Not sleeping too well

CathyB · Post by **CathyB** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:00 pm

Hi everyone. Just wanted to put some feelers out there about sleeping. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep and sometimes I fall asleep find but wake up a few hours later. I take herbal supplements and melatonin stuff to help relax and sometimes it works and sometimes not. Don't like to take prescriptions. I know my mood the next day depends on how much sleep I have gotten. I cope better when I have had enough rest. Any suggestions?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:54 pm

What is keeping you from sleeping? Worrying? If it's worry, it helps to journal at night before you go to bed. Write down everything you're worrying about and what (if anything) you can do about (if it's something you have no control over, let it go). Also, if you're having trouble obsessing about the fact that you're not sleeping that can make you stay awake. So just accept that your body will take care of itself and sleep when it wants to/needs to.

It helps me to follow a routine before I go to bed.

Anyways, hope some of that helped.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:51 pm

Hi Cathy,
I can totally relate!
Here in Germany we have a weird summer this year. It´s hot and sticky for a few days, then it gets much cooler for two days, then it gets hot again, so it goes on and off since April. This means a challenge for the body, and at nights I can hardly sleep, although I sleep with open windows, nobody´s snoring besides me or whatever....

I fall asleep but wake up several times and wake up at 5.30 a.m. whether I have to get up or not.
Besides the wheather, many things have happened in my life that keep me brooding.
Therefore, my anxiety has become much worse again, mainly because of this lack of sleep. Poor sleep causes so many problems for me, I´m exhausted, have weak nerves and suffer from dizziness and frequent headaches, even migraines. I work fulltime and use to go jogging almost every day, so I thought I should be tired enough to sleep, anyway.
I avoid caffeine, chocolade and watching TV in the evening, I take magnesium pills, but...
Although I love the summer, I really long for fall! As I don´t want to take meds, either, I just don´t know how to help myself.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:28 am

Hi, I'm new, just reviewing my materials. I have sleep issues, can't fall asleep, and sleep too little, abt 6 hrs. I seem to sleep well at someone else's house. I had a nice nap at a friends a yr ago, and on vacation at my orig family home. My back does not want to relax when I try to sleep. Glad to have found this program. -newby

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:29 am

Thanks for the responses. I know that it is in fact worrying. About EVERTHNG! I am going to try the journaling at bedtime. Maybe the idea of get it on paper out of my head. I do know my body will take care of itself when it needs to. Thanks for the tips.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:53 am

Wow Cathy, it's as if I posted this. This is exactly how I've been feeling the last month or so when my anxiety crept back up. I wake up every 2-3 hours and don't really feel rested come morning and time to get up. This adds to my anxiety in the mornings that then triggers my obsessive thoughts throughout the day. Ahhh the vicious cycle...

At night, try drinking chamomille and mint tea. This has helped me tremendously. My doctor suggested Paroxetine but I'd rather not start meds cause like you, I don't like prescriptions. I always find watering the flowers or doing something outside in the cool air relaxing as well.

Originally posted by CathyB:
Hi everyone. Just wanted to put some feelers out there about sleeping. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep and sometimes I fall asleep find but wake up a few hours later. I take herbal supplements and melatonin stuff to help relax and sometimes it works and sometimes not. Don't like to take prescriptions. I know my mood the next day depends on how much sleep I have gotten. I cope better when I have had enough rest. Any suggestions?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:33 am

HI Sue - you have been given some great advice here. I went through a bout of insomnia about a year or so ago. It was pretty bad, I even missed work because of it, but I was able to overcome it.

Setting up a bedtime routine is what worked for me, still does. I journal all of my worries in the evening, then try to come up with a solution to each of them. If I do come up with a solution, great - if not, then at least it is written on paper and out of me.

I also wrote down positive affirmations on index cards: "I will sleep easily tonight", "I love to go to bed to sleep because my bed is warm, claming,relaxing, peaceful, safe." Stuff like that and whenever I worried about not sleeping, even during the day, I would read them. This worked the best for me, I believe.

I also have a cup of chamomile tea about 1 hour before bed, it relaxes me and I am able to drift to sleep after doing muscle relaxation for a few minutes.

Good luck to you, you'll get through this because if I did, anyone can.

LisaLisa:)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:13 am

hey,

Don't take melatonin,because your pituitary will stop producing it all together if you take it,even though"melatonin", decreases as you get older.Try Valerian root or passion flower anything but, melatonin.It's a big seller and almost no one will tell you that your body will stop producing it for the rest of your life if you take it for a long periods of time.

Best to you !

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:36 am

What helps me is I listen to the relaxtion tape before I go to bed. I also try to stay on a schedule go to bed certain time get up certain time this will help. And when you awake in middle of night try to clear your mind and do not think about worrys are anything just clear your mind. God Bless try this it may help.