Question about sleep

[idawmn]

For those that can't sleep due to anxiety, what do you do or use to get some sleep? I have tried melatonin, over the counter sleep aids to no avail. The only thing that seems to help for me is Ativan. I really, really don't want to use this on a regular basis. The weird thing is that many times I'm relaxed at bedtime, my mind is not racing but I still can't sleep.

[teajay]

Chamomile tea helps me.

[idawmn in reply to teajay]

Thankyou.

[Hidden]

Hi

We used to have a post pinned that had all suggestions from members on what they took or did to help them sleep , I hope they will all see your post & maybe add them on here for you as there were some good ones but I cannot remember them all

I don't have any great answers on this one except I wait till I am really tired before I go to bed & then I don't seem to have a problem , if I go before I am then I do , but a book helps me to fall asleep if I am struggling

Love

whywhy

xxx

[idawmn in reply to Hidden]

I try to stay up until midnight. At first I used to be able to sleep on and off through the night. Now it has gotten worse. Thanks for your suggestion.

[Hidden]

Ooo try milk, honey or sugar to taste with a dash of ground nutmeg.

Should help you sleep.

[mermit]

Have longterm sleep problems, greatest help was when someone said forget trying to sleep but think of resting the mind, so if I can't sleep I will rest my mind listen to quiet music,read etc but tell myself its ok my mind is being rested. It releases me from the anxiety of not being able to sleep and worry of coping with the next day! I'm worried at taking medication as I don't want it to become addictive. My mind is often like a hamster on a wheel and reading helps break the thought pattern, I save newspaper and read boring bits sometimes I end up cat napping!

[elmo14]

Hi I have such problems sleeping aswell! It's just awful mine seems to come and go in bouts and can last for months at a time. I'm currently taking zopiclone for it but like you I don't want to rely on it. I take it when I'm desperate. Sometimes I find deep breathing helps and getting up and going into a dark quiet room and sitting silently and letting my thoughts just run over in my head till I'm bored and tired of them can also help, then usually I can go back to bed and drift off, hope this helps x

[Queeniescakes]

I tried a small (100mg) dose of GABA last night, and for the first time in months I slept right through. I didn't go to bed early enough (and had an early start), but I got 6.5 hours of solid sleep - that normally only happens if I take sleeping tablets these days, and even then not always! GABA works on the brain like SSRI's, but without all the nasty side effects. I shall try it again tonight to make sure it wasn't a fluke! I took it with my normally nightly 200mg dose of magnesium - helps greatly with the absorbtion of the GABA.

[idawmn]

Thanks for all the responses. I really appreciate it.