[LouMar8]

Hi all
New to this forum, have suffered insomnia for many years and trying to learn to deal with it naturally. Worst part is the anxiety it causes so looking forward to learning more ways to deal with it . Have tried many options so far. I use meditation apps, music, and natural sleep aids like lavender etc to at least get a few hours of sleep . I have also learnt that tossing and turning is of no benefit. Also going through peri menopause which has made the insomnia worse . Looking forward to getting to know and learn some new techniques !

[hiker]

Hi LouMar8, I think you are onto something when you describe “the anxiety (insomnia) causes…”

Many nights of poor sleep would make me anxious about pretty much everything—how am I going to get this or that done, add to that thoughts about what people are thinking about me (usually they weren’t, of course); and as the next evening comes on, the anxiety would turn to how am I going to sleep tonight.

Sometimes the only thing that sort of worked was just slowing down to this nanosecond, then focusing on my next step, which might just be sitting here, or getting up and walking to get a glass, then putting some water in it, and then drinking it. Not really a technique, just getting through. And not all the nanoseconds are as tough as some of them. And then trying to do the same thing at bedtime. And when the anxiety kicks in—what if I don’t sleep tonight, I can’t handle this, etc.–just letting the thoughts pass through. And knowing that if you end up not getting much sleep and facing another day, knowing that you have done it many times.

Easier said, I know. But to the extent we can get out of the way, sleep will take care of itself. If it were something we could accomplish with effort, we probably would have licked this problem a long time ago.

Take care, and I hope you stick with this website.

[Author]

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