Can't sleep

[neo55]

Hi, I was wondering if anybody could give me help/advice, for the past couple of weeks my sleeping pattern has been all over the place. But the last couple of days I have really been struggling to sleep, every time I close my eyes, I can feel my heart rate increase and thoughts start racing through my head, I feel as I'm having a panic attack. I went to the doctors and he prescribed me with some beta blockers but I've had 2 today in an 8 hour window and I still cannot sleep. I'm growing really worried as I have college tomorrow and I still cannot sleep, I'm 17 years old. Sometimes I feel through the day as if I am going crazy as my mind is flooding with a traffic of thoughts.. Has anybody got any advice?

[Agora1]

Hi neo55, Welcome to the Anxiety Forum... Anxiety plays into a big part of not being able to sleep. Some have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. What prompted your sleeping pattern to change in the last couple weeks? Does it have something to do with starting college? You're young to have just gotten out of high school. I was 17 also when I graduated. Do you have social anxiety, health anxiety or generalized anxiety?

Mind chatter is common when we are so overwhelming with so many things going on at the same time in our lives. These worries then spill over into bodily symptoms causing heart rate increase. Beta Blockers can help with the racing heart but not really meant to relax you enough to put your to sleep.

Let us know what the root of this traffic of thoughts that are keeping you from falling asleep.

Maybe we can help. x

[neo55 in reply to Agora1]

Hi Agora thanks for responding,

I went to the doctors today and I am going for a blood test at the hospital this week, the doctor believes it to be a cause of anxiety hence me being on beta blockers. When I cannot sleep I often go on my phone and end up staying on it until early hours of the morning, but I am usually able to fix my pattern. However the past 4 days I have struggled to get to sleep and every time I try to it's as if I feel this alarm in my brain telling me to be fearful... but I don't understand why

[Agora1 in reply to neo55]

neo55, The worst thing you can do is bring your phone to bed with you. The light of the phone confuses the brain in making it believe it is daylight. Also the stimulation of your eyes darting back and forth, up and down activate your brain into thinking it's "play time".

It's very important to get a good night's sleep both for your anxiety as well as your body. We need to go into REM sleep in order for the body to regenerate at night. When we don't sleep or don't get enough sleep the results are more than just being tired, but being sore and achy as well.

To calm that alarm feeling in your brain as well as putting you in a different frame of mind, you need to have your room a comfortable temperature. Low lighting or no lighting preferred. Learn to meditate in bed or listen to relaxation/imagery with a set of headphones. While doing that, start deep breathing.

There are many videos on YouTube that can teach you how to properly meditate and use deep breathing for relaxation. There are even great videos on hypnosis for falling asleep which work great.

Right now you need to prepare for first day of college. We'll talk more about this soon. Good Luck tomorrow...Make it a great day

[neo55 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you for your help, I'll definitely try your tips and let you know how it goes for me!

[neo55]

It causes my heart rate to increase and I feel a sensation of panic and a shortness of breath

[neo55]

So I end up sleeping during the day out of exhaustion rather than falling asleep at night, and of course that doesn't work as a lifestyle as I have college

[Hidden in reply to neo55]

Aw, sorry to hear about ur sleeping. I've been having that problem too. The advice u got looks hopeful. I like reading and writing journal or poetry b4 bed. If u like art u can try doodling or adult coloring books b4 bed. Sometimes I'll just repeat a phrase like " I am relaxed" over and over to drown out the anxious thoughts. I hope u have a great 1st day tomorrow! Good luck!

[Tttt66]

I feel your pain very much!! It's so hard to go sleep and worse when you have some sort of pain in your body as your mind doesn't allow you to think about anything else so YOURE WIDE AWAKE anyways good luck!! Maybe try sleeping earlier just lie in bed and stare at a wall 🙂

[pata99]

Quit the Beta Blockers ASAP.

[pata99]

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