Afraid to sleep at night

[ohokay]

So I'm afraid to go to sleep. I feel like I won't wake up. I hate not knowing whats going on, but I can't not sleep. If I so much as try an all nighter I feel so sick the next day and I'm so anxiety ridden it's not even funny. I sound like a total freak when I even think this, and it's really hard to write about. I'm just wondering if there is anyone else with this? This isn't the only thing my anxiety is inspired by but it surely is one of the most annoying ones. I really want replys, please? :|

[saskykitty]

I get it. My sister also gets it. Last night was the first time in a while I actually fell asleep after waking up again. I told myself as I woke up, you need sleep to be healthy, sleeping feels good, you have been afraid of not waking up how many times? Yet you still wake up. I have hot chocolate or a milky drink splash my face with water then I do breathing exercises I also put lavender on my pillow it also helps having a bit of light and a glass of water next to my bed lol, now who sounds like the freak? :-)

[ACARINGHART]

yeah, for a long time I would never fall asleep, afraid that I would die in my sleep. for many months I wouldn't fall asleep until 4 wake up at 6 or 7, go to school, work, etc. it was no fun at all. but i'm still here, 5 years later. night is usually worst for me, hence the late night post.

anyway, just wanted to you to know it happens to a lot of people, me being one of them. get some rest, you'll be okay. :) it's scary, but sleep will actually help you. get a relaxation CD or something..or book on tape...it helps put me asleep. good luck

[Lozzie]

Hey ppls,

Don't worry you're not alone! I have had this before! I sometimes feel I wont be able to sleep so I kinda talk myself into it. The best thing I find is to have a nice warm bath, not too hot otherwise it can stimulate you to actually stay awake! Put some nice oil (lavender) or herbal salts with a nice smell relax, light some candles and turn off the lights. Then goto bed with a cup of valarian root tea, sip on that and I find it helps to read a good health magazine as reading positive things helps put my mind at ease. After that I get sleepy and fall asleep. It helps to put on an oil burner too with sleepez oil which is a mixure of lavender, lemon balm and other relaxing herbs!

I hope I have been some help, as I know how it feels.

Let me know how you go!

xox

[ohokay]

:) thankyou guys so much! Seriously whenever I have anxiety the one thing that helps is knowing others feel the same way. I have 3 things that stimulate my anxiety, all of them VERY unique, and usually the thing that puts them at total ease is knowing others have it too. I will try the lavender, that sounds very relaxing. I don't like to drink anything or take a shower/bath unless its at least two hours before bed time. (Yeah, i AM a freak) Thankyou all for the responses, it really helped :D

[NerveFray]

So I'm afraid to go to sleep. I feel like I won't wake up. I hate not knowing whats going on, but I can't not sleep. If I so much as try an all nighter I feel so sick the next day and I'm so anxiety ridden it's not even funny. I sound like a total freak when I even think this, and it's really hard to write about. I'm just wondering if there is anyone else with this? This isn't the only thing my anxiety is inspired by but it surely is one of the most annoying ones. I really want replys, please? :|

Many times I am also afraid to fall asleep but in my case it's because I am afraid to dream. I usually don't have full-blown nightmares, just uncomfortable situational dreams and I fear them because it seems real as, of course, I don't know I'm dreaming :unsure:

You're not a freak. Everyone experiences anxiety - it's just that for those of us on this forum it gets overwhelming at times. I wish i had an absolute answer for you but we are all still searching for that. All i can tell you is how I cope...

Sometimes my mind is occupied with something else and I fall asleep without thinking about falling asleep. Those are the good nights. When I am conscious of fearing sleep/dreams, if I have to, I take an herbal supplement like valerian or a benzo. What I do most nights lately, though, is listen to hypno-therapy CD's specifically for anxiety and related subjects like self-confidence and positive thinking. These can help you relax enough to sleep and, hopefully, can change some negative thinking in the long run. Sometimes I loop the recording and let it play all night even while I sleep because it is said your sub-conscious will still hear it. If you are interested, just search on self-hypnosis CD/MP3 as there are many available online.

[palofmine]

I have lorazepam cause ambien made me deep deep sleep and I couldnt wake up for like 2 hours after my initial WAKE UP. I have to take lorazepam like 1.2 before bed. Right now Im on xanax though cause the panick attacks have been somewhat bad at night. Whats worse is when hubby travels and I have panick attacks. I had a major one last week, hence the XANAX.

[reflection3214]

Hey all, First off I like to say I Feel a little at ease knowing allot of people are going threw what I am, Lately my anxiety has been going down quite a bit it's strange sometimes lately I can Go almost a whole day without feeling anxious my philosophy is everything happens for a reason not so much Fate wise but anxiety can't come out of know where I suggest everyone get there blood tested have the doc check your thyroid, magnesium levels, make sure your getting your B vitamins and calcium deficients in all these can cause anxiety concentrate allot on what you eat this is huge I've montired what foods make me feel more anxious and cut down about 40% of my anxiety just from diet I seen some of you fearing to sleep beacuse of dreams. we all fear what we can't control hence why anxiety is so scary so I suggest reading up on lucid dreaming it will give you something to do in place of your anxiety and you could actually get some relief out of it and feel more at ease in your dreams, Lucid dreaming in breif is knowing your dreaming and then and choosing to do whatever you want in your dream a few quick tips that worked for me were look at your hand frequently during the day each time as your self out loud am I dreaming now your mind will remember this and when you are in your dream you will have a tendency you look at your hand when you do this and ask the question, you will realize your hand looks very weird like wavy almost or you might have an extra finger this will make you become aware your dreaming and give you power and trust me it's worth it you will feel alot at ease and not anxious in your dream but practice allot it takes time for some it may work the first night also does any one else feel overly anxious just in the shower?? This has seem to arise lately to me and I'm not sure why also when your feeling a little un easy in the stomach try eating a banana it seems to make me feel allot better and if you think a hole one will make you sick eat half, drink lots of water

[justind]

Hi there,
I feel the same way sometimes. As someone mentioned before I also find that a nice warm bath can help. This also helps when I wake up with a panic attack. Try letting the water run and focus on the sound.