Hard time sleeping.

[FindingTree]

Last night I was woken up in the middle of my sleep because my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was gonna come out of my chest. I played some night time meditation to try to help calm me and it work for the most part but it was like every hour I was up again. Anybody have another way to deal with this if it happens again.

[CCPM]

I am sorry you are experiencing this. What helps me when I feel too anxious to sleep is to breathe in deeply for a count of 7 and then breathe out to a count of 11. (It's important that the out-breath is longer than the in-breath). I tell myself that I will do that 20 times. Often, I am asleep before I hit 20. If not, I just go for another round of 20. Hope you find the right fit for you.

[FindingTree in reply to CCPM]

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll try it next time if I don’t panic first.

[CCPM in reply to FindingTree]

Yes, I hear you. Panic can be overwhelming. I searched and found the following tips. Feel free to ignore them if they don't appeal to you. Everyone is different. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I wish you well.

Tips:

* Give your brain a task: You might count backwards by 7s or say the alphabet backwards.

* Focus on things outside yourself: For example, look for everything around you that’s your favorite color, or focus your senses by identifying three to five things you can touch, hear, or smell.

(More tips: talkspace.com/blog/panic-at...