Does anyone else struggle with sleeping? It has been one of my issues the last two months in dealing with anxiety. :/

[mistybrooke84]

I just can't seem to sleep at night. You lay in bed and watch the hours float by--you close your eyes, never really falling into true sleep--it's as if you are on guard. You open your eyes every hour or so. It doesn't seem to happen every single night but I am used to getting at least 6-7 hours solid sleep. I know that once I get my mind to calm down, I will be able to sleep. Anyone else ever struggle with this? It naturally makes me feel like poo the next day and seems to make me even more susceptible to panic attack issues.

[Alex14]

Yes everyday u see we cant sleep because we are not use to it yet we have to build a habit of sleeping early to fall asleep most of the anxiety is stress from lack of sleep

[mistybrooke84 in reply to Alex14]

Thank you! Yes, it's crazy to think that we aren't used to sleeping lol...that we are that used to being amped up.

[Blorengia]

Last summer I was having problems too: I was getting to sleep OK but then waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep again. It's really horrible lying there in bed, desperately trying to go to sleep and that very desperation makes it harder and harder to relax and get back off again. I had tried all the usual over-the-counter remedies and nothing was helping. I felt that if only I could get the sleep sorted out, and get back to my "normal" 7+ hours each night then I would be able to cope with what my GAD threw at me throughout the day.

So I went and spoke to my doctor about it. She was sympathetic and explained that there were two or three different things that I could try and after discussion we decided I would try a low dose of Amitriptyline. The first 3 nights I took 1 tablet (10mg) and it didn't seem to have any effect. The next night I took 2 - and slept about 6 hours solid. The next night on 2 tablets I slept a bit longer and by the end of the week I was sleeping through 7 hours solid with no lingering drowsiness the next morning. Took them for about a month just to ensure my sleep pattern was re-established, then gradually took myself off them without any problems.

Since then I've used them through one other short period of "sleep restlessness" and again they helped pull my sleep pattern back into regularity.

All I can say is, if you feel you've tried everything then go and speak to your doc and ask for help. If your doc doesn't seem sympathetic then try a different one. I hope you can get some relief soon. x x

[mistybrooke84 in reply to Blorengia]

Thank you SO much for sharing all that with me. My doctor gave me a new anxiety medication to relax me. I've just been nervous to take it lol. That's been about how I've been...fall asleep just fine but waking up at 3-4am. So frustrating!!

[Blorengia in reply to mistybrooke84]

I don't know which one you've been prescribed but in October I was started on Citalopram (20mg) for my anxiety - it's the first prescribed medication I've tried for keeping my anxiety at bay. The first two or three weeks on it was difficult (as I understand it often is with this drug) and my sleep went all to pot again. I checked with my doc and she told me it was OK to take the amitriptyline (at the low dose again) to help repair my again and I've found that once more it's brought my sleep back to "normal".

[mistybrooke84 in reply to Blorengia]

My best friend takes Citalopram. I was prescribed to take Lexapro which I have taken before and he gave me something similar to Ativan, Oxazepam? To take as needed. Yes, Lexapro is kind of difficult for the first few weeks and then it evens out and has always helped me to sleep again and get my hypochondria thoughts and symptoms on the back burner. I'm just nervous to start taking the Lexapro because although it has worked for me in the past and I know how it works on me, I remember the unpleasant beginning side effects and then the unpleasant side effects in coming off of it lol. But, something needs to be done for my issues lol. So it is almost worth facing it all again just to get myself back to being normal and functional again.

[Laniben in reply to Blorengia]

I know this is an old post but thank you because I’m on my 10th day of citalopram and it hasn’t kicked in and I didn’t know how long it took. I’ve had to ask for mild sleeping pills because I can’t sleep otherwise and that makes things worse. I hope you’re doing ok x

[shoppaholicsue Star]

I took Amitriptyline but it had no effect other that to give me a bad taste in my mouth. I'm now on Citalopram 10mg - thats much better for my anxiety but has no effect on my sleep. If I can't sleep, I just get up and read a book. If i get woken up I find I can't get back to sleep either. I figure its the least of my problems! I will have a look and see if I can find any correlation with increased anxiety though. I'm now going onto 20mg Citalopram tablets as the 10's were having a good effect.

[klang]

Lemon balm tea knocks me out. I am scared about prescription sleep aid. I always try to go the natural way. Lemon balm was recommended by Dr Oz.

[mistybrooke84]

Thanks shoppaholicsue and klang! I did sleep a little better last night. My throat is still being an annoyance for me...when I came down sick a month ago, it triggered my health anxiety big time, so my husband thinks most of my throat issue at this point (being very dry and the sensation of a knot in it and that I can't clear it. If I talk too much, my voice gets hoarse) is anxiety. I've taken the medicine for the yeast I had in my mouth and possibly my throat. All of this has just triggered my anxiety big time and has been effecting my ability to sleep well at night. Klang, I'm like you....I scared to take prescription sleep aids lol.

[autotrail]

Yes exactly same not slept for months might get hour or so just about to start sertaline that making me anxious even more viscous circle take care

[mistybrooke84 in reply to autotrail]

autotrail, isn't it horrible? I hope that works for you!

[autotrail]

Not yet picked up the tablets so anxious about taking want to get better but scared xxxx

[Daniellesparkles]

I'm literally in the same situation...😕 any tips has it gotten any better?