Mgd—dry skin and lack of quality sleep

[Idealist321]

I have MGD and I havent slept more than 5 hours per night since I developed MGD/dry eyes 7 months ago. I also am not sleeping deeply anymore. It’s like i am in a light stage of sleep for 5 hours and I do not feel like I slept at all upon waking. I also noticed my skin feels dry and not soft like before and I am having acne breakouts which I believe is caused by lack of quality sleep due to MGD.

Warm compress doesnt work, sleep mask doesnt work and although omega 3 pills help relieve the dry eyes, i still would like for my eyes to naturally produce oils so i can sleep better again. It’s been a difficult challenge for me please offer advice. Thanks!

[Rebecca Petris]

Often it comes down to a combination... like a warm compress followed by just the right lubricant that works best for you, followed by just the right form of physical barrier protection to trap moisture, which could be anything from squares of cling film to a moisture goggle or medical tape. I'd say, be patient with some experimentation. Nothing will mess with you faster than prolonged sleep deprivation!

[farmgirl]

Is that 5 hours total or 5 hours at one stretch? How does the dry eye come into play, does it wake you up and you can't get back to sleep?

[Idealist321]

Ive done the compress/eye lube combo and i stll get 5 hours total. It’s strange because i dont feel well rested but happen to stay energized and awake all day until i force myself to sleep by listening to an ASMR video. My body is definitely being impacted. I believe the lack of oil from my eye glands is threatening my ability to sleep because prior to MGD i could sleep a full 6-8 hours and even take naps on demand. My body just feels different and it’s been challenging to adjust.

Also, i got dry eyes/mgd from looking at the Solar Eclipse without special glasses back in August 2017. Anyone else can relate?

Anyone else experiencing dry skin and lack of sleep?

[PG]

It sounds like you have a sleeping disorder unrelated to waking from eye pain (which is what happens with MGD; your eyes become so dry while sleeping that the discomfort wakes you up every few hours, and you have to put in drops or a lubricant). The timing of your sleep disorder and the onset of MGD sound like a coincidence to me, since you are not stating that eye symptoms are the direct cause of your waking.
For a general sleeping disorder, try melatonin or typtophan (both available over the counter). That has always worked for me!

[Idealist321]

The dryness does wake me up but i dont apply more drops. I’ll prob start applying drops when that happens. Thanks for suggesting melatonin. Ive considered trying it. It’s good that it works for you!