Re: anyone else dread night time?
Originally Posted by
GingerFish
I dread waking up (if I do fall asleep) because of the "how the hell am I going to get through another day like this?!" Feeling and thoughts and I dread the evenings because I know night time is coming and I'm scared I won't sleep or I'll have a panic again but more so.
Dreading going to sleep because of the fear of panic attacks etc becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Try changing the self-talk to ' I am going to really enjoy going to bed tonight. I will sleep really well'. Do this enough times and your brain might get the message.
For what it's worth, I've had nocturnal panic attacks since 2016. My first one was so severe that I genuinely thought I was having a heart attack at 2am. I have now had that many that I'm bored of them. I wake up with my heart racing and feeling cold etc. Really? It's 3am mate! Okeydokey. Let's breathe it out then- and I breathe abdominally for as long as it takes for my brain to turn off the fight or flight response. Because I no longer dread them, or add fear to the mix - it's all over in a matter of minutes - sometimes seconds. Then I get up and do something boring because I know that there is no chance of me going back to sleep while my body is swimming in adrenalin and cortisol. Once I have burned it off, I go back to bed and if my mind is active - I listen to some white noise.
I give my anxiety a right good talking to when it's like this. Give me your best shot, cocker. I don't give a crap because you don't scare me anymore. I know how this works!
I'll also add that I got on top of my panic attacks and for months. They are back, but that's because I'm stressed at the moment - that and my lad gave me caffeine for a week and I didn't know. The difference is that I am in control of the panic attacks, not the other way around.
Make bedtime a good time for you. Have a bath. Pamper yourself. Give your feet a lovely massage with some sesame oil and lavender. Read an uplifting book. Listen to some relaxing music. Have sex. Whatever makes you happy, but tell yourself that it doesn't matter if you sleep or not tonight. If you have a panic attack, you will deal with it and it can never hurt you.
You will get through this. Better days will come. Learn about the stress response and you will understand that your body is trying to keep you safe. It's your mind which is playing you up - and only you can change that because the content comes from you.
__________________
A thought is harmless unless we believe it.