How do you sleep at night with overwhelming anxiety?

[fuzyon]

In situations like this I don't sleep, sadly, and that's pretty bad considering that when I fall asleep I basically don't have to deal with my anxiety and depression. If I have a panic attack at night that can keep me awake for the remainder of it, my mind starts going a thousand thoughts a second and I start hyperventilating, it's really scare if a serious panic attack hits you (I've had friends that needed to call the ambulance in a situation like this).

 

[emmaruthnagano]

I've been there and it is a huge struggle. But there are physical activities you can do to sleep. First, turn off the lights so the brightness won't stress your eyes. Second, find a comfortable position. Third, make your room cold but not that much. Fourth, blink as fast as you can and as long as you can, this will make your eyes tired. Lastly, when your eyes are tired relax your body by inhaling through your nose, holding your breath, and exhaling through your mouth.

 

[justsayyes]

I sometimes meditate before going to sleep, i do this when I'm feeling an overwhelming anxiety and it does help to an extent. Sometimes i think of happy thoughts or listen to music until i fall asleep. I think the trick here is to distract yourself from your anxious thoughts, just do something you enjoy, something that will occupy your mind enough to forget about your anxiety even for just a moment.

 

[lexinonomous]

Attempting sleep while experiencing anxiety is an experience I would not wish onto anyone. I experience trouble sleeping every single night, due to my fear of falling asleep. I am afraid that if I were to fall asleep, I might stop breathing. My worst fear is something happening while I'm asleep and not knowing what's going on. I think a lot of this stems from me waking up to a series of phone calls missed and finding out my grandfather had passed away. I fear waking up to a series of text messages or phone calls. I also fear that I'm going to lose track of my breathing while sleeping, since I seem to be so obsessed with it while awake.


I don't believe there is a way to get rid of this feeling, unless it simply wears off. Habits come and go, therefore it might be easier to wait for it to pass.

 

[Houille]

Oh boy, this has been my big bad with anxiety. I used to stay up for several days straight because I was too anxious to fall asleep - and on some nights, actually too scared to fall asleep. (Some of you might know what I mean!)


What I do is... I exhaust myself during the day to make sure I just fall right asleep once I lie down. Smartphones help out a lot, too - whenever I feel anxious, I usually just watch a video on YouTube or download a new game, and I focus on that until I fall sleepy. I basically try to trick myself into not thinking too much. I think it's the silence and lack of stimuli at night that causes this... with nothing to distract you anymore, your mind tries to come up with anything it can to create some "noise"...

 

[NormaD]

I have a long list of things to try when I can't sleep at night. My list ranges from a warm scented bath, to relaxation music. But the one thing that has always worked for me lately is the sleep meditation track that I got from a friend. It has this soothing, relaxing and hypnotic voice that never fails to take me straight into dreamland.

 

[peace_and_purrs]

I have two choices when it comes to sleep:


1. Toss and turn all night, every night.


2. Take my sleeping medication and sleep all night.


Currently, I do option two every night. It's a light pill that helps with anxiety. It's non-addictive and I've had no side effects. Unlike ambien, you won't wake up sitting on your lawn mower and wondering how you got there. The name is Vistaril (hydroxyzine pamoate). It's only available by prescription. You can find more info here:

 

[MellowCat]

In the past, I have tried to make sure that I limit screen-time (ie computer use, phone use) after about 4 or 5 pm. This is hard, but it will help you sleep better later. Turn your living room lights down a bit and try to relax in the evening with a book or a game or puzzle instead of the TV or an electronic device. Reading in bed can also be very helpful.


Sometimes a hot drink, without caffeine of course, can help too. I used to make warm milk like they used to do for little kids--I know, crazy, but it worked for me. I would add some sweetener and cinnamon to make it more tasty. But you could use herbal teas.

 

[rz3300]

Well the truth is is that it has been a struggle for what seems like my entire life, and it really seems to go in phases. That makes it almost more frustrating, because you cannot predict whether you will energized and ready to go for work of it I can call it a day right when I "wale up". I have tried sleep aids, but to no avail, and for now my best friend is just making sure that I get enough exercise in the day. The more tired I get during the day the better I can sleep at night.

 

[Pandora]

This is something I go through every night. I can spend countless hours dwelling over everything I have said that day or what has happened years ago. I have tried several herbal treatments but, nothing works for me. I have to take an anxiety pill every night when I go to bed. I wish I could take an herbal treatment but, they are not strong enough for me. Additionally, it seems like the more I get older the strong the night time anxiety is. Has anyone noticed that lately? It may be just me but, man, it sucks and makes me one crabby person in the morning due to lack of sleep.

 

[Corzhens]

I am lucky to have a husband who is very understanding. When something is bothering me and I couldn't sleep, I would be talking with my husband about it. He is a good listener and very opinionated so he is always ready with a prescription. Last year when I was kind of demoted from my functions in the office, I couldn't sleep and I felt like crying all night. My husband and I talked about the positive things in our life like our travels abroad which really gave us a grand time. And to think that my bashers in the office are jealous of my travels, well, that gave my spirit a good lift. And what about our contentment at home? We have our own house which is almost fully paid, we have 2 cars, we have... oh, we were counting our blessings in life and that opened my eyes that you cannot win them all but I have to be thankful for all the good things that I have now.


As a piece of advice, never sleep when your mind is filled with anxiety. A nightmare can kill you.

 

[djordjem87]

Not possible actually. I just do not sleep if I do not take something to calm myself. I take Valeriana as I mentioned in some related post here but sometimes it is not enough or it kicks in only around 4 AM so it is basically pointless. I have to admit that recently I haven't had these problems because I was all alone at home. My half-crazy family was out for 7 days and I enjoyed myself with my girl, all alone. It was very nice and I guess I know the problem that is causing my problems. You cannot choose family unfortunately but you can go and live alone. You just need a good job and enough money. That is the cure actually

 

[kgord]

One thing that helps is to keep a bedtime ritual. I try to go to bed about the same time every night. I also usually wake up about the same time every day. You can not get away from your family, but maybe you can block them out. It helps if you can keep yourself away from all forms of stress as much as possible. I would recommend that actually. Maybe you could get a sleep mask. Valerian, Melatonin and benadryl or diphendyramine are all good in terms of helping you sleep.

 

[redpanda]

Honestly, I pretty much don't sleep without the use of drugs. I've had horrible insomnia since I was a kid . I currently use medical marijuana to get to sleep. Previously, I had to use a combination of clonazepam and trazodone so I think cannabis is the better option. If I can't use marijuana, I don't have any withdrawal issues. On the other hand, skipping a night of clonazepam and trazodone is pretty awful.


I also agree with setting up a nightly routine. At a certain point every night, I stop working no matter what. I listen to calm music and try to just relax. It doesn't always work but it's better than trying to sleep right after working.

 

[judyd1]

White noise! It works every time for me. My thoughts tend to chase each other around in circles, too. But in the summer time, I sleep with a fan going at top speed. (Even with the a/c)


In the winter time, I use my smart phone next to my pillow, go to YouTube and search for beach sounds, or waterfalls---they both work. (but my favorite is "howling wind". I LOVE IT!)


Anyway, if your problem won't go away with white noise, you might try shaking up your getting-ready-for-bed routine. Try some gentle stretching exercises, then a hot soak in a tub with candles, then a warm drink to calm your stomach and nerves. Also, you might try reading a chapter of of the Bible or a geology book--that usually does it for me--I'm out in 15 minutes. And you dream of good things, and rocks.


Hope one of these suggestions works for you.

 

[Panic57]

It depends on how bad the anxiety is. If it's a moderate, I can usually go for a walk or swim. The hot shower afterwords and the exhaustion will usually do me in. Even if the anxiety ends up giving me nightmares, I usually sleep hard regardless.


If the anxiety is really horrible and I can't sleep, I usually don't attempt to sleep. I'll either work, paint, draw, or write through the whole night. The next day is a nightmare or exhaustion and caffeine shortage but the next night I can usually go to sleep. I find that by the third day the anxiety will be more relieved because I at least I did something productive with the time instead of tossing and turning in bed. It's not healthy but I have a mind that won't release me when it's in a mood.

 

[JGunterman]

What I want to be my answer: I have a clever coping strategy that helps me divert my attention from negative thoughts.


My actual answer: I take Melatonin.


Yeah, I used to have pretty bad anxiety, so I started taking Melatonin and it knocks me out cold. When the day comes that I find a more natural method, I'll take the opportunity. For now though, this seems to work the best for me. I've heard it affects some people's dreams, but it allows me to have a pretty natural sleep, and it never makes me feel groggy in the morning.

 

[stephonline]

If I can not calm down my mind then I go on youtube and find a calming video to watch or listen to. I like to listen to nature sounds like ocean waves and sounds from the forest. Those usually help me get to sleep right away. I also listen to some guided meditations on their as well and it helps ease me into sleep like a baby. I don't have trouble staying asleep. I just need help getting started! I hope these tips help and happy sleeping!

 

[nytegeek]

I only sleep every other night right now. I'm not sure what the best course of action for you is. I'm going to seek medical help for it.

 

[AnxietyNerd]

I just work myself to sleep because if I do not exhaust myself, it gets very difficult to sleep because constantly there are negative thoughts in my mind which do not let me sleep. Therefore, what I have found is to exhaust yourself to sleep because then you would have simply no time to think negative or be anxious and you would get a lot of work done in the process as well.