[Tommy3]

Would anyone please be able to offer tips on how to improve insomnia, that's caused by anxiety?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and all the best.

[Perna]

I read before bed, that helps make me sleepy and gives me something else to think about as I'm falling asleep. If I start to worry, I just bring my mind back to the story line and what I think will happen next or what I have learned and how it fits with what I want to know, etc. Focusing on something else can be hard but I make sure I have done something that day I can remember and think about and I do lots of reading, etc.

[medkev13]

To alleviate the physical symptoms, try taking a stress tab before ed. It will lower your heart rate, which depending on the severity of the anxiety may actually dampen it to nonexistence long enough for you to fall asleep.

[PurpleFlyingMonkeys]

Ive had this same issue for the last two months. Sleeping meds stopped working and i wouldnt get but two hours of sleep while being in bed for 9 hours. T has helped significantly with this. It hasnt fixed the problem completely but he gotme to write down positive affirmations and repeatedly read them when going to bed. A couple of which were "i am going to get good sleep tonight" and "i will wake up feeling refreshed and good". When you go to bed do you worry you wont get sleep? That was my problem and it spiked my anxiety and when you feel anxious you go into the fight or flight mode. Which causes your adrenaline to get pumping, your body thinks you are in danger and when youre in danger, sleep is impossible. So it was imperative to rewire my thinking. Instead of thinking "im never going to get to sleep" i replaced those thoughts with continuously telling myself i will get good sleep. Now i fall asleep in about 10 minutes and get about 7 hours of sleep which is much better. Some nights are harder than others but i can really tell its working. I still do it repeatedly throughout the day but its been two weeks and i can tell a huge difference in my sleep. I hope you can find a way, i know how hard it can be

[Tommy3]

(PurpleFlyingMonkeys) I think I do worry a bit about whether or not I'll get enough sleep, how much I'll sleep, etc. I think I've forgotten how to get into that pre-sleeping mode (chilled out, ready to sleep, etc). My mind thinks, when sleep time comes (10pm)...okay what now? what do I do now?

I don't feel like sleeping so I think about trying to go to sleep, let's try this, or maybe try that, sleep this way, sleep that way. My mind just can't stop being active, it needs a tranquilliser. I think because of how my emotions are at the moment (resulting from my brother/family) I'm in constant fight or flight mode. So when bedtime comes, being tired, doesn't prevent much its (fight or flight mode) negative effects (my mind races, is quite sharp, etc). I worry more about life and the things/people in at 10pm+, not totally about whether I can get to sleep or not, but I think a tiny bit yes. Mostly anxiety from life seeps into my mind, and even during the pre sleeping period; thus making it harder to get to sleep.

I think my body thinks I'm in danger most of the waking time. However I think your positive affirmation may work, because I have tried something similar I think, and it did work a bit. So I'll try that, hopefully it will distract my mind enough for it to forget about this perceived danger and therefore the worry/anxiety.

It is hard, I'm knackered/exhausted, I'm trying to make progress in other areas of my life (including this anxiety issue), my depression makes things harder. But I have felt some improvement in terms of my depression (though sleeping has gotten worse). I will try your technique. I'm also seeing a doctor tomorrow so hopefully he can give me stronger sleeping pills (just to give me more time to work things out, with some extra energy to do it). For the last 4 days I've been getting 1-3 hours sleep. I swear, one night I didn't dream at all (I'm quite good at telling whether I've dreamt or not).

PS: Apologies for not communicating very effectively, it's currently 7pm and I feel really exhausted. Thanks.

[medkev13]

You might also try setting up a regular pre-sleep routine. It's like teaching toddlers what bedtime is, you're simply adding habit ques that will slowly but surely teach your body to prepare for sleep with the trigger of each activity. Adding this to the affirmations can actually double the effectiveness of the mantras.

I suffer with sleep problems. Sometimes, when I'm in bed I feel energetic which is annoying. But anyway, here what helps me. I listen to relaxation videos. You can search them on YouTube. Breathing techniques help too. You should breath in deeply for 4 counts and slowly breath out. Continue to do this and you may start to feeling relaxed. Meditation is also a good way to relax the body. I do it. You have to stop thinking. The thinking is what causes us to stay alert. So, focus on your breathing or focus on a calm place. Imagine clouds and imagine the thought passing by. I hope this helps.

[Confusedinomicon]

You can try muscle relaxation techniques:

http://www.stress-relief-exercises.c...elaxation.html

[jmomb]

Hi ive been dealing with sleeping issues also recently (cant fall/stay asleep) and the only thing that shuts my thinking off is putting on headphones and listen to my favorite mellow music but the trick isnt just listening you have to sing along (not out loud) unless you want to. Lol. Oh and make sure you dont have a loud song sneek in on your sleepy playlist it ruins everything.
Hope this helps

[Tommy3]

Thanks for everyone's advice.

[medkev13]

I also used to play a numbers game where you simply count, but switch every multiple of 5 (every 5th number) with the word Buzz and any multiple of 7 along with numbers ending in 7 with the word Fizz. Doing it mentally works like counting sheep.

[dramatica]

Originally Posted by PurpleFlyingMonkeys

Ive had this same issue for the last two months. Sleeping meds stopped working and i wouldnt get but two hours of sleep while being in bed for 9 hours. T has helped significantly with this. It hasnt fixed the problem completely but he gotme to write down positive affirmations and repeatedly read them when going to bed. A couple of which were "i am going to get good sleep tonight" and "i will wake up feeling refreshed and good". When you go to bed do you worry you wont get sleep? That was my problem and it spiked my anxiety and when you feel anxious you go into the fight or flight mode. Which causes your adrenaline to get pumping, your body thinks you are in danger and when youre in danger, sleep is impossible. So it was imperative to rewire my thinking. Instead of thinking "im never going to get to sleep" i replaced those thoughts with continuously telling myself i will get good sleep. Now i fall asleep in about 10 minutes and get about 7 hours of sleep which is much better. Some nights are harder than others but i can really tell its working. I still do it repeatedly throughout the day but its been two weeks and i can tell a huge difference in my sleep. I hope you can find a way, i know how hard it can be

Holy poop. Thanks for looking into my brain!! This fits me to a T. I didn't get that stupid cycle. This hopefully will help me!

[shortandcute]

I dont know if you are much of a coffee drinker but if you are, it mite help to quit or at least cut it down and limit it to the mornings. Valerian, and chamomile tea help.