Very strange/scary thoughts before and during naps/sleep.

[glacierman]

Male- 21

I've been suffering from anxiety for a couple years now. Its been mild for the most part, however, sometimes I'll experience extreme obsessive thoughts about fears that I've developed. A recent example would be a fear of developing more serious disorders like bipolar, or schizophrenia, etc.

Getting to the topic of the title, I experience extremely abnormal thoughts when beginning to fall asleep. Im in a state where I am half asleep and awake and begin to come up with strange scenarios that give me anxiety. Sometimes based off of my fears. I do not hear things that are not there, nor do I hallucinate. But the thoughts and scenarios I come up with in my head give me anxiety when in this state and is very unpleasant, and often my body begins to twitch during this. Due to the fact that im almost asleep during it, the experience feels realistic (but im still aware im napping). I now avoid naps as much as possible because of the side effects I get. Its been going on now for about a year, but has been getting slightly more intense recently.

Does anyone have similar behaviour like this?
Im scared that this could lead to other mental disorders.

[1Bluerose68]

I have that experience every time i run out of my Benzos. They keep my mind calm before i go to sleep, and wake up rested and ready to drink my morning dose of grape juice and then coffee too.Then everything is A-OK until the next night.

[DollyD]

I have had this for what seems to be every night for about 3 yrs. I was diagnosed with anxiety about ten years ago. I overcame it till 3 years ago when I started the night attacks. I just started a second job and this all has caused my anxiety to flare again. I'm usually fine in the day but the lack of sleep causes me to feel weird or have anxiety. But as soon as I drift off to sleep I jolt awake. Weird feeling. And sometimes it causes a full blown panic attack. It's very scary. So bad I had to have tequila just to get to sleep most nights. I just found out what it was. It's called hypnic jerks. Google it and it tells you all u need to know. You are not alone.

[glacierman]

Thank you or the fast response, and i'll look that up. Thank god im not alone

[DollyD]

No problem. Let me know if this sounds like your problem. I'm trying to force myself to sleep now. I think mine is do to stress that I don't realize I have but my brain does. And my mind racing. Its just so uncontrollable. I feel normal falling asleep until it happens.

[glacierman]

Yes, some parts are very similar.

The same thing will happen with my mind racing. Some nights its ok, and others its awful. One thought leads to another and so on. Takes me on average 30min- an hour to fall asleep when my mind is too active.

Try drinking chamomile tea with a teaspoon of magnesium if you have it handy. This is my last resort when I cant sleep. The combination knocks me out, and is healthy.

[DollyD]

Yes my mom gave me that tea the other day. I will try it together. Thanks!

[StokesM]

Sounds like you may have obsessive thoughts based on fear. Its a common symptom of anxiety i had some pretty dark ones at some point much worse than what you are describing.

Take comfort that this particular symptom affect people of a sensitive and good nature (search obsessive thoughts if you do not believe me) however to solve this you must;

a) realize that thoughts are not reality
b) let the thoughts enter your mind and flow out again. DO NOT try to fight them as study's show the more you fear your thoughts and stop them the more the brain will increase the frequency of them. Do not try to rationalize them otherwise the same will occur. Just accept they are there and they are silly and they will go.

[leahandrea]

I've noticed over the past year or so that I occasionally hold my breath in my sleep. I notice it during the day sometimes too. It seems like I have it more when I'm stressed. I'm scared about the sleeping though. I wake up in a total panic gasping for air. It doesn't happen every night... every once in awhile. I know it could be sleep apnea, but I wasn't sure if it could be anxiety.

[sae]

I would love to hear every response to this thread. Sleep is my mortal enemy.

I have never liked sleeping, now that I wear out so easily I can no longer spend 3 days awake at a time. My circadian rhythm is riddled with odd occurences.

I can only manage to sleep comfortably if I am either not alone or between the hours of 6 am to 10:30 AM. That part at least is like clockwork. About every three weeks or so I will shut down and sleep for a good 14 hrs or so.
If I sleep I will dream vividly every time. When I dream I run the risk of running into those stupid dream memories, re living things I have effectively forgotten in my waking state. In my sleep I talk, cry,scream, and punch, so much so my kid now sleeps at the opposite end of the house with headphones on.

I want rest so badly these days it almost makes me cry (if I were the crying type).

If I need more than 4.5 hours of sleep I go to bed with a trazadone/diphenhydramine cocktail. It works except it makes me feel like total butt in the morning and there is no getting up to an alarm or waking me.


If I am not alone then I seem to sleep okay. I still mumble and cry a bit I am told but it doesn't wake me fully. Unfortunately right now it isn't financially or emotionally responsible for us to live together yet.

So I guess I don't have any useful advice on this one, but I can relate to it very well.