Sleep anxiety

[bc97]

Hi everyone,
this is my first time posting in a beyond blue forum so I'm a little apprehensive about it all, but for the last week or so I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping. I get so worked up about getting enough sleep and being able to function properly the next day that I end up becoming incredibly anxious, which in turn prevents me from falling and staying asleep in the process, leaving me exhausted and miserable the next day. I've also been feeling quite depressed for a few months now and these feelings seem to be exacerbated by my sleep deprivation, and I feel like it's forming a really bad cycle. I've also noticed that when I'm trying to fall asleep I do this thing where I'm hyper conscious of my thoughts and I try to control them in order to fall asleep. I have began to monitor my thoughts meticulously throughout the day now and am conscious of everything I do as well, so much so that I don't even know how I normally think anymore. It's almost like I've lost the ability to go into auto-pilot mode and I am somehow too aware of being conscious if that makes sense. I just feel like lately everything has been getting on top of me to the point where I don't even feel like myself anymore. I tried organising an appointment to see a counsellor at uni and have been unable to get in until the 18th of May, so in the meantime I'm really just not sure what I can do...

[white knight]

Hi bc, welcome

I know what you are going through

My reply is best answered by recommrnfing you read the first posts of the following threads-

Use google

Topic: anxiety, how I eliminated it- beyondblue

Topic: a good nights deep sleep- beyondblue

I hope that helps

Tony WK

[Ggrand]

Hello bc,

I would also like to welcome you to BB Forums.

A lot of people here on the forums including myself have a great deal of trouble sleeping, Tony has given you some really good threads to read through, Tony also recommended them to me and they really do help..

Before I go to sleep I write all my negative thoughts down into a excercise book to get them out of my mind, then I throw them away..Also when I lay down for sleep I listen to a guided meditation on deep sleep, then put a instrumental vid on and select one instrument only and concerntrate only on that instrument, which when your listening to the instrument your thoughts of negativity are not awake..

As well as the great thread Tony has given you there is another thread called..."Sleep". Hopefully you will find some great tips in there as well as Tony's..

I related to sleep causing depression and anxiety to escalate as without enough sleep our bodies don't have the strength to fight our Mental Health Issues,

Please bc, also healthy food, plenty of water, a little excercise and sunlight all contribute in helping us to sleep also caffeine intake should be stopped around a few hours before sleep.

Kind and caring thoughts,

Grandy.

[NotLiving]

Hi bc97. I have a similar issue for many years (some times are easier than others. I'm sorry you're feeling so stressed and I know how much worse not sleeping well can make that.

I have found a guided mindfulness meditation (you can look these up for free on YouTube, and I believe you can get some apps with meditations) before bed helps me to relax my muscles, which does in turn relax my mind a little (I think sometimes physical symptoms can trigger emotional reactions, I.e. If I take my medication that makes my heart beat faster, my mind often follows suit with anxiety because my brain associates fast beating heart with panic attack).

I also often will do a brainstorm on paper of things I need to remember or get done which helps ease any worry about forgetting something important (I don't know if you have this issue but maybe it will help?) I also like Ggrand's idea of writing down stressful thoughts to get them out of your head.

There are also some natural products you can get from chemist warehouse called Rescue Remedy. There is one for general use that I use during the day sometimes And one specifically for sleeping (called Sleep Remedy I believe) which I have not tried yet but intend to. You put a few drops under your tongue or you can mix it in with a drink. I like to add mine to a cup of herbal tea.

And on the subject of herbal tea, I have certain teas that I only drink in the evening before going to bed. I add Rescue Remedy if I'm really anxious and if not I can leave it out. Why this helps me is after a while of doing this each night I started to automatically associate the relaxation from sitting quietly having the tea with sleep so when I drink it I feel more relaxed and tired. Then I brush my teeth which I also associate with bed time which helps.

I've also heard of many people having lavender oils in their room at night near their bed to help with relaxation.

It also might be worth googling sleep hygiene which is essentially a list of good practices for sleep. Having a more relaxing evening routine, after a few weeks might really ease the stress.

Sorry for waffling on for so long, I really hope some of these suggestions are useful and that you're feeling some relief soon, and best of luck with your counselling appointment 🙂

[bc97]

Hi everyone,

I've found the links to discussion threads you provided so far very helpful. I think my main concern is training myself to associate being in bed with relaxation and sleep as opposed to the nights I've spent in a state of panic, worrying that the insomnia would spiral out of control.

I thought that your suggestion Grandy to write down my thoughts and concerns was a really good idea, as I feel like this will help me see things from a different perspective. I slept well last night and have been in a positive attitude about it today, which has allowed me to start fresh and given me the energy to actively try to implement things that I can actually control in my life, as I feel losing control is my biggest underlying fear.

I can 100% relate to what you said NotLiving about physical symptoms creating emotional reactions, as I feel like both are feeding off each other for me at the moment, creating a vicious cycle. In the meantime before I can get professional help I've downloaded a mindfulness app that I hope will train my body to let go of negative thoughts and worry about the future that I can't control.

[Guest_2658]

Hey man!

welcome to B.B.

I feel your pain. Although I’m not anxious about sleeping I simply do not sleep properly at night. Most of my sleep is very light and deep sleep is fleeting. My mind no longer knows how to sleep.

what helps me?

As far as I can see I have broken the part of my brain that allows me to sleep (A massive adrenaline rush, fight/flight mode, two years ago that did not stop for two months) So until the doctors sort it out I rely on the flowing.

ASMR videos

Sleep Hypnosis videos.

these are the only things that work for me. And even then it’s hit and miss.

I have tried every trick in the book.

good luck bro. I hope you get it sorted.

[Alexstrongsoul]

Hi! I understand you completely. Sometimes I have protracted panic attacks, which could last all day and night long. Some month ago, I got a new workplace and because of the work in the office in front of the monitor I got backache and neckache in addition to my sleep anxiety. Imagine that I decided to visit specialists and get some consultations only after I got physical problems with my body. Anyway, I got two good advice about my condition!
First of all, I was told, that I need more rest, like not just watching TV all the weekends, but have more time alone with myself walking in parks, go to the shore or have a camping. Moreover, I was told that I’m too responsible for things which I shouldn’t. You should know, that not everything depends on us and there is no need to control everything around you.
Secondly, I got an advice about…MATTRESS! I was confused, because I could never know, that my problems with sleep and my back could depend on my mattress. I got an advice to buy a new good firm mattress. Anyway, you may see some of those “special” firm mattresses on many sources in the Internet - the Talk About Sleep website has a 'best mattress for arthritis'. And, you know, I had a therapy for some time and really bought a firm mattress and my condition got better from that time. For me, this advice worked. I wish your specialist could give you good recommendations, which help you!
And one more…Never buy a memory foam mattress if you have any problems with your neck or back, because even the healthiest man will sleep bad on such a mattress.
Wish you good luck.