An anxious night and afraid of this upcoming night!

[Starskywalker]

So last night I couldn't fall asleep because my family was being loud. I told them multiple times to be quiet but they continued. My thoughts on them never being quiet and me not being able to go to sleep shifted to the fear of me dying in my sleep. It felt like I was breathing wrong and was short of breath. I was really afraid and began shaking so much. I eventually fell asleep at 4 and woke up at 9. not a lot of sleep..Im worried the same thing will happen again and again. what if something bad happens because of lack of sleep.

[hypercat54]

Get some ear plugs! You won't die in your sleep coz of lack of sleep or anything. Our bodies are very efficient at looking after including taking the sleep it needs. x

[Hidden]

I agree with Hypercat ear plugs would help. Growing up I had the same problem with so many kids in the house. You can also wear head set and play passive music. Though you may be better off playing pod casts with Guided Imagery or Guided Meditation since those audio recordings would talk you down from anxiety or negative thinking buzzing your thoughts. I know from experience breaking that cycle is so important to just get relaxed enough to drift into sleep. What ever device you use always remember to dim the displays as light waves from the screens also keep you awake. You can check with your psychiatric provider and see they they have podcasts on their site or go to Youtube they have them there that run continuously for hours. There is also white noise audio recordings such as ocean waves, rain falling, trains, wind chimes, country noises , song birds, etc to distract you and put you in calming state. To chose thing back to some time in your life where you felt the safest and at peace and it put you to sleep. Then find a sound that would trigger that memory or mood and play it when you want to sleep. Just some thoughts.

[Kathush]

I hope you're able to get some good rest tonight. I also had a problem of not being able to sleep because of outside noise from neighbors loud music, so i bought a " white noise" machine. I have used this for years and i love it. Mine is a homedics brand and you can use batteries or an outlet plug. It is so soothing. xx

[Starskywalker in reply to Kathush]

Thank you for the advice! I'll see about getting a white noise machine.

[sairiin]

Well, i don't really have a problem with sleeping. But this has a lottt to do with my perspective on sleep. So maybe you can get something out of it.

There's this weird social construct where people have to sleep at certain times or at steady times, I believe everybody (every body) has their own biological clock/rythm. If you can't fall asleep, you're simply not tired enough. (of course outside from those with sleep sickness). Thinking of not being able to fall asleep, makes not able to fall asleep worse. I have a super random rhythm myself and am a night person. I've always seen it like this, so i'm not surprised that if i lie in bed at 1, i don't fall asleep soon. Then i just think.. and think.. and think... But..! This is OKEY. Apparently my (your) brain has still a lot of stuff to process. When you let go of that process, your body is still able to rest while doing the processing. Just look at your thoughts like a movie. Someone else's life movie. Just try to look at them without judgement.. after that, or after getting accustomed to that, you can reflect on those things in a restfull state. It's i guess a bit in line with guided meditation, what Tyr already talked about and mindfulness. Don't get me wrong.. i hated it. But learned to actually love the fact i could comfortably let all those thoughts run through my head, which they do anyways, in a super chill manner in the dark, under my blanket, at my own pace.

So yeah.. i guess acceptance on different levels plays a big first part in it. Also.. i just simply don't go to sleep before i'm really tired. Of course in work/schoolsituations it's different. Especially when i have to get up early, i have to deliberately start to let my brain slow down early in the evening already. By for example not allowing myself to do >anything< after a certain hour. Go lie in bed an hour before i actually have to, so i can start to get sleepy etc. In a sense what Tyr said before, i use voices to fall asleep. I watch a "braindead" cartoon for example. (Not needing really attention to follow). First watch an episode or 2. Then i run maybe the last episode i already saw or a new on, depending on my needing-to-be-shorter attentionspan that moment, just on the backgroud while i lie with my eyes closed. I noticed i often fall asleep before the episode is over. Just sometimes i have to put one on again. A friend of mine, also with difficulties falling asleep, uses podcasts for this. Just voices blabbing in the background makes fall asleep apparently. Of course no annoying voices from people around you.. seemingly one of your problems.. but chosen ones. So like Tyr said, you can get really creative with what you put on to be able to fall asleep. Whatever works for you.

Lastly.. i can understand the anxiety of never being able to go sleep because of their noise part. This "never being able to... because of..." and then going all haywire.. i've been through that a lot. Got me into episodes.. i don't like to talk about it actually.. butif you're able to get >before< that thought comes hold of you.. i think a lot of your sleepingproblems could be able to be solved.. (for as far i've seen what you posed/tld us of course). Maybe with a little help also. I don't know where you live, but if you live in a state/country where cbd is available/legal, you could trie cbd oil. It's completely natural and has no psychoactive effects weeds has (thc causes that). A friend of mine also with a lot of sleeping problems tried it after years of strugglig and it helps her really a lot. It eases anxieties and makes able to sleep easier. It has also a lot of other health effects. You can google it. You could also try something else natural of course.

Oh another last.. with the breathing wrong anxiety, Tyr's tip could also really help. With those meditation things Tyr talks about, are also breathing exercises. Meditation and correct breathing are intertwined with each other. You could focus on guided breathing meditation.

A very long reaction x) with tips and own stories for you t reflect on. Hope you can get at least something out of all this.

[Starskywalker in reply to sairiin]

ooh my gosh, thank you so much for the advice and knowledge it'll really help me. I'm truly thankful! thank you soo much!

[sairiin in reply to Starskywalker]

I'm happy i was able to help you with this ^^ I hope progression in your situation will occur soon! Last nights i had actually also problems falling asleep again. Anxieties.. i had to think of this, cause i also had to get up really early. The irony. So i did the processing thing.. cost me an hour or 2 i think, but as restful as i could, letting thoughts pass by and feelings process, i fell asleep eventually. Got the most rest out of the situation as i could, couldn't change it anyways. A bit in line of that..

[sairiin]

I just passed a post of someone with sleepingtips.. some are in line of what i and others here said. The snoozingthing i also do btw. Actually all those things, except for the weighted blanket. But that's just personal preference. I specifically just don't like them.

healthunlocked.com/anxietys...

[Edstiffler13]

Get sleepytime tea and add a teaspoon of honey an hour before bed or in late evening. It relaxes entire body and brain and central nervous system. I can’t live without it.