are there special therapists that can help w/ noncompliance?

[mindy60]

I am experiencing a mental process problem and need help with noncompliance with the machine. Are there therapists out there who specialize in sleeping disorders or sleep apnea? Or can any reputable psychotherapist help? I get to bed late and get up late and the problem has gotten progressively worse. Now I get to bed at 4 in the morning and get up about 12 or 1 in the afternoon. The middle of the night is my favorite time of day! I don't know why, either. I guess it is OSA and being afraid to go to sleep.

Please advise, thank you.

Mindy

[nanwilson]

Mindy
Have you tried backing your sleep time up by an hour every night until you can get to bed at a decent hour. If you usually go to bed at 4, then try 3...and so on.

[Julie]

I think someone used to dealing with phobias and/or anxiety in general would be good - ask your family doctor if he can recommend an appropriate person, or call around to registered therapists and see what they say.

[ems]

I am experiencing a mental process problem and need help with noncompliance with the machine. Are there therapists out there who specialize in sleeping disorders or sleep apnea? Or can any reputable psychotherapist help? I get to bed late and get up late and the problem has gotten progressively worse. Now I get to bed at 4 in the morning and get up about 12 or 1 in the afternoon. The middle of the night is my favorite time of day! I don't know why, either. I guess it is OSA and being afraid to go to sleep.

Please advise, thank you.

Mindy

Hi Mindy... I highly doubt there are therapists that specialize in sleeping disorders... at least not in my area. I think any reputable therapist could be of help. It's interesting b/c you already know what's bothering you.

Did you go to sleep late before OSA? Is your mask comfortable for you? FWIW, dreading bedtime took months for me before it finally went away. It does get better with time... tho there are some nites that I still feel anxious. I have to talk myself through it.

[mindy60]

I used to have a normal routine, going to bed at midnight and getting up at 10. I even think I used to get up at 9 there for awhile. I guess it's been a problem off and on for awhile. I consider it a problem now because i live at a retirement community that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I sleep through breakfast and lunch and would like to get up for breakfast (the ideal I know). I don't get out with people anymore, just stay in my apartment because I miss the activities.

I guess I can cut it back an hour a week to get back to a normal schedule. We fall back this weekend so I will get to bed at 2. I need to just put the mask on every once in awhile, lye down, and turn the machine on. Perhaps that would help me to become compliant. Perhaps I can do that twice in the afternoons. What do you think?

For those of you that have experienced noncompliance, what has helped you to get started?

Thanks,
Mindy

[kaiasgram]

Hi Mindy,

Some people do very well with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for a variety of issues including sleep issues. It is helpful for many. There are other options as well. A good therapist who specializes in dealing with chronic health issues could be helpful, or even one who specializes in treating anxiety (may or may not be a CBT therapist).

When looking for a therapist, you want to check your state's licensing board to verify that their license is in good standing, and it's also a good idea to see if they belong to their state's professional organization. There are websites for all these organizations. Where to check depends on what type of license (clinical psychologist, marriage & family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional counselor). If you need help finding the right website(s) feel free to pm me.

Beyond these basic checks, it becomes a matter of goodness of fit and if you feel the therapy is helping you.

What do you feel is your biggest challenge: changing the habit of going to bed late, or anxiety around using the cpap machine, both, or something else? identifying the central issue might help you in deciding on a therapist should you pursue therapy.

[kteague]

In general, reprogramming the brain takes time and consistent effort. When the brain establishes patterns, it likes to do what it is used to doing. Fighting sleep times has been an ongoing battle for me. I do want to optimize the ebb and flow of hormones that make sleep work its magic on us, but I try to not be too hard on myself about it. Over the years I have found that #1 I CAN get on a better schedule, and #2 If I give myself any leeway I will revert to those late night inclinations. Once I've "relapsed" and need to "reboot" I have to make myself get up early regardless of how little sleep I've had and not nap for a couple days. By then I'm so exhausted I'm ready for an early bedtime, and it breaks the spell. Since I don't have early morning responsibilities, I'm not very rigid about my sleep schedule.

Several years ago there was discussion on here of therapy type specialists at some of the sleep centers who deal with stubborn sleep problems. I think they went beyond the usual sleep hygiene counseling - not sure. There was even a list of those practitioners, but I just can't remember their actual title. Anyone remember this conversation?

[pats]

I used to have a normal routine, going to bed at midnight and getting up at 10. I even think I used to get up at 9 there for awhile. I guess it's been a problem off and on for awhile. I consider it a problem now because i live at a retirement community that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I sleep through breakfast and lunch and would like to get up for breakfast (the ideal I know). I don't get out with people anymore, just stay in my apartment because I miss the activities.

While you are looking for a therapist, if you decide to tackle the time issue, remember a lot of people survive multi-hour time shifts - shift workers and long distance travelers. For example, I live in California but spent the first couple of weeks of October in England on vacation. That called for sleeping about 7 hours earlier than I'm used to. (It would be 8 hours, but I get up a little later on vacation than at home.)

My approach is to set an alarm clock and get up in time for breakfast regardless of how I slept the previous night. I go to bed about 7.5 hours before the alarm clock time, but have an activity such as watching TV that does not prevent sleep but does prevent frustration if I cannot sleep. I also leave the hotel room curtains slightly open so that I will get daylight in the room. After breakfast, I make sure I have something planned that keeps me moving and away from my hotel room to prevent napping in the morning.

To get some other ideas, look for web sites discussing jet lag.

[archangle]

For the sleep schedule, some people claim miracles by stopping eating 12-16 hours before wake time, then getting up and eating a good breakfast.

It hasn't worked really well for me, but it's easy to try at least.

[SleepingUgly]

Yes, there are mental health professionals who specialize in sleep issues.

http://www.absm.org/BSMSpecialists.aspx

[Lizistired]

Perhaps your therapy isn't working and that is contributing to you not going to sleep. I did that pre-cpap. I couldn't stand the tossing and turning. I just stayed up. With cpap and better sleep hygiene I go right to sleep.