Posted by manowar on February 4, 2002, at 21:27:58
In reply to Got Another Question for You, Manowar, posted by IsoM on February 2, 2002, at 2:18:03
Hello again IsoM,
I'll just answer your questions individually instead of rambling like I normally do!> Tim, I remember what else I wanted to ask you. Reading over another post today triggered my memory.
>
> You've been on modafinil/adrafinil longer (at least continuous) than I have been. In one of your posts, you mentioned that too much sleep made your depression worseI had to cut you off mid sentence, because I may have said that, but in reality I don't think it's the too much sleep that makes my depressions worse. I think it's the boredom and complete lack of interest in anything that causes me to oversleep. In other words, when I'm depressed, I oversleep for the simple fact that I just don't want to face life, and sleep is not as painful as being awake--big bummer:(
>- did you tend to dream more when you slept more? The studies I've read before linked excessive dreaming with increased depression. I know it certainly lessens deep sleep.
I can't tell you, because it seems that my dreams are normally so abstract and out of this world that I never can remember them. But really I just don't know why I very rarely remember my dreams.
I've read that people with depression have more REM sleep than healthy subjects.
> Here's my question: Has modafinil decreased the amount you dream at all? Or do you remember dreams much?
Don't know. I don't really think that the *finil drugs affect my sleep cycle at all, but they certainly affect my waking cycle. Now I know for a fact that they affect the GABA levels, because the *finil drugs have a calming effect for me much like the Klonipin. Paradoxically, I also get a stimulating effect from the *finil drugs. Of course the Klonipin makes me sleepy, and has no stimulating properties for me.
> I don't know if you've ever shown symptoms of narcolepsy or how your dreams even are, but frequent dreaming seems to be part of my make-up. As soon as I'm dropping off, my dreaming starts. At this point, sounds & interuptions can easily awaken me again & I ALWAYS remember the dreaming starting & what it's about.
Not me, but I normally go to sleep very easily when I'm in my depressed cycle. However, I don't go to sleep easily without drugs when I'm in my normal stage of Cyclothymia, but I don't suffer from insomnia. It's just harder for me to go to sleep.
>
> Maybe someone who can't remember their dreams would love to have more dreams, but I seem to spend so much time in REM sleep. I can be easily awoken anytime of night, it seems. Hence, my curiousity on whether modafinil increases the deep sleep cycle & lessen REM sleep. Maybe you haven't been on it long enough to tell either.Again, I really don't think it affects my sleep at all.
I don't think that strange sleeping patterns cause depression; I think they are a symptom of depression. Again--pure speculation on my part.
You may have read my Yin-Yang theory in a previous post. It's probably total nonsense, but who knows, there might be some truth to it. So it goes like this: For me it seems that when I take Klonipin at night, it tells my brain to shut up and sleep. When I get up in the morning, I feel wonderful. I feel even better within 15 minutes or so, when I take my pstims-Wellbutrin, *finil, and Concerta along with my coffee.
The point is that there are two clear delineations in my circadian cycle thanks to the use of medications. I think this may have something to do with my wellness, but who the hell knows?
Hope you're doing well. Don't eat the yellow snow!
Tim
poster:manowar
thread:92585
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020131/msgs/92892.html