Night time anxiety

[PatD21]

Does anyone else find their anxiety and panic issues are worse at night? Mine wake me up at night which is awful. Does anyone else deal with this?

[lily999]

I go straight to sleep every night at around 10.30. Then I wake around 4.30 thinking of all sorts of what ifs. Can't get back to sleep and not a lot to occupy my mind at that time. My eyes are so tired and then I am on edge all morning

[Jeffju]

I try and take deep breaths and I focus my thoughts on a favourite place but the thing that helped me the most, funnily enough, was kind of sitting up in bed instead of laying down. I have a big European pillow which I prop myself up on, or a tri-pillow will do. It took away that panicky feeling and I used to feel much better.

[vicky17]

I do every night I get sweaty feel sick go dizzy I hate it I sit up in bed all night and I wake up all the time I have about two hours sleep and It goes on every night drives me crazy I feel consatly ill all the time.

[Hidden in reply to vicky17]

Hi Vicky. Try to chill out a bit. I I know it's easier said than done and I'm sure the hours go slower through the night. I've spent months staring at the ceiling getting all worked up but now I try relaxation therapy techniques.

I've been having anxiety and sleep problems for the past 4 months. I go to bed between 10:30-11:00 and I'm always back up and in the room by 2:00am.

I now find its not worth stressing about it'll only inflate the situation.

I make another cup of hot chocolate find some chill out or sleep relaxation music playlists and put my headphones on and just sit with my eyes closed and try my very best to stay relaxed.

If you try and keep calm and just chill with some music I find that I'll tend to dip in and out of little power sleeps.

As I said it's been going on for 4 months probably more but the calmer you can make yourself the better.

Medications have helped slightly but if I take too much I can't function through the day.

Give it a try you never know.

I hope and pray you have some peace in your life.

Kind regards Darren. Wishing you a merry Xmas and happy new year x

[vicky17 in reply to Hidden]

I have counciling but don't find that's helps and also the medication is not working like it use to and I feel so tired all the time I have a 15 month old too I have panic attacks to do with being sick I have a phobia and also other things

[Hidden in reply to vicky17]

Hiya Vicky.

Well it sounds like your making some changes to your life with the therapy.

I never found that much use tbo.

Not surprised your stressed with a 15 month old as well. Just when you need as much good quality sleep as possible and you start having problems.

Think of your little one and just try to sit in a quiet dark room or like I try put headphones on with some relaxation music on it really does help calm you down.

Although wearing headphones when you've a little one is not a very good idea.

Try playing some chill out playlists on your phone as quiet as you can.

I really do hope things improve for you.

Hope you and your little one and the rest of your family have a

Wonderful Xmas and all the best for the new year.

Hope it's a better one for you. Darren x

[vicky17 in reply to Hidden]

I will try that thank you u have a good Xmas and New year too x

[Hidden]

Hi Pat, I've been having anxiety and sleep problems for the past 4 months. I go to bed between 10:30-11:00 and I'm always back up and in the room by 2:00am.

I now find its not worth stressing about it'll only inflate the situation.

I make another cup of hot chocolate find some chill out or sleep relaxation music playlists and put my headphones on and just sit with my eyes closed and try my very best to stay relaxed.

If you try and keep calm and just chill with some music I find that I'll tend to dip in and out of little power sleeps.

As I said it's been going on for 4 months probably more but the calmer you can make yourself the better.

Medications have helped slightly but if I take too much I can't function through the day.

Give it a try you never know.

I hope and pray you have some peace in your life.

Kind regards Darren. Wishing you a merry Xmas and happy new year x

[Jenniferbate]

I've been like it for about 25 years actually, having bad interrupted sleep. My doctor put me on Zopiclone in 2001 after a family tragedy and am now not able to sleep without them. I have had therapy in the past too but I guess being a musician and artist, I am just a sensitive person....my doctor now wants me to halve the dose, and I'm phased by this as I teach and cannot function without sleep. I think it all boils down to security. I think people with an unshakeable Christian faith find sleeping easier. my mind is very active at night too. I've tried everything over the years, and if pills give me a better quality of life I dont know what the problem is with me taking them really, but my Doctor obviously doesn't agree. Any ideas that really work anyone?

[Hidden]

Hi. For some people, you and me being among them, Anxiety seems to be more prevalent at night. For others the opposite is true. For night time anxiety there are some obvious reasons - we are more likely to be alone, there are fewer distractions, those of us with night time anxiety will have more night time triggers which may be influenced by things like tiredness and diet. The fact that you realise you are more prone to evening anxiety is another trigger. You come to anticipate, and therefore precipitate the anxiety.

It might be useful for you to create distractions for this time of the day so that your thoughts dont get a chance to run riot. For example, I spend time writing quizzes for an app, which requires my full attention until I get so tired that i fall asleep within a few minutes of lying down. You can find something that produces the same effect for you. Even if that something is boring it is ok. The point is to occupy your mind at the trigger times, denying anxiety the way in it is always seeking. I wish you well.

[mickyjoan4]

when I wake up and feel panicky it is awful so I know how you feel, being alone at night yuk but I have radio reedy to switch on, radio 4 X plays comedy and stories or save desert island discs of people you are interested in also I pad with on going scrabble games, a colouring book ( they do hard grown up ones now!) also I have audio stories on I pad and my kindle ready!! try to breathe slow and running cold water on my wrists help. it does help and I wish you peace and love and calmness x

[Dl37]

You are not alone I can't remember the last time I slept through the night but apparently I just need to "pull myself together" yep thanks for that

[Rob46]

I find my anxiety at night worse when I think of getting up for work everything goes through my head from dying to won't be long till I'm dead to I'm going to miss my alarm ,I never worry about money or anything I should really worry about

[Hidden in reply to Rob46]

Wow that's me! Everyday I think I haven't got long left! I calculate days of years to see how many days I'll live if I reach 30,40,50.. That's not normal is it! I also go to sleep telling myself I'm not going to wake up in the morning 😩!! Or I have some terminal illness! Hopefully cbt will sort it out x

[Rob46 in reply to Hidden]

Your right it's not normal I get scared being on my own too and it all began when I said to myself after a holiday that went quick is that how my life is and that was it.the worst thing is you try not to think about it and bang you sit watching tv and its back in your mind hate it I'm 46 and think already my life is over

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I read your comment and i must say i Feel the same exact way! Like right now its 12:18am and i have this fear of sleeping my mind focuses on My heartbeating hard or fast or something in my brain its rough...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh wow I lay awake at night and I can hear my heart beat through the pillow and I think it's going to fast or slow I checked my boyfriends pulse last night to see if it was the same as mine 🙈 I started cbt 2 weeks ago and in those 2 weeks I've not been doctors, I've had a feeling I'm ill but I've been cont ogling the thoughts up until yesterday! Have you tried cbt? X