| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| plum |
Posted - 02/02/2013 : 13:43:53
Ace1,
For five years I have cared for my husband who has young-onset Parkinsons. For now I shall suspend the issues I have with this diagnosis in order to ask a question that pertains to a wider aspect.
My boy has often said that he feels a couple of years of sleep and rest could cure him. (shades of Brian Wilson circa 1973 sans the coke...)
In all seriousness, rest and sleep is profoundly restorative for him. His specialist refers to him as his star patient and all this leads to my question:
What are your thoughts regarding rest and calming of the nervous system? Especially with regard to tms, nerves etc
How important do you consider this aspect, especially as a support to desensitisation?
Given how exhausting pain and emotional stress is, do you think a grace period of resting is a good idea before approaching a clear healing plan?
I would greatly value your thoughts. Once again, may I emphasise that I am extrapolating from my observations and experiences with severe nervous system issues and am simply wondering how much this applies to oversensitized nerves in general. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| plum |
Posted - 02/03/2013 : 08:01:12
Cath, do explore Claire Weekes too. She's incredible.
My brother bought me a kindle for christmas. I doubt I'd ever have bothered otherwise but it really is a fabulous little device. In no way a challenge or replacement for real books but brilliant in its own way and for delicate subject matter. I have a great affection for audiobooks too. I like to listen to them while driving.
Also very much a solitary. I've enjoyed years of sociability and now prefer the quiet life. I'd love to live in a lighthouse. Just me and my boy and a couple of dogs.
Sleep is immensely important for me and I really love it. Claire Weekes does talk about the value and place of sleep in healing. My understanding is that this is when the body heals and repairs itself, and can only do so during deep sleep.
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| Cath |
Posted - 02/03/2013 : 07:30:07
Plum, thank you for your words and advice about Candace Pert's audiobook. I notice on Amazon there is a kindle copy, so I will give it a whirl. I succumbed to a kindle last Christmas, and haven't put it down since I got it.
I'm trying very hard to listen to my body and my mind to achieve that perfect balance. I do deny myself certain pleasures in an effort to be more healthy, that sometimes, I think the mind would appreciate a small indulgence in from time to time. Food mainly, and alcohol, but I'm still taking a large dose of neurontin for neurological pain, so don't want to mix alcohol and drugs. Sensory pleasure is and has always been, very important to me.
Shawn - I too live a fairly solitary life. I have always thought that I would love to live on some far off island, away from crowds of people, and close to nature, but the reality is that we all need to connect with other people. I also thought that I only needed one good, close relationship in life - my wonderful, patient and loving husband. But the truth is, that it's not enough, and probably not healthy. I'm not talking about physical relationships of course. I am the monogamous type; one at a time is definitely enough. Sorry, just rambling now.
Sleep is very important to me, and I have worked at making sure I have done enough physically during the day to tire me out sufficiently for a good night's sleep. I have had periods in the past few years where I've laid awake night after night, so I know how miserable and exhausted this makes you feel. I hope you can reach a turning point soon, which is what happened to me recently. I decided to get out in the world, meet people, and try new things. |
| plum |
Posted - 02/03/2013 : 06:06:58
quote:
Originally posted by shawnsmith
This is where I find myself at right now. I too go for daily walks, although I don't have a dog, because I know it is healthy to walk. But it is hard to do anything too vigorous at this time. I am also totally obsessed with my symptoms because I have a lot of free time on my hands and know very few people where I live. This part does not make my situation easy. I have not slept very well in the past 3 nights so I am tired. Actually, I seem to feel better when I get up and move around and find going to bed difficult. I do, however, force myself to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning.
I'll be your dog. *smiles*
Why force yourself to sleep and rise at certain times? Why not go to bed when you're tired and rise when you've woken and rolled around in warm snuggly bed awhile? |
| plum |
Posted - 02/03/2013 : 05:55:37
Cath, intrude away! I love your contributions.
You mention that wonderful word balance. The body wants to move and it wants to rest. Maybe we need to get back to listening to it's unspoken voice and in so doing we'll naturally find this happy medium. Calming the extreme sensitivity is essential. Ace1 makes a fabulous point about day-to-day strain in this regard.
I'm like you, I love relaxing baths. All pink and warm from one now.
Also a migraine sufferer although they plague me much less these days. Evil they are. Truly evil.
Are you familar with Candace Pert? Sarno references her in The Divided Mind. There's a great audiobook of hers called To Feel Go(o)d, where she discusses and clarifies these things beautifully. |
| shawnsmith |
Posted - 02/03/2013 : 05:32:45
quote:
Originally posted by Cath
Being active is also important, and I walk my little dog every day for a couple of hours, but I still can't get back to any vigorous exercise.
This is where I find myself at right now. I too go for daily walks, although I don't have a dog, because I know it is healthy to walk. But it is hard to do anything too vigorous at this time. I am also totally obsessed with my symptoms because I have a lot of free time on my hands and know very few people where I live. This part does not make my situation easy. I have not slept very well in the past 3 nights so I am tired. Actually, I seem to feel better when I get up and move around and find going to bed difficult. I do, however, force myself to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning. |
| Cath |
Posted - 02/03/2013 : 05:14:52
Hi Plum and Ace, this is a good question. In the early days of my TMS, I was experiencing daily migraine-like headaches. I have had classic migraine since I was a child of 9 years old, and always recovered from them by sleeping in a darkened room. So one weekend, I thought I would try to sleep through a whole weekend aided by a good dose of amitripyline, in the hope that this would break the cycle. By Sunday evening, the pain was unbearable, and the muscles of my whole scalp were in such a tight spasm, I had to pay a visit to the on-call doctor, who gave me a prescription for diazapam to relax and release the muscles in my head. My pain has evolved over the last few years, and encompasses a much wider area, through pursuing a physical cause doggedly.
I hadn't heard of TMS or Dr Sarno at that point, but did realise that sleep and rest were not going to be a cure for me at that time. Although, I do agree that calming of the nervous system is required, and I take two relaxing baths a day. Being active is also important, and I walk my little dog every day for a couple of hours, but I still can't get back to any vigorous exercise.
Sorry to intrude on your excellent question Plum, but I too am fascinated by the TMS theory, and am trying to find the ultimate balance between rest and activity that will calm this extremely sensitive nervous system and return it to it's normal state.
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| plum |
Posted - 02/02/2013 : 15:31:32
And that is a great answer.
I believe you're right about moment-by-moment, day-to-day strain. Again this is only slightly off topic but my boy has dramatically transformed himself these past five years. I'd say the biggest aspect has been a huge reduction in the strain you speak of. For a long time and especially in the early days he focused a lot on this, and specifically on facing all manner of emotional demons. This was a very natural, organic process. I'd never heard of Sarno back then so the complementary nature of these approaches fascinates me. Thanks for your thoughts. |
| Ace1 |
Posted - 02/02/2013 : 14:24:03
That is a great question. I have thought about this before and I think I have come up with a reasonable answer. If rest by itself was helpful than sleep would be enough to reverse tms, which we know it does not. It's like you need to learn to function in life in a eased type manner without straining and that in itself will give your body the rest it needs. I have many people with cancer and toward the end of their lives they are sleeping all day, but yet the strain is not relieved. It is sometimes increased bc they feel frustrated that they are bored and can't do the things that they want to do anymore, this is among other reasons. I'm not saying rest isn't helpful, I think Claire weeks discusses that it is helpful. It is definetly more helpful than going and doing a million things to go challenge ones symptoms (especially when you haven't learned how to do these things without strain). I think the more important part and possibly the only part you really need is to learn is how to function without strain. Under these circumstances and when the bad habits are broken a persons functioning is very efficient and doesn't require even as much sleep as someone who is severely strained. I can have much less sleep now and feel ok the next day. |
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