Problems with sleep

[mike12431]

For a week now I have only been able to get 2 hours of sleep a night. I always wake up with anxiety and sometimes turns into a panic attack. I'm worried this can affect my health and make my anxiety worse. Please anybody with a solution or help, this worries me.

Thanks
Mike

[mothermac]

Hi Mike I suffer from exactly the same thing,I go to bed at around 11or 11.30 and lie awake for the next 3/4 hrs,I only feel tired or am able to go to sleep around 4.30/5 am or when I know the night is over and dawn has arived. This has been this way for the past 3 months,it could be longer I have lost track.I went to the doc and he said because I am worried and panicky during the day it will re-surface at night and is a very common symptom of anxiety. He gave me sleeping tabs but I have been too scared to use them(mad eh?)My hubby thinks I am mad but I am frightened after reading the side effect leaflet.
I tend to feel more nervous at night and have tried all sorts,I have a small radio now which I leave on very low and this has helped.My husband is sleeping in another room until I feel better which is also upsetting me but if he was beside me I would keep him awake.Don't worry too much but try and think what could be on your mind,is it the fact it's nightime and you are worried you may have a panic attack or is it something else?.Pop along to your gp and see if you can have a chat,they are used to folk with insomnia as it is a very common symptom of the dreaded nerves.
As for the worry about affecting your health,I thought the same thing and the doc said "What about these people who suddenly get a night job and lose sleep during the day,or shift workers who don't have the luxury of regular shut eye they are ok arn't they? It made me feel a bit better but try and get some sleep when you feel weary even if you fall asleep in the chair during the day you are still getting rest ,don't deny it cos if you are not sleeping at night your body will try and get it elsewhere. Tell your family to leave you if this happens so at least you catch up somehow.
Try some relaxing music,milky drinks etc before you go to sleep etc and don't watch anything upsetting or violent until you feel better. If we fear a situation, doing it will bring the fear back every time. If we associate our bedtime with anxiety we won't get a cure quickly,here I am preaching but I am up at 3.30 am (lol).YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS,take care.xx

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi Mike & mothermac

Mike - Do you find it easy going to sleep? My thoughts for you are that if you don't go to bed until you cannot keep your eyes open any longer, that might help! Getting only 2 hours of sleep a night will takes it toll on you, a small dose of something like valium would help, if you don't mind taking them of course.

Mothermac - I am same as you, I sleep all day & am awake all night, don't go to bed until it's light. It really started when my mum passed away but got worse 2 years ago when I was taken off a medicaton I was on & swapped for another which didn't suit me. Could you go back to dr & request a small dose of valium instead of sleeping pills? Sleeping meds make me feel funny, they act in a different way, they get into your body quicker. But 2mg valium would relax you so you feel sleepy rather than having it forced on you, if you know what I mean?:huh:

I hope you both get sorted out, don't be afraid to talk you your drs about it, tell them how you are feeling.

Take care

Elspeth

[milly jones]

i had no difficulty going to sleep, but after a couple of hours would wake with a scarey dream or pa/worry. i wouldnt be able to go back to sleep then.

eventually after several weeks of zopiclone, my ad's were changed to citalopram and the problem has stopped.

im currently having therapy to change my anx predictions and hopefully control the worries without meds eventually

good luck

milly xxx

i was working full time thru all of this and its sole destroying, i know xxx

[katiedarling]

You guys,
I am having the same problems!!!! I am sleeping like maybe 2 or 3 hours a night...and as I am trying to fall asleep I am freaking myself out even more because I feel like the anxiety is going to get worse if I dont sleep!!! I start getting really panicked because I feel like.....Im going to be one of those people who dont sleep properly and end up having a mental illness or a nervous breakdown or something. Like I feel like....if I am up at night, sitting here so worried and anxious, and its causing so much stress for me....am I just going to crack and have a nervous breakdown?
And I also cant take anything for sleep, because I get too freaked out by side effects. I cant even take something natural like melatonin or ativan, because I am too nervous of having a reaction.

[Trixie]

When my ex left (after 18 yrs) I found it extremely difficult to go to sleep as my mind was so active, I was advised to take Nightol and it was very effective. I took it for about 2 months and once I got back into my routine and my mind settled down I stopped taking it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4683023.stm

[Trixie]

You guys,
I am having the same problems!!!! I am sleeping like maybe 2 or 3 hours a night...and as I am trying to fall asleep I am freaking myself out even more because I feel like the anxiety is going to get worse if I dont sleep!!! I start getting really panicked because I feel like.....Im going to be one of those people who dont sleep properly and end up having a mental illness or a nervous breakdown or something. Like I feel like....if I am up at night, sitting here so worried and anxious, and its causing so much stress for me....am I just going to crack and have a nervous breakdown?
And I also cant take anything for sleep, because I get too freaked out by side effects. I cant even take something natural like melatonin or ativan, because I am too nervous of having a reaction.

Why would you have a reaction are you sensitive to these drugs?

[tamo]

Hiya,
I remember when my symptoms were at thier worst waking up after1 or 2 hours of half asleep and half awake with a feeling of sheer dread and panic.
Like you I thought that it would never ger better but it did.When I think back I was actually afraid to go to sleep because I knew I would wake up feeling worse but after I eventually lost that fear my sleep gradually got back to normal.Try and just accept and go with the feelings and eventually the fear of them will disolve and sleep WILL return to normal.