Em.ma
30-12-15, 17:40
28 weeks pregnant here and really suffering with anxiety and depression.
I have all the skills in my head to help myself but for some reason these last few weeks I am really struggling to put them into practice and I am at a loss as to what to do.
I have been suffering with my sleep recently. Abut 3/4 weeks ago I had five nights in a row where I got anywhere between 2-4 hours sleep a night. Before this I was a very heavy sleeper. I needed a min of 8 hours and most nights got between 9-12 hours sleep. It doesn't help that once I fall asleep I am up again within an hour or two needing the toilet as baby is putting pressure on bladder. I can wake anywhere between 3-6 hours a night for the toilet. I have been checked over (urine infection etc) and they have said it is a normal pregnancy thing. So then when I do wake up I panic that I will not fall back to sleep again and it is a never ending cycle.
I am also suffering with restless legs as well. I am 99 per cent sure this is caused by anxiety as ever since I have had those few nights where I could not sleep I have become fixated on my legs. It's an obsession and I am well aware it is. Every time I sit down I get a very specific feeling in my left calf like it should be moving. It doesn't move but I get very irritable and feel like someone is pulling on it until it twitches. The twitching was very bad last night I had a rough night about four hours sleep between 9pm-8am. It has got to the point that I am now scared to even sit down as I fear my legs will start playing up. I also fear bed time. For example as soon as it gets dark I know bed time is getting closer and I start to panic badly about it.
Now I have the tools in my head to help but my self but I am at a loss as I don't seem to able to use them effectively.
I will tell you some of the things I know. Worrying about whether my legs are caused by restless leg syndrome or anxiety is not helping me and won't make them better. I know this but I can not stop worrying about that even though I know that is all I can do.
Telling my self 'If I sleep that's great, if I don't then I don't my body will sleep eventually because it is made to' I know this! But saying it still does not stop me worrying.
If I can't sleep after what feels like 20-30 minutes try and get up and go to the toilet and read/colour etc. All I end up doing is crying/on my ipad which is not helping me.
I have cut out caffeine and limit sugar intake. I especially limit sugar in the evening. I don't know if this has made a difference or not.
Distraction during the day. I have bought my self puzzles, colouring books, knitting stuff etc. I have tried my damn hardest to use these too distract my self but it is not working. I still focus on how my damn legs feel.
I have taken up walking. Today I walked for two hours but the whole walk instead of enjoying it I just kept worrying about how my legs will feel when I sit back down again. Why can't my mind relax.
I keep telling my self one bad night last night does not equal tonight being bad but I can't just forget it even though I know I should.
I have a GP appointment tomorrow as I just can't help my self but any advice would be great. I have the skills their I just need something extra to help me and I am lost.
I have all the skills in my head to help myself but for some reason these last few weeks I am really struggling to put them into practice and I am at a loss as to what to do.
I have been suffering with my sleep recently. Abut 3/4 weeks ago I had five nights in a row where I got anywhere between 2-4 hours sleep a night. Before this I was a very heavy sleeper. I needed a min of 8 hours and most nights got between 9-12 hours sleep. It doesn't help that once I fall asleep I am up again within an hour or two needing the toilet as baby is putting pressure on bladder. I can wake anywhere between 3-6 hours a night for the toilet. I have been checked over (urine infection etc) and they have said it is a normal pregnancy thing. So then when I do wake up I panic that I will not fall back to sleep again and it is a never ending cycle.
I am also suffering with restless legs as well. I am 99 per cent sure this is caused by anxiety as ever since I have had those few nights where I could not sleep I have become fixated on my legs. It's an obsession and I am well aware it is. Every time I sit down I get a very specific feeling in my left calf like it should be moving. It doesn't move but I get very irritable and feel like someone is pulling on it until it twitches. The twitching was very bad last night I had a rough night about four hours sleep between 9pm-8am. It has got to the point that I am now scared to even sit down as I fear my legs will start playing up. I also fear bed time. For example as soon as it gets dark I know bed time is getting closer and I start to panic badly about it.
Now I have the tools in my head to help but my self but I am at a loss as I don't seem to able to use them effectively.
I will tell you some of the things I know. Worrying about whether my legs are caused by restless leg syndrome or anxiety is not helping me and won't make them better. I know this but I can not stop worrying about that even though I know that is all I can do.
Telling my self 'If I sleep that's great, if I don't then I don't my body will sleep eventually because it is made to' I know this! But saying it still does not stop me worrying.
If I can't sleep after what feels like 20-30 minutes try and get up and go to the toilet and read/colour etc. All I end up doing is crying/on my ipad which is not helping me.
I have cut out caffeine and limit sugar intake. I especially limit sugar in the evening. I don't know if this has made a difference or not.
Distraction during the day. I have bought my self puzzles, colouring books, knitting stuff etc. I have tried my damn hardest to use these too distract my self but it is not working. I still focus on how my damn legs feel.
I have taken up walking. Today I walked for two hours but the whole walk instead of enjoying it I just kept worrying about how my legs will feel when I sit back down again. Why can't my mind relax.
I keep telling my self one bad night last night does not equal tonight being bad but I can't just forget it even though I know I should.
I have a GP appointment tomorrow as I just can't help my self but any advice would be great. I have the skills their I just need something extra to help me and I am lost.