Dreading going to bed tonight - any tips?

[Tiktak]

My PA's get worse at night, the past two nights I was woken at 4am in a full blown attack and then 3am last night the same, Fri I just stayed in bed tossing and turning until 6am when I had to get up anyway but lastnight I couldn't stand it and got up, spent ages on PC and calmed down a bit and eventually went back to bed at 5am then just kept waking up till I got up at 7am.

I keep getting terrible thoughts invading my 'sleep' (I put like that cos really I think I'm just dozing) that wake me up and I just feel sheer terror and don't know how to stop it.
I think I found some breathing techniques on here earlier?? But can't remember where they were, can anyone point me towards them?
Also has anyone got any tips on stopping the bad thoughts please?

I'm at the point now of paniking over the panic attacks I'm going to have tonight! Help!

Edited to add : It sounds like I have just one attack and then I'm ok, but I'm not once I get one I seem to keep getting them at 15min intervals :(

[nickieb]

Heya

Panic attacks are always worse at night as i think its you know the fact that you should be asleep & everyone else is & no one is around.

I would say hun try & get an early night, have a nice hot bath (they will always relax you), make yourself a milky drink & do as much reading as possible....reading will take your mind of it all & will make you feel sleepy. If you wake back up do the same again, again...

You will learn to overcome them and control them just as soon as you have tackled what triggers them so in your case bedtime.

Best Wishes xx

[janeybaby25]

try not to have any alcohol before bed as this can make you wake up in the night, have a warm bath & some milk before bed. Or also keep sone lavender by your bed or buy some lavender pillow mist & spray it on your bed linen. Also try maybe listen to some nice relaxing music or a relaxation tape in bed as this can send you to sleep & hopefully you won't wake up until morning. Hope it works out for you. xx

[Yvonne]

Tiktak

Oooh horrible horrible!!! The waking up and not being able to get back to sleep and being filled with anx/or panic is not nice at all. Thoughts keep running around the head and won't go away.

The only thing I can suggest is that you take something to help you sleep. You're obviously suffering bad anx right now cos it's not allowing you to get a good night's sleep. Have you seen your doc? A good over the counter med to help you sleep is Nytol - not the herbal one. Good luck.

Don't stay in bed - get up and make a cup of something. Lying there listening to the thoughts is not a good thing.

[kazzie]

Hi There

I was given a tip years ago and it works for me......

Whilst you are calm think of something, a paticular flower, animal or whatever...mine was always that famous painting of sunflowers

Keep thinking of it often whilst calm then use it when the thoughts start, so as soon as a silly thought enters your head you immediatly make your brain concentrate on your calm item and nothing else, it takes a bit of practice but it works really well

As far as sleeping goes I dont think you can beat neat lavender oil (just a few drops on pillow)

Hope this helps

Kaz x x x

[Anxious_gal]

ya i get weird thoughts like that arent even mine! when falling alseep, or random images too. it's quite scary but i guess its fairly normal! since it happens to lots of people.
i find listening to the radio helps, or meditition music, or visulization too,

[orangeblossom]

I've had this more often than I care to remember!

What I find really helps me - A LOT - is having a really good/funny audiobook (something like Bill Bryson's book on Australia is brilliant), some 'talk' radio, a happy or funny tv show... things like that. Something that will keep your mind occupied and not allow it to wander. The nice thing about audiobooks/radio/tv is that they continue on even after you fall asleep, and if you wake up panicking, you can concentrate on them again until the panic fades and you fall asleep again.

Hope this has helped a bit

[so jems like]

I used to get my panic attacks at night too .. The worst part of my day was when it was time for bed.

When you do wake up and get a panic attack it is hard to stay calm. Believe me, I understand. It's easier said then done right? However, even though the panic attacks can go on for a long time keep still & do the breathing techniques. Try breathing with your diaphragm & breathe in for about 6-10 seconds and breathe out. Breathe in through your nose and breathe our with your mouth. Try shaking your arms and legs around as you pace back and forth. This kind of helped me "shake off" the anxiety and made me feel like I had control. You probably get your attacks at night because this is when your the most calm and your body isn't used to being so relaxed. But your panic attacks are a good sign that your body is getting used to it again! I used to take tylenol PM whenever I had insomnia. But, I only took them like three times before I told myself that I can fight through this by myself. Whenever you do wake up, try thinking of a happy thought. Listen to soothing music and relax. If this doesn't work and your tossing and turning around, then don't just lay there. Don't force yourself to sleep, it'll make your anxiety worse. Get up and move around. Get something to drink, go on the computer, watch some television, read a book. Occupy yourself !

Be Strong. You can do it!

[JasonB]

Hi Tiktak,

First of all, my worst PA's come at bedtime too, so it is not unusual. But you can do things to help reduce/prevent them.

First of all you need to plan your bedtime. Visualise it. What time, when, and what happens if you wake up in the night.

Prepare for a positive bedtime. Have a back-up plan.

if I wake up in the night, I usually have my iPod close, so I can put on some light music or comedy to help me drift back off.

In fact I usally drift off listening to my iPod in the first place.

If bedtimes are of concern to you, then take them into your control, and plan/prepare for them.

Peace and Good Luck

Jason

[Tiktak]

Thankyou all so much,

There are some great ideas there, some of which I have probably used before (like reading, I love to read) that I just couldn't find in my tired befuddled mind

Think I am going to have a nice bath, dig out my lavender oil and have a read tonight. I shall let you know how I get on, hopefully, in the nicest possible sense, I won't be sitting here in this seat at 3 or 4am tomorrow morning!

Gosh I just want a decent sleep