Tricks for That 2:00 AM Terror

[Lindsay478]

Do you ever find that the anxiety or panic you feel when you wake up in the middle of the night is worse or harder to bear than any that you feel in the daylight hours?

I'm sure that's very common. My sleep is so deeply affected by my racing thoughts that I often find myself in pure panic-mode around 2 a.m. The first thing I do is not panic about the panic. I realize that my thoughts have been running reckless for a time and that they are manageable.

Second, I do turn on the light and prop up a bit if I have to. Lying there in the dark sometimes keeps me sunk into that same cycle of "oh my gods" and "what ifs" and "I haven'ts". A change in position, a redirection of focus is what is needed then.

Then I turn on my meditation guide (either through Alexa or an app) and allow my thoughts to center around the words from the calm voice guide. If I'm too lazy to do all of that, I can sometimes guide it myself. I have recited poems, or played out a movie in my mind, or even went back to a fond memory and relived it in my head.

Worst-case scenario, I use a compress and count out loud. Even if it takes me to 1,000 (which it never does), I keep counting.

Having these tricks in my back pocket make the first waking moments at 2:00 a.m. much less terrifying.

[Kc29]

Hey, have you tried to change up what you put in your body? B complex is great for nerve and other. If you ever want to talk hit me up don’t matter what time

[Lindsay478 in reply to Kc29]

Yes, what I eat/drink has been highly considered and experimented with. Same with nighttime journaling. Writing down the days concerns or the next day's to-do list is a great way to expel before shut-eye.

[Feathe in reply to Kc29]

Agree. I used to be depressed and have suicidal thoughts and a holistic doctor have me diet and within days I wasn't depressed. But I still battle anxiety.I will try B complex as well. Lindsay doctor told me not to eat sugar, so no sweets, no veg oils, no crisps, no processed and no dairy. Instead I went for fruit, veg, organic meat, fish, nuts, eggs avocados Olive oil.Surely made a difference

[Hidden]

I listen to a rain sound app. All kinds of apps like waves, nature sounds etc. That has changed my nights for sure. When I get random thoughts, I say, listen to the rain until I fall asleep.

[Lindsay478 in reply to Hidden]

I love that! Listening intently to anything is a great way to revert the mind.

[Hidden in reply to Lindsay478]

Please try it. It's free and so conforting. I get very anxious at night thinking about the busy day to come getting my daughter off to school with breakfast, lunch packing and off to a stressful job in surgery. It really relaxes me. Weird because real thunderstorms scare me to death.