How to Go Back to Sleep?

[AsktheAges]

Does anyone have trouble staying asleep because of racing thoughts? I commonly wake up quite early, around 3 or 4, and can't get back to sleep. I've tried doing automatic thought records, mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation in this situation; they may help sometimes but not often enough. (They are useful in general though.) Sometimes I try reading, which is often recommended, but too often I can't even stay focused on the book. (Again, this occasionally works.) My impulse is to go online but that never helps. From what I've read, the sort of lighting used in computer screens is stimulating and is not conducive to sleep.

What are some techniques you use to get back to sleep?

[AsktheAges]

This is gross and personal (so skip reading now if you want to be spared) but in the interest of full disclosure, masturbation can be effective. (I'm a dude.) But even that doesn't always work. Plus, sometimes, you're just not in the mood.

[JAug]

I have a trick to break this cycle!

Ever notice how you wake up at the SAME time every night? This is because you're creating a habit to check the clock FOR that time. Next time you wake up in the middle of the night, don't look at any clocks. Over the course of a week or so you'll feel better.

This is coming from someone who would wake up, look at the clock, it would read 3am and then I would think to myself "oh crap only 4 hours of sleep left for tonight". Now, if I wake up, I don't look at the clock and have no idea, I just close myeyes and go back to bed.

[AsktheAges]

Oh, that's interesting. I'll try it.

Slept much better last night btw.

[dazza]

This is gross and personal (so skip reading now if you want to be spared) but in the interest of full disclosure, masturbation can be effective. (I'm a dude.) But even that doesn't always work. Plus, sometimes, you're just not in the mood.

LMAO!!!

Yeah... it can and often does work for blokes.
Mind you, it's no fun for your partner if you wake her up, violently beating the bishop at 3am

[jhunter89]

Pmsl! I would be a tad miffed.

[AsktheAges]

So I didn't check the clock when I woke up just now, just tried reading. After what felt like an hour or maybe even two, I did check and it was 2:30! I went to sleep quite early last night but, still, this is too much.

[AceParadox]

x.x hate when that happens.

[dazza]

Remember folks... early morning bishop beating or bean flicking is the way to go... lol

[lsapphirel]

Remember folks... early morning bishop beating or bean flicking is the way to go... lol

Omg, tsk tsk tsk, men...

[lsapphirel]

When i wake up in the middle of the night, id just close my eyes till i fall asleep. I dont try to even think. I dont grab my phone or anything.

Best not to have a nap during the day and i always sleep after 12am because if i sleep earlier than that, id wake up in the middle of the night.

[AsktheAges]

3 am:( Feeling completely broken up about my ex-gf (broke up just over a year ago). About as far from 'bishop beating' mood as i could be.

[AsktheAges]

When i wake up in the middle of the night, id just close my eyes till i fall asleep. I dont try to even think. I dont grab my phone or anything.

The problem is that this does not work at all for me. It's the first thing I try, believe me. I become more agitated and usually end up with some kind of headache or muscle tension.

[AsktheAges]

I don't think that works for people with racing thoughts. We need some way to calm the mind, I believe.

[jhunter89]

What are your racing thoughts about?

[AsktheAges]

I have racing thoughts nearly all the time. Often, they're ruminating angry thoughts about situations where I've felt disrespected or isolated or ostracized. Sometimes, they're about my last, failed relationship that ended a year ago. Sometimes I'm just running over things that happened that day, etc.

[Buttercup]

maybe it would be an idea to set time aside during the day for these thoughts. Try and take an hour at some point and use that just as thinking time and during that time try and turn all the negatives into positives. It's hard but there is usually a positive out of every crappy thing that happens. You could also try writting all the thoughts down before you go to bed so they are on paper and out of your head- good in theory but can be really hard however it's worth a try.

My problem tends to be that I am a really light sleeper and most things wake me up- bf snoring, cats moving around the house etc. When i wake up and it takes me ages to get back to sleep I know I will be tired at work the next day which in turn makes me worry becuase I know that if I am not well rested my anxiety tends to rear it's ugly head.

[AsktheAges]

I woke up after 5h or less just now (could be worse), thinking about everything I might have possibly done wrong in my lecture last night. It can't have been that bad: this is the 7th time I'm teaching the same subject and I got very god evaluations the last two times. I've changed almost nothing from the last time + I took the time to rehearse almost the entire lecture yesterday. Still, there were some little things: I'm still getting over a cold or flu so I was taking cough drops during breaks or before class and sometimes they weren't completely melted by the time I started so I'd be lecturing with a cough drop somewhere in my mouth, which made me feel weird and self-conscious. Conversely, when I didn't do this, my throat would get sore and raspy. I'm worrying about whether I was overly stiff or tense, about whether I smiled enough, about whether I said some things the wrong way, whether I moved too quickly through things.

[Enduronman]

Dude..

First off, spankin the one eyed purple headed yogurt slinger (I know everyone just burst out into laughter) is not the answer. That was not meant to happen as the product of life is that not meant to be wasted on the earth..only for (1) purpose and that is to potentially create life. End that asap. Next off, people do not realize nor understand that if you do not reach a certain "phase" of the sleep process that your body, its highly complex system of glands, and all the chemical releases of these glands in exact timing..are thrown completely out of sync. The glands will only release hormones, prohormones, steroids, and a slew of other necessary and vital chemicals that it creates from cholesterol at certain times, certain phases, certain moments. Its called circadian rhythm or circadian loops. Lack of sleep, insomnia, restlessness, at bedtime can continue to create the perfect environment for anxiety and his misc forces to feed off of you, attack you, and continue to strengthen within you or anyone else that does not get adequate sleep. Not just rest, but REM sleep, period.

My thoughts used to race at night too. It seemed to be the perfect time and opportunity to try and fix ALL of the worlds problems including my own. Only problem was, nothing was being fixed. It was being over analyzed, over thought, and then of course the stupid and useless "what ifs" get thrown into this disasterous mix too. I had to turn the mind (off)..the thoughts (off) the analytical, hypathetical, and theoretical bullshit (off) in order to go to sleep. Once that was accomplished, by a mix of medications of course..then the anxiety began to ease up. It is merely only (1) aspect of people with high anxiety as there are many other aspects of this disorder itself and this isnt the time nor place to list them all.

Begin with sleep. 8 hours is your goal..and get a girlfriend for your sake please..

Enduronman..

[Enduronman]

PS: Get a fan, white noise..turn it on because it also helps greatly too..

[dazza]

You could always sing my anxiety song... lol


1.
Chest pains, arm pains and tingles in my feet
Stomach cramps, acid reflux - I just don't wanna eat
What was that? a little twinge or something really bad?
God knows, you think the worst when YOU got fucking GAD!

OOOOOooohhh... (chorus)

Fuck YOU anxiety you nasty piece of shit
Just when I think i'm good to go you throw a another fit
Well listen here and listen good; your time is running out
I've learnt your ways, it's time to pay for the shit you're dishing out

2.
My neck is stiff, I'm burping lots, got numbness in my face
Derealisation has me feeling like i float in outer-space
You knock me down so many times it's making me so MAD!
Doctor, doctor help me PLEASE coz I got fucking GAD!

OOOOOooohhh... (chorus)

Fuck YOU anxiety you nasty piece of shit
Just when I think i'm good to go you throw a another fit
Well listen here and listen good; your time is running out
I've learnt your ways, it's time to pay for the shit your dishing out

3.
Heart is racing, feet are pacing - my head's about to blow
Palpitations, strange sensations I think I'm gonna throw...
Intrusive thoughts, tunnel vision are just the start of it...
FUCK YOU ANXIETY, YOU NASTY PIECE OF SHIT!!!

OOOOOooohhh... (chorus)

Fuck YOU anxiety you nasty piece of shit
Just when I think i'm good to go you throw a another fit
Well listen here and listen good; your time is running out
I've learnt your ways, it's time to pay for the shit you're dishing out


:-)

Darren, August 2012

[Enduronman]

HEY YAH!! HEY YAAAHHH!!! OH O! OH O!!..Love it bruh!

E-Man. :)

[jhunter89]

That ol' chestnut :)