Therapist for Insomnia?

[LibraryLove]

I've been thinking about getting a therapist to help me get better sleep. I think I have a lot of anxieties that I'm dealing with that I'm not aware of that are preventing me from getting a good nights sleep. Most nights I fall asleep okay, but then I wake up constantly throughout the night, tossing and turning and having hot flashes. It's making it hard for me to get up in the morning, and twice now I've overslept for work. I've been exercising, I don't drink a lot of caffeine or sugary drinks/food. I do have the TV on before I go to bed, but it's because listening to it actually helps me distract my thoughts from thinking about the negative things in my life. I try to keep myself away from my phone before bed, take hot showers, light a good smelling candle, drink tea (that just makes me get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom). I can't quite have a regular sleep schedule either because once or twice a week I'm required to get up for an early morning babysitting job (this is the job that I've overslept on and angered the parents.)

I'm just getting to a point where I don't know what else to do to help me sleep. I've been going like this since September and I think since then I've slept through the night maybe twice. I'm starting to think it's a mental thing now that I'm struggling with and I don't recognize it and maybe getting a therapist to help me talk it out would help.

Does anyone else do this?

[cheritorrox]

Sounds like you've thought this through and are trying all the usual sensible things to help sleep. If you're really stressed that brain keeps worrying away! Two possible things to try:

I take melatonin which is a natural supplement as our bodies already use it - I've found it helps (and it can't harm)

Write down a) anything you know consciously is bothering you and b) what comes into your head when you wake up (notebook and pen by bed!). Are there any differences? Is there anything you can do to change any of them? if not why not (unfortunately if money is a problem buying a lottery ticket probably isn't the answer!)

If you go to ask your doc for help the records could be useful for gathering your thoughts / helping identify causes and how to address them. Professionals should have better insight from their experience and training.

Good luck and (try to) sleep well

[LibraryLove]

Thank you for your input. I have tried melatonin and that doesn’t work too much either. I’m trying to start an actual night time routine on the advice of Kati Morton (licensed therapist on YouTube) to see if it helps me sleep better. And I’m trying to fall asleep with white noise rather than just listen to my TV. So we’ll see how it goes. Thank you for your advice!