propranolol advice

[LJB98]

hi all,

I’m prescribed both sertraline and propranolol but find at the minute I don’t need to propranolol a great deal. However, my anxiety I would say is the worst at night and have been having very poor sleep because of it recently. I don’t generally fall asleep anxious but I have broken sleep where I will wake up and the racing heart etc starts. It’s a bad cycle because this broken sleep then contributes to my general anxiety throughout the day.

I was wondering if it would be beneficial for me to take a propranolol before bed tonight even though I’m not currently feeling anxious in the hopes that it breaks the current cycle of me having broken sleep due to anxiety. Catch it before it starts kind of thing.

would love to hear your advice and thoughts x

[Hb2003]

i think that you should take it during nighttime thats what i used to do when i used to take it

[Hidden]

I would advise speaking to your doctor about this one.

[Dell12345]

Hi LJB98, I have heard of propanalol prescribed to help with nightmares and broken sleep so it could be a good idea.

[Kinlay]

Propanol only addresses the physical symptoms of anxiety, so no it probably would not work as a preventative.

[designguy]

I was taking it at nighttime to lower blood pressure and help with anxiety and it helped with sleep.

The issue you are having with anxiety upon waking is called anticipatory anxiety and is caused by your anxious thoughts about whether or not you still have the anxiety. The thoughts happen so fast and seem to be so automatic that you aren't even aware of them happening sometimes. What can really help with your anxiety is learning how to constructively deal with it. I recommend the DARE Anxiety book and youtube videos and also the youtube videos of Paige Pradko, they both offer clear simple advice on how to deal with it and have helped me.

[LJB98 in reply to designguy]

that’s really interesting and makes so much sense!

It’s so odd, if I’m having a good anxiety day I almost test myself by thinking about something that would make me anxious and obviously the anxiety comes back (I don’t know why I do this it’s a viscous cycle)

Thank you for the recommendations I will definitely be checking them out

[designguy in reply to LJB98]

You're welcome and what you are describing is common with anxiety. Anxiety is our body and minds builtin warning/protection system so what you are doing is scanning your environment to see if you still have the anxiety. The problem is that now there is no real threat and your system is malfunctioning and you have to learn how to desensitize your mind and body and convince your anxious part that you are safe. Once you learn what is really going on and how to constructively deal with it you will no longer fear it and quit triggering it.

[Rowan4]

Hi, just wondering what you ended up doing in the end? I’m having the same problem at the moment - anxiety is very bad at night! Thank you