In the past year I've only slept through the entire night once. It takes me forever to go to sleep, and then every hour and a half two hours I'll wake up again. I've tried being on anti-depressants, being off anti-depressants, alcohol, sleeping tablets, cannabis, exercise, reading, writing, music... everything (apart from being up the duff, lol)... I'm being referred to the sleep clinic at the hospital to check and make sure I'm not stopping breathing in the middle of the night. Recently I've been so troubled I've been having night terrors again. Two nights ago I had the police at my door at three in the morning. I had been sitting on the couch watching a film at the time because I'd had a series of nightmares that had seemed real (a serious case of the Freddies), and in order to wake myself up from them, I'd ended up biting my hand. The policemen (two rather attractive young plods) said a neighbour had phoned, they'd heard screaming coming from my flat. I was mortified... I didn't realise I'd been screaming out loud. I apologised and swore I was fine, explained I was having sleeping problems lately, and that I was going to the doctor first thing. I saw them looking at the bite mark on my hand, and they asked if there was anyone else in the flat, at which point I nearly died of shame and embarassment. I assured them I was alone, and thanked them again for their concern, but let them know I was no way in any danger. One the one hand, I'm quite pleased at least one neighbour cared enough to phone the police, and the police cared enough to come and check it out, but on the other hand, how very very very embarrassing. I haven't actually slept during the night since then. I can sleep during the day fine, but night time? nonononono. Now I just can't sleep cos I'm terrified of scaring the neighbours and having police bursting into my house in the middle of the night. On the brighter side, I've been fairly powering through my novel. This can only be a good thing.
Like you, I can sleep during the day just fine, but when night comes, it's a no go. I feel for you about having the neighbors hear you. Joel has to wake me up all the time because I'm having a nightmare and start freaking out. I'm glad I've never gotten loud enough to wake the neighbors...not that mine would really care, they're pretty unfriendly. I hope the doctors at the sleep clinic are able to help you!
Thank you. So do I. Although I did manage about four hours last night... it starts getting light about 3am here at the moment. Of course, now it's yet another beautiful sunny day and I'm still in a writing frenzy. I've argued with myself about the benefits of NOT sitting in my pokey wee flat all day, so am now gathering notebook and pen, and going to sit on the beach for a while. Hopefully I'll not to my usual of falling asleep on the sun and waking up on my side, with one white side and one lobster red side.