Anxiety and insomnia.

[Kev45]

I'm sure this isn't uncommon but as someone who has been an insomniac for years, at times when I'm low and susceptible to anxiety it inevitably increases as the evening goes on and 'bed time' approaches. It's a cycle that's hard to break. Anxiety increases, insomnia becomes worse, fear of insomnia increases, anxiety becomes worse. I've been off and on various sleeping tablets but they only work after a substantial break from them. I suppose the main cause of this is knowing that laying in bed wide awake I am confronted with no distractions from my most painful thoughts. I've tried listening to hypnotherapy tapes and calming music but they don't have much effect. Does anyone have any ideas/tips that I won't have tried? Something completely off the wall. As any insomniac will know, there isn't much we haven't already tried or thought of.

[BonnieSue]

Have you tried making up your own favorite story written and pictured just by you? Your absolute ideal place to be and everything you ever wanted to have happen down to the details that you care about? And go ahead and write or hum a song that goes along with it. Really make it yours.

If you're going to be up anyway, why not enjoy it to the fullest?

[Maria1971]

This is not an easy problem to solve all the stuff you've tried is exactly the same as what I would have suggested. I found writing stuff down (diary) before I sleep and whilst in bed clears all the crap thoughts out of my head and puts them on to paper. Also having a bedtime routine reading a book or whatever. Sometimes trying to fight the insomnia by tossing and turning and trying to get back to sleep doesn't help. I just get up and do stuff to clear my head and when I feel exhausted enough I crawl back to bed.

Have you thought about blood pressure tablets I've got some from my doctor to help with my anxiety and it does really calm me down and help me to sleep.

Hope you find the answer you're looking for.

Good luck x

[loggerslot]

Hi,

I've posted this a few times. you can try drinking lime or lemon juice with warm water before going to bed. your pineal gland is responsible for keeping your sleeping pattern in check and there is something called de-calcifying your pineal gland. this is a natural way so it will take time to kick in but keep at it. other way is try and put some vix vapour rub on your feet and put your socks on before going to bed.

Another way is listening to solfeggio frequencies, namely either 936hz or 528hz. there is a bit of science behind it called resonance and it helps at cell level. don't listen to both one after the other but leave a day's gap. give these tips a try.

personally i would stop popping the sleeping pills I sometimes find GP's to be the most useless people on this planet and just give you newer drugs. a public organisation that should be there for welfare of the public is instead there to prop up the private sectors - that's just my opinion. try to find natural alternatives.

[Hidden in reply to loggerslot]

Completely agree. Great reply.

[Hidden]

HI I am surprised the doctor gives you sleeping pills these days. I take an ad called mirtazaine which helps relax me so I do sleep better.

If I can't sleep after around 30 minutes I get up and do a crossword and concentrate on something else for a while. When my eyes start drooping again I go straight back to bed letting myself sink into it, whilst holding on to my favourite fantasy.

The other thing I have done which works sometimes is to try reverse logic - I tell myself that I am not allowed to sleep and do my hardest to stay awake. I then do everything I can to not sleep. This sounds stupid I know but it changes the focus round a bit. x

[Hidden]

Not knowing what medications you take, sometimes it works if you take certain medications in the morning and others in the evening just before bed.

Antidepressants are better at night as they sometimes act and help you sleep.

If you check the tablet information sheet use the contraindication of that medication to help you sleep, also you should be more awake during the day

BOB

[Kev45]

Thank you all for your suggestions and ideas. Haven't got time right now to comment on each individually but I appreciate you all taking the time to offer some ideas and help

[shazlou]

just read ya page i have the same problem the more i worry about going sleep the more anious and so on i have a lavender bath and lavender thing you put on ya pulse points i also find listerning to angel music rather than hypnotherpy some times it works but not always it not always easy but if u done cbt i tell my self in my head there no need to get anious keep repeating and repeating eventually it works

[jrcnpg]

I, too, an a fully paid up member of the isoniacs club. It was the first thing my Mother thought of and therefore took me to the GP who prescribed diazipam. I ws aged 12 then. Now I could rectre theseemingly endess list of benzodiazapines have become addicted to through the years. I've spent almost twelve months of my l;ife in psychiatric units and they are not peacful places. These days the only purpose psychiatrists serve is to hand out drugs.

[Kev45 in reply to jrcnpg]

Ah that sounds tough. Diazepam can work wonders in small doses but for a 12 year old?! So sorry you've had such a hard time and yup I agree that drugs are often given out too freely. Take care.

[jrcnpg]

I've often been told (although whether I believe it or not is a different matter entirely) that back then benzodiazapines were found to be as potent as the older hypntoics or tranquillisers such as chlorpromazine yet without the concomtant side-effects. As such they were ffar too easily accepted as a drug of choice by the medical profession. It was later when research was done which established not only how addictive those things can be but more adddictive than practcally any other drug legally avalable.