Can't sleep, anxiety... .-.

[Merc_faith]

I have hardly had any sleep in the past 2 days everything I go to lay my head down and close my eyes I instantly think if I fall asleep I'm going to die and my anxiety goes threw the roof and causes me to be scared of sleeping. I just want to know if anyone else deals with this so I know I'm not alone.. and what can I do to help it? Pls help

[Tamka40]

I use to have that problems years ago.

When is time to sleep think of a peaceful place like a beach or somewhere u would love to visit go to sleep w happy thoughts so your body can rest.

[Merc_faith in reply to Tamka40]

Thanks you

[Tatjana84]

I used to have it, until one day I got soooo fed up by it. I went to bed and said, let whatever happen I need this sleep. And I slept for 12 hours, woke up , I'm still alive. Every time I'm about to have it again, I just remand myself that I will be ok. 😏

[Cicinoodle]

What are you so afraid of???? You need sleep to be healthy, so start letting go of insane thoughts and get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's

Count sheep jumping over a fence in your head. Or just count. the sheer boredom will put you to sleep

[llatham]

Try cutting back or eliminating caffeine. Also try turning on a fan and concentrate on the hum. White noise helps me. Everything will be ok.

[Bonareri]

Me sometimes I can sleep but during the day I can't sleep since I fear if I go into deep sleep I may die.

[Hidden]

One or two thoughts:-

First a recipe:

i. Lie down and consciously relax each major muscle group

ii. keep relaxing (just relax dont try and force yourself)

iii. Mentally recite to yourself a mantra (Google) slowly and dreamily again and again. Because your mind is tied up with this it is not "available" to think disruptive thoughts.

By the way the mantra can be ANYTHING that is not associated with your problem.

(One I used to use was "if I wasn't such a ****** fool I wouldn't be here!!")

Another thing I use is a kindle, which reads out text that is stored in it. And I have around 70 short stories in it (about 300 words). It reads them and then switches itself off. And literally reads me to sleep! Average time to get to sleep around 2 minutes, so I know how all these start and not how they finish!

And finally "if you can't sleep, get up and do something!" This was from a guy I used to work with. He was right too!

n.b. I used to live near a moor and used to get up and walk over that for an hour. A sunrise is more beautiful than a sunset!

[masteringmyself]

I seem to have this problem at random times in my life

I don't know what causes it but it's like right before you fall asleep your mind gets a rush of terror and shoots you back awake with your heart beating fast and everything

It sucks really bad because no one understands why it happens but my only advice is try drinking some anxiety or stress relief tea to help calm the nerves before sleep

The one thing you have to remember is during a nocturnal panic attack you don't try and force yourself to sleep, wake up and maybe watch a little tv or play a game or read a book until you feel at ease

[Lavelock67]

You are captive of a thought loop where you are sensing danger that doesn't exist because going to sleep you feel weaker or vulnerable. This is normal in some people especially in people who are sensitive and intelligent. It will take some time to retrain your brain but it can be done. You need to convince yourself that night time is for resting and sleeping and that is all. Nothing else matters than to rest and recharge. Everything else (including all thinking or judging) can wait and should wait until morning when you are better equipped to think clearly and effectively. Also keep in mind that just resting is good enough if you can't sleep. Cut out all caffeine after the morning or cut it out completely. Try Magnesium supplements before bed time as most people are deficient and they reduce anxiety and are soothing. I've also had good results from zinc supplements at dinner time (zinc on empty stomach can make you nauseous. One 40mg zinc to me is almost as effective as an anxiety med. The most important thing is to stop judging things at night and just let it be. Anxiety can't kill you and it's just an overactive mind caught in a loop. Break the loop, just focus that night is for rest only, not worrying, not judging, not thinking about what your are going to do tomorrow, etc. Just enjoy your bed, pillows, get super comfy and rest. Feel it all, think a little about how safe you are in your house or apartment, how many people care about you, how lucky you are to be protected by the structure you live in and comfy and not out in the cold or hot, etc. Then just let everything go and just watch the thoughts cross your mind but don't judge them. Just watch them come and go. Soon you will be asleep.