Cured from Insomnia

More than twenty years ago I started to have problems sleeping. That is when I started taking medication to relax me and to help me get to sleep. It was at the beginning of my faith journey when God was calling me to do things that made me nervous and afraid. In retrospect I can see how this has caused me to lose sleep. I was nervous and afraid but also excited and happy to do things for the Almighty. I was guided by the Holy Spirit and my Spiritual Director Fr. Frank O’Loughlin. Over the years I continue to do my best for the Glory of God. This is my life and my joy! During my working years in the market place I had several jobs that were very challenging for me. Between working for God and working in the world my sleeping habits grew worse and worse. I now realized that any kind of emotion can cause me to lose sleep like: stress, concerns over my children and grandchildren, being over excited, over tired, very happy, very sad, aches and pains, extra demands on my time, it seems like anything out of the ordinary could be the reason for me to lose sleep, also being too active before going to bed can be a cause for me not to sleep

On January 3, 2014, I had a Sleep Study test done at Jupiter Hospital. They could not offer me any help except to change my sleeping habits before going to bed – low lights and quite relaxing an hour or more before going to bed.  They also said the best temperature to sleep is between 70 and 72 degrees.  I continued to take my sleeping aids and noticed that the quiet, low lights and a cool room worked to help me fall asleep faster.

In March 2014 I met a couple at church who works at the Sleep Study at Jupiter Hospital they talked to a doctor about me and I made an appointment to see him. He told me to take 5 mg. of Melatonin along with the sleeping aids I was taking. I took them once. My head hurt and it made me feel sick but I still did not sleep. I stopped taking the Melatonin. Two weeks later I went back to the doctor, he told me to do the same but lowered the Melatonin to 2 1/2 mg. The same thing happened and the pain in my head got worse. At this point I was afraid to take anything at all.

I didn’t know what to do except to go cold turkey and not take anything before going to bed. I was concerned that I would not sleep at all. One and a half hours before bed time I put on my PJ’s and made sure the lights were low and that there was peace and quiet while I read my prayers. Then I walked on the tread mill (this has helped me in the past to sleep) while I prayed the rosary and asked Mary to intercede to help me sleep. After that I took a shower because that has helped me in the past to relax so I could fall asleep. To my great surprise and tremendous joy I slept for the first time in about 20 years with no sleeping aids. Praise the Lord!! It has been two week now and I am still sleeping with no sleeping aids. I went camping with my daughter and grandchildren and I even slept there with no sleeping aids (I was in a cabin with air conditioning).  I have suffered for soooo long from insomnia. The only thing I can say is that it is the power of prayers and God answering the longing of my heart to give me the gift of sleep. God is amazing!!

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