I was just going to post about your sleep mate, as it can be a great indicator.
Have a look at - Cortisol.
This is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain, that's released slowly as part of the waking process.
However when it's also released as part of the " fight or flight " along with adrenaline.
If you're in an anxious state all the time, you're brain can kind of get stuck in a fight or flight mode all the time, producing Cortisol, hence the struggle to get to sleep / nightmares / waking all the time.
Insomnia goes hand in hand with depression / anxiety problems mate.
Here's how I manage my insomnia :
Black out blinds.
Sleep mask - tricks the brain into thinking it's still night.
Nothing electrical in the room, that's switched on - other than the clock. ( it's thought the current interferes with sleep )
No clock visible - stops you looking at the clock all the time.
Only use the room for sleeping - your subconscious sees the room as only for sleeping.
Vitamin B12 / magnesium / valerian root - tablets ( not to be taken with prescription meds ).
Knock the ale in the head - I bet your mood after drinking is horrendous ? ( Cortisol again ).
Sounds like hippy dippy rubbish, but I've gone from four hours sleep to six / seven, by adopting these things as part of my life.
Cortisol is the baddie in all this I suspect !
Sorry for a slow reply, have been in work and so on.
Edit,
@Kenshin this is also a sort of reply to your post too.
Funnily enough I actually have black out blinds, had them put in a couple months ago. I've always tended to sleep with them open, however, as that way the sunlight actually forces me out of bed in the morning... sometimes... otherwise I'd surely oversleep.
Nevertheless last night I closed the blinds, and whilst it helped some ways I did wake up really late and continued to have particularly intense and strange nightmares. I have also not smoked bud at all since around my first post (albeit only two or three days and this is definitely a factor). I do and don't want to quit smoking it. It helps me with my art at times which I do in spare time when I can find the energy to do so, and a good social aspect with some friends... Unfortunately I have to do most things in my room, which undoubtedly makes it somewhat harder to only use my bedroom to sleep.
We also have a meta tonic full of different vitamins and things which I've been drinking, just need to be more consistent with it to maybe feel any benefits.
As my job is on a bar it's difficult the contain the urge to have a couple of scoops after work finishes. This will be something I will find hard to combat, especially when trying to knock smoking so frequently on the head too.
Thanks again guys
Just weird. At least I know now that im not the only one feeling strange on them.
