Diagnosed anxiety.

[Anxiety_Tom]

Hello guys.

I'm 17, male, and from the UK.

To start from the beginning, I've suffered with bad anxiety for about 3 years. I tend to worry about anything medical related, for example, if I get a pain somewhere I'll always think about what the pain could be and what could be causing it. This triggered panic attacks.

It started to get really bad and started to effect my life, I couldn't go a day without thinking there was something wrong with me.

It was only 3 days ago when I decided to seek medical attention. I had been awake for a long amount of time and when I decided to go sleep my heart started to pump really fast and this really worried me. Some how I managed to get asleep and I don't know how.

So, I decided to go to the doctor and tell him the problems I was having, he prescribed me some Propranolol.

I haven't started to take them yet as I want to get my sleeping pattern in a good routine so I can take the meds at the same time every day which supposed to be the best way to take them.

I'm still finding it very hard to sleep because my heart decides to beat really fast and it's a distraction from sleeping, and sometimes just when I am about to fall alseep it'll feel like there's some sort of palputation, it's a strange feeling. I do hope it is anxiety causing this and it isn't a heart problem. My heart will some times beat hard in the day, I think it does it because I'm worrying about things. Even when I'm not worrying about things and have my mind on something else my heart will some times beat hard.

Sometimes I just feel like crying for no reason at all, I'm starting to think it could be depression.

When I start to take my meds I think they'll sort out the fast heart beat because that's what they're designed to do.

So, has anyone else suffered with a rapid heart beat before they fall asleep? And if so, what method do you use in order to be able to fall asleep?

Thanks.

[arbonb]

You need to try and relax before going to bed. Maybe a nice bath, or try listening to some music with headphones on in bed, maybe some relaxation music. I used to have the same thing at bedtime, i used to be scared to go to bed and would stay up really late until i couldnt keep my eyes open. When i would go to bed and my heart would start to race i would take deep breaths and count them. Take a deep breathe and count 1 (in your head) and then take another breathe and count 2 and so on until you reach five. Then start again from 1. This seems to take your mind off your heart beating fast and should relax you enough to go to sleep. hope this helps.

[emmalampkin]

You need to try and relax before going to bed. Maybe a nice bath, or try listening to some music with headphones on in bed, maybe some relaxation music. I used to have the same thing at bedtime, i used to be scared to go to bed and would stay up really late until i couldnt keep my eyes open. When i would go to bed and my heart would start to race i would take deep breaths and count them. Take a deep breathe and count 1 (in your head) and then take another breathe and count 2 and so on until you reach five. Then start again from 1. This seems to take your mind off your heart beating fast and should relax you enough to go to sleep. hope this helps.

+1, i would also say maybe light a few candles or put a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow as that helps me alot.
Good luck. x