Worrying about sleep...help

[Sammi123]

Hi,

I am new to this forum, and my doctor recommended it, I have been to the doctors recently as all I do is worry about not getting enough sleep! I go to bed and panic I won't fall asleep and will be up all night, which will result in my being tired the next day.

I think I worry because I hate the feeling of being tired the next day and the way it makes me feel. I hate being stroppy with people which is what I get like when I'm tired, one of the other major issue is I worry if I don't get enough sleep I will have really bad bags under my eyes and will look ugly and everyone will notice!

Its started taking over my life, I won't go out with friends late as I can't have a late night. I go to bed about 10 every night so if I go out I will make sure I am back and in bed for 10 at latest. I worry about people waking me up, if my brother goes out at a weekend or something I worry all night about being woken up and not going back to sleep which results in me not sleeping from worrying!!! If I do wake up in the night the panic starts again as I worry I won't fall back asleep!!

I think I focus so much on getting the recommended 7-8 hours that I make sure I fit those amount of hours in, hoping more for 8 hours!! Majority of the time I do tend to get that amount but it doesn't stop me worrying, to the point where I cry and get really worked up!

Does anyone else get this sort of anxiety? Would be great to hear from you and what helps you to cope!

Thanks :D

[GirlAfraid23]

I am exactly the same as you.
Every single thing you said actually, scarily so.
I dont know how to combat it but it also takes over my life, especially on work nights.

[Snoodlester]

I have a similar problem now. I developed a severe sleep problem in february which I now think were nocturnal panic attacks. My GP prescribed sleeping tablets which I'm still taking although they don't work well now. I go to bed at 10 and want desperately to go to sleep and then wake up around 4am and lay in bed constantly worrying until I get up. Before this I used to be able to sleep until my alarm woke me at 7.30 and 9.30 at weekends so I'm really anxious that I'm not getting enough sleep let alone the quality of sleep I need. I've been having a herbal tea for sleep and trying hypnotherapy on YouTube or relaxation but I think ultimately I'm worrying so much about it, it's preventing me from getting a good night's sleep - its a viscous circle! If we could stop thinking about it and just didn't care we'd be fine!

[setfree]

I feel the same way sometimes. It gets annoying how sometimes I force myself to try and fall asleep, but it just too difficult to fit them all in when I know that I must wake up at a certain time.

Other times, I even get scared when I see the clock saying it is 1:00am and I haven't even slept yet.

Next time you sleep, try to go to sleep when you are sleepy. Do some stuff that really does make you tired. Other people like to read or watch movies. I find that watching something interesting that also puts you to sleep is worth doing. This helps me cope a lot.

Try not to think about the next morning and how you are going to feel. If you stay relaxed before going to bed, you will be able to wake up with a mor vitality than you did yesterday morning. I wish you the best of luck. Good luck!

Let us know how you progress.

[flossie]

Do you practise relaxation exercises or self meditation?
If not I suggest that you start doing so. You can find plenty to download for under £1 on Amazon. Get into the habit of taking time during the day to listen and practise. If I am going through a stressful time then I find it helpful to listen to a sleep one at bedtime as well. If I wake during the night I sometimes listen to help me stay calm and to relax my mind back into sleep mode rather than fretting about whether or not I will drop off again. I often go through long periods of waking at 3 in the morning and all the time I can stay peaceful and resting then it has little impact on how I feel during the next day.
We all function well on a different amount of sleep. 7-8 hours is recommended as a guideline but many people sleep for 5 hours as their norm. Don't get too worked up about the 8 hour bit or by being in bed at 10. Stop clock watching, when your body is tired then gently prepare yourself to settle for the night. Going to bed should be a pleasure and you are turning it into a battle for yourself. Relax into it, just amble and go with the flow. This may sound daft but my mum always used to say to go to sleep with a smile on your face, you will have nice thoughts and wake feeling happier. I have since heard this said by professionals so she wasn't as batty as I thought.

[Em.ma]

For some reason I'm the opposite.
I lay my head on the pillow and I'm out like a light switch. Very rarely I wake in the night to and if I do I'm a horrible groggy mess.
The only time I wake is if I've had water before bed.
I get in about 6 from work then I can't sleep for a good few hours normally. Go to bed about 9-9:30 normally and sleep right thought to 5:30am. Weekends I can sleep till 12 easily.
I like the tele on when I'm sleeping though haha,

[aggiecuttler]

yes a vicious cycle. you are not on any new meds are you they can play havoc with sleeping i have just upped my fluoxtine from 20-40 mg and i am again having sleep issues i fall asleep but i wake at 2-3 each morning, this happened when i initially started back on them 3 months ago, and it got me so down, i was given sleeping tablets but i only took two, i did try sleep easy tea which is very relaxing its by clipper and in waitrose, i found it relaxed me which was lovely so maybe try this, cut out all caffiene so even chocolate and things which are stimulants, getting into a sleep habit is a really good thing to do, but you are right the more you worry the worse it gets. try and tell yourself that your body even though not sleeping is resting which is as important, so thats always good take care sleep tight blessings

[Sammi123]

Thanks for all the replies, I am glad I am not the only one who feels like this. My boyfriend finds it really hard to understand which makes it hard for us at times and I sometimes wonder am I the only one that worries so much about this! And yes work nights are when I worry the most as I have an alarm to get up to so I look at the clock and almost countdown till my alarm!

I am a big worrier anyway, and become obssesed with things easily which doesn't help, at the moment it's sleep but I am hoping when I get an appointment for CBT that will help me with ways to relax and it to worry so much about the way I look the next day as my self-image is a big thing!

I am not on any tablets, and don't want to take sleeping tablets as I generally do sleep enough even if I wake up a few times! if I have a bad night I still get 5-6 which for some that's a good nights sleep!

Someone at work has mentioned relaxation cd's, are there any that are actually good that anyone uses?

One of my big problems is I read and listen to much to tv/ magazines etc, we are currently painting the living room in our flat so tonight we have had to watch tv etc in bed, but I have had to come to the spare room to read etc because Im worried if I read or watch tv in bed I won't sleep when I come to go to sleep...sorry for sounding crazy!!It just panics me.