[atomicc]

So I've had a really bad few nights. It takes me forever to fall asleep and I wake up countless times through the night. I'm up for hours at a time, tossing and turning. When I finally do get some sleep I'm jolted awake by nightmares and it starts all over again.
It's been so bad I'm having severe anxiety about trying to sleep tonight, I don't want it to happen again. It's left me miserable all day. I have no energy. Then when I get to my bed I'm wide awake with a constant racing brain. I just want to sleep through the night without having to take anything like a sleeping pill or a xanax. I've always had issues with sleeping since I was a kid, but this is getting out of hand. I just want to sleep.

[Souris]

I've had a lot of trouble with anxiety and insomnia and in conjunction with medication for a long times, my therapist just had be do a few things before I was going to sleep.
One of which was just simply not watching television or being online for an hour before I was going to lay down, or just generally limiting stimuli like that before sleep. You could also look up some meditation techniques and try that in order to get into a calm mood before sleep.
The anxiety makes it harder to sleep and also more likely for you to have nightmares, so that's a tough thing to deal with.
But the best thing I could say is to just try relaxation exercises before sleep so you're more at ease.
Oh! If you prefer some noise while you sleep, mynoise.net has some wonderful sound generators that you can customize to your own preferences.
I don't know if you like the noise, but for me it helps me to have the sound of water going in the background, it calms me down and gives my brain something else to focus on, preventing my thoughts from racing as much.

[happytulips]

Originally Posted by atomicc

So I've had a really bad few nights. It takes me forever to fall asleep and I wake up countless times through the night. I'm up for hours at a time, tossing and turning. When I finally do get some sleep I'm jolted awake by nightmares and it starts all over again.
It's been so bad I'm having severe anxiety about trying to sleep tonight, I don't want it to happen again. It's left me miserable all day. I have no energy. Then when I get to my bed I'm wide awake with a constant racing brain. I just want to sleep through the night without having to take anything like a sleeping pill or a xanax. I've always had issues with sleeping since I was a kid, but this is getting out of hand. I just want to sleep.

I absolutely can relate to what you are saying. Happens to me more than I care to admit. I have children, so I HAVE to get up bright and early to get them on the school bus. This makes for very short nights, as I tend to be a night owl anyway.

I know what you mean about not wanting to load up on the Xanax. I have an 'emergency' supply that I take when I am really bad off. But, I've been doing something new that's really helping me. I'll wind down by taking a hot bath around 9:00 and reading in the tub. I find that this really relaxes me and I can feel the tiredness coming on. I then take a melatonin with a glass of water. To me, it works just as well as Xanax. Maybe even better.

I know we are all different, and what works for me may not for you. But, give it a try if you haven't already. I do hope your sleep issues subside. Not getting enough rest can really affect a persons work/family/social life.

Good Luck!

[atomicc]

Thank you guys! I actually only woke up four times last night which is an accomplishment for me. I do leave my tv on all night but I don't watch it, I like the light and knowing it's on make me feel safe. I will try the sound website though!

[live2ski66]

Hi,
Same thing happens to me. I wake up around 2 or 3 then every hour and a half (like every REM cycle)
I used to keep the TV on, until my therapist told me that what I was listening subconsciously kept my brain active and thus awake. She suggested white noise, or meditation music. It made a difference. Lately I've been reading before going to bed. I think this is why I'm having a hard time staying asleep. Even with Ambien I have a hard time falling and staying asleep.

[healingme4me]

If it's on for light, not noise, how about some LED candles, instead. Even the random flickering of a TV light can create a sleep disturbance. .no TV in my bedroom, was best decision, I've made, yet.



Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2

[shabur]

I totally understand. When my depression, anxiety, ... kicked in I didn't sleep for 3 weeks. I remember screaming into my pillow, curling up into a ball at the top of my bed. It was unbearable. Now I know you don't want to take medications, but that's what it took for me. I take medications to help me fall asleep, medications to help me stay asleep and also medications to take when I wake up and can't fall back to sleep. I look at these medications as helping me get through the difficult times. They help with the suffering.
However, once I started sleeping I had and continue to have nightmares each night. But the nightmares are telling me something and I just need to figure them out.
Now I go to sleep with my TV on. I set the sleep timer for 2 hours so it shuts itself off.
As the others said, I too would suggest meditation. Focus on your breathing. If you can't get your mind to stop meditate looking at a candle flame. I've used both successfully.
Good Luck

[shabur]

I totally understand. When my depression, anxiety, ... kicked in I didn't sleep for 3 weeks. I remember screaming into my pillow, curling up into a ball at the top of my bed. It was unbearable. Now I know you don't want to take medications, but that's what it took for me. I take medications to help me fall asleep, medications to help me stay asleep and also medications to take when I wake up and can't fall back to sleep. I look at these medications as helping me get through the difficult times. They help with the suffering.
However, once I started sleeping I had and continue to have nightmares each night. But the nightmares are telling me something; I just need to figure them out.
Now I go to sleep with my TV on. I set the sleep timer for 2 hours so it shuts itself off.
As the others said, I too would suggest meditation. Focus on your breathing. If you can't get your mind to stop meditate looking at a candle flame. I've used both successfully.
Good Luck