Tips to get over fear of sleeping?

[FordingTheWaters]

I used to LOVE the feeling of drifting off into sleep. I've always viewed sleep as a pastime, used it to enhance my creativity and so on.

But as my anxiety has gotten worse I find myself afraid to sleep. I don't know why. I want to love sleep again, why can't I view it in a rational way. Every time I get signs of strong tiredness I always think it's signs of dying and not just being tired.

How can I get over this? Do you have any tips and/or good essays/websites that specifically address getting over your hypnophobia? Thanks

[j2005]

Instead of fighting sleep, why don't you simply work towards a healthier life with less anxiety...I think you'll discover your love again.

James

[bajablue]

Sleep was number 1 on my anxiety hit parade for the first few years after I was diagnosed. I have a lot of tips but here are a few: First, if "not falling asleep" is the fear (was for me), always have a sleep med close by. Set a time limit and if you have not fallen asleep by, say, an hour take the med. Also, I have a rule now (I have sleep meds but do not take much unless traveling on business internationally) where if I am not asleep in an hour - I get up and move. I try a couch in another room. I'll open a window so I can get some fresh air. I will put on my headphones, plug in my iphone and listen one of many apps I have for helping sleep - calm radio, Holistic radio are two good ones. If you have Sat radio or Pandora - look for a Zen station - those help. But there are very scientific sounds on some stations or programs/apps intended to induce a deep sleep. On the rare (now) occasion where I cannot sleep after a few hours and do not want to take a pill, I turn on the TV. That, at least keep my mind somewhat busy so I do not perseverate on the situation.

Send a private note if you want more help.

[meco1999]

bajablue,

Do you think I should take OTC meds or herbal products like valerian as I recover from insomnia caused by my anxiety attack? Or just go cold turkey? I don't want to be dependent on pills to go to sleep, so I was thinking maybe I should try to re-train my brain to go to sleep without them, but I don't know.

[bajablue]

bajablue,

Do you think I should take OTC meds or herbal products like valerian as I recover from insomnia caused by my anxiety attack? Or just go cold turkey? I don't want to be dependent on pills to go to sleep, so I was thinking maybe I should try to re-train my brain to go to sleep without them, but I don't know.

I do think if you can do it without an RX - go for it. Worth the try. I had mixed results but my insomnia was very, very bad when I had it. I come from the school of - do not torture yourself when real help is available. I have tried Calm, Cham tea, Val root, Melatonin and one other from Trader Joes I cannot remember the name of. It just wan't for me. One sure fire thing that works for me is massage - not your mate rubbing your back - but a real deep tissue massage. One hour of those and it is like 2 hours of Yoga. I always sleep like the dead after a real massage. But, give the natural remedies a try and let me know how they work.

[scared44]

Hi Ive tried everything imaginable to sleep and NOTHING works for me anymore? Ive tried massages,relaxation music,excersising,walking,cbt and valium and more but as soon as I get into bed my mind wont shut down and goes a million miles an hour. When I do get an hour or so I always wake up in panic and have to pop a valium which does nothing there like lollies? Sorry just needed to vent :'(

[meco1999]

I do think if you can do it without an RX - go for it. Worth the try. I had mixed results but my insomnia was very, very bad when I had it. I come from the school of - do not torture yourself when real help is available. I have tried Calm, Cham tea, Val root, Melatonin and one other from Trader Joes I cannot remember the name of. It just wan't for me. One sure fire thing that works for me is massage - not your mate rubbing your back - but a real deep tissue massage. One hour of those and it is like 2 hours of Yoga. I always sleep like the dead after a real massage. But, give the natural remedies a try and let me know how they work.

You say you had bad insomnia in the past? How did you get over it?

[bajablue]

You say you had bad insomnia in the past? How did you get over it?

Thee may be degrees of insomnia that I cannot relate to or offer adice for that is helpful. I will say again, in the beginning I went 3 or 4 nights with zero sleep. My wife finally decided (because I was not thinking much) that warm baths, warm milk, etc. was not going to work. On the last night of that hell I was up after even my best supporter could not hang with me and I went to the medicine cabinet. I took two mega RX pain meds left over from a surgery. I then took a couple long pulls on a bottle of Jack Daniels - I was going to sleep or die I guess. No sleep and didn't die. But my wife finally got me to see a Psych and she prescribed some heave (this was before ambien) sleep meds + an AD with a heavy drowsy effect. That did the trick short term. Long uphill battle from there. My insomnia was due to depression resulting from 2 years of unchecked anxiety. I got in group therapy, one-on-one therapy, I meditated and held on while the anti-deps kicked in. Then I got to battle the real demon of anxiety.
Flash forward 20 years. I still have mini boughts with it; using the techniques above. I cannot imagine, truly, the pain one would feel from years of that hell. My fear lasted years but sleep started coming before the fear of not sleeping left.