can't sleep

[jemoo]

I am having an awful time sleeping. This is my 4th night now of sitting up virtually all night. I'm beginning to get really desperate as I just don't know what to do.

I have an 11 month old baby to look after and am also 13 weeks pregnant so very little I can take in the form of sedatives. Last night I was pulling at my hair, banging the bed and shaking my head in desperation - I really scared myself, I just wanted to run into the road and scream "somebody help me please!"

Tonight I am a little calmer but still no sleep. Have tried hot water, reading, relaxation music, massage from DH all to no avail :emot-crying:

Was just wondering if anyone had any words of comfort/encouragement.

Thanks

Carla x

[amyamy2010]

Im up worrying same as you feel free to PM me xx

[Anxious_gal]

I find my anxiety is worse when I am tired so I get anxious to sleep, then i worry about not getting to sleep......
the radio or relaxtion music helps calm my mind enough to sleep.
honey n warm milk or hot chocolate or camomile tea :)

[KK77]

I know how it feels, believe me...

I've just taken a sleeping tab so hopefully be in the land of nod soon, my fellow insomniacs :sleep::finger:

[eeyorelover]

I know this may sound crazy but try eating turkey about an hour or so before bedtime.
It contains Tryptophan which can make you sleepy.
I am a horrible insomniac and it did help.

Also valerian is something you may want to look in to.
It comes in pills or tea.
I used to drink the tea almost every nite and it helped me to sleep.
I didn't have any trouble waking up in the morning and had no drowsy after effects from it.

[jemoo]

Many thanks for your replies. Well I have had about 1-2 hours sleep again tonight and my baby will wake soon.

I am so scared - I feel a physical wreck but the more tired my body is the less likely I seem to be able to sleep. I am very worried about both my physical and mental health. I really need some help with this - does anyone know a good counsellor based in South London?

Carla

[magic girl]

hi carla i think you need to speak to your midwife and g.p urgently as you cannot carry on like this with a young baby to look after and also it won't be doing the baby your carrying much good you need your rest.there will be something you can take as i know women who have been on ad s while pregnant so please talk to them as there will be something they can do to help you:hugs::hugs:

[joannap]

hi carla

try not to worry - the more you worry - the worse you will feel. don;t worry either about your baby being affected - my friend suffers from fear of pregnancy and was literally climbing the walls/being sick with fear or prostrate in bed for a lot of her pregnancy - she too had a young toddler to look after. babies in the womb are very tough! yes - you need your rest but frantically worrying about a lack of rest will actually do more harm than the actual lack of rest!

can anyone look after your baby for you for a few nights so you are not listening out for your baby - you may be able to relax a little more? you WILL go to sleep again. i had a night of being awake ALL night a few days ago and felt panicked myself so i know how you feel. last night i slept better - i decided to have the tv on in the background and did not "try" to go to sleep - instead of thinking scary thoughts - i also chose other things to think about and sleep just came naturally after a while. i am sure you will sleep soon - your body will give in eventually but there are meds you can take when pregnant so you could always give your midwife a ring.

[Carys]

Hey Carla ! You poor thing, I know how it feels (but you must be much worse as you ahve a new baby too), I had three nights this week sat up all night, literally. The more it stressed me, the worse I got. Every time I thought I was dropping off, I would get a woshing of heat in my body and would feel instantly wide awake and stressed, heart pounding. I re-read Claire Weekes books whilst sat up awake and then realised that my body was so full of adrenaline, that I was sensitised to the extent that even hardly any trigger at all during the night was making more adrenaline and provoking the 'alert fight/flight response' but even more exaggerated that I had experienced before.

Have you got or read those books ? You could also pop in to your GP and ask for a weeny dose of diazepam or tamazepam edited - just realised you are pregnant and can't take much, but you could ask the GP anyway, there might be something ? I did, and actually didn't use them last night as just knowing that I had something that could help, was enough to not need them.

You could also try night time relaxation techniques, again some of those are given in the books. Last night I forced myself to keep counting from one hundred down to, if I felt that sudden jolting awake again, then I simply started from 100 again. It took a long time of this strategy to be able to sleep, but it worked for me and I got 4 hours last night....compared to 20 mins the night before ! I can relate to your desperation, as I eventually was at hysteria point and had the phone ready to call 'someone/anyone' for help.

Take care and do drop in and see your GP and ask for help with this. It can and will go - get those books too if you don't already have them. They explain sleeplessness just like the sort you are talking about and take the fear out of it.

[jemoo]

Thankyou so much for taking the time to reply to my worries - it's really kind of you and your support has made me quite emotional (unsurprisingly!)

Have stocked up on a few natural remedies and found a local counsellor who sounds lovely on the phone. I have got the Claire Weekes books - they are fantastic aren't they?

Will definitely be trying some of your tips and working hard to keep my spirits up :)

[JohnBliss]

Hi
One technique I use which I find very effective is to count down from 1001 to 0 in sevens ie 994, 987, 980 etc. I've never yet got to 0
Hope you find something that works for you
Regards
John

[Anxious_gal]

I just remembered something!! Try a hypnosis CD by Paul mckenna or Glen Harold.
I had two cd's to help me stop smoking, it did not work but I started listening to the cd's to help me sleep and they nearly always put me to sleep before the cd ended!!
I'm pretty sure they both do a cd for actually helping you sleep!

[jemoo]

That's really funny Mishel. I've only just read your message but did download a relaxation CD last night that focused on visualisation and breathing. It did the trick and I managed a grand 6 hours sleep! Feeling a lot more human and a little more confident now I have some strategies under my belt.

Counting back in 7's is also a good idea if a little tricky :winks:

Thankyou again x

[Ladybelle]

I just posted in another thread about my similar problems. I havent slept for 4 nights :( I just cannot get off to sleep. I also am a firm Claire Weekes fan and have been listening to the CDs and looking at books - but while she is my heroine for general anxiety - she doesnt do a lot about not sleeping - hence my search for info and finding this fantastic site !
I hope you manage to get some rest tonight ! x

[lou72]

a good herbal tablet is quiet life it helps me sleep, and i only use them occassionly

[chrislot]

I really feel for you,I only had myself to consider and found it hellishly hard at times. Research pyroluria and copper overload, cosidered by some to be the cause of post natal depression. lol