Night time anxiety.

I've had this problem for several years and I don't know why, but I'd like to know if anyone else has been through this or has suggestions for dealing with it.

At night, usually starting around eight or nine, I get really restless and uncomfortable. I have a hard time sitting still, writing, reading, or doing anything that requires concentration. This is when I start cleaning obsessively or pacing around my room, and it last a few hours until I get to sleep.

During the day, I'm usually not anxious at all, but I'm like this almost every night, even when things are otherwise very calm and quiet around here. I want to be able to relax enough to work on my writing and music. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

im exactly the same way. zero idea why. i hope someone has some answers!

I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but it's reassuring, in a way, to know that other people deal with it, too.

Every night I do this too but over time with practice I learned how to calm myself using what I call Dot Art and

Cleaning is a great place for you to start. it - first clean everything off the dining table. Then spread white paper, and tape together until you have one giant piece of paper. Turn the paper over so that tape is underneath. Then take markers or water color paint set. If with marker stand not sit by the table and walk or pace around the table placing dots on the paper. With water color paintsget the colors good and wet then while pacing around the table dip brush into colors and splatter or drip onto paper. when you have paced walked around about ten times where ever you are stand still and with marker or brush connect the dots as fast as you can into whatever objects and shapes that you see. if calm enough color/paint them in. If not lift the paper and do the process all over again on more plain white paper.

Over time you will see your anxious behavior start to calm the minute you get the paper out and start doing this and soon you will be able to sit while doing this. When that happens take time to write on the paper about the shapes and objects you see. When you are done with the activity there is plenty of cleaning up to do. depending on how wild your dotting and splattering gets.LOL

As time goes on you will be able to add other activities such as taking a calming bath, journal writing and so on when you get anxious.

By paying attention to the shapes and what I write after I can usually find the problem with my anxiety that night.

That's a really interesting idea. I've never heard of it before, but it's definitely worth a try.

You know, I used to draw a lot as a kid and I've been missing that, so this might be a good way to ease back into art as well as relieve my anxiety!

Yeah, I was going to suggest replacing the cleaning or pacing with something else. The Dot Art is a great idea. You might also try listenting to an audiobook or watching a movie...anything that doesn't require too much concentration. I think the important thing is to have an alternative to what you're doing now.

It just seems to me that everything is worse at night. Maybe its becasue youre not distracted witht the goings on of the day...being alone with yourself can really stink. For me anyway.
Are you on any meds? Maybe there is something that you take in the morning that wears off at night? Or do you do caffeine at dinner? Is there any times it doesnt happen? Maybe if you start a journal you could figure it out...Maybe its just like a habit?
I get that way when Im depressed...during the day I mope and then at night Im like you described...Its like I get crazy from sitting in the house all day and by night Im a time bomb. When I go to work and stuff it doesnt happen..

I like the suggestion of watching a movie, because I have quite a few DVDs and videos I still haven't watched. That's always fun, and, like you said, it doesn't require a lot of concentration.

I think you're onto something there--being alone with my thoughts is hard for me, because I've been dealing with a lot of grief and depression and I don't have anyone else around to distract me from my thoughts.

I'm not on medications, but I often drink a soda with dinner and have dessert around nine or ten--caffeine and sugar are a bad combination. I've been trying to cut down to just one or the other each day and reduce the serving size, too. Also, I think being housebound so much (I have a phobia of driving and don't get out much), surrounded by bad memories, is not helping.

Thank you for replying, because you made me think about some adjustments and changes I need to make in my life!

i hope that you find some relief from your anxiety soon. i used to wake up in the middle of the night totally freaked.

i have to watch the sugar and sodas after 4 pm. that is my cut off time. i do think it adds to our "antsyness"...xoxoxo pat

Has limiting your sugar and caffeine intake to earlier in the day helped your anxiety? Since I only have night time anxiety, I think that might be a part of the problem for me.

Hi AlwaysSearching

My anxiety is always worse at night. I suspect partially because I am expecting it to happen.

There are many things that you can do to eleviate your anxiety, its finding what works for you that is the trick.

I have tried a little of everything. Journaling is a good place to start. I think writing at night gives you a chance to reflect on your day and perhaps that can help pinpoint a trigger for your anxiety.

Crossword puzzles

Word finds

computer games

Anything that you can do to divert your mind away from the anxiety. Excercise, yoga, meditation.

Try going to the local book store and looking for books about anxiety. For me, reading up on it, education myself really helped put my mind at ease about alot of the symptoms I was having.

Good luck with this. Keep us posted.

Huggles,


Jen

Hey, I'm a Jen, too!

Those are all great suggestions. I haven't read any books on anxiety, really, and it's been a long time since I went to the library, so that's something I'll have to add to my to do list.

I think I may have to work on my concentration a bit and try something that distracts my mind, too, like you suggested. Thanks!

Hi fellow Jen

I know that alot of what people suggest appears to be easier said then done. It takes alot of practice to train your mind to implement what ever coping strategies work best for you. It takes time and much effort. Sometimes it all seems so overwelming but remember, relief will happen just have faith.

Take care.

Jen

Dear Always,

Can you relate this time of the night and this yucky feeling with any event from your past? - I ask this for I used to become fearful upon having to go to bed, always feelings as though someone was in my room with ME.... many years later when I went to counseling after a suicide attempt I realized those feeling were from unresolved wounds going all the way back to childhood sexual abuse (they took place at night & in my room).... Feelings Buried Alive Never DIE!

((((((( HUGS )))))))

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

Check this story out for more insight on the matter....

http://www.radicalforgiveness.com/content/jill.asp

i have had these feeling as well but they stem from a bad tuna incident where if u eat bad tuna it will speed your heart up and it really freeked me out , because i was out on bussiness out of town by my self and i woke up thinking i was going to die alone in a hotel rrom. it took about 5 months to get over , but recently got triggered when i was driving home one night and passed out at the wheel..after my wife and mother got into a huge fight...inbetween all this my daughter was born..wow when it rains it pours dosent it..the thing i have found helpful is rollerbladeing and while i do that i go through all the goo things in my life and just think about that, also tell my self that its all mental and i am physically healthy, as i have gone to the doctor and had all kinds of tests on my heart and have the all clear...hope this helps.....

Traumatic events? Hmm...Well, I can't think of anything that happened at night, although, when my dad was alive, he'd drink heavily and yell at and berate my mom during the day. By evening, he'd pass out and my mother and I would wait in my room until he left the living room for his bedroom around ten. This went on since he retired in 1999 until the around the time of his death.

He's been dead for over a year, but maybe, subconsciously, I associate that time of night with tension and anxiety. Very good question and I may have gained some insight answering it!

First of all, I had no idea that tuna could do that to a person! That must have been terrifying.

I try hard to walk every day for at least a half hour, and, in summer, I go swimming as much as possible. I've noticed that I'm often more relaxed in summer, so the extra exercise must help keep that nasty anxiety and depression better under control. Thank you for your advice.

Yes, Always.... you might just have answered your own question with that reply - that is why females like and need to talk (vent) - it deliveries the very thing they seek unto the mind when we can actually stop and listen to what we just said / wrote.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

This reaction to tuna doesnt matter if its good or bad its called an allergic reaction, the heart speeds up the throat closes and the person breaks out in a rash and hives- which is what landed me in the ER for an epinepherine shot and so on. My advise and suggestion the heart speed for you like with me was a warning you might want to stay away from all tuna when I ignored it the other reactions came and not after the first time of eating tuna.

I've been a vegetarian for ten years and don't eat any kind of meat, even fish. Actually, I've never had tuna, and I'd be wary of trying it.