[Daf]

Any ideas folks.

I’m really struggling at the moment.

When I approach bed my anxiety goes sky high, which of course means every other night is a no-sleep night, because with such a level of arousal, I cannot sleep, obviously.

Any words/ phrases you use to dampen down that rising anxiousness would be much appreciated.

 

[Oz]

I know the creeping, helpless ‘here we go again feeling’ of bedtime anxiety well Daf. As you probably know by now the key to better sleep is managing the anxiety, and that takes time – more time the longer the problem persists as mind and body become conditioned to the response. Well, my experience (a long painful one) is that it can be beaten but acceptance and patience is good start. Here are a few techniques that you might find helpful – some I’m sure you’ve tried and none will have instant results.

– try changing your bedtime routine to interrupt the conditioned response, eg. Start usual routine a bit earlier maybe but instead of heading off to bed do something relaxing, <u><b>enjoyable</b></u> (reading?) for 1/2 hr first away from bed

-if/when anxiety builds in bed,or before, try the usual ‘tense and relax’ body parts or meditative focus on breathing, but if that fails best to get out of bed for awhile to do anything that will break your concentration on sleep

– if tension, jet lag headaches at night become part of the package try just a regular painkiller dose . I have found it a useful sleep aid, just enough to take the edge off

-keep trying to focus on the few positive things, like ‘yes I’m not sleeping well but seem to be able to function adequately on little sleep’, and slowly work toward being able to say ‘I don’t really care whether I get a great sleep tonight as I know I’ll be OK’. If you can get to that  ‘I don’t care much anymore’ attitude the anxiety will quickly lessen

– maybe most helpful is to make friends with your anxiety – much easier said than done!.  Instead of always trying to avoid and fight it try to just acknowledge and accept it as a conditioned emotion that we can learn to respond to more with curiosity and acceptance than with ‘fight and flee’. There are several good online sites (some free) that will walk you through using meditation exercises to help manage anxiety. Weird as it may all sound it’s well worth a try.

Good luck!

[Daf]

Thank you Oz,

I like the idea of a regular painkiller dose the next day after a night on nil sleep – Paracetamol from my research, looks the best one to try. Took some yesterday and it damped down the tight chest/nausea feelings for a couple of hours. Will do that again. Maybe can try at night next time I cannot sleep to cut the anxiety too. Good idea.

I also like your words: ‘I don’t really care whether I get a great sleep tonight as I know I’ll be OK’  That is good too. Thanks you. Daf

[Mike Love]

U Dream in Canada is the answer to all our problems

[Author]

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