Scared to sleep

[Pink1181]

Hello guys my anxiety has been pretty bad off n on all day and in so tired I want to sleep but every time I close my eyes I feel like I'm going to pass out. Anyone else get this???

Any tips how to relax?

Please help

[frekks2021]

Hi Donna,

I'm pretty certain this is just the awareness of dropping off as we spoke of. I get it too. But I find, sleep still takes over and in the morning, I can't remember ACTUALLY dropping off....oh I remember the startles, when I was aware I was dropping off.

Some nights are ok and I'm not thinking about it, so I just drift off naturally, some nights, I'm aware of it and it's scary. Cooky (not cookie) cos I've been doing this every single day of my life, and yet, being aware of it is scary somehow.

The times I feel affected, I sleep in the lounge room, on the very comfortable cushions of my sofa, on the floor, with a doona cos it's winter here now. Tele on with sleep timer set for an hour, cos I KNOW I will be asleep by then! The distraction takes my mind off the awareness of dropping off.

Funny, last week at the chiropractor's, I was tense due to the anxiety. He normally adjusts the (bones crack) neck, which by now, I have complete confidence in him doing, so normally I'm relaxed. Not this time, and he sensed the tension and said, 'could you just wiggle your toes a bit'. I said sure, *wiggle, wiggle* **Crack** was the next noise I heard! 'You tricked me' I said! He just laughed and said, 'it worked, didn't it?' I said, 'yeah, this time, but I won't fall for that again!'

Well the next week, I was tense again, he said, 'wiggle your toes'. I said, 'it won't work again, you got me with that last week!' He said, 'just wiggle them again and we'll see'. **Crack** It worked again! Go figure.

The point is, I had a distraction which took my mind off the anxiety and tension, and he was able to do his job. AND it worked even though I knew about it. The mind is a wonderful thing isn't it, capable of crazy things.

The other point is, I wanted to make you laugh, to take your mind off your anxiety and tension for awhile, too. Did it work?

So now the trick is to find something that will distract you while you're dozing off. Maybe the TV, as much as I don't like the idea (anymore) of going to sleep with it on, you (and I) need the distraction. You need the sleep. Oh sure, it would be nice to be able to 'relax', but how is that possible sometimes? So the distraction is the next best thing. Some people like music, white noise, the sound of the ocean, etc, whatever floats your boat. Geez even counting sheep might work!

As for my anxiety at the moment, it seems to have subsided a bit, although I can sense the triggers, they seem to be operating a device with a flat battery. I'm not so tense, I'm not so jittery, I'm not so anxious, even the wind has eased, digestion is way better. I'm pretty sure I'm going to chalk this up to the Zoloft for now, since there seems to be no other influencing factors.

Plus, this weekend, was my daughter's 8th birthday, and I spoiled her a bit, so I was pretty busy. You know, that distraction I mentioned? Saturday, we took her and friends to a great wildlife park here in Sydney. Sunday, I took her to the indoor skydiving centre here, the only one in Australia. She flew, I videoed. A great weekend!

Maybe an afternoon nap might help with the sleep deprivation, I find the boogyman doesn't seem to call by in the daylight hours, just when it's dark.

I know medication isn't the preferred option here, but we have to survive and function and if you can find one that helps, you might have to run with it. I know you mentioned that some haven't helped you, but have you tried Zoloft?

Spose it would be pretty early Sunday morning there now, I hope you're asleep and not on here. So when you get this **IN A FEW HOURS** I hope you slept ok, and I hope you have a good Sunday with your LiL one. This is JUST anxiety, this is JUST anxiety, this is JUST anxiety, this is JUST anxiety.... it CAN be beaten. Keep telling yourself that and keep breathing and keep positive and keep in the moment, AND get some sleep, plenty of it. Doctors orders!

Peter.

[frekks2021 in reply to frekks2021]

Oh, here's a link to that video...

youtube.com/watch?v=QninRoG...(Not working as expected?)

Peter.

[Pink1181 in reply to frekks2021]

Hello Peter

Hope your doing well and hope your daughters birthday was truly amazing

I haven't really had any attacks till I was home this past weekend alone it was rough and I didn't sleep much at all but now were back at my parents and I'm sleep fairly well again till last night when I was just first falling asleep I woke up gasping for air. Wth was that about??? Freaked me right out.

Yeah apparently that whole feeling like passing out just as your falling asleep but not completely out of it is common in us who suffer anxiety. Crazy eh

No actually I haven't tried Zoloft. Any good? Bad side effects?

So on the 5th is when I get the holter monitor for 24 hours and I'm going to be seeing a counselor. I just want to feel better

Hope your well and I look forward to hearing from you

Donna

[stde]

Fear can come in all shapes and sizes when you are anxious, i,m sure that after good sleep you will feel better.when I was living on the edge I wished I could pass out to get some relief from my racing head....

Don,t be too concerned as your body knows what is good for you, jf it persists don,t be afraid to speak to your doctor, they have heard it all before.

I wish you well.GBx