sensorimotor obsession (a form of OCD)...! I have FINALLY realised the driver for my insomnia (awakening in the middle of the night) and then im unable to return to sleep, as I have always felt my heart is beating hard, this is driven by the heightened awareness of my heartbeat, which feeds an anxiety which keeps me awake a long period of time…. now to find best strategy of how best to tackle this? generally I wake at 3-4hrs then cannot return to sleep. Im aware of all the CBT for Insomnia techniques, but this doesn't address this element of my insomnia which is really driving it. HELP please!
sensorimotor obsession of the heart + insomnia - OCD Support
OCD Support
sensorimotor obsession of the heart + insomnia
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I haven't heard of this sort of OCD, so all I can say is that going to bed and getting up at a regular hour can help. It's tempting to lie in bed in the morning because you now feel sleepy having been unable to sleep earlier, but it simply means that you don't feel so sleepy when you next need to sleep.
I can't really suggest much, apart from saying that perhaps you could make a point of listening to your heartbeat instead of trying to shut it out, and concentrate on its soporific effects. Feel the rhythm and let it help you to sleep instead of worrying about it.
I don't know if this is of any help, or if you've already tried it, but I hope that you can sort it out. Insomnia is awful to have, as I know from my own experience!