[Dani]

I don't know if anyone else experiences this, but I tend to get really anxious at night. I'm not sure if it's anxiety about going to sleep or anxiety about what's going to happen the next day, but usually around 9 or 10 at night I start feeling really anxious and I can't make it stop. It's really frustrating because I know my body is tired and I need to go to sleep but I can't. I sometimes take over the counter sleeping pills to help me go to sleep, but sometimes it still takes a long time to fall asleep and I end up taking a xanax to help calm me down. I wish I could just make this all go away.

[sundog]

Hi Dani, Yes, I have a lot of anxiety at night too. I've had this on and off my whole life, starting in childhood. I've just always been very anxious about going to bed and I've never been a good sleeper.

I went through a spell of taking sleeping pills and that definitely helped, but it didn't solve the problem. Just treated the symptom for a while. My anti-depressant helps somewhat, but I still get periods where the night-time anxiety gets really bad.

I try and stick with a night-time ritual and it helps a bit. My routine includes checking in with myself in my journal. Taking a bath or shower. Doing some meditation. And then reading a relaxing book. If I really can't sleep I get up and sometimes I even walk around outside for a bit. It definitely sucks being up in the night though.

I'm sorry you're having problems with this. Are you seeing a therapist at all? I hope you find some relief

[Cyran0]

Hi Dani. Night is a tough time for a lot of us. I personally don't have much trouble falling asleep, it's staying asleep that I struggle with (I wake up with intense anxiety and panic attacks) and my pdoc ultimately gave me Trazadone. My anxiety doesn't always need a reason (in fact it usually doesn't have a cause that I can see) so thinking my way out wasn't a great option for me, hence the Trazadone.

Hopefully someone here has better advice for the falling asleep piece but either way, I wanted to say I can relate to the messed up sleep due to anxiety and I'm sorry you're experiencing it.

Cyran0

[Dani]

Originally Posted by sundog

Hi Dani, Yes, I have a lot of anxiety at night too. I've had this on and off my whole life, starting in childhood. I've just always been very anxious about going to bed and I've never been a good sleeper.

I went through a spell of taking sleeping pills and that definitely helped, but it didn't solve the problem. Just treated the symptom for a while. My anti-depressant helps somewhat, but I still get periods where the night-time anxiety gets really bad.

I try and stick with a night-time ritual and it helps a bit. My routine includes checking in with myself in my journal. Taking a bath or shower. Doing some meditation. And then reading a relaxing book. If I really can't sleep I get up and sometimes I even walk around outside for a bit. It definitely sucks being up in the night though.

I'm sorry you're having problems with this. Are you seeing a therapist at all? I hope you find some relief

Yeah I do see a therapist and I'm on meds for anxiety. I finally was able to grab a book last night and laid in bed to read it and eventually I fell asleep, so I think reading the book helped. I'll try some of your other suggestions and see if that helps too.

Originally Posted by Cyran0

Hi Dani. Night is a tough time for a lot of us. I personally don't have much trouble falling asleep, it's staying asleep that I struggle with (I wake up with intense anxiety and panic attacks) and my pdoc ultimately gave me Trazadone. My anxiety doesn't always need a reason (in fact it usually doesn't have a cause that I can see) so thinking my way out wasn't a great option for me, hence the Trazadone.

Hopefully someone here has better advice for the falling asleep piece but either way, I wanted to say I can relate to the messed up sleep due to anxiety and I'm sorry you're experiencing it.

Cyran0

Thanks for your post, it's good to see that I'm not the only one that goes through it. When I first started experiencing anxiety years ago, nighttime was always the worst and I'd end up having a lot of panic attacks at night when I tried to lay down and go to sleep and would even wake up in the middle of the night with panic attacks. It's not quite as bad now that I've been on meds for anxiety and been seeing a therapist, there's just some nights where it just suddenly comes on and it's frustrating feeling that way.

I have tons of anxiety at night and have for years. Even with meds i still have problems - one thing my pdoc told me to do which has been helping is to write in a journal before I go to sleep about whatever is making me anxious - I had something specific at the time - now I write about anything i think I might get panicky about - and I also write how i want to put all the stress in the journal...it has definitely been helping - I wake up way less at night.

[slinks]

I have also suffered this problem on and off my whole life. I have to go through several different things to help me find what will work each night... I can sometimes just try staring at something down my nose and just keep all my thoughts focused on staring down my nose. Sometimes getting up and going to the bathroom even if I don't need to go (sometimes 3-4 times). Sometimes just turning to the other end of the bed with my pillow will allow me to fall asleep then when I wake up cold I turn back around and usually go right back to sleep. Sometimes putting lotion on my arms and legs or wrapping my legs rather snuggly in my sheet (like swaddling). I can't think of any other things right now, but I have lots of others I try, but it changes everynight.

Good luck!

[sundog]

I'm glad that reading a book helped you fall asleep last night (((((Dani))))) I definitely agree with jadedmoonbeam that journaling at night can be helpful. I do that too. I don't tend to write all that much. I just check in with myself briefly by writing some bullet points about how I'm feeling and how my day was and what I'm anxious about. And then I try and leave the things I'm anxious about in the journal (if that makes sense).

Hugs to you

[Cyran0]

I'm going to have to try that journaling before bed idea. That's a good idea.

Cyran0

[Ambrosa]

Hi dani, I usually get it at night also but have been experiencing really bad anxity for last few nights rather bad. I will do anything to preoccupy my mind and breathing & relaxation techniques. I Hope things improve for you

[SingDanceRunLife]

I get this too...

I go through periods, and lately have been in one where I have the hardest time falling asleep because I'm anxious! I try to avoid taking anything, but sometimes, I really just need to sleep...like tonight...I have a test tomorrow (probably where the anxiety is coming from tonight), and I think I'm gonna take a Xanax.