How do people sleep with there anxiety

[fisher]

hiya just wondered how people can sleep of a night with there anxiety?since i have had this anxiety it takes me ages to get to sleep and when i do its for about 2 hrs then i wake up with a racing heart😞

[jessed03]

Are you married? Get your husband to hit you with a hammer when you wake up! Only a little dink to keep you out for a few hours. Unless there's sports on, then maybe a bit harder!

By healthy living really :) it takes some time but it comes together.

- If you're exercising in the day, you should be burning off the adrenaline and tiring yourself a little

- If you're practicing CBT during the day (which you should be) you'll have less for your subconscious to deal with at night, and should begin to sleep easier

- If you meditate before bed, 10 minutes, which is recommended, you should sleep easier due to GABA increase (Think light benzo relief)

- If you practice progressive muscle relaxation in the morning (which you should be) your overall stress levels during the day will be lower, meaning a better nights sleep. Less tension will be present too.

- If you keep yourself busy with tasks unrelated to anxiety, your mind will re-enter it's normal productive rhythm

- If you drink chamomille tea or an equivalent, which is a mild tranquilizer (which you should be) it has proven sleep inducing benefits

Easy peasy :)

[janey]

I sleep. That's how I sleep. Hope that helps. :D

[8-BitAlice]

I drink.. far from the best solution, I wouldn't recommend it but its effective if nothing else.

[Enduronman]

I used to take anti-histamines to put me to sleep..

Welcome Alice!

EMan..:)

[jessed03]

I drink.. far from the best solution, I wouldn't recommend it but its effective if nothing else.

Lol that's one way...

What's your poison?

[Robert Tressell]

try 5 HTP - knocks me right out, but I feel groggy in the morning. Kinda refreshed, but not quite. Weird.

[fisher]

Thanks everyone for your replies,much appreciated x

[Lee Grant Irons]

Hi fisher,

You have probably noticed that this is a pretty regular topic on this forum... how to get to sleep with anxiety. All of the above advice is great! Here is the advice I give:

1. Don't watch any TV/video, play any computer games, or surf the internet within an hour of going to bed.
2. Try to give yourself some silence before bedtime. If you don't want complete silence, before bed, play soft, soothing music.
3. Turn down the lights within 30 minutes of going to bed, to help you start relaxing
4. Drink some warm milk or take a calcium supplement within 30 minutes of going to bed. Calcium is a natural relaxant and could help relieve headaches. Eman mentioned antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine which is marketed as a common sleeping pill. For some people, like myself, diphenhydramine is a stimulant, and produce agitation.
5. Turn on an air purifier or a small fan to create some white noise.
6. Sleep in as dark a room as you can. Turn off or cover small light sources in your room, such as the lighted clock readout or the night light.
7. Fill some socks with dry white rice and microwave them to heat them up. Then sleep with one around your neck and one across you stomach. The heat induces relaxation, and can help with lingering symptoms of anxiety through your day, such as tension in your neck and shoulders and irritable bowel syndrome.
8. Turn off your thoughts. Stop thinking.


Here is something you can laugh at before you go to sleep. The laughter might help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-vDYOpkoWE

[quinny]

I put the sounds of rain and thunder on its realy relaxing, and have a camomile tea I swear by it great stuff :)

[jessed03]

I put the sounds of rain and thunder on its realy relaxing, and have a camomile tea I swear by it great stuff :)

I do the same thing!! can't sleep without it now.

[fisher]

Camomile tea they say is good for anxiety will have a go thanks guys x

[quinny]

Camomile tea they say is good for anxiety will have a go thanks guys x

have about 4 cups a day one before bed keeps you on a nice chilled level :)

[quinny]

cant beat it jessed love listening to rain proper chills you out

[fisher]

what does the camomile tea taste like?i cant see me liking it to be honest but if it works i will try anything x

[quinny]

it aint to bad fisher you get used to it and start enjoying after a while lol give it a go it will help chill you out :)

[Dahila]

Lee fantastic advice, however I have problem with the 8. the second part, no problem with turning off the lights........Stop thinking

[jessed03]

what does the camomile tea taste like?i cant see me liking it to be honest but if it works i will try anything x

It only costs like £1 in sainsburys. I don't like in in truth, but it is relaxing, so I drink it out of habit.

Like Quinny said though, after a few cups you get used to it, and start to enjoy having a mug and relaxing.

[Lee Grant Irons]

Lee fantastic advice, however I have problem with the 8. the second part, no problem with turning off the lights........Stop thinking

Yes, stopping the thinking is the main thing you have to do to turn off the anxiety that is keeping you awake. Everything you do up to that point is to just help you relax and reduce stress. Another way of stopping thinking about the things that make you anxious is to repeat a sound or word in your head over and over or picture an image of something neutral, like a tree, while you try to lay as still and as comfortable as possible. Kind of like meditating yourself to sleep. This is why some people play the sound of waves or other sounds of nature when trying to get to sleep. It helps them turn off their anxiety building thoughts.

[Dahila]

I have epic fail with it. The only way I will sleep is with the meds, it is going on for over 9 years