Retraining to sleep naturally

Posted by roth @roth, Mar 5, 2023

Has anyone successfully gotten off Seroquel and managed to retrain to sleep naturally?

I am on a very low dose of Seroquel and I struggle to sleep, even with it, and I want to get off it in the future. My concern is that I feel my body and brain forgot how to wind down and switch off naturally until many hours after my usual bedtime.

I am scheduled to start sleep therapy but it will be a very short programme. I am meditating, trying to be more active, and practising sleep hygiene.

What are the techniques you followed to reteach your body and mind to sleep without Seroquel? Please share any resources you have.

Thanks,

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dustycat52 | @dustycat52 | Mar 6, 2023

I too am worried that I will never be able to sleep naturally.

ckb2023 | @ckb2023 | Mar 6, 2023

Currently trying to wean myself off from 100mg of Seroquel and find even though I’m exhausted my brain will not shut off. I too am worried I have no become dependent. May I ask what your current dose is and what the initial reason for that med was? Mine was for anxiety, but the only thing it does is help me sleep (I think they thought they’d try and help my insomnia and anxiety) but it doesn’t do a thing for my anxiety. I need to look in to a sleep doctor for more options or information on why this is happening.

Critically Thinking | @timbrownfl | Mar 7, 2023

I also took Seroquel for sleep issues probably 12-15 years ago. I'm kind of happy that I couldn't tolerate it. Now for me also, even though I have type 2 Narcolepsy, which makes me very sleepy, my brain started to go off to the races about a month ago. I'm averaging maybe 5.5 hours of sleep at night where it used to be 9. Heading back to the psychiatrist to try to get some more advice. I plan on trying meditation next.

Please come back here if you're successful in your search.

hergiew | @hergiew | Mar 8, 2023

I enrolled in a CBT-I (Cognitive Therapy For Insomniacs) program and it has improved my sleep a lot. I can't say I never have trouble sleeping now but usually don't. I strongly recommend it.
The goal of the program is to get people to spend less time in bed while awake. Some of its principles are:
1. Go to bed at the same time every night.
2. Get up at the same time every morning regardless of the amount of sleep you had at night.
3. Do not stay in bed more than 30 minutes while awake. Get out of bed even in the middle of the night.
Ideally one should decide how much sleep you'd like, figure out when to go to and get out of bed to get that amount, start going to bed 30-60 minutes later than the time you pick to normally go to bed and when you find your self sleeping all of that time, start going to bed slightly later and slowly work towards going to bed at the time you would prefer to.
Google it for more info.