[Sluck]

I feel nervous and get a sinking feeling/butterflies when I am about to go to sleep, due to knowing I won’t be be able to sleep. How can I shake this feeling before sleep, which I believe is partly the cause for no sleep.

[Dlkjmbf]

I don’t have an answer for you, but I want you to know you are not alone. I have completely conditioned my brain to associate the bed with panic and anxiety. I know how awful it is. I’m so tired I can’t stand it, and yet I lie there with my heart racing. I think I’m going to have to suck it up and commit to a long road of sleep restriction to break it. Sounds like it is not pleasant, but it can rewire the brain. Best of luck to you! Hang in there.

[Martin Reed]

You definitely aren’t alone, Sluck! Feeling nervous before going to bed is completely normal and understandable if you have experienced many nights of sleep difficulties!

Our brain is an expert when it comes to forming associations — just as our mouth might water when we smell bread because it associates the smell of baking with delicious bread, our mind might start to worry when it’s time for bed if it has associated the bed with sleep difficulties and uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

The good news is that since this association has been learned, it can be unlearned! We can do this, over time, by making sure we only go to bed when we feel truly sleep enough for sleep (we are finding it hard to stay awake) and it can be helpful to get out of bed whenever being in bed doesn’t feel good to do something a bit more pleasant instead.

The more time we spend in bed when being in bed feels good, the more we might “relearn” to associate the bed with pleasant wakefulness and sleep.

I hope this helps!

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