proactive dialogue about an extremely important portion of our lives (one that occupies 1/3 of it and affects the other 2/3) that isn't talked about enough. It is not meant to substitute a trip to the doctor or the advice of a specialist. It's good to talk; it is not good to avoid consulting someone who's profession it is to help you with this kind of stuff.

If you are in any way concerned about your sleep health, don't wait for an answer on here, and don't necessarily rely on them. See a sleep specialist in your area as soon as possible.

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The Stanford Sleep Book

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Dr. Dement's pioneering textbook has been the core text for Sleep and Dreams since 1980, but it has just recently been made available to the wider public for the first time.

In it you'll find a more detailed account of the most important things you need to know about sleep, alertness, dreams, and sleep disorders. Studies, statistics, plus plenty of Dr. Dement's classic anecdotes painting the history of sleep medicine.

Preface | Intro | Contents | Get A Copy

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The Zeo

Track Your Own Sleep With Zeo

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Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide

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