[innocentjoy]

For me, nights have always been difficult. This was the time of most of my abuse, and it's also the time for the majority of flashbacks, and the least amount of support and logical thinking.

As well, night is when my parts all seem to become the loudest, and I have a hard time sorting through the issues, and trying to figure out who needs what kind of reassuring, validation or acknowledgement. Can anyone else relate?

I have great tools to distract myself, but that only puts off the falling asleep process, it doesn't make it go away, or even last much less time. I get overwhelmed because I'm trying to calm down the parts so that I can sleep, but i'm also feeling upset about things, and can't always be the voice of reason and reassurance I wish I could. A few of my parts are young, and they are scared in the dark, but we can't sleep with any light. Sometimes I wish the sun would never set, and people could just sleep during the day. Ok I'm rambling....

Does anyone have nightly routines that help them out, or ways of keeping things calm? I'd love to hear any suggestions. I plan on asking my t the next time I see him, but with the holidays we've had a bit of a break...

Thanks in advance,
IJ

[Claritytoo]

This isn't the best idea but sometimes I stay awake until 2 or 3 in the morning than decide to sleep. I go directly into the bedroom and put off the light and get into the bed. I usually get up a little later in the morning than I usually would but it also makes it easier for me to fall asleep the next night because I am tired. The bad part is that I sometimes end up with sleep deprivation and that sometimes causes me to have a lot of memory loss. I guess I don't have an answer to the sleep issue. At least not one that works well. Sorry

[innocentjoy]

Thanks Claritytoo!! I am already awake until 2, usually. Sometimes it is 6 am before I can fall asleep. Where I live, I spend most of my time in my bedroom, because it is the only private room in my house, so I can't even do the "use your bedroom only for sleep" part.

Last night wasn't too bad, as I was able to calm everyone down quicker than usual, and we were asleep just after 2.

xoxo
IJ

[ThisWayOut]

IJ, I have similar issues going to sleep but no alters. I dunno if this helps for you, but I find my inner child calms down after a story... It sounds kinda dumb, but reading a kid's story before bed gets me relaxed enough some of the time (when I remember to do it). I used to love the story of the velveteen rabbit... I think I will have to dig it up to help with my current insomnia. thanks for the idea.

[innocentjoy]

So funny you should mention that, I'm just realizing how much the younger ones love stories. I've been reading with them the last couple nights, and it has worked. I didn't realize how well it worked until you mentioned it during the day. I took some books out of the library a few weeks ago, and they are just lovely.They especially like the ones that rhyme. I also wrote a bedtime poem for them a while ago that we've started saying to ourselves at night too. It basically reminds them that they are safe, and that I will protect them during the night.

Perhaps setting up a bedtime routine earlier in the night with some books might be best for me.

I'm glad you were able to remember what works for you and hope that you can get to sleep earlier as well!!!
xoxo
IJ