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I Don't Know If I'm Sleeping!

by Ally
(Canada )

I've suffered from insomnia for years. I am 20 years old and I genuinely don't know why I have insomnia. As I am a university student I will agree that stress is a factor but I had insomnia before I came to university.


The past week I've had this new weird thing in which I do not know if I've slept. I'll be in bed, unable to sleep as usual, and suddenly it's an hour later but I don't remember falling asleep or being asleep. It's as if I pass out (although I never have so I don't know the true sensation of passing out) but that is the best way to describe it.

Is there a name or reason for this? It's really confusing and disorienting when it happens. I stay up for a bit confused after I wake up from it. Please help. And also, I do not and have not ever done drugs so that is not part of it. Alcohol isn't linked to it either. Thank you for your time!

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Aug 14, 2014
 :( NEW
by: Armani

I can totally relate to you ! I've been suffering from the same thing for the past 4 months and it totally sucks. I can no longer tell whether I am sleeping or not. I simply get out of bed in the morning confused and sluggish.
Oct 18, 2014
 Am I sleeping? NEW
by: Anonymous

Yes I can relate to this myself. I do dream a lot but it's not good rem sleep like it should be, can anyone relate to this?
Oct 18, 2014
 Am I sleeping? NEW
by: Anonymous

I am having the same thing happening only I seem to be dreamlng. Has this happened to anyone?
Nov 05, 2014
 me 2 NEW
by: me 2

Ive been through the same thing... im kinda getting used to it.. i dont know what it is...
Jan 12, 2015
 same thing NEW
by: Ajesh

the same thing happens to me..it started 4 years ago...i lay down on my bed ...trying to sleep....but i cant and after that few hours pass and, i know i didnt sleep because i dont feel refreshed...i m 22 and i had insomnia for 5-6 years...it really sucks...
Jan 24, 2015
 Did I NEW
by: Anonymous

I lay in bed sleepy but have trouble actually falling asleep. I do eventually go to sleep, but i wake up approximately 2 hours later, sometimes less. I lay in bed restless so much; I can not tell if i actually get sleep unless i have a dream. I do have several dreams throughout the night because I do wake up a few times during the night.
Aug 03, 2015
 Short Story on the struggles of me waking up NEW
by: Anonymous

I just can't tell the difference between dawn and dusk at bedtime... I yawn infinite times and feel my eyelids getting heavy but nothing. Then i open my eyes to see it's morning but i can't tell if i slept or if i just closed my eyes. ARGHHH!!! It's sooooo annoyinggggg
Aug 23, 2015
 I have the same deal NEW
by: Anonymous

I have a similar problem, I just lie in my bed for hours and then here my family getting up and doing their morning routine. Then I'll try to sleep until I can't anymore and I get up. Obviously I'm getting sleep cause this has been going on for a couple years
Sep 02, 2015
 Sammeeee NEW
by: Anonymous

Omg dude this is currently happening to me. I don't know if I fell asleep unless I check the time. I used to have dreams like once a month or twice every four months but I don't have them anymore since this started
Sep 23, 2015
 Same over here (happened last night) NEW
by: Antony

I literally had the same last night. I'm 19 and i have had insomnia for the last 2 years. The last 3 days i can't sleep at all or maybe i think i don't sleep. Last night the time was about 2 because i checked it and then i tried again to fall asleep and when o opened my eyes i saw light from the blinds, i checked the time and it was 9. At first i felt terrible for not sleeping but then i realized the time passed too soon for not sleeping. So i must have slept without realizing it. It really felt like i closed my eyes for a second and then opened them and it was morning.
Jan 04, 2016
 It's really weird NEW
by: Anonymous

I don't usually have insomnie but it does happen, it isn't completely weird. But after the holidays my body is used to going to sleep at 2 and waking up at 12. So last night I went to bed at 23:00 and set my alarm for 7:30, trying to get used to something closer to normal. The thing is, I don't know if I slept at all. I can't remember if I was awake before my alarm, it feels like I was but I don't remember thinking any conscious thoughts. I could have been up all night for all I know, and I didn't feel tired went my alarm went off, like I was already wide awake. But I'm tired now. Not the want-to-sleep-so-badly kind of tired, more like.... Drowsy. I dunno. Maybe being tired all day will help me fall asleep at night.
Jan 12, 2016
 Sleep disorder NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm a 18 year old student, and have had insomnia for the past 2 years too! I usually feel really tired, but when i lay in my bed, it's like i'm awake and asleep at the same time !? I usually breath super fast for some reason... Can anyone relate ?
Jan 13, 2016
 Sleeping problems NEW
by: T. Arthur

I've been going through the same thing for a couple days now. I'll lay in bed unable to sleep and suddenly I'll 'wake up' having no recollection that I fell asleep or when I actually woke up I will just know that I'm awake. Its like a gap in my memory? For the most part I will feel like I haven't slept at all
Jan 13, 2016
 Same here!! NEW
by: T. Arthur

I've been going through the same thing for a couple days. I'll lay in bed unable to sleep and suddenly I'll 'wake up' having no recollection that I fell asleep or when I actually woke up I will just know that I'm awake. Its like a gap in my memory? For the most part I will feel like I haven't slept at all
Jan 19, 2016
 I am deprived NEW
by: Anonymous

Lol yeah it sucks. I'm 13 and am suffering from the same disorder. I don't know why I have it because at this age you arent't presented with much stress. I go to bed (unable to sleep) then I go into this state where i can't feel time passing. It's either I have dreams or very vivid imaginations. Nevertheless, I wake up tired and sluggish.
Jan 19, 2016
 Doctors NEW
by: T. Arthur

I went to the doctors about it today, and she said that I am most likely sleeping but did provide me with some sleeping tablets. Have you tried going to the doctors about it?
May 05, 2016
 Idk why NEW
by: Anonymous

I am 14 and I don't have insomnia but I fall asleep in class, I will be thinking about something and then next thing I know its an hour later and I had fallen asleep in class. I don't remember sleeping though is this a mental disease or something?
May 07, 2016
 I don't understand NEW
by: Anonymous

This happens to me all the time. I can't tell the difference between a dream and reality! It's like I'm sleeping when I'm awake and like I'm awake when I'm sleeping. I can't focus on anything. I can't fall asleep, not cause I don't want to. It's like my subconscious doesn't want me to and sometimes I feel that if I fall asleep I won't wake because I'll think I am awake! I can't handle it any more! I can't tell the difference from today and yesterday. I can't remember anything anymore. Someone please help me!!
May 10, 2016
 please help NEW
by: Anonymous

this would only happen to me on weekends when I stay out late and usually what would happen is I would be in my room at 1 am watching YouTube or something and close it and put my head down and it feels like no time goes by and I look at the clock and it is 4 and I end up getting 3 or 4 more hours of sleep and it is starting to happen to me more often.
May 10, 2016
 please help NEW
by: Anonymous

this would only happen to me on weekends when I stay out late and usually what would happen is I would be in my room at 1 am watching YouTube or something and close it and put my head down and it feels like no time goes by and I look at the clock and it is 4 and I end up getting 3 or 4 more hours of sleep and it is starting to happen to me more often.
May 25, 2016
 I've found the answer! NEW
by: Anonymous

I believe it's called Sleep state misperception. I've had the same problem for YEARS! It sucks!
Jun 03, 2016
 Time lapses NEW
by: Izzy Madd

I'm experiencing this at the moment it's as though I've closed my eyes then time skips ahead when I open them again it's perhaps two hours later. I only know I've slept because my limbs feel stiff as though i've not move for two hours.

I normally don't recall dreams and those I do recall disappear very fast from my memory on waking . But this is so different because of the instantaneous nature of the passing of time. And it'll happen several times a night.

What is it?
Jun 18, 2016
 Cant sleep NEW
by: Anonymous

I have the same thing happen. At the beginning of the night when i try to go to bed i lay down and then next thing i know its 2 hours later but i feel like i have been awake the whole time. Then eventually i will have many dreams and thats how i know that i ended up actually sleeping, i feel like i cant remember things very good anymore and the days get mashed together. What is this?
Jul 19, 2016
 its been a living hell NEW
by: Anonymous010

Same as all of you..same troubel same feeling.
Its scary and doesnt let me do mu day normally as before.
I wish i knew a way out.
Aug 04, 2016
 Loosing my memory from this, please help, really desperate !!!! NEW
by: Anonymous

This has been going on with me for over 5 weeks now which doesn't seem that long, but I'm not sure if I've even been sleeping I can barely recall anything I do now, I feel like my memory is completely fading and my head feels numb I feel my amune system has been affected to, I have grazed my arm twice since the not sleeping started which have both turned to scars. I dont feel tired, my head just feels numb every day, I keep telling my self that I'll recover from this but I'm not sure anymore, can anyonr shed some light on my situation, really desperate.
Aug 27, 2016
 Never tired NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm glad to hear there are others that feel the way I do. I started with insomnia in October of 2015 out of no where. I have been to many doctors and have gotten no where. I also feel like I've been awake but when I look at the clock and hours went by or I had a dream I know I slept. There are nights that I do lay awake and know I haven't slept. The one thing I find weird is I never feel tired even if I haven't slept. I know it sounds weird but I miss it. I sure wish they could figure this out. I was on med from my doctor but stopped because of the way they maked me feel. Even though I'm not tired you feel sick without sleep my eyes and stomach hurt. Anyone else feel this way.
Aug 27, 2016
 Update NEW
by: Anonymous

I have now got to the stage where I only know I've been awake or suddenly deem sleepy as though I've just woken up. At first it fit in with the pernicious anaemia but it's not changed. It's so frustrating as it feel just like I've not been to sleep so I'm a I safe to say drive or am I over tired I just don't know and it's so scary
Aug 28, 2016
 I feel like i haven't slept since march NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm in the same boat. I can't tell if I have slept or not cos when I try to get some sleep I then slip into intense dreaming. It doesn't feel good when I awaken I don't feel refreshed. I've been like this every single night since march and yeh I don't feel tired anymore either. My head used to feel so heavy during the day and it stopped just recently.
Sep 05, 2016
 Same problem but dont worry NEW
by: Bob

Dont worry ! It happens to alot of people from a couple causes like anxiety, depression and or just an un comfy bed. I moved to a new house and its been happening to me for the past few days and believe me it isnt pleasent waking up feeling like you haven't slept a wink because all you remember is tossing and turning. I think im going to try moving my bed around, because sometimes most of us are used to sleeping at a certain angle or direction. I hope the rest of you try the same.
P.S i think my Air conditioner has been helping a bit.
Oct 09, 2016
 I cant get sleep for many years NEW
by: Viju M M

I have chronic insomnia since 2000, i dont take it is serious but later time it Will effectués m'y daily routine , i cant get sleep without pills, i have been using pills for many years, later diagnosis was from CNS vasculitis
Oct 26, 2016
 Sleeping or Dreaming NEW
by: Mr. Napper

I stay awake for 4 days then I think I pass out because I am holding a caravan or a plate of food. The most I sleep is 2 hour most of the time it can be 15 minutes. I write down the time when my eyes want to close and write down when I wake up ( I think ). Many times I can't tell if I am dreaming or awake?
Has anyone experienced this?
Oct 26, 2016
 Sleeping or Dreaming NEW
by: Mr. Napper

I stay awake for 4 days then I think I pass out because I am holding a caravan or a plate of food. The most I sleep is 2 hour most of the time it can be 15 minutes. I write down the time when my eyes want to close and write down when I wake up ( I think ). Many times I can't tell if I am dreaming or awake?
Has anyone experienced this?
Nov 16, 2016
 Try something new NEW
by: Anonymous

Try reading the bible, but not revelations thats the actually interesting part. Try Matthew, if number put u to sleep read numbers, its an account of tribes, locations family names and members and a measure of how many. I love the lord but the bible can out u 2 sleep, but hey at least ur deooling with christ. God bless your restless souls, i used to b you guys, now i cant get enough. Amen
Dec 21, 2016
 Don't know if I'm sleeping, not sleeping very good or at all NEW
by: Heather

I've been dealing with kinda the same thing for like 5 weeks now . I've been going to bed at 10 , sometimes 9:30 . And wake up at like 3 something. I don't feel tired or sleepy at all day or night. This has never happened before.the only way I can tell if I have slept is if I dream . I don't have insomnia . I don't know what this is . I think I know why this is happening to me though, because a few weeks ago I woke up at 2 am one day and stayed up all day even though I got sleepy around 12pm , and didn't go to bed until 8 that night . I think that when I didn't go to bed when I was sleepy and waited I think that has messed me up .I just wish I could sleep longer and better . I don't know what to do .
Dec 30, 2016
 Same problem NEW
by: Anonymous

1month ago I had a panic attack from than I cant sleep properly. I think I am awake but see vivid dream every night I dont know Im sleeping or not but next morning I cant do heavy work like attending classes or journey. I get headache,extremely weak,poor focus.I also feel my head numb. I dont know whats going on.does anybody have experience like im having. Its running my life
Mar 11, 2017
 So confused NEW
by: Anonymous

Similar situation has been happening to me. I sleep at a normal time but when I wake up I'm legit so confused whether I slept or not. I'd wake up neither tired or fully awake but it'll feel as if i had no sleep. Sometimes I feel like i dreamt but other times it's just black. Some other times I'd be thinking about one thing and the next thing I hear my alarm starts ringing. I get so confused whether I slept or not. It's been happening for a while now please help!
Jun 30, 2017
 I have exactly the same thing ... NEW
by: Serah

I never had insomnia or anything similar, always loved sleep. Now I don't even know the difference if I slept or not. It is like I just pass out. It is literally me thinking one thought and the next I know is me opening my eyes and 2 hours have passed. I have trouble falling asleep now, because I keep thinking about it all the time. It is so frustrating and scary :(
Jul 03, 2017
 Reply to Serah NEW
by: Sky

I know how its feel like.im going through the same thing like and it has been about 7 months
Jul 22, 2017
 Help. NEW
by: Anonymous

I am going through this and have been for the past 7 months. I can't differentiate between wakefulness and sleep. It's ruining my life !!! And it's scary. I used to love sleep, now this is all I can think about.
Jul 24, 2017
 I have the same problem NEW
by: Anon

Okay so, I have the same problem too. I just wake up with my glasses still on but my phone isn't in my hand like I remember. I was watching YouTube and then suddenly I woke up.
Aug 13, 2017
 Sleep? NEW
by: Anonymous

I habe been havinf the samw problem for the past few nights im not surw if i have slept or not i lay down close my eyes feel lile im rolling around in bed all night tryimg to sleep amd once i realize its already 10 am and im just like wtf i couldnt sleep but i remember dreaming multiple diffrent dreams so this must mean i slept . Im not sure why this is happening and no one on here seems to be posting any solutions , i read somewhere that it might be bad posture , idk feels. Like im going crazy
Aug 13, 2017
 Sleep? NEW
by: Anonymous

I habe been havinf the samw problem for the past few nights im not surw if i have slept or not i lay down close my eyes feel lile im rolling around in bed all night tryimg to sleep amd once i realize its already 10 am and im just like wtf i couldnt sleep but i remember dreaming multiple diffrent dreams so this must mean i slept . Im not sure why this is happening and no one on here seems to be posting any solutions , i read somewhere that it might be bad posture , idk feels. Like im going crazy
Aug 13, 2017
 I am better for now .. NEW
by: Serah

I still don't know what it is exactly. But it seems to be caused by stress, depression and anxiety. Atleast in my case. After I posted on here I still had it for about two weeks. Where I had so much anxiety and depression. I also found out that I was deficient in folic acid and took tablets. After these months of this horrible sleep thing, it is better now that I took my pills for folic acid and my depression and anxiety calmed down.
Aug 29, 2017
 I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE NEW
by: Jocelyn

I don't feel so alone now it's so weird how all of the sudden this is happening to me! I was always a heavy sleeper and i could sleep for hours but for the past few weeks everything has changed:( I'm always tossing and turning and I feel as if my eyes are only closed but I'm not actually sleeping and like most of you I wake up 1-2 hours later all confused because I litatelly feel as if I've had my eyes shut for 5 min can anyone please tell me what is this called?? I miss sleeping like I would normally do:(
Sep 05, 2017
 Joining the cub NEW
by: Anonymous

I've got this thing for a month and a half now where i go to bed around 10:30 and wake up around 3 hours later. Sometimes i feel like i've slept well in that time and sometimes i don't but its almost impossible for me to go back to sleep once i wake up.

I tried to sleep with someone else who can observe me and they say that i went back to sleep after waking up the first time in the middle of the night but to me i feel awake and just laying in bed thinking random thoughts. I'm 20 now
Sep 18, 2017
 Same here NEW
by: Anonymous

I am 13 years old and I've been trying to find whats been causing this well I've had insomnia now for almost 2 months and its not healthy since im so young and i try to talk to my mom but she says its a mental thing like its just me always overthinking things and that's why i cant sleep but i don't think about it only after 3 hours and i start to have anxiety and i start worrying and crying. My insomnia has started the day after the first day of school and before then i haven't had any problems. Now that I haven't been able to sleep the past 3 days i have noticed that i don't remember if i had been asleep. I could be up to 2-4 hours laying in bed and i don't know if had been sleeping. Sometimes i would if i remember any dreams but i don't know i keep worrying and i dont know how to fix this ughh.
Sep 20, 2017
 Wake up talking to myself NEW
by: Anonymous

I thought I was the only one. What happens to me is a bit different. I go to sleep and wake up a couple hours later realizing that I've just been talking to myself in my head the whole time. When this happens to me, the usual first thought I get is "was I just talking to myself this whole time?" I wake up feeling like I had not slept at all, but the thing is, I actually feel like I'm waking up. Everybody I've ever mentioned this to says that it's completely insane. I'm tired of this happening to me.
Sep 27, 2017
 Its happening to me too.... NEW
by: Anonymous

Its happening to me recently since i moved out of my town for a project requirement and stay away from family. I used to sleep flawlessly but now i go to bed by 11 or 12 and stay awake till 5 or 6.After that I consulted a doctor for the same and after consuming the tablet i am facing the same issue which most of the guys here explained. I am not sure whether i slept or not. No dreams and mornings found dizzy and lousy.
Jan 02, 2018
 Help NEW
by: Anonymous

Usually I have trouble getting asleep but I can stay asleep
All night without a problem but the past few nights I’ve been "not sleeping". I turn off my phone and all the lights and I’m tierd I close my eyes and feel comfortable but just can’t feel myself dosing off at all. I have to get up for school at 6 the next morning. I check my phone wondering how long I’ve been "awake" or asleep I couldn’t tell. It was 1am and then 4am then 5. And I had to get up in an hour. When my alarm went off I still felt like I had not slept at all and if I did it was only for an hour or two. The same thing happened two nights later. That was last night. I have to get up to babysit tomorrow morning and I’m worried I won’t sleep again. Thinking of borrowing my fathers fit bit to see how much I actually sleep. How can I fix this. My friend takes over the counter sleeping pills to help her fall asleep and I’m considering taking some but idk what to do. I’m exhausted but can’t sleep. I hope this won’t carry on much longer.
Jan 07, 2018
 Sleep NEW
by: Anonymous

I’m so glad I have found others that have expierenced this for almost two weeks my sleep has been out of wack I couldn’t tell wether I have been sleeping or not sometimes I would just be laying down For hours tossing and turning and then I’d wake up and it be 6 or 5 am and it wouldn’t feel like I was sleeping but then I’d be in the most vivid dream and id still be confused to know if I had slept or not because it didn’t feel refreshing like my normal sleep does but I’ve been taken Gaba and praying every night and it helps so much and it could help you as well I’m just nervous because I start college in a week and I don’t want this to drag on but I’m praying for it to get better
Jan 23, 2018
 i don know if i sleep, dreaming or tbinking NEW
by: Anonymous

Hello guys..now its3week that i dont know if i sleep, dreaming or thinkinh while i sleep. Some week ago if going to sleep i could sleep 10-12 H..but now i dont know what realy its that..its that some pshychis-problem or even worse..im realy worried about yhis because i dont know what happen into my head..i just know that isnt normal..have someine from you healing that with Doctors or something like that..if then pleas help guys..im from Slovenia that why my ebglish not so good..i hope you can understood
Feb 02, 2018
 Cant sleep NEW
by: Anonymous

This is the same thing that happens to me I don't know if I'm a sleep it's really weird. Dose any 1 know why dose this happens I'm really fed up with this
Feb 09, 2018
 Not sleeping NEW
by: Anonymous

I am very glad that someone else would now understand my problem.suffering from this for past two weeks
Feb 09, 2018
 Ugh NEW
by: Anonymous

Me right now... I’ve just "woken up" but I can’t remember sleeping properly last night? I remember being awake a few times during the night but... I’m not sure. I don’t feel super groggy like I usually do upon waking but I also don’t feel like I even slept at all... not tired but sort of blah.... idk 😐
Feb 11, 2018
 As I lay down my head starts playing thoughts... NEW
by: Anonymous

Its like I'm thinking but the fact is I wanted to sleep. I try shutting my eyes hard and ignore the thoughts but it isn't helping. Due to which I feel restless and feels like I was awake all through the night. This has been the case since few months

I tried working out hard to tiered my body so I can fall a sleep, at times it seems helping but its actually making it worse due to lack of sound sleep.

I heard having belly full would make you sleep faster, tried that as well and no its not a remedy.

Have to some how make our body get used to a sleeping pattern by going to bed and getting up on a specific time.


Mar 28, 2018
 Dont know if sleeping or not but feel sleepy at day. NEW
by: Anonymous

It was same to my insomnia. I had cured it last 2years and it cameback last 2weeks. The cause is my sleeping is abnormal because last few months i sleep 1-2am to 12pm in afternoon. And last month 3weeks i sleep 6am-2pm. My eyelids (not sure if its my eyes) is shaking and my ears now pain. Sorry for bad english im an asian. Thanks please help me
May 08, 2018
 sleep has improved so far NEW
by: Anonymous

anyone's sleep finally improve overtime? I would say my sleep is way way better now than before. I'm still stuck on the light sleep stage but I can now sleep at night without multiple awakenings. It's weird to say that what has been helping me is using my phone nonstop during the night until eyes finally get tired and then I sleep.
Jun 13, 2018
 ME TOO NEW
by: Anonymous

Glad to know that I wasn’t the only one who experiences this kind of thing. I’ve had insomnia for about two weeks now. I used to sleep all the time before without having any problems but now i don’t even know if I’m really sleeping or if I’ve been awake the whole night! I always check the time before going to bed, and I’ll always wake up 3 hours after but it felt like i just closed my eyes and haven’t slept at all then I’ll try ‘going back’ to sleep again and I won’t remember falling asleep but I’ll ‘wake up’ at 10 in the morning and I don’t feel really tired i just feel kinda sleepy and it’s confusing! It’s frustrating and scary! I don’t want to go to the doctor because I’m scared that I’ll find out that i am suffering from an illness and that’ll make me more anxious than i am now. I’ve been staying up until 5am before but I’m trying to sleep now at 10 or 11pm but I’ll always wake up 3 or 4 hours after. Please help me.
Jul 01, 2018
 Literally this morning NEW
by: Anonymous

Literally this morning.... So I ends up sleeping late at 4:30am or something. And I was watching a bunch of animation memes earlier so the music was still playing in my mind... It still is, it's 6:40 frickin 6... Anyways so I turned off the light found my way to bed,it's really dark because the curtains are pinned to the wall. And I'm laying down, put on my sleeping mask bcause it helps. And I remember this happened yesterday, I had trouble but that time I got my natural 9 hours of sleep. Anyways I'm trying my hardest to sleep, and I remembered that when sleeping, you don't think about nothing but it's really hard, and tried to slow my breathing... And I switched positions like 100 times! And tried closing my eyes more to start dreaming! I turn to the curtain and moved the blinds open and it was sunrise but it was 5:43, from checking my phone I put my phone away, an pasted Same thing, 1 passed, I have my sleeping mask off again and I can actually see inside my dark closet because it was brighter but I thought"time flies by when doing nothing?" No I had to sleep! Since my eyes were closed and all I saw was darkness I thought maybe I slept without realizing
Jul 11, 2018
 Related NEW
by: Anonymous

Wow dude it's the same to me i struggle sleeping for an hour and when i wake up i dont know if i have actually slept or not when i see the time it is 4 AM while i supposed it must be 3 AM so i understand that i have slept for an hour ! I've been having this for a couple of days ! Good to see it is not that unnormal as i thought !
Jul 27, 2018
 Hi NEW
by: Anonymous

I am 13 and this is sometimes happens to me although I fall asleep shortly after. What happens is I suddenly open my eyes it doesnt feel like I have slept but I cant remember actually having any concious thoughts before I "wake up"
Sep 06, 2018
 same! NEW
by: Anonymous

its the same thing for me!
ill lay down for the night and will be awake for a while, but its like i close my eyes for a few moments then open them and its really early in the morning, i have dreams often, when i used to hardly ever dream.
its getting hard to remember what i did, like ill forget that i shut the door five seconds after i shut it and ill have to check to make sure i did, i dont have short term memory loss, because i can still remember a few things but i think its getting worse! can anyone help me? its good that im not the only one here
Sep 09, 2018
 I just really don't know if I'm sleeping. NEW
by: Paul

I'm honestly in the same boat as the lot of you. I'll lie down in bed, lay there for a bit, maybe wake up here and there throughout the night. It appears that I've been having trouble actually relaxing before bed. Like I'm stressed and my body is continually producing cortisol and it's snuffing out the sedative effects of melatonin. Anyway next thing I know, it's morning. I do dream occasionally, it's always been that way, my dreams are usually always vivid. But anymore, like the most of you, it's hard detecting the transition between wakefulness and sleep. Which granted it's kind of hard trying to feel that "sensation" anyhow considering going to sleep is a sort of natural way to pass out. I've never really felt the "sensation" of going to sleep before, perhaps in my case I'm just perceiving that I'm not getting as much sleep when in reality I'm sleeping like a baby. I don't know, I'm wanting to go see a doctor but I'm currently waiting to receive health insurance. I'll update you all if you're interested to see what's going on if anything.
Oct 03, 2018
 Me too NEW
by: Anonymous

Just glad to know that its not just me...same thing as most posts, I dont seem to sleep just lay there, then notice its lighter, then its morning and I'm not tired , yet seem to remember thinking all night long.
Nov 07, 2018
 Never Know The Feeling of Waking Up Anymore NEW
by: Anxious Sleeper

Back In July I experienced a tonne of stressful events one after another in the space of about a week. A week later as I was in bed I remember thinking 'I need to go to bed now or I won't sleep tonight.' With that I stayed on my phone far too late with thoughts whirring rapidly around my head all night long. I did not sleep that night.

The next night I made the schoolboy error of going to bed early to 'make up for the night before'... I did not sleep this night either. By night 3 I was already anxious to get to sleep, and whilst I got 2 hours at around 4am, it was a bizarre sleep with an extremely vivid dream, but I did not know I'd been asleep until I recalled the dream.

I struggled to get anything more than an hour or 2 of sleep for 3 weeks, before I had a break down and went to my doctor. That night I managed a straight 6 hours, but again, I didn't even know I had been to sleep.

For the past 3 months now, I've had countless crazy vivid dreams, and I never know what it's like to 'wake up' any more. It just feels like I've been laying the entire night with no sleep, unless I recall a dream.

My body literally feels like it's 'buzzing' and I always feel dizzy and wired. Stress can do insane things to the body, and for gods sake do-not start reading things online otherwise they tell you, you have some rare fatal disease, which only adds to the stress and anxiety many of you are probably experiencing.

So like many of you, I actually no longer know when I've slept, I no longer sleep a solid period throughout the night. Yup I feel awful, but considering everything that went on in the summer, I'm not actually surprised.

I think the main thing for many of us is simply this:

Stress and or Anxiety / Depression in some cases.

Then worrying about the amount of sleep you get basically makes the whole issue worse and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Find a good doctor, get some CBT and maybe we will all be able to sleep soundly again. You're not alone.
Dec 04, 2018
 no sleep NEW
by: Anthony

im glad i ran into this page. since the summer of july 2018 i was perfectly fine for falling asleep then this 1 week came along where for the full 5 work days i did not sleep not 1 hour. i had to quit my job because it was that bad and i was undergoing alot of stress. it is now december 2018 and i am still going through this. i cannot fall asleep unless i take pills. when it comes to the weekend i try staying away from.the pills just to see how i do without them. if there is anyone out there that has a dam answer to this bullshit please message me on my instagram - @_shelovesanthony_ or on my facebook - anthony umberto dossantos. if i do find a solution i will gladly post it on here to save all of us from this.
Dec 16, 2018
 Same here! NEW
by: Alex

I too lay in my bed in silence for hours and don't know if I fell asleep or not. I don't feel refreshed when I get up, so I don't think I fell asleep, but I also don't know what I did for hours - it certainly doesn't feel like I was awake for that long. I lay there without really thinking and without moving...but I'm not actually asleep (at least I don't think I am). It'd be nice if I was actually getting some sleep during this time, but I just don't know. This usually happens when I try to nap or when I wake up at 3am and try to go back to sleep. I just lay there in a state of not awake or asleep...and when I get out of bed I feel like I got no sleep.
Dec 20, 2018
 I dont know if i slept or not????
by: Anonymous :-)

I started experience "this thing called I dont know if I'm sleeping or not" yesterday. I slept at 12 am but Im tossing and turning or probably just sleep sideways. but i just can't sleep then when i woke up i found out its already 4 am then it happen today i "slept" at 11 am then i just did the same thing then suddenly its 2 pm already. I need help :( I just want to sleep peacefully:(
Jan 04, 2019
 Idiots NEW
by: Anonymous

Maybe you stupid fucks you stop commenting same and actually comment what has helped you or what got you through this I agree there’s nothing worse then not sleeping or not knowing if you are but I bet there’s people who have beat this problem and since they were good didn’t share what helped them for the love of god don’t be that person we can beat it if we work together and not just complain to eachother how much it sucks
Jan 23, 2019
 Vivd dreams and half asleep half awake NEW
by: Adam

Its so reassuring to see people going through same thing for me. It started back in March 2018 for me where I was unable to fall asleep at all for 3 days following a fever I had. It went eventually but then a week later I noticed that I was getting excessive dreams and only able to sleep for 7 hours with constant awakings. What's worse is that I debeloved more symptoms in the coming month: frequent urination, fatigue, muscle spasm and twitching, frequent headaches, internal tremor while laying in bed, palpitations etc. This was and still is overwhelming for me as it continues to this day and even with multiple visits to neurologist and gps along with multiple tests I'm constantly told I'm fine. Maybe it is anxiety as it did start off with insomnia as my first symptom and i was extremely strested out that I believe I suffered a panic attack a week later tho I can't tell as I'm not an 'anxiety sufferer' but it was my legs and body shaking excessively for like an hour. Anyway back to present day my symptoms still linger and my sleep is at all time low, I don't even get 7 hours sleep anymore which at the time I wish I was grateful but of course I wasn't as I was sleeping 8 to 9 hours before of refreshing sleep. I just need some guidance tbh.
Apr 13, 2019
 Take care of yourselves! NEW
by: Anonymous

Hi guys! I had a little read through this thread and thought I should add something that might be helpful. I've experience insomnia for the past few months and have come to manage it in a few different ways, as well as going on a Sleep Restriction Therapy.

Firstly - sleeping tablets aren't a long term solution. If you have an unhealthy lifestyle, (poor nutrition, late nights, partying, blue light, too much light and noise at sleep time) this is going to be a factor. If you feel like you've taken care of all of these things, stress is most likely the next factor.

Stresses throughout the day don't majorly interfere with sleep to the extent of insomnia, so usually what happens is, we develop stress and anxiety about the insomnia itself. So the act of lying awake in bed when you can't sleep can be really dangerous for your anxiety. It's most likely that your thoughts about sleep are what's keeping you awake.

Most insomniacs feel awake when their bodies are asleep - your brain doesn't turn off essentially. You are getting some sleep, which is the great news, but it's not great quality. So my advice - work on really unwinding your thoughts about sleep - meditate, create a less stressful bedtime, and most importantly, get out of bed if you've been awake for more than 30 minutes.

You can also try different sleep therapies. I have only just begun the Sleep Restriction Therapy after trying all the things above. It is brutal, but it is starting to have some effect - I will most likely be on it for 2 months. Make sure you talk to your doctor about this before trying it.

Lastly, if all else fails, it may be a good idea to get a sleep assessment done to rule out any sleep disorders. A small percentage of people actually have a sleep disorder, so don't worry, your body probably just forgot how to sleep.

A positive parting note - our bodies can't 'not sleep'. We have evolved for thousands of years to be able to sleep, so I'm sorry, but you can't break that! Our bodies sometimes forget how to sleep, so you just need to go look for it with some patience and positivity.

Go sleep, wonderful people!

May 17, 2019
 Melatonin messed me up NEW
by: Anonymous

I’m a 70 yo male who has struggled to get a good nights sleep for a long time. Over a year ago I started taking melatonin to help me fall asleep. Several months later I took a sleep study which indicated I had RLS due to low ferritin. But when I took that study I swore to the technician I did not sleep at all, just tossed and turned all night. She said, no, I fell asleep in 17 seconds and was in REM sleep till they woke me.

After an MD friend of mine told me he cannot take melatonin becsuse it gives him strange dreams, I began to put the puzzle together. It appears that even though I sleep, I apparently dream that I am awake tossing & turning.

Stopped taking melatonin and had the best nights sleep in many many months. Time will tell…
Aug 11, 2019
 Same?
by: ary

I'm 13 years old and I've had insomnia ever since I was 10. I've always had a pretty hard time sleeping. Anxiety plays a factor into it, but I'm not sure what's going on right now. I'm not sure if I just slept because I tried sleeping at 12 am, and now it's 3:40 am, but I don't remember falling asleep. I'm probably going to tell the doctor that I'm going to for breathing issues and I hope everyone else here can sleep good too.
Feb 13, 2020
 Same here NEW
by: Anonymous

I am also experiencing this! It's a relatively new thing for me, and has started only since I've moved to college.
I will turn out the light around 12am, toss and turn for a bit, then check the time, to find that it is several hours later, usually 4am. I won't remember having any real thoughts or feeling very awake, but I also won't remember falling asleep and dreaming. I don't really "wake up" either, it will just suddenly occur to me to check the time. I don't remember opening my eyes or feeling like I'm waking up like I do in the mornings, so I'm not sure if I sleep during these periods or not. It definitely feels different from when I do fall asleep, (after 4am and until 8am) when I can remember my dreams and I notice opening my eyes.

I had a few thoughts that maybe will help others. Maybe the short period between 12am and 3am is sleeping, but it feels different because there is no alarm to wake up to, instead it is just a natural awakening that is more gradual and less startling? It could also be a lighter stage of sleep that is less distinguishable from wakefulness due to the lack of dreaming. Dreams only occur during REM sleep, so maybe the earlier period only has lighter stages of sleep.
Best of luck
Aug 25, 2020
 Me too NEW
by: Anonymous

It happened to me least night and im worried f
Sep 21, 2021
 Confused whether I slept or not NEW
by: Anonymous

What happened to me is that I would go to sleep and then struggle to, so I would close my eyes at around 12pm lets say, I then open my eyes again and it's 3:45 am and I'm confused as hell.i then try to sleep again and then I have these random thoughts flooding ng my head. I then open my eyes and see it's 5am. So now I'm confused whether I actually slept or not because I know what sleeping actually feels like
Jan 03, 2022
 Mr sLEEp NEW
by: Anonymous

Hey there,
I am much older, but regularly have similar issue.
As far as I am aware, the human body can’t survive 48 hours without sleep because the brain heats up and expands to the extent that it would result in death.
That’s why we sleep, to allow our body to reset and the brain maintain it’s temperature.
When we yawn, we are effectively cooling the brain down, hence, when we are really tiered we yawn a lot.
Without sounding patronising, I went to University and fully understand the stress, however, the stresses in later life hugely out way what you are currently experiencing, such as marriage, kids, jobs, mortgages and so forth.
It’s really important that you approach your GP to nip this in the bud early as sleep really is that critical. You could be suffering from anxiety and or various other issues.
Another thing that can help is to learn breathing techniques offered in meditation books. I’m not sure if I fully believe in the concept, but sitting or laying comfortable and mentally observing my breathing closely can help a lot.
Another detrimental thing to consider is alcohol or drug use, as I,!like most, burned both ends of the wick at University.
Jan 03, 2022
 Update
by: Akash

I was suffering from chronic insomnia and now I'm much better than ever. I tried everything from sleeping pills to meditation and breathing techniques nothing worked for me. I figured out that anxiety was preventing me from sleeping. The more I try to force my sleep to fall asleep the more I mess up.
So I gave up trying and eventually I got my sleeping back. But yes this took me a long time and still my sleep schedule is broken and I'm trying to fix this up. My advice is to just let it go don't force yourself to fall asleep. Keep yourself busy much as possible and try not to think about it. Just go to bed at the same time and try reading books laying down and relax. It's okay if you still can't sleep eventually someday you will get back to normal I promise.

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